Analog two-dimensional multiplier beam former with reduced complexity for reconfigurable active network edges

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a reduced complexity two-dimensional multi-beam analog shaper for reconfigurable two-dimensional active array antennas.

[0002] The invention also relates to a reconfigurable two-dimensional multi-beam active antenna of reduced complexity in transmission and / or reception mode using a two-dimensional multi-beam analog formatter of reduced complexity according to the invention.

[0003] The invention also relates to a satellite payload of a telecommunications satellite comprising a multi-beam reception antenna and / or a multi-beam transmission antenna, interconnected by a router, and in which the multi-beam reception antenna and / or the multi-beam transmission antenna are reconfigurable two-dimensional multi-beam active antennas of reduced complexity according to the invention.

[0004] Reconfigurable active array antennas are known to generate, with a single array of radiating elements or radiating sources, several reconfigurable beams which can adapt to the evolution over time of a need for spatial distribution of transmission traffic.

[0005] These antennas are particularly suitable for satellite applications that require the ability or capacity to reconfigure the coverage of the beams generated by the antenna over time. This requirement to be able to reconfigure the geographical coverage of the beams over time is important for a large number of satellite applications such as telecom satellites, whether for geostationary, medium or low orbits.

[0006] Thus, for example, for constellations of satellites in low or medium orbits, such antennas make it possible to adapt the coverage of each satellite to the changing needs induced by the movement of the satellite relative to the Earth and are therefore very attractive.

[0007] But given the large number of satellites in these constellations, these antennas must not only be reconfigurable but must also meet the low cost requirement of these systems, which can technically translate into a reduction in complexity and / or processing.

[0008] Furthermore, the limited power resources of satellite systems also require minimizing the power consumed by such antennas. It is known that one of the main elements of these antennas impacting the criteria stated above is the beamformer.

[0009] Different architectures are known to realize reconfigurable 2D two-dimensional beamformers and can be grouped into two families according to the level or degree of their ability to reconfigure the coverage of the beams, this level being called hereinafter "reconfigurability level". A first family groups multibeam formers having a "total" reconfigurability level and a second family groups multibeam formers having a "partial" reconfigurability level. Obviously, the total reconfigurability of a two-dimensional active array antenna is obtained by relying on beamformers more complex than those which allow partial reconfigurability.

[0010] In the case of beamformers with full reconfigurability, digital beamforming involves having a digitized access associated with each active radiating element via digital-to-analog conversion interfaces. These interfaces are expensive and energy-intensive, especially as the operating frequencies are high. In the case of Ka-band satellite applications, this consumption is increased by the need to add a frequency conversion stage to remain within the operating range accessible by the digital-to-analog converters. It is therefore important to minimize the number of digitized accesses if the criteria of reduced complexity and power consumption are predominant in the design of a payload.Thus, the integration of beamformers in the digital part of satellite payloads leads to a very significant increase in complexity and consumption when the number of radiating elements is greater than the number of beams to be routed.

[0011] In the case of beamformers with full reconfigurability, mobile analog beamformers are a very attractive alternative to digital beamformers when the criteria of limited complexity and power consumption must be prioritized. But these mobile analog beamformers are penalized by the difficulty of implementing this solution when the number of radiating elements and beams is high. For example, the generation of 20 beams from 500 radiating elements leads to the need to implement in the analog beamformer 20 1 to 500 dividers, 10,000 amplitude / phase control points and 500 20 to 1 combiners. It is specified that each amplitude / phase control point integrates variable phase shifters or delay lines and can also integrate variable attenuators or amplifiers.The physical implementation of these elements is hampered not only by their large number but also by the complexity of the routing to be carried out between these different elements and the difficulty of controlling the phase dispersions of this multitude of radiofrequency paths. This is all the more true as the operating frequency is high.

[0012] In the case of beamformers with partial reconfigurability, a first solution is to implement fixed beamformers associated with a beam selection device. Fixed beamformers can be realized using Butler or Blass matrices, quasi-optical formers such as Rotman lenses or continuous delay lenses, or hybrid devices combining different types of fixed beamformers. Among the different types of fixed beamformers, quasi-optical beamformers are particularly interesting because they allow with a single element to realize simultaneously several beams from several accesses of radiating elements, and thus constitute an alternative to the complexity of analog beamformers with variable phase.As is known, one-dimensional Rotman or continuous delay lenses form beams distributed on a single axis. To form beams distributed on two axes with one-dimensional quasi-optical beamformers with a distribution axis, it is then necessary to connect two different sets of quasi-optical beamformers, as described for example in a first document, formed by US patent 5,936,588 by SK Rao et al., entitled "Reconfigurable multiple beam satellite phased array antenna". According to this first document, the two sets are composed of quasi-optical beamformers superimposed and positioned perpendicular to each other.The main disadvantage of such an architecture is that the number of accesses of the 2D two-dimensional beamformer on the beam side is significantly higher than the number of beams when the beamformer has to address a wide coverage with narrow beams. Consequently, to minimize the number of digital-to-analog converters of the payload, it is then necessary to place a selection matrix upstream of the beamformer to reduce the number of accesses processed by the digital part. This selection matrix is ​​complex to realize in the case of a large number of accesses of the two-dimensional quasi-optical beamformer. Another disadvantage of this architecture is the significant footprint resulting from the serial connection of the two groups of quasi-optical formers and the selection matrix.Furthermore, such an architecture leads to a discretization of the coverage in which the displacement of a beam is carried out by jumps between preformed beams.

[0013] In the case of beamformers with partial reconfigurability, a second solution is to implement the association of two-dimensional beamformer subsets and a final two-dimensional beamformer.

[0014] A second paper by Vincent Tugend et al., entitled “Hybrid beamforming with reduced grating lobes for satellite applications” and published in EuCAP 2018, describes different types of combinations of the second solution including: the combination of overlapping analog beamformer subsets and a main digital beamformer; the combination of overlapping quasi-optical beamformer subsets and a main digital beamformer; the combination of overlapping quasi-optical beamformer subsets, switches, and a main digital beamformer.

[0015] US Patent Application 8,344,945, entitled "System for simplification of reconfigurable beam-forming network processing within a phased array antenna for a telecommunications satellite" and forming a third document, describes another type of association of the second solution in which overlapping subsets of analog beamformers and a main analog beamformer are associated.

[0016] The approach presented in the second and third documents allows to reduce the number of beamformer control points by decomposing the beamformer into two parts, a first part composed of beamformers from sub-arrays of radiating elements and a second part comprising a main beamformer. This approach has the first disadvantage of generating network lobes harmful to the antenna performance which can certainly be attenuated but at the cost of using several levels of amplifiers and an increase in control points with an overlap of the sub-arrays. This approach has the second disadvantage of generating grouped beams and does not allow at the same time to generate beams dispersed over the entire coverage of the antenna.

[0017] We also know the solutions described in documents EP3176875, US 2003 / 038752 and EP 1170823.

[0018] None of the embodiments of the beamformers makes it possible to generate from a large number of radiating elements of a predetermined two-dimensional antenna array a high number of beam configurations reconfigurable in terms of pointing angles and / or sizes, which can be dispersed at the same time over the entire coverage of the antenna and at another time grouped into a limited compact area of ​​said coverage of the antenna, consuming low electrical power and using a reduced number of amplitude-phase control points.

[0019] A first technical problem is to provide a beamformer whose architecture makes it possible to generate from a large number of radiating elements of a predetermined two-dimensional antenna array a high number of beam configurations reconfigurable in terms of pointing angles and / or sizes, which can be dispersed at the same time over the entire coverage of the antenna and at another time grouped in a limited compact area of ​​said coverage of the antenna, consuming low electrical power and using a reduced number of amplitude-phase control points.

[0020] A second technical problem is to provide an analog beamformer that solves the first technical problem and in which a limited number of amplitude-phase control points is used to meet the requirements of flexibility and speed of reconfigurability of the antenna beams.

[0021] For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions for a reconfigurable two-dimensional active array antenna, having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources distributed on a flat or curved surface following a mesh formed by the points of intersection of a first array of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a first axial direction X, and of a second array of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X.

[0022] The multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form P fixed radiofrequency beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first axial direction X, each first analog former, i varying from 1 to R, being configured to be connected through S output channels in transmission mode or S input channels in reception mode, corresponding to a row of S radiating sources of the antenna array and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna array, identified by a level index i, i varying from 1 to R; and each first analog former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of input channels in transmission mode or output channels in reception mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0023] The multi-beam analog former is characterized in that it comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog formers of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analog former being formed by a single-input divider and R output branches in transmission mode or by a single-output combiner and R input branches in reception mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode or input branch of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analog former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank j of the first analog formers.

[0024] According to particular embodiments, the two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer comprises one or more of the following features, taken alone or in combination: the first analog formers are superimposed along the second axial direction Y and each correspond to a different row of radiating sources along the first axial direction X; and the second analog formers are aligned side by side along the first axial direction X and each correspond to one or more neighboring columns of access to the second analog formers of the second set; the R superimposed first analog formers of the first set are quasi-optical formers or Butler matrices;the amplitude and phase control points of the R output branches in transmit mode or R input branches in receive mode of each of the Q second analog formatters, aligned side by side, of the second set are analog electrical phase shift and amplification or attenuation components with continuously or quasi-continuously variable phase shift and gain as a function of analog controls or discrete controls with fine resolution over a wide range;the two-dimensional multi-beam analog formatter further comprises, for each first analog formatter and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, a combiner in transmission mode following a predetermined combination configuration or a divider in reception mode following a predetermined division configuration, outputs in transmission mode or inputs in reception mode of the second analog formatters having the associated level i of the first analog beamformer fixed along the first angular direction;the two-dimensional multi-beam analog formatter further comprises, for each first analog formatter and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, inside the two-dimensional multi-beam analog formatter, a first switching matrix, according to a first configuration of a predetermined set of routings, outputs in transmission mode or inputs in reception mode of the second analog formatters having the same associated level i of the first fixed analog beam formatter along the first angular direction X;the two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer further comprises, peripheral to the two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer and opposite the access paths to the radiating sources of the antenna network, a second switching matrix, according to a second configuration of a predetermined set of routings, of the Q inputs in transmission mode or of the Q outputs in reception mode of the second analog trainers on an integer T, greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to Q, of beam inputs in transmission mode or of beam outputs in reception mode;the multi-beam analog trainer further comprises, for each first analog trainer and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, inside the two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer, a first switching matrix, according to a first configuration of a predetermined set of routings, outputs in transmission mode or inputs in reception mode of the second analog trainers having the associated level of said first fixed analog beam trainer according to the first angular direction;and, peripheral to the two-dimensional multi-beam analog formatter and opposite the access paths to the radiating sources of the antenna, a second switching matrix, according to a second configuration of a predetermined set of routings, of the Q inputs in transmission mode or of the Q outputs in reception mode of the second analog formatters on an integer T, greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to Q, of beam inputs in transmission mode or of beam outputs in reception mode; the number P of input paths in transmission mode or output paths in reception mode of each first analog formatter is strictly greater than the first number R of input paths in transmission mode or output paths in reception mode of the radiating sources of the same row in the first axial direction;and two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises, for each first analog former and the associated level, a divider in transmit mode following a predetermined divider configuration or a combiner in receive mode following a predetermined combination configuration, outputs in transmit mode or inputs in receive mode of the second analog formers having the associated level of the first analog former of fixed beams following the first angular direction, the divider in transmit mode or the combiner in receive mode being connected between the outputs in transmit mode or the inputs in receive mode of the second analog formers having the associated level of said first analog former of fixed beams following the first angular direction, and the inputs in transmit mode or the outputs in receive mode of the first analog former;the two-dimensional multi-beam analog former further comprises, for each first one-dimensional analog beam former and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, in transmission mode, connected to the inputs of said first fixed analog beam former, a divider according to a configuration for dividing the outputs of the second analog beam formers of beams having the associated level i of said first fixed analog beam former, or in reception mode, connected to the outputs of said first analog beam former a combiner according to a configuration for combining the inputs of the second analog beam formers of beams having the associated level j of said first fixed analog beam former; and in transmission mode the division configuration is a function of a predetermined pattern of the widths of the transmission beams along the first angular direction Ax;or in reception mode the combination configuration is a function of a predetermined pattern of the widths of the reception beams along the first angular direction Ax; in transmission mode, the amplitude and phase control points of the second beamformers continuously variable in size are adjusted so that the radiation patterns of the transmission beams generated according to predetermined aimings have iso-flux radiation patterns; or in reception mode, the amplitude and phase control points of the second beamformers continuously variable in size are adjusted so that the radiation patterns of the reception beams generated according to predetermined aimings have iso-flux radiation patterns;the second mobile analog beamformers of the second set are integrated into a single planar circuit, the integrated circuit being arranged in a plane perpendicular to the extension planes of the circuits of the first fixed analog beamformers and adjoining at the end of the edges of said circuits, parallel to each other and contained in the same plane.;

[0025] The subject of the invention is a two-dimensional analog multi-beam former of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions for a reconfigurable two-dimensional active array antenna, having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources, forming an antenna array and distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a flat or curved surface according to a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) parallel to each other and oriented in a first axial local direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial local direction X, i designating a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of travel of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i), each row r(i),i varying from 1 to R having an integer S(i) depending on the level i of radiating sources, the sum of the integers S(i) i varying from 1 to R being equal to the number M.,

[0026] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first axial local direction X, each first analog former being configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode or S(i) input channels in reception mode, corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating sources of the antenna array; and each first analog former having P input channels in transmission mode or output channels in reception mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0027] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former is characterized in that it comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog formers of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analog former being formed by a divider with a single input and R output branches in transmission mode or by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode or input of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point;each second analog former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analog formers.;

[0028] The invention also relates to a reconfigurable two-dimensional active transmission antenna for transmitting radiofrequency signals on a plurality of transmission beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, comprising an antenna array of radiating sources, a set of HP RF power amplifiers, and a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former.

[0029] The antenna array of radiating sources has a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources distributed over a flat or curved surface following a mesh formed by the intersection points of a first array of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a first axial direction X, and of a second array of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X.

[0030] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form P fixed radiofrequency transmission beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first axial direction X, each first analog former being configured to be connected through S output channels in transmission mode, corresponding to a row of S radiating sources of the antenna array and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna, identified by a level index i, i varying from 1 to R; and each first analog former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of input channels in transmission mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0031] The active two-dimensional multi-beam transmit antenna is characterized in that the multi-beam analog former comprises a second set of an integer Q, greater than or equal to 2, of second analog formers of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analog former being formed by a single-input divider and R output branches in transmission mode, each output branch of a divider including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analog former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed of R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank j of the first analog formers.

[0032] The invention also relates to a two-dimensional active reception antenna reconfigurable for receiving radiofrequency signals on a plurality of reception beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, comprising an antenna array of radiating sources, a set of low-noise RF amplifiers (LNA), and a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former.

[0033] The antenna array of radiating sources has a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources distributed over a flat or curved surface following a mesh formed by the intersection points of a first array of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a first axial direction X, and of a second array of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X.

[0034] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which S first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form R fixed radiofrequency beams along first fixed angular pointing directions Ax along the first axial direction X, each first analog former being configured to be connected through S input channels in reception mode, corresponding to a row of S radiating sources of the antenna array and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna, identified by a level index i, i varying from 1 to R; and each first analog former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of output channels in reception mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0035] The two-dimensional active transmitting antenna is characterized in that the multi-beam analog former comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog formers of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analog former being formed by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each input branch of a combiner including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analog former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set, an access column being formed R access terminals to the output channels of the same rank i of the first analog formers.

[0036] The invention also relates to a reconfigurable two-dimensional active transmission antenna for transmitting radiofrequency signals on a plurality of transmission beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, comprising an antenna array of radiating sources, a set of HP RF power amplifiers, and a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former.

[0037] The antenna array of radiating sources has a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a flat or curved surface following a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) parallel to each other and oriented in a first axial local direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial local direction X, i designating a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of travel of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i), each row r(i), i varying from 1 to R having an integer number S(i) depending on the level i of radiating sources, the sum of the integers S(i) i varying from 1 to R being equal to the number M.

[0038] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency transmission beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first axial local direction X, each first analog former of level i, i varying from 1 to R, being configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode, corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating sources of the antenna array; and each first analog former having P input channels in transmission mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0039] The two-dimensional active transmitting antenna is characterized in that the multi-beam analog former comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog formers of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analog former being formed by a single-input divider and R output branches in transmit mode, each output branch of a divider in transmit mode including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analog former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analog formers.

[0040] The invention also relates to a two-dimensional active reception antenna reconfigurable for receiving radiofrequency signals on a plurality of reception beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, comprising an antenna array of radiating sources, a set of low-noise RF amplifiers (LNA), and a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former.

[0041] The antenna array of radiating sources has a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a flat or curved surface following a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) parallel to each other and oriented in a first axial local direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial local direction X, i designating a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of travel of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i), each row r(i), i varying from 1 to R having an integer number S(i) depending on the level i of radiating sources, the sum of the integers S(i) i varying from 1 to R being equal to the number M.

[0042] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency reception beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first axial local direction X, each first analog former of level i, i varying from 1 to R, being configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of input channels in reception mode, corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating sources of the antenna array; and each first analog former having P output channels in reception mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0043] The two-dimensional active receiving antenna is characterized in that the multi-beam analog former comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog formers of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analog former being formed by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each input branch of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analog former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the output channels in reception mode of the same rank j of the first analog formers.

[0044] The invention also relates to a satellite payload of a telecommunications satellite comprising a multi-beam reception antenna, a multi-beam transmission antenna, and a router interconnecting the multi-beam reception antenna and the multi-beam transmission antenna, the multi-beam transmission antenna being defined as described above and / or the multi-beam reception antenna being defined as described above.

[0045] According to particular embodiments, the satellite payload comprises one or more of the following features, taken alone or in combination: The router is a digital transparent processor (DTP).

[0046] The invention will be better understood from reading the description of several embodiments which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings in which: There figure 1 is a general view of a two-dimensional 2D active antenna in transmission mode according to the invention; The figure 2 is a general view of a two-dimensional 2D active antenna in reception mode according to the invention; The figure 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 4 is a schematic top view of the active antenna of the figure 3 in which only the row of the first level of elementary radiating sources is visible, aligned along the first axial direction X; The figure 5 is a view at a given instant of the reconfigurable transmission beams produced by the active transmission antenna of the figures 3 And 4 and their ability to move; The figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 7 is a schematic top view of the active antenna of the figure 6 in which only the row of the first level of elementary radiating sources is visible, aligned along the first axial direction X; The figure 8 is a view at a given instant of the reconfigurable transmission beams produced by the active transmission antenna of the figures 6 And 7 and their ability to move; The figure 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 10 is a schematic top view of the active antenna of the figure 9 in which only the row of the first level of elementary radiating sources is visible, aligned along the first axial direction X; The figure 11 is a view at a given instant of the reconfigurable transmission beams produced by the active transmission antenna of the figures 9 And 10 and their ability to move; The figure 12 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 13 is a schematic top view of the active antenna of the figure 12 in which only the row of the first level of elementary radiating sources is visible, aligned along the first axial direction X; The figure 14 is a view at a given instant of the reconfigurable transmission beams produced by the active transmission antenna of the figures 12 et 13 and their ability to move; The figure 15 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 16 is a schematic top view of the active antenna of the figure 15 in which only the row of the first level of elementary radiating sources is visible, aligned along the first axial direction X; The figure 17 is a view at a given instant of the reconfigurable transmission beams produced by the active transmission antenna of the figures 15 And 16 and their ability to move; The figure 18 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 19 a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog former, the view being limited to a row of elementary radiating sources, aligned along a first axial direction X and located at any given level, and being limited to the components (a first one-dimensional fixed analog beam former and a divider) connected to said row of sources, located just downstream of a first set, not shown, of second mobile analog beam formers; figure 20 is a view at a given instant of the emission beams produced by the row of sources alone of the antenna of the figure 19 ; There figure 21 is a view of the illumination of the Earth's surface by a multi-beam satellite antenna allowing to visualize the dependence of the flux received in a given beam as a function of the beam pointing angle relative to the satellite nadir and the beam width; The figure 22 is a view of the iso-flux radiation patterns produced by an active antenna of an eighth embodiment of the invention by adjusting only the amplitude-phase control points of the second mobile analog beamformers; The figure 23 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 24 is a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of an active transmitting antenna according to the invention including its associated reconfigurable multi-beam analog formatter; The figure 25 is a view of an example of a satellite payload integrating a transmitting antenna according to the invention and a receiving antenna according to the invention.

[0047] Following the figure 1 , an active network antenna 2 according to the invention is formed by an antenna network 4 of a number M of active radiating elements or active elementary radiating sources 4 1 , 4 2 , 4 3 , ..., 4 M , associated with an analog reconfigurable beam former 6 according to the invention generating a number N of beams.

[0048] Here, the active array antenna 2 is configured in transmission mode and comprises M RF radiofrequency power amplifiers of HPA power 8 1 , 8 2 , 8 3 , ..., 8 M , connected between the analog beamformer 6 and the M elementary radiating sources 4 1 , 4 2 , 4 3 , ..., 4 M .

[0049] Depending on the number of axes needed to locate the positioning of the generated beams, the analog beamformer is called a one-dimensional or two-dimensional (1D or 2D) analog beamformer.

[0050] According to the invention, the analog beamformer is a two-dimensional 2D or two-dimensional analog beamformer.

[0051] The term active indicates that each radiating source is associated with an amplifier, here an HPA power amplifier for the antenna in transmit mode. This proximity between the amplifiers and the radiating sources makes it possible to minimize losses between these two types of device and thus maximize the overall RF performance of the antenna system.

[0052] The analog beamformer allows to create for each beam to be generated the phase and amplitude law (A, φ) to be applied to the radiating sources of the antenna network.

[0053] Changing the phase and amplitude law of a beam allows the characteristics of that beam to be reconfigured in terms of pointing direction, beam width, or other beam shape parameters.

[0054] Following the figure 2 and the invention, an active network antenna 52, here in reception mode, comprises an antenna network 54 formed by a predetermined number M of active elementary radiating sources 54 1 , 54 2 , 54 3 , ..., 54 M , associated with an analog beam former 56 according to the invention generating a number N of reception beams.

[0055] The active network antenna 52 comprises M RF radiofrequency amplifiers 58 1 , 58 2 , 58 3 , ..., 58 M , connected between the M elementary radiating sources 54 1 , 54 2 , 54 3 , ..., 54 M , and the multi-beam analog formatter, which, unlike the HPA power amplifiers of the transmitting antenna of the figure 1 , are low noise RF radio frequency amplifiers (LNA).

[0056] Like the active transmitting network antenna 2 of the figure 1 the analog beamformer 56 makes it possible to create for each reception beam to be generated the phase and amplitude law (A, φ) to be applied to the radiating sources of the antenna network.

[0057] Modifying the phase and amplitude law of a receiving beam allows the characteristics of this beam to be reconfigured in terms of pointing direction, beam width or other beam shape parameters.

[0058] Generally, the two-dimensional, limited-complexity analog beamformers for reconfigurable active array antennas according to the invention are based on an architecture combining one-dimensional analog beamformers fixed along a first angular direction with one-dimensional analog beamformers mobile along a second angular direction different from the first angular direction.

[0059] The limited complexity of two-dimensional analog beamformers is achieved by sizing the beamformer's flexibility to exactly what is needed. Full flexibility is unnecessary when the antenna is connected to a digital processor, managing several beams in parallel. The coverage area of ​​each beam access can be limited, and the complexity of the associated beamformer can thus be reduced. The total coverage is then the concatenation of the coverages associated with each beam. To address spatially concentrated user traffic, an overlap of the individual coverages of each beam is allowed.

[0060] Furthermore, it should be noted that the minimum ratio required between useful signals and parasitic signals (C / I) limits the proximity between two simultaneously active beams and induces a relative pointing restriction of each beam, even if each beam had total flexibility.

[0061] Thus, excessive proximity between beams leads to interference levels between beams that do not allow all configurations to be used. It follows that taking into account C / I constraints in the dimensioning of beamformers to best meet the needs of satellite users leads to highlighting that architectures with reduced flexibility can achieve levels of satisfaction of customer needs equivalent to those obtained with fully reconfigurable beamformers.Thus, simulations based on the beamformer architectures according to the invention show that despite a reduction of approximately a factor of 10 in the number of control points, these architectures make it possible to achieve an equivalent level of satisfaction of user needs as with fully reconfigurable architectures for low-orbit satellite applications.

[0062] In particular, one-dimensional analog fixed beamformers can be quasi-optical beamformers.

[0063] In particular, the reconfigurable active array antennas according to the invention are suitable and used for satellite applications.

[0064] Following the figure 3 and a first embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 102, here configured in transmission mode, comprises an antenna array 104 of elementary radiating sources 104 i,j, a multi-beam analog former 106 according to the invention of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, and a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers 108 i,j interconnecting the multi-beam analog former 106 of transmission beams to the elementary radiating sources 104 i,j.

[0065] The antenna network 104 comprises a total integer number N, greater than or equal to 4, of elementary radiating sources distributed over a flat surface according to a mesh or network formed by the points of intersection of a first series of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a first axial direction X, numbered by an index i varying from 1 to R from top to bottom in the figure, and of a second series of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X, numbered by an index j varying from 1 to S from left to right in the figure 3 .

[0066] Here, in particular and by way of example, the total number N of radiating sources 104 i,j , the number R of first lines oriented along the first axial direction X and the number S of second lines oriented along the second axial direction Y are respectively equal to 25, 5 and 5.

[0067] The multi-beam analog former 106 of the transmission beams comprises a first set 112 of R first analog formers 112i, i varying from 1 to R, superimposed and having an identical structure, and configured to form S fixed radiofrequency RF beams along first angular pointing directions Ax along the first fixed axial direction X.

[0068] Each first analog formatter 112i, i varying from 1 to R, is configured to be connected through S output channels in transmission mode, corresponding to a row of S radiating sources of the antenna network and corresponding to a line i of the first series of the antenna mesh, identified by the level index i, i being an integer varying from 1 to R.

[0069] Each first analog formatter 112i comprises an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of input channels in transmission mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X, j varying from 1 to P.

[0070] The multi-beam analog transmitter beam former 106 also comprises a second set 114 of an integer number Q of second analog formers 114 k of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction along second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y.

[0071] Each second 114k analog formatter, k varying from 1 to Q, is formed by a single-input 116k divider and R output branches in transmit mode, each output branch of a 116k divider including a 118k,i amplitude and phase control point.

[0072] Each second 114k analog formatter of the second set 114 is connected to an 118k access column of the first set, an 118k access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank j of the first analog formatters 112i.

[0073] Here, in particular and by way of example, the number P of input channels of each first analog trainer is equal to S, i.e. 5, and the number Q of second analog radiofrequency beam trainers, continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction, is equal to S, i.e. 5.

[0074] Here, the first five (R=5) fixed analog beam formers 112i are quasi-optical beam formers, grouped in the first set 112, and placed on the side of the radiating elements 104i,j.

[0075] The architecture of the multi-beam analog trainer 106 is illustrated here for a limited number of radiating elements for the sake of clarity, and it is all the more interesting and advantageous as the number of radiating elements is high.

[0076] The association of a first set 112 of first fixed quasi-optical beamformers and a second set 114 of second analogue beamformers of continuously variable emission beams according to the two-dimensional arrangement described above allows: an easy implementation of the 2-dimensional mobile beamformer thanks to the simplification provided by the use of quasi-optical beamformers, connected at the input of the radiating sources through the HPA power amplifiers; the replacement of the classic association of a connection matrix and a set of quasi-optical beamformers by a single set of analog formers, which has the effect of simplifying and compacting the overall structure of the beamformer; of obtaining a reduced number of beam accesses to be ultimately processed by the payload; of minimizing power consumption and reducing manufacturing complexity.

[0077] In the case of the antenna structure and the multi-beam trainer described in the figures 3 And 4 , this leads to having beams that are mobile only in one dimension along the second angular direction By. Each of the beams is mobile in a column, all the columns being different and parallel to each other. This advantageously makes it possible to disperse the five beams 140, 141, 142, 143, 144 over the entire coverage 146, as shown in figure 5 .

[0078] As a variant of the first embodiment, other embodiments, described below, make it possible to increase the number of beams along the second angular direction By per column each corresponding to a different angular position along the first angular direction Ax, or to switch beams between several columns corresponding to different angular positions along the first angular direction Ax.

[0079] By using these variants, the flexibility of the analog multibeam former can be improved without significantly increasing its complexity. The architectures of these variants, derived from the first embodiment, make it possible to size the analog multibeam former of transmit beams exactly to the needs of the intended application and thus to significantly reduce the number of control points of the beam former compared to a fully flexible beam former.

[0080] Following the figures 6 , 7 et 8 a second embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 152, here configured in transmission mode, comprises the same antenna array 104 as that of the transmission antenna of the figure 3 , an analog multi-beam former 156 of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers, identical to those of the figure 3 .

[0081] The 156 Multibeam Analog Trainer differs from the 106 Multibeam Analog Trainer of the figure 3 in that it comprises, for each level i, i varying from 1 to 5 (R=5), a combiner 172i combining according to a predetermined configuration of the outputs in transmission mode of the second analog formers 164k, k varying from 1 to 10 (Q=10) having the same associated level i of the first analog former 162i of fixed beams along the first angular direction Ax, and in that the number Q of second analog formers 164k of continuously variable beams along the second angular direction By of the second set 164 is twice that of the second set 114 of the figure 3 .

[0082] Here, each input of a second 164k analog formatter, k varying from 1 to 10, corresponds to a different transmission beam, and the column outputs of the second analog formatters are combined in pairs by the 172i combiners of the first 162i analog formatters, i varying from 1 to 5.

[0083] The architecture proposed here allows, as illustrated in the figure 8 , to double the number of mobile beams per column 182, along the second angular direction By compared to the first embodiment, the number of columns being equal here to 5.

[0084] More generally, by placing several second analog one-dimensional mobile beam formers on the same access column of the first analog fixed beam formers, here quasi-optical formers, several mobile beams moving on the same column are obtained.

[0085] Following the figures 9 , 10 et 11 and a third embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 202, here configured in transmit mode, comprises the same antenna array 104 as that of the transmit antenna 104 of the figure 3 , an analog multi-beam former 206 of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers, identical to those of the figure 3 .

[0086] The 206 Multibeam Analog Trainer differs from the 106 Multibeam Analog Trainer of the figure 3 in that it comprises, inside said multi-beam analog trainer 206, for each level i, i varying from 1 to 5 (R=5), a first switching matrix 220i, according to a first predetermined configuration of a set of routings, outputs in transmission mode of the second analog trainers 214k, k varying from 1 to 5, (Q=5) having the same associated level i of the first analog trainer 212i of fixed beams according to the first angular direction Ax.

[0087] The first switching matrices 220i, i varying from 1 to 5, are added at the input of the first analog beamformers 212i and at the output of the second analog beamformers 214k continuously variable in angular position according to the second angular position By.

[0088] Here, each input of a second 214k analog trainer, k varying from 1 to 5, corresponds to a different transmission beam.

[0089] The architecture proposed here allows, as illustrated in the figure 11 , to switch the moving beams by column along the second angular direction By relative to the first embodiment, the number of columns being equal here to 5.

[0090] More generally, by adding a first switching matrix between the output ports of the second one-dimensional mobile analog beamformers and the input ports on the same access column of the first fixed analog beamformers, here quasi-optical beamformers, it is possible to move the beams between several columns.

[0091] Following the figures 12, 13 , 14 and a fourth embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 252, here configured in transmit mode, comprises the same antenna array 104 as that of the transmit antenna 102 of the figure 3 , a 256 multi-beam analog former of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers, identical to those of the figure 3 .

[0092] The 256 Multibeam Analog Trainer differs from the 106 Multibeam Analog Trainer of the figure 3 in that it comprises, peripheral to said two-dimensional multi-beam analog formatter 256 and opposite the access paths to the radiating sources 104 i,j of the antenna network 104, a second switching matrix 272, according to a second predetermined configuration of a set of routings, of the Q inputs in transmission mode of the second analog formatters 264k, k varying from 1 to 5 (Q=5).

[0093] The second switching matrix 272 is added at the input of the second analog formers 264k, k varying from 1 to 5, of beams continuously variable in angular position according to the second angular position By.

[0094] The architecture proposed here allows, as illustrated in the figure 14 , to reduce the number of beams in the coverage 292 to two beams 294, 296. Compared to the first embodiment of the figure 3 , the number of beams goes from five to two.

[0095] More generally, by adding a second switching matrix at the input of the second one-dimensional mobile analog beamformers, the number of beam accesses, the number of beams at a given time is reduced.

[0096] Following the figures 15 , 16 et 17 and a fifth embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 302, here configured in transmit mode, comprises the same antenna array 104 as that of the transmit antenna 102 of the figure 3 , an analog multi-beam former 306 of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers, identical to those of the figure 3 .

[0097] The 306 Multibeam Analog Trainer differs from the 106 Multibeam Analog Trainer of the figure 3 in that it includes: for each first analog trainer 312i and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to 5 (R=5), inside the two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer 306, a first switching matrix 320i, according to a first configuration of a predetermined set of routings, outputs in transmission mode of the second analog trainers 314k, k varying from 1 to 5 (Q=5) having the same associated level i of the first analog trainer 312i of fixed beams along the first angular direction Ax; and peripheral to the two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer 306 and opposite the access paths to the radiating sources 104 i,j of the antenna, a second switching matrix 322, according to a second configuration of a predetermined set of routings, Q inputs in transmission mode of the second analog trainers 314k on an integer T, greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to Q, of beam inputs in transmission mode.

[0098] Each first matrix 320i associated with a given level i, i varying from 1 to 5, interposed between the first analog beam former 316i of the same level i, here comprises five switches 332, 334, 336, 338, 340 with one input and two outputs.

[0099] The second switching matrix 322, connected to the input of the second set 314 of second analog beamformers 314k, here comprises a fixed connection line 342 and two one-input-two-output routers or switches 344, 346.

[0100] The architecture proposed here is a hybrid architecture of the third and fourth embodiments, and as illustrated in the figure 17 , this architecture makes it possible to reduce the number of beams by going from five to three beams 347, 348, 349, and to switch by column the beams, continuously mobile along the second angular direction By, of the three columns.

[0101] Generally, the generalized architectures of the second, third, and fourth embodiments may be combined.

[0102] Following the figure 18 and a sixth embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 352, here configured in transmission mode, comprises the same antenna array 104 as that of the transmission antenna of the figure 3 , a 356 multi-beam analog former of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, and a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers, identical to those of the figure 3 .

[0103] The 356 Multibeam Analog Trainer differs from the 356 Multibeam Analog Trainer Figure 3 in that it comprises four beam inputs and at least one second four-beam reduction switching matrix.

[0104] Here, the five second analog formatters 364k, k varying from 1 to 5, of the second set 364 are integrated on a single circuit 368 placed on a plane perpendicular to those of the quasi-optical formatters 362i, i varying from 1 to 5.

[0105] Generally speaking and independently of the architecture of the multi-beam analog former according to the invention used, the second mobile analog beam formers of the second set are integrated into a single circuit of planar shape, the integrated circuit being arranged in a plane perpendicular to the extension planes of the circuits of the first fixed analog beam formers and adjoining at the end of the edges of said circuits, parallel to each other and contained in the same plane.

[0106] All embodiments of the multi-beam analog former described above use first fixed analog beam formers, implemented by quasi-optical formers. Alternatively, the first fixed analog beam formers may be implemented by other types of fixed analog beam formers such as Butler arrays.

[0107] The multi-beam analog trainers described above can be used with a system sharing in time one or more beam accesses between several distinct beams over the coverage of the antenna according to the principle of time division multiple access; an additional stage of digital beam formation with potentially a pre-coding function.

[0108] The first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth embodiments described above in the figures 3 à 18 active transmitting antennas and their associated analog formers according to the invention are configured to generate transmitting beams of identical sizes.

[0109] As a variant of the configurations described above, different settings of the first fixed analog beamformers along the first angular direction and of the second mobile analog beamformers along the second angular direction By can be used to generate transmission beams of different sizes.

[0110] Following the figure 19 and a seventh embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 402, here configured in transmit mode, comprises the same antenna array 104 as that of the transmit antenna 102 of the figure 3 , a multi-beam analog former 406 of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 108 of HPA power amplifiers, identical to those of the figure 3 .

[0111] The 406 Multibeam Analog Trainer differs from the 106 Multibeam Analog Trainer of the figure 3 in that it comprises, for each first analog one-dimensional beamformer and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to 5 (R=5), connected to the inputs of said first analog fixed transmission beamformer 412i, a divider 432i following a configuration for dividing the outputs of the second analog beamformers having the same associated level i of said first analog fixed beamformer 412i.

[0112] The division configuration of the 432i divider is a function of a predetermined pattern of the widths of the transmission beams along the first angular direction Ax, in which the single accesses of the beams F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 at the output of the five second mobile beamformers, not shown on the figure 19 , are divided respectively into one, two, three, two, one branches which each access a single associated input of the first quasi-optical beamformer.

[0113] Thus, the elementary dividers of each divider 432i, connected at the input to the first one-dimensional analog beamformer 412i, of the same level i and formed here by a first quasi-optical beamformer, are configured so as to obtain an increase in gain as the beams are eccentric from the phase center of the antenna by moving away from it in the first angular direction Ax. As illustrated in the figures 20 et 21 , this gain variation may be intended to compensate for the increase in propagation losses between a satellite and the Earth when the propagation path becomes longer and the increase in ground footprints when the projection angle on the ground becomes larger as the beams emitted from the satellite are eccentric. This compensation makes it possible to provide the different users distributed on Earth with a quasi-equivalent signal level (isoflux).

[0114] Following the figure 22 , this variation of the gain of the beams can also be obtained by acting only on the amplitude phase control points of 12 mobile electronic formers of an eighth embodiment of an active antenna according to the invention not shown. The variation of the size of a beam can also be dictated by a need to cover a more or less large surface with this beam.

[0115] Generally speaking, a two-dimensional active transmitting antenna according to the invention, as shown in the figure 1 , is of reduced complexity and reconfigurable to transmit radiofrequency signals on a plurality of transmission beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions. The reconfigurable two-dimensional active transmission antenna according to the invention comprises an antenna array of elementary radiating transmission sources, a set of HPA RF power amplifiers, and a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former.

[0116] The antenna array of radiating emission sources is formed by a total integer number N, greater than or equal to 4, of elementary RF radiating emission sources, distributed over a flat or curved surface following a mesh formed by the points of intersection of a first series of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a first axial direction X, and of a second series of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X.

[0117] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog trainer comprises a first set in which S first one-dimensional fixed analog beam trainers of identical structure are superimposed along the second axial direction Y.

[0118] The first R one-dimensional fixed analog beamformers are configured to form P fixed radiofrequency transmit beams along first fixed pointing angular directions Ax along the first fixed axial direction X.

[0119] Each first one-dimensional analog beamformer is connected through R output channels in transmission mode, corresponding to a row of R elementary radiating sources of the antenna network and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the active antenna, identified by a level index j.

[0120] Each first analog formatter has an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of input channels in transmit mode, numbered by a path index i along the first axial direction X.

[0121] The multi-beam analog former further comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog radiofrequency beam formers continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction along second pointing angular directions By along the second axial direction Y.

[0122] Each second analog formatter is formed by a single-input divider and R output branches in transmit mode, each output branch of a divider including an amplitude and phase control point. Each second analog formatter of the second set is connected to at least one access column of the first set, an access column being formed by S access terminals to the input channels of the same rank i of the first analog formatters.

[0123] It should be noted that the same architectures of the reconfigurable active multi-beam transmit antennas and their associated two-dimensional multi-beam analog formers according to the invention, described in the figures 3 à 22 can be used correspondingly in reconfigurable active multi-beam receiving antennas. Reconfigurable active multi-beam receiving antennas are the reconfigurable active multi-beam transmitting antennas of the figures 3 à 22 in which the HPA radio frequency power amplifiers have been replaced by LNA low noise radio frequency amplifiers.

[0124] Generally speaking, a two-dimensional active receiving antenna according to the invention, as shown in the figure 2 , is of reduced complexity and reconfigurable to receive RF radio frequency signals on a plurality of reception beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions. The two-dimensional active reception antenna according to the invention comprises an antenna array of elementary radiating sources, a set of low-noise RF amplifiers (LNA), and a two-dimensional multi-beam analog former.

[0125] The antenna array of radiating sources is formed by a total integer number N, greater than or equal to 4, of elementary RF radiating sources, distributed over a flat or curved surface following a mesh formed by the points of intersection of a first series of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a first axial direction X, and of a second series of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines following a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X.

[0126] The two-dimensional multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form P fixed radiofrequency beams along first fixed angular pointing directions Ax along the first axial direction X, each first analog former being configured to be connected through R input channels in reception mode, corresponding to a row of R radiating sources of the antenna array and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna, identified by a level index j; and each first analog former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of output channels in reception mode, numbered by a path index i along the first axial direction X.

[0127] The multi-beam analog former in receive mode also comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog radiofrequency beam formers continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction along second pointing angular directions By along the second axial direction Y.

[0128] Each second analog formatter is formed by a single output combiner and R input branches in receive mode, each input branch of a combiner including an amplitude and phase control point. Each second analog formatter of the second set is connected to at least one access column of the first set, an access column being formed S access terminals to the output channels of the same rank i of the first analog formatters.

[0129] Even more generally, a multi-beam analog former according to the invention is configured to form several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams of continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions of a reconfigurable two-dimensional active array antenna having an antenna array.

[0130] The antenna array is formed of a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of radiating sources, distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a flat or curved surface following a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) parallel to each other and oriented in a first axial local direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial local direction X. i designates a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of travel of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i). Each row r(i), i varying from 1 to R has an integer number S(i) depending on the level i of radiating sources, the sum of the integers S(i) i varying from 1 to R being equal to the number M.

[0131] The multi-beam analog former comprises a first set in which R first analog formers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first local axial direction X. Each first analog former associated with level i, i varying from 1 to R, is configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode or S(i) input channels in reception mode, corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating sources of the antenna array. Each first analog former has P input channels in transmission mode or output channels in reception mode, numbered by a path index j along the first axial direction X.

[0132] The multi-beam analog former comprises a second set of an integer number Q of second analog radiofrequency beam formers continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction along second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y. Each second analog former is formed by a single-input divider and R output branches in transmission mode or by a single-output combiner and R input branches in reception mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode or input branch of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point. Each second analog former of the second set is connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analog formers.

[0133] Correspondingly, a two-dimensional active multi-beam transmitting antenna or a two-dimensional active multi-beam receiving antenna uses a generalized analog multi-beam shaper as described above.

[0134] Following the figure 23 and a ninth embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 502, here configured in transmission mode, comprises an antenna array 504 different from that of the transmission antenna 102 of the figure 3 , an analog multi-beam former 506 of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 508 of HPA power amplifiers, different from that of the figure 3 .

[0135] The antenna array 504 is formed of a total number M, here equal to 21, of radiating sources, distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a flat or curved surface following a compact stack of an integer R, here equal to 5, of rows r(i) parallel to each other and oriented in a first axial local direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial local direction X, the level index i varying from 1 to 5 in the direction of travel of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i). The numbers S(1), S(2), S(3), S(4), S(5) of radiating sources of the rows r(1), r(2), r(3), r(4), r(5) are respectively equal to 3, 5, 5, 5, 3.

[0136] The sum of the integers S(i) i varying from 1 to 5 is equal to the number M having here the value 21.

[0137] The multi-beam analog trainer 506 comprises a first set 512 in which 5 first analog trainers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form a number P, here equal to 5, of fixed radiofrequency beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first local axial direction X. Each first analog trainer 512i associated with level i, i varying from 1 to 5, is configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode, corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating sources of the antenna array. Each first analog trainer has 5 input channels in transmission mode.

[0138] The multi-beam analog former 506 comprises a second set of an integer Q, here equal to 5, of second analog formers 514k, k varying from 1 to 5, of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y. Each second analog former 514k, k varying from 1 to 5, is formed by a single-input divider and 5 output branches in transmission mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode including an amplitude and phase control point. Each second analog former 514k of the second set 514 is connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by 5 access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analog formers 512i.

[0139] Following the figure 24 and a tenth embodiment, a two-dimensional active array antenna 552, here configured in transmission mode, comprises an antenna array 554 different from that of the transmission antenna 102 of the figure 3 and the transmitting antenna of the figure 23 , an analog multi-beam former 556 of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams emitting continuously variable sizes and / or pointing directions, a set 508 of HPA power amplifiers different from that of the figure 3 .

[0140] The antenna array 554 is formed of a total number M, here equal to 19, of radiating sources, distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a flat or curved surface following a compact stack of an integer R, here equal to 5, of rows r(i) parallel to each other and oriented in a first axial local direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial local direction X, the level index i varying from 1 to 5 in the direction of travel of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i). The numbers S(1), S(2), S(3), S(4), S(5) of radiating sources of the rows r(1), r(2), r(3), r(4), r(5) are respectively equal to 3, 4, 5, 4, 3.

[0141] The sum of the integers S(i), i varying from 1 to 5, is equal to the number M having here the value 19.

[0142] The multi-beam analog trainer 556 comprises a first set 562 in which 5 first analog trainers of identical structure are superimposed and configured to form a number P, here equal to 5, of fixed radiofrequency beams along first angular pointing directions Ax fixed along the first local axial direction X. Each first analog trainer 562i associated with level i, i varying from 1 to 5, is configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode, corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating sources of the antenna array. Each first analog trainer has 5 input channels in transmission mode.

[0143] The multi-beam analog former 506 comprises a second set of an integer Q, here equal to 5, of second analog formers 564k, k varying from 1 to 5, of radiofrequency beams continuously variable in size and / or in pointing direction according to second angular pointing directions By along the second axial direction Y. Each second analog former 564k, k varying from 1 to 5, is formed by a single-input divider and 5 output branches in transmission mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode including an amplitude and phase control point. Each second analog former 564k of the second set 564 is connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by 5 access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analog formers 562i.

[0144] It should be noted that the figures 3 à 20 And 23 à 24are illustrations of embodiments of the invention in which a limited number of radiating elements are shown for the sake of clarity. These embodiments are intended to be applied for numbers of elements greater than those of the illustrations of the figures 3 à 20 And 23 à 24 . Typically, these embodiments are intended to be applied to active antennas consisting of one to several hundred radiating elements. They are all the more interesting and advantageous as the number of radiating elements is high.

[0145] The invention applies more particularly to satellite payloads incorporating a routing function between the receiving antenna(s) and the transmitting antenna(s) such as the payload 602 illustrated in the figure 25 . This function aims to direct part or all of the band of an input beam to one or more output beams. In order to benefit from significant flexibility in connection between the input beams and the output beams and fine filtering of the frequency bands to be routed, these routers are generally implemented digitally in the digital part of the payload. Depending on the figure 25 , the router is implemented in the digital module designated by the numerical reference 606.

[0146] Here, two reconfigurable analog multi-beam beam formers according to the invention as described above are used by the payload. A first analog multi-beam former is configured to generate receive beams and a second analog multi-beam former is configured to generate transmit beams.

[0147] Alternatively, only one of the two beamformers is a multi-beam analog former according to the invention, the remaining beamformer being of another type and using a different architecture.

Claims

1. An analogue multibeam former of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams of continuously variable sizes and / or aiming directions for a reconfigurable two-dimensional active array antenna (104), having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of active radiating feeds distributed over a planar or curved surface according to a mesh formed by the points of intersection of a first array of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines along a first axial direction X, and a second array of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines along a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X, and having a set (108) of M RF amplifiers, each active radiating feed being directly connected to an amplifier; the analogue multibeam former comprising a first set (112; 162; 212; 262; 312; 362) in which R first analogue formers (112i; 162i; 212i; 262i; 312i; 362i) of identical structure are superposed and configured to form P fixed radiofrequency beams in first angular aiming directions Ax fixed along the first axial direction X, each first analogue former (112i; 162i; 212i; 262i; 312i; 362i) being configured to be connected through S output channels in transmission mode or S input channels in reception mode, each including an RF amplifier among the M RF amplifiers and corresponding to a row of S active radiating feeds of the antenna array (104) and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna array, identified by a level index i, i varying from 1 to R; and each first analogue former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of input channels in transmission mode or output channels in reception mode, numbered by an index of progression j along the first axial direction X; the analogue multibeam former contains a second set (114; 164; 214; 264; 314; 364) of an integer number Q of second analogue formers (114k; 164k; 214k; 264k; 314k; 364k) of radiofrequency beams that are continuously variable in size and / or in aiming direction in second angular aiming directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analogue former being formed by a divider (116k; 166k; 216k; 266k) with a single input and R output branches in transmission mode or by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode or input branch of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point (118k,i, 168k,i , 218k,i, 268ki; 318k,i; 368k,i); each second analogue former (114k; 164k; 214k; 264k; 314k; 364k) of the second set (114; 164; 214; 264; 314; 364) being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank j of the first analogue formers.

2. The analogue multibeam former according to claim 1, wherein the first analogue formers (112i; 162i; 212i; 262i; 312i; 362i) are superposed along the second axial direction Y and each correspond to a different row of active radiating feeds along the first axial direction X; and the second analogue formers (114k; 164k; 214k; 264k; 314k; 364k) are aligned side-by-side along the first axial direction X and each correspond to one or more adjacent access columns to the second analogue formers of the second set (112; 162; 212; 262; 312; 362).

3. The analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the superposed R first analogue formers of the first set (112; 162; 212; 262; 312; 362) are quasi-optical formers or Butler matrices.

4. The analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the amplitude and phase control points (118k,i) of the R output branches in transmission mode or R input branches in reception mode of each of the Q second analogue formers, aligned side-by-side, of the second set (114; 164; 214; 264; 314; 364), are analogue electrical components for phase-shifting and amplification or attenuation with phase-shifting and gain that are continuously or quasi-continuously variable as a function of analogue commands or of discrete commands with fine resolution over a wide range.

5. The analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising, for each first analogue former and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, - a combiner (172i) in transmission mode according to a predetermined configuration of combination or a divider in reception mode according to a predetermined configuration of division, of the outputs in transmission mode or of the inputs in reception mode of the second analogue formers having the associated level i of the first analogue former (112i; 162i; 212i; 262i; 312i; 362i) of fixed beams in the first angular direction.

6. The analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising, for each first analogue former and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, - inside the two-dimensional analogue multibeam former, a first switching matrix (220i), according to a first configuration of a predetermined set of routings, for switching the outputs in transmission mode or the inputs in reception mode of the second analogue formers (114k; 164k; 214k; 264k; 314k; 364k) having the same associated level i of the first analogue former of fixed beams in the first angular direction X.

7. The analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 4 or 6, further comprising, - peripheral to the two-dimensional analogue multibeam former and opposite the access channels to the radiating feeds of the antenna array (104), a second switching matrix (322), according to a second configuration of a predetermined set of routings, for switching the Q inputs in transmission mode or the Q outputs in reception mode of the second analogue formers to an integer number T, greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to Q, of beam inputs in transmission mode or of beam outputs in reception mode.

8. The two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the number P of input channels in transmission mode or of output channels in reception mode of each first analogue former is strictly greater than the first number S of input channels in transmission mode or of output channels in reception mode of the radiating feeds of one and the same row in the first axial direction; and comprising, for each first analogue former and the associated level, a divider in transmission mode according to a predetermined configuration of division or a combiner in reception mode according to a predetermined configuration of combination, of the outputs in transmission mode or of the inputs in reception mode of the second analogue formers having the associated level of the first analogue former of fixed beams in the first angular direction, the divider in transmission mode or the combiner in reception mode being connected between the outputs in transmission mode or the inputs in reception mode of the second analogue formers having the associated level of said first analogue former of fixed beams in the first angular direction, and the inputs in transmission mode or the outputs in reception mode of the first analogue former.

9. The two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 4, - further comprising, for each first analogue former of one-dimensional beams and the associated level i, i varying from 1 to R, in transmission mode, connected to the inputs of said first analogue former of fixed beams, a divider according to a configuration of division of the outputs of the second analogue beam formers of beams having the associated level i of said first analogue former of fixed beams, or in reception mode, connected to the outputs of said first analogue beam former, a combiner according to a configuration of combination of the inputs of the second analogue beam formers of beams having the associated level i of said first analogue former of fixed beams; and wherein in transmission mode, the configuration of division is a function of a predetermined pattern of the widths of the transmission beams in the first angular direction Ax; or in reception mode, the configuration of combination is a function of a predetermined pattern of the widths of the reception beams in the first angular direction Ax.

10. The two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in transmission mode, the amplitude and phase control points of the second formers of beams that are continuously variable in size are adjusted so that the radiation patterns of the transmission beams generated according to predetermined aimings exhibit iso-flux radiation patterns; or in reception mode, the amplitude and phase control points of the second formers of beams that are continuously variable in size are adjusted so that the radiation patterns of the reception beams generated according to predetermined aimings exhibit iso-flux radiation patterns.

11. The two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second analogue formers of mobile beams of the second set are integrated in a single circuit (368) of planar form, the integrated circuit (368) being disposed in a plane at right angles to the planes of extension of the circuits of the first analogue formers of fixed beams and adjoining, endwise, edges of said circuits that are parallel to one another and contained in one and the same plane.

12. An analogue multibeam former of several two-dimensional radiofrequency beams of continuously variable sizes and / or aiming directions for a reconfigurable two-dimensional active array antenna, having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of active radiating feeds, forming an antenna array and distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a planar or curved surface according to a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) that are parallel to one another and oriented in a first local axial direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first local axial direction X, i being a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of progression of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i), each row r(i), i varying from 1 to R, having an integer number S(i) that is a function of the level i of active radiating feeds, the sum of the integers S(i), i varying from 1 to R, being equal to the number M, and having a set (58) of M RF amplifiers, each active radiating feed being directly connected to an amplifier; the analogue multibeam former comprising a first set in which R first analogue formers of identical structure are superposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency beams in first angular aiming directions Ax fixed along the first local axial direction X, each first analogue former (512i), i varying from 1 to R, being configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode or S(i) input channels in reception mode, each including an RF amplifier and corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) active radiating feeds of the antenna array (104); and each first analogue former having P input channels in transmission mode or output channels in reception mode, numbered by an index of progression j along the first axial direction X; the analogue multibeam former containing a second set (514) of an integer number Q of second analogue formers (514) of radiofrequency beams that are continuously variable in size and / or in aiming direction according to second angular aiming directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analogue former being formed by a divider (516k) with a single input and R output branches in transmission mode or by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode or input branch of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point (518k,i,); each second analogue former (514k) of the second set (516) being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analogue formers.

13. The reconfigurable two-dimensional active transmission antenna for transmitting radiofrequency signals over a plurality of transmission beams of continuously variable sizes and / or aiming directions, comprising an antenna array (4) of active radiating feeds, a set (8) of HP RF power amplifiers, and a two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to claim 1; - the antenna array of active radiating feeds having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of active radiating feeds distributed over a planar or curved surface according to a mesh formed by the points of intersection of a first array of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines in a first axial direction X, and of a second array of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X; - the two-dimensional analogue multibeam former comprising a first set in which R first analogue formers of identical structure are superposed and configured to form P fixed radiofrequency transmission beams in fixed first angular aiming directions Ax along the fixed first axial direction X, each first analogue former being configured to be connected through S output channels in transmission mode, each including an HP RF power amplifier among the set of HP RF power amplifiers and corresponding to a row of S active radiating feeds of the antenna array and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna, identified by a level index i, i varying from 1 to R; and each first analogue former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of input channels in transmission mode, numbered by an index of progression j along the first axial direction X; the two-dimensional active transmission antenna being characterised in that the analogue multibeam former contains a second set of an integer number Q of second analogue formers of radiofrequency beams that are continuously variable in size and / or in aiming direction in second angular aiming directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analogue former being formed by a divider with a single input and R output branches in transmission mode, each output branch of a divider including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analogue former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank j of the first analogue formers.

14. The reconfigurable two-dimensional active reception antenna for receiving radiofrequency signals over a plurality of reception beams of continuously variable sizes and / or aiming directions, comprising an antenna array (54) of active radiating feeds, a set (58) of low noise RF amplifiers (LNA), and a two-dimensional analogue multibeam former (56) according to claim 1; - the antenna array of active radiating feeds having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of active radiating feeds distributed over a planar or curved surface according to a mesh formed by the points of intersection of a first array of a first integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines in a first axial direction X, and a second array of a second integer number S, greater than or equal to 2, of parallel lines in a second axial direction Y, different from the first axial direction X; - the two-dimensional analogue multibeam former comprising a first set in which S first analogue formers of identical structure are superposed and configured to form R fixed radiofrequency beams in first angular aiming directions Ax along the fixed first axial direction X, each first analogue former being configured to be connected through S input channels in reception mode, each including a low-noise RF amplifier (LNA), corresponding to a row of S active radiating feeds of the antenna array and corresponding to a different line of the mesh of the antenna, identified by a level index i, i varying from 1 to R; and each first analogue former having an integer number P, greater than or equal to 2, of output channels in reception mode, numbered by an index of progression j along the first axial direction X; the two-dimensional active transmission antenna being characterised in that the analogue multibeam former contains a second set of an integer number Q of second analogue formers of radiofrequency beams that are continuously variable in size and / or in aiming direction in second angular aiming directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analogue former being formed by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each input branch of a combiner including an amplitude and phase control point; each second analogue former of the second set being connected to at least one access column of the first set, an access column being made up of R access terminals to the output channels of the same rank i of the first analogue formers.

15. A reconfigurable two-dimensional active transmission antenna for transmitting radiofrequency signals over a plurality of transmission beams of continuously variable sizes and / or aiming directions, comprising an antenna array of active radiating feeds, a set of HP RF power amplifiers, and a two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to claim 12; - the antenna array of active radiating feeds having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of active radiating feeds distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a planar or curved surface according to a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) that are parallel to one another and oriented in a first local axial direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first local axial direction X, i being a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of progression of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i), each row r(i), i varying from 1 to R, having an integer number S(i) that is a function of the level i of active radiating feeds, the sum of the integers S(i), i varying from 1 to R, being equal to the number M; - the two-dimensional analogue multibeam former comprising a first set in which R first analogue formers of identical structure are superposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency transmission beams in first angular aiming directions Ax that are fixed along the first local axial direction X, each first analogue former 512i, i varying from 1 to R, being configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of output channels in transmission mode, each including a HP power RF amplifier and corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating feeds of the antenna array (504); and each first analogue former having P input channels in transmission mode, numbered by an index of progression j along the first axial direction X; the two-dimensional active transmission antenna being characterised in that the analogue multibeam former contains a second set (514) of an integer number Q of second analogue formers (514) of radiofrequency beams that are continuously variable in size and / or in aiming direction in second angular aiming directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analogue former being formed by a divider (116k; 166k; 216k; 266k) with a single input and R output branches in transmission mode, each output branch of a divider in transmission mode including an amplitude and phase control point (518kj); each second analogue former (514k; 164k; 214k; 264k; 314k; 364k) of the second set (114; 164; 214; 264; 314; 364) being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the input channels of the same rank of the first analogue formers.

16. The reconfigurable two-dimensional active reception antenna for receiving radiofrequency signals over a plurality of reception beams of continuously variable sizes and / or aiming directions, comprising an antenna array of active radiating feeds, a set of low-noise RF amplifiers (LNA), and a two-dimensional analogue multibeam former according to claim 12; - the antenna array of radiating feeds having a total integer number M, greater than or equal to 4, of active radiating feeds distributed over a compact and single-piece portion D of a planar or curved surface according to a compact stack of an integer number R, greater than or equal to 2, of rows r(i) that are parallel to one another and oriented in a first local axial direction X, the stack being oriented in a second axial direction Y, different from the first local axial direction X, i being a level and numbering index from 1 to R in the direction of progression of the second axial direction Y of stacking of said rows r(i), each row r(i), i varying from 1 to R, having an integer number S(i) that is a function of the level i of radiating feeds, the sum of the integer S(i), i varying from 1 to R, being equal to the number M; - the two-dimensional analogue multibeam former comprising a first set in which R first analogue formers of identical structure are superposed and configured to form a number P, greater than or equal to 2, of fixed radiofrequency reception beams in first angular aiming directions Ax that are fixed along the first local axial direction X, each first analogue former of level i, i varying from 1 to R, being configured to be connected through the integer number S(i) of input channels in reception mode, each including a low-noise RF amplifier (LNA) and corresponding to the row r(i) of the S(i) radiating feeds of the antenna array; and each first analogue former having P output channels in reception mode, numbered by an index of progress j along the first axial direction X; the two-dimensional active reception antenna being characterised in that the analogue multibeam former contains a second set of an integer number Q of second analogue formers of radiofrequency beams that are continuously variable in size and / or in aiming direction in second angular aiming directions By along the second axial direction Y, each second analogue former being formed by a combiner with a single output and R input branches in reception mode, each input branch of a combiner in reception mode including an amplitude and phase control point (518kji); each second analogue former (514k) of the second set (516) being connected to at least one access column of the first set of first beam formers, an access column being formed by R access terminals to the output channels in reception mode of the same rank j of the first analogue formers.

17. A satellite payload of a telecommunications satellite comprising a multibeam reception antenna (52), a multibeam transmission antenna (2), and a router (604) interconnecting the multibeam reception antenna and the multibeam transmission antenna, the multibeam transmission antenna being defined according to claim 13 or 15; and / or the multibeam reception antenna being defined according to claim 14 or 16.

18. The satellite payload of a telecommunications satellite according to claim 17, wherein the router (604) is a digital transparent processor (DTP).