Patent Grant
10381724
The invention relates to the field of antennas.
Cylindrical reflector antennas are antennas with a reflector curved in one direction, such as having a parabolic cross section, and flat in the other direction. The reflector has a focal line parallel to the cylindrical axis. An antenna feed may be located along the focal line, centered relative to the reflector. The antenna feed may project electromagnetic radiation towards the reflector, which reflects a beam from the antenna feed and focusses a three-dimensional (3D) radiation beam along the curved direction after it is reflected. The antenna feed may be a dipole antenna located along the focal line. The term antenna feed means the physical antenna components that feed the electromagnetic radiation to the antenna reflector, and/or receive the incoming electromagnetic radiation reflected from the antenna reflector surface. The antenna feeds are generally directed towards the reflector and away from the transmission direction. Cylindrical parabolic antennas may radiate a 3D fan-shaped beam, narrow in the curved direction, and wide in the un-curved or straight direction.
For example, the electromagnetic radiation reaching the cylindrical reflector is reflected towards the feed and focused in a plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis and is spread out along a plane defined by the cylindrical axis and vertex line. The term vertex line refers to the collection of vertex points of cross sectional parabolas defining the parabolic cylindrical reflector. The term tangent plane is a plane tangent to the parabolas defining the parabolic cylinder reflector and passing through the vertex line. The curved ends of the reflector are sometimes capped by flat plates, to prevent radiation out the ends, and this may be called a pillbox antenna.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the figures.
The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope.
There is provided, in accordance with an embodiment, a parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna. The antenna comprises a parabolic cylindrical reflector. The antenna comprises two or more antenna feeds each directed towards the parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the antenna feeds are positioned in one or more line-arrays parallel to a focal line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, and wherein the line-array(s) is substantially centered opposing the parabolic cylindrical reflector. The antenna comprises a controller configured to scan along a straight edge of the parabolic cylindrical reflector by electronically adjusting a phase of each of the antenna feeds, thereby changing the incident angle of an energy beam relative to the vertex line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector. The controller is configured to scan along a curved edge of the parabolic cylindrical reflector by moving, using a mechanical positioning mechanism, the antenna feeds in a direction parallel to a directrix of the parabolic cylindrical reflector while maintaining the orientation or by electronically selecting one of the line-array(s), wherein the selecting comprises selecting from two or more parallel linear arrays.
Optionally, the parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna further comprises a mechanical positioning mechanism.
Optionally, the heat produced from the one or more line-array is transferred to the mechanical positioning mechanism to facilitate the moving of the antenna feeds.
Optionally, the parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna further comprises a rotation mechanism attached to the one or more line-array, adapted to rotate the one or more line-array relative to the focal line, and wherein the scan along a straight edge of the parabolic cylindrical reflector is further performed by a rotation of the one or more line-array.
Optionally, the heat produced from the one or more line-array is transferred to the rotation mechanism.
Optionally, the moving and the rotating are performed to characterize a surface of the parabolic cylindrical reflector.
Optionally, the parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna comprises a transmitter and divider network connected to said plurality of antenna feeds.
Optionally, the parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna further comprises one or more hardware processor.
There is provided, in accordance with an embodiment, a method for two dimensional scanning with a parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna. The method comprises using a controller to scan along a straight edge of a parabolic cylindrical reflector by electronically adjusting a phase of each of two or more antenna feeds, thereby changing the incident angle of an energy beam relative to the vertex line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the antenna feeds are positioned in a line-array parallel to a focal line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the line-array is substantially centered opposing the parabolic cylindrical reflector. The method comprises using a controller to scan along a curved edge of the parabolic cylindrical reflector by moving the antenna feeds in a direction parallel to a directrix of the parabolic cylindrical reflector while maintaining the positioning, or electronically selecting one of a parallel line-arrays, and wherein each of the parallel line-arrays maintains the positioning. The method comprises using a controller to output scanned data.
Optionally, the moving is performed by a mechanical positioning mechanism.
Optionally, the method further comprises transferring a heat produced from the one or more line-array to the mechanical positioning mechanism.
Optionally, the scan along a straight edge of a parabolic cylindrical reflector is performed by rotating the one or more line-array relative to the focal line using a rotation mechanism attached to the one or more line-array.
Optionally, the heat produced from the one or more line-array is transferred to the rotation mechanism.
Optionally, the moving and the rotating are performed to characterize a surface of the parabolic cylindrical reflector.
Optionally, the method further comprises a transmitter and divider network connected to said plurality of antenna feeds.
Optionally, the controller comprises one or more hardware processors.
There is provided, in accordance with an embodiment, a computerized device comprising one or more hardware processor configured to scan along a straight edge of a parabolic cylindrical reflector by electronically adjusting a phase of each of two or more antenna feeds, thereby changing the incident angle of an energy beam relative to the vertex line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the antenna feeds are positioned in a line-array parallel to a focal line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the line-array is substantially centered opposing the parabolic cylindrical reflector. The hardware processor(s) are configured to scan along a curved edge of the parabolic cylindrical reflector by moving the antenna feeds in a direction parallel to a directrix of the parabolic cylindrical reflector while maintaining the positioning, or electronically selecting one of two or more parallel line-arrays, and wherein each of the parallel line-arrays maintains the positioning. The hardware processor(s) are configured to output scanned data.
Optionally, the moving is performed by a mechanical positioning mechanism.
Optionally, the computerized device further comprises transferring a heat produced from the one or more line-array to the mechanical positioning mechanism.
Optionally, the scan along a straight edge of a parabolic cylindrical reflector is performed by rotating the one or more line-array relative to the focal line using a rotation mechanism attached to the one or more line-array.
Optionally, the heat produced from the one or more line-array is transferred to the rotation mechanism.
Optionally, the moving and the rotating are performed to characterize a surface of the parabolic cylindrical reflector.
Optionally, the computerized device comprises a transmitter and divider network connected to said plurality of antenna feeds.
In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the figures and by study of the following detailed description.
Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are generally chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. The figures are listed below.
Provided herein are systems and methods for a scanning antenna using a parabolic cylindrical reflector and one or more line-array antenna feeds parallel to the focal line. Antenna beam scanning may be performed along the vertex line of the reflector, such as parallel to the straight edge of the reflector, by using a controller to electronically adjust the phase of each array element so that the electromagnetic radiation beam reaches the reflector at an acute incident angle relative to the vertex line. The beam is reflected back at this incident angle. Scanning may be performed in the plane perpendicular to the focal line, such as along the curved direction of the reflector, by using a controller to either: (a) change the physical positioning of the line-array so that it moves away from the focal line but stays parallel to the focal line at the same distance from a tangent plane of the parabolic cylindrical reflector; or (b) electronically selecting one of several parallel line-arrays positioned in the focal plane parallel to the focal line. The focal plane means a plane through the focal line parallel to the tangent plane.
Optionally, the antenna is used for an airborne application and the heat generated by the transceivers during their operation is transferred to a mechanical displacement mechanism to increase the temperature of a motor and/or gear above the ambient temperature.
Optionally, the antenna feed is rotated relative to the focal line to increase the scan capabilities along the straight direction of the reflector.
Optionally, the antenna feed is displaced and/or rotated to fully characterize a parabolic cylindrical reflector in a short time.
Optionally, the antenna comprises a transmitter and divider network connected to said plurality of antenna feeds. For example, said linear array of antenna feeds is a fixed linear array.
Optionally, two or more antennas as described herein are incorporated into an antenna system that scans several beams at once, one for each antenna.
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Rotation of the antenna feed may allow increasing the scan range along the straight direction of the antenna, using antenna feed to quickly characterize the surface of the reflector, and/or the like. For example, the linear array of antenna feeds are connected to a transmitter and a dividing network, thereby making the linear array a fixed linear array, such that the controller may not change the phase of each element of the array, and by rotating and moving the feed the reflector surface can be scanned for deformities, gain, surface quality, and/or the like.
Reference is now made to
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and the like according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by different embodiments.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and the like according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
The present invention may comprise a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/005,018, filed Jan. 25, 2016, entitled “Two-Dimensional Scanning Cylindrical Reflector”.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190051982 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15005018 | Jan 2016 | US |
| Child | 16161150 | US |
