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Adaptive reflector antenna and method of implementing the same

a technology of reflector antenna and antenna, applied in the direction of antenna, antenna feed intermediate, electrically short antenna, etc., can solve the problems of space-based radar and communications system design limitations, performance unacceptable, and reflector antenna scan angle notoriously limited

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-07-03
THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This solution enables very large, lightweight, and simple antennas with wide scan capabilities, reducing system weight and cost while maintaining performance, applicable to space-based radar and other applications.

Problems solved by technology

Space-based radar and communications system designs arc generally limited by power-aperture product for transmissions and by the antenna aperture for receptions.
Reflector type antennas are notoriously limited in the scan angle that they can attain, to about 10 to at most 20 beamwidths before beam distortion and growth in sidelobes becomes so large as to render performance unacceptable.
Phased array antennas do not suffer the same limitations, but are in general much more complex, heavy, and expensive than the same aperture reflector antennas due to the number of components and the strict positional requirements of the elements for their functioning.

Method used

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  • Adaptive reflector antenna and method of implementing the same
  • Adaptive reflector antenna and method of implementing the same
  • Adaptive reflector antenna and method of implementing the same

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Embodiment Construction

[0028]The following is a detailed description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

[0029]The present invention pertains to an adaptive reflector antenna including an adaptive reflector and a mechanism for simultaneously effecting feed rotation and shape change for the adaptive reflector. According to the present invention, various implementations of adaptive reflectors allow the shape of very large antennas to be adaptively controlled. Adaptive reflector antennas according to the present invention have the advantages of very wide scan angle, very light weight, essentially unlimited size, and a very simple and light feed, which can greatly simplify associated electronics hardware and information processing systems. For space based radar applications, the net result is a great savings in total system weight and c...

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Abstract

An adaptive reflector antenna includes an adaptive reflector and a mechanism for simultaneously effecting feed rotation and shape change for the adaptive reflector so as to maintain antenna performance with large scan angles while simultaneously reducing weight, complexity, and cost.

Description

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST[0001]The invention was made with Government support under contract F04701-00-C-0009 by the Department of the Air Force. The Government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Space-based radar and communications system designs arc generally limited by power-aperture product for transmissions and by the antenna aperture for receptions. In both types of systems the beamwidth becomes narrower as the aperture becomes larger, forcing the beam to be scanned if larger coverage is desired, as it often is. Reflector type antennas are notoriously limited in the scan angle that they can attain, to about 10 to at most 20 beamwidths before beam distortion and growth in sidelobes becomes so large as to render performance unacceptable. Phased array antennas do not suffer the same limitations, but are in general much more complex, heavy, and expensive than the same aperture reflector antennas due to the number of components and the stric...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H01Q15/14H01Q15/20
CPCH01Q15/147H01Q15/148
Inventor BEKEY, IVAN
Owner THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION