A multifunctional antenna

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multifunctional antenna, which includes two antennas, two networks, a slow-wave line, a phase-shifting network, two modules and a fixing device. The two antennas are respectively a waveguide horn antenna unit and a waveguide traveling-wave array antenna unit, and the two networks are respectively a 1:2 power divider and sum / difference beam network and a 1:4 power divider network. The antenna-feeding system of the present invention, which is composed of a coaxial waveguide converter connected to a cover plate component, can be applied to both pulsed radars and continuous-wave frequency-scanning radars, can be used for both transmit-receive separated radar antennas and transmit-receive shared radar antennas, can be used in both height-finding radars and non-height-finding radar detection systems, and different combinations can be adopted to respectively achieve different functions, thereby saving the R & D cost, shortening the R & D cycle, improving the flexibility of the system, enhancing the performance of the system, and increasing the functionality and practicality of the antenna system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of antennas, and specifically to a multifunctional antenna. Background Art

[0002] An antenna is a transducer that converts the guided wave propagating on a transmission line into an electromagnetic wave propagating in an unbounded medium, or vice versa. It is a component used to transmit or receive electromagnetic waves in a radio device. All devices that use electromagnetic waves to transmit information rely on antennas to operate.

[0003] In the actual use of an antenna, due to the high cost of the antenna system and the long R & D, manufacturing, and testing cycle, it is a very important subsystem in a radar system. Generally, due to technical reasons, it is difficult for a radar to simultaneously take into account both the pulse and frequency scanning systems. To meet the application requirements and scenarios of different detections and tracking, radars of different systems are used. In a radar detection system, the antenna feed system is difficult in technology, high in cost, and long in the design, processing, manufacturing, and testing cycle. Therefore, it is necessary to design a flexible and versatile antenna feed system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional antenna to solve the related problems raised in the above background art.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: It includes two antennas, two networks, a slow-wave line, a phase-shifting network, two modules, and a fixing device. The two antennas are respectively a waveguide horn antenna unit and a waveguide traveling-wave array antenna unit. The two networks are respectively a 1:2 power divider and sum / difference beam network and a 1:4 power divider network. The slow-wave line is a waveguide slow-wave line. The phase-shifting network is a waveguide phase-shifting network. The two modules are coaxial waveguide converters. The fixing device includes a connecting cover plate and corresponding fasteners;

[0006] The waveguide horn antenna unit and the waveguide traveling-wave array antenna unit can be used separately or in combination. The waveguide horn antenna unit and the waveguide traveling-wave array antenna unit are respectively used for receiving and transmitting, and can be used as a frequency-scanning continuous-wave dual antenna.

[0007] Preferably, the coaxial waveguide converter, the 1:4 power divider network, a set of waveguide traveling-wave array antenna units, or the coaxial waveguide converter, the waveguide slow-wave line, a set of waveguide horn antenna units can be used in cooperation with a transmitter / receiver for a pulsed radar.

[0008] Preferably, the coaxial waveguide converter, the 1:2 power divider and sum / difference beam network, two sets of slow-wave lines, and two sets of waveguide horn antenna units are combined, and only the sum port of the 1:2 power divider and sum / difference beam network is connected to the transmitter / receiver (the difference port is connected to a load) for a pulsed radar.

[0009] Preferably, the coaxial waveguide transducer, 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network, two 1:4 power divider networks + waveguide traveling wave array antenna elements or two sets of slow wave lines + waveguide horn antenna elements are combined, and the sum and difference ports of the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network are respectively connected to a transmitter and a receiver, for use in a pulsed radar.

[0010] Preferably, the combination of the coaxial waveguide transducer, 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network, 1:4 power divider network, waveguide phase shifter network, and waveguide traveling wave array antenna element can form an antenna system for a pulsed altimeter radar for pitch frequency scanning.

[0011] Preferably, the coaxial waveguide transducer, two sets of waveguide slow wave lines and two sets of waveguide horn antenna elements can form an azimuth beam frequency scanning transmit-receive dual antenna system.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0013] The multifunctional antenna is composed of an antenna-feeding system including a coaxial waveguide transducer, a connecting cover plate and other components. It can be applied to both pulsed radar systems and continuous wave frequency scanning radar systems. It can be used for both transmit-receive separated radar antennas and transmit-receive shared radar antennas. It can be used in altimeter radars and non-altimeter radar detection systems. Different combinations can be adopted to achieve different functions respectively, thus saving R & D costs, shortening the R & D cycle, improving the flexibility of the system, enhancing the performance of the system, and increasing the functionality and practicality of the antenna system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the transformation of two coaxial waveguide transducers of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the 1:4 power divider network of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the waveguide phase shifter network of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the waveguide horn antenna element of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the waveguide traveling wave array antenna element of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the waveguide slow wave line of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 8Schematic diagram of the connection cover plate of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 9 Flow chart of the use of a single antenna of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 10 Flow chart of the combined use of two antennas of the present invention through a 1:2 network;

[0024] Figure 11 Low-altitude altitude measurement flow chart of two antennas of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 12 Pitch direction frequency scanning flow chart of two antennas of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 13 Flow chart for the reception and transmission of two antennas of the present invention.

[0027] In the figure: 1, coaxial waveguide transducer; 2, 1:2 power divider and sum / difference beam network; 3, 1:4 power divider network; 4, waveguide phase shifter network; 5, waveguide horn antenna unit; 6, waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit; 7, waveguide slow wave line; 8, connection cover plate. Specific implementation mode

[0028] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] Please refer to Figures 1-13 , the present invention provides a technical solution: a multi-functional antenna, including two antennas, two networks, a slow wave line, a phase shifter network, two modules and fixing devices. The two antennas are respectively a waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and a waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6. The two networks are respectively a 1:2 power divider and sum / difference beam network 2 and a 1:4 power divider network 3. The slow wave line is a waveguide slow wave line 7. The phase shifter network is a waveguide phase shifter network 4. The two modules are coaxial waveguide transducers 1. The fixing devices include a connection cover plate 8 and corresponding fasteners;

[0030] The waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6 can be used separately or in combination. The waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6 are respectively used for reception and transmission, and can be used as a frequency scanning continuous wave dual antenna.

[0031] Further, the coaxial waveguide transducer 1, 1:4 power divider network 3, and a set of waveguide traveling wave array antenna elements 6, or the coaxial waveguide transducer 1, waveguide slow wave line 7, and a set of waveguide horn antenna elements 5 are used in cooperation with a transmitter / receiver for a pulsed radar. The antenna has a relatively wide elevation beam and can take into account the detection of ground and low-altitude targets.

[0032] Further, the coaxial waveguide transducer 1, 1:2 power dividing and sum / difference beam network 2, two sets of slow wave lines 7, and two sets of waveguide horn antenna elements 5 are combined, and only the sum port of the 1:2 power dividing and sum / difference beam network 2 is connected to the transmitter / receiver, and the difference port is connected to a load for a pulsed radar. The antenna gain is doubled, the power is increased, and it can be used for a pulsed radar with a fixed beam or azimuth beam frequency scan for ground target detection.

[0033] Further, the coaxial waveguide transducer 1, 1:2 power dividing and sum / difference beam network 2, two 1:4 power divider networks 3 + waveguide traveling wave array antenna elements 6 or two sets of slow wave lines 7 + waveguide horn antenna elements 5 are combined, and the sum and difference ports of the 1:2 power dividing and sum / difference beam network 2 are respectively connected to the transmitter and the receiver for a pulsed radar. The antenna gain is doubled, the power is increased, and it can be used for a pulsed radar for ground and low-altitude target detection and has the function of low-altitude height measurement.

[0034] Further, the coaxial waveguide transducer 1, 1:2 power dividing and sum / difference beam network 2, 1:4 power divider network 3, waveguide phase shifter network 4, and waveguide traveling wave array antenna elements 6 are combined to form an antenna system for a pulsed height measurement radar with elevation frequency scan, which can cover a larger airspace in the elevation plane and measure the height of the detected target, increasing the functionality of the antenna.

[0035] Further, the coaxial waveguide transducer 1, two sets of waveguide slow wave lines 7, and two sets of waveguide horn antenna elements 5 can form an azimuth beam frequency scan transmitting and receiving dual antenna system, which can be used for a transmitting and receiving separated continuous wave radar system, increasing the flexibility of antenna use.

[0036] Embodiment 1, as Figure 9 shown, when the waveguide horn antenna element 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna element 6 are used as a single antenna, it can be used for a continuous wave radar and a pulsed radar with azimuth beam frequency scan. The elevation plane beam is twice as wide as 2, and the application requirements of the ground and low altitude can be taken into account.

[0037] Embodiment 2, as Figure 10 shown, when the waveguide horn antenna element 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna element 6 are combined into one through the 1:2 power dividing and sum / difference beam network 2, it can be used for a continuous wave radar and a pulsed radar with azimuth beam frequency scan and is used for ground target detection without height measurement. At this time, the gain is doubled compared to 1, the power is increased, and the detection effectiveness of the antenna is increased.

[0038] Embodiment 3, as Figure 11 shown, when the beam of the waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6 combines into one during transmission, it forms a single beam, which can be used in continuous wave radars and pulsed radars with azimuth beam frequency scanning. During reception, the signals received by the two antennas pass through a sum-difference beam network, and two signals of sum and difference beams are output, thus having the function of measuring the altitude of low-altitude targets and increasing the flexibility of the use of the antenna system.

[0039] Embodiment 4, as Figure 12 shown, as the waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6 combine into one single beam when used as two antennas during transmission, it can be used not only in frequency-phase scanning systems but also in pulsed continuous wave applications. Through the received signals of the two antennas during reception passing through a 1:2 power divider and a sum-difference beam network 2, two signals of sum beam and difference beam are output, thus having the altitude measurement function. Phase shifter networks are added to the two antennas in the elevation direction to achieve frequency scanning in the elevation direction and increase the functionality of the antenna system.

[0040] Embodiment 5, as Figure 13 shown, the coaxial waveguide converter 1, the waveguide horn antenna unit 5, and two groups of waveguide slow wave lines 7 are respectively used for reception and transmission, and are used in a frequency scanning continuous wave radar system with separate receiving and transmitting, and can be used for the operation of a frequency scanning continuous wave radar.

[0041] Working principle: This antenna can be used alone or in combination through the waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6, and the waveguide horn antenna unit 5 and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit 6 are respectively combined with a receiver, a transmitter, and a coaxial waveguide converter 1. It can be used as a frequency scanning continuous wave dual antenna. When the two antennas are combined together, it is used in a pulsed radar, which improves the gain of the antenna. Under the network conversion of the antenna with a 1:2 power divider, a sum-difference beam network 2, and a 1:4 power divider network 3, it can not only be used as a pulsed radar, but also has the functions of low-altitude altitude measurement, elevation frequency scanning, and azimuth frequency scanning, improving the actual use efficiency and performance of the antenna and increasing the multi-functional effect of this antenna system.

[0042] Finally, it should be noted that the above content is only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, rather than to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any simple modification or equivalent replacement made by those of ordinary skill in the art to the technical solution of the present invention shall not depart from the essence and scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multifunctional antenna, comprising two antennas, two networks, a slow-wave line, a phase-shifting network, two modules and a fixing device, characterized in that: The two antennas are respectively a waveguide horn antenna unit (5) and a waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit (6), the two networks are respectively a 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2) and a 1:4 power divider network (3), the slow wave line is a waveguide slow wave line (7), the phase shifter network is a waveguide phase shifter network (4), the two modules are coaxial waveguide converters (1), and the fixing device includes a connecting cover plate (8) and corresponding fasteners; The waveguide horn antenna unit (5) and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit (6) can be used separately or in combination. The waveguide horn antenna unit (5) and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit (6) are respectively used for receiving and transmitting, and can be used as a frequency-scanned continuous wave dual antenna for a continuous wave radar system. Among them: the coaxial waveguide converter (1), the 1:4 power divider network (3), and a set of waveguide traveling wave array antenna units (6); or the coaxial waveguide converter (1), the waveguide slow wave line (7), and a set of waveguide horn antenna units (5) are used in cooperation with a transmitter / receiver for a pulsed radar. Among them: the coaxial waveguide converter (1), the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2), two sets of slow wave lines (7), and two sets of waveguide horn antenna units (5) are combined, and only the sum port of the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2) is connected to the transmitter / receiver, and the difference port is connected to a load for a pulsed radar. Among them: the coaxial waveguide converter (1), the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2), two 1:4 power divider networks (3) and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit (6) are combined, or the coaxial waveguide converter (1), the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2), two sets of slow wave lines (7) and the waveguide horn antenna unit (5) are combined, and the sum and difference ports of the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2) are respectively connected to the transmitter and the receiver for a pulsed radar. Among them: the combination of the coaxial waveguide converter (1), the 1:2 power divider and sum-difference beam network (2), the 1:4 power divider network (3), the waveguide phase shifter network (4), and the waveguide traveling wave array antenna unit (6) can form an antenna system for a pulsed height-finding radar with pitch frequency scanning. Among them: the coaxial waveguide converter (1), two sets of waveguide slow wave lines (7) and two sets of waveguide horn antenna units (5) can form an azimuth beam frequency scanning transmit-receive dual antenna system for a continuous wave radar system.

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