Antenna apparatus, method of operating and method of manufacturing thereof

Abstract

An antenna array has antenna modules having antenna units with an antenna element 150 and an integrated circuit 110. The integrated circuit has a first and second low noise amplifiers LNA 120, 130 to receive first and second input signals 150a,b respectively from the antenna element, having different polarisations. The low noise amplifiers LNAs provide a first and second output signal 120a, 130a respectively to a phase shifter 140. A polarisation control circuit (e.g. positioned after LNA inputs) may selectively switch off or switch on each low noise amplifier LNA depending on a polarisation signal. Each LNA may have equal input impedance, but higher output impedance in the switched off state. The polarisation control circuit may control connection of each LNA to a power rail. The first and second low noise amplifiers may be alternately switched on with a switching period of microseconds, according to a communication link or RF signal transmission. The antenna apparatus may be used in a phased array in which phase shift and attenuation may enable beam steering. The antenna element may receive an RF signal from a satellite.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus comprising:a plurality of antenna modules, each of the antenna modules comprising one or more antenna units, each of the one or more antenna units comprising an antenna element and an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising:a first low noise amplifier, LNA, configured to receive a first input signal from the antenna element via a first input and provide a first output signal to a phase shifter;a second LNA configured to receive a second input signal from the antenna element via a second input and provide a second output signal to the phase shifter, wherein the first input signal and the second input signal have different polarisations; anda polarisation control circuit, configured to selectively switch, into an on state or an off state, at least one of: the first LNA and the second LNA.

2. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polarisation control circuit is positioned after the first and second LNAs on the integrated circuit.

3. The antenna apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first input is directly connected to the first LNA and the second input is directly connected to the second LNA.

4. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein an input impedance of the first LNA is equal to an input impedance of the second LNA.

5. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein an input impedance of the first LNA is less than 65Q and an input impedance of the second LNA is less than 65Q.

6. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the polarisation control circuit is configured to switch one of the first and second LNAs into the on state and the other LNA into the off state to provide either the first output signal or the second output signal to the phase shifter at any one time.

7. The antenna apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ratio of an output impedance ofthe LNA in the off state to an output impedance of the LNA in the on state is 10:1, optionally, wherein the output impedance of the LNA in the off state is 5000 and the output impedance of the LNA in the on state is 500.

8. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the first LNA is connected to a first power rail and the second LNA is connected to a second power rail, and the polarisation control circuit is configured to control the connection to the first and second power rails to selectively switch at least one of the first LNA and the second LNA into the on or off state.

9. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of:the total number of individually switchable LNAs per antenna unit is greater than the total number of antenna elements per antenna unit, andthe first and second inputs from the antenna element are parts (typically opposite ends) of a continuous conductor.

10. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the polarisation control circuit is configured to alternately switch the first and second LNAs into the on state while switching the other LNA into the off state, optionally wherein the first LNA and the second LNA are alternately switched on every switching period, optionally wherein the maximum switching period is 100 microseconds.

11. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the first LNA and the second LNA are selectively switched in dependence on:formation of a communication link between the antenna apparatus and a transmitter and / or receiver, and / or.transmission of an RF signal through the antenna apparatus.

12. The antenna apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of: a track of the first input on the integrated circuit is orthogonal to a track of the second input on the integrated circuit; andeach of the first input and the second input are each located between a first ground and a second ground on the integrated circuit.

13. A phased array comprising at least one of the antenna apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.

14. A method of operating an antenna apparatus, the antenna apparatus comprising a plurality of antenna modules, each of the antenna modules comprising one or more antenna units, each of the one or more antenna units comprising an antenna element and an integrated circuit comprising a first low noise amplifier, LNA, a second LNA and a phase shifter, the method comprising:the first LNA receiving a first input signal from the antenna element via a first input;the second LNA receiving a second input signal from the antenna element via a second input, wherein the first input signal and the second input signal have different polarisations;receiving a polarisation control signal;selectively switching, into an on state or an off state in dependence on the polarisation control signal, at least one of: the first LNA and the second LNA; andthe first LNA providing a first output signal to the phase shifter and / or the second LNA providing a second output signal to the phase shifter.

15. The method of operating an antenna apparatus of claim 14, comprising switching one of the first and second LNAs into the on state and the other LNA into the off state to provide either the first output signal or the second output signal to the phase shifter at any one time.

16. The method of operating an antenna apparatus according to claim 15, comprising providing a ratio of an output impedance of the LNA in the off state to an output impedance of the LNA in the on state of 10:1, optionally comprising providing the output impedance of the LNA in the off state of 500Q and the output impedance of the LNA in the on state of 50Q.

17. The method of operating an antenna apparatus of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the first LNA is connected to a first power rail and the second LNA is connected to a second power rail, and the method comprises controlling theconnection to the first and second power rails to selectively switch at least one of the first LNA and the second LNA into the on or off state.

18. The method of operating an antenna apparatus of any of claims 14 to 17, comprising alternately switching the first and second LNAs into the on state while switching the other LNA into the off state, optionally comprising alternately switching on the first LNA and the second LNA every switching period, optionally wherein the maximum switching period is 100 microseconds.

19. The method of operating an antenna apparatus of any of claims 14 to 18, comprising selectively switching at least one of the first LNA and the second LNA in dependence on:formation of a communication link between the antenna apparatus and a transmitter and / or receiver; and / ortransmission of an RF signal through the antenna apparatus.

20. A method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus comprising:providing a plurality of antenna modules, each of the antenna modules comprising one or more antenna units;providing the one or more antenna units, each of the one or more antenna units comprising an antenna element and an integrated circuit;providing the antenna element and the integrated circuit, wherein providing the integrated circuit comprises:providing a first low noise amplifier, LNA, configured to receive a first input signal from the antenna element via a first input and provide a first output signal to a phase shifter;providing a second LNA configured to receive a second input signal from the antenna element via a second input and provide a second output signal to the phase shifter, wherein the first input signal and the second input signal have different polarisations; andproviding a polarisation control circuit configured to selectively switch, into an on state or an off state, at least one of: the first LNA and the second LNA.

21. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to claim 20, comprising providing the polarisation control circuit positioned after the first and second LNAs on the integrated circuit.

22. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to claim 20 or claim 21, comprising directly connecting the first input to the first LNA and directly connecting the second input to the second LNA.

23. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 22, providing the first and second LNAs having equal input impedances.

24. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 23, providing the first and second LNAs each having an input impedance less than 65Q.

25. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 24, comprising connecting thefirst LNA to a first power rail and connecting the second LNA to a second power rail.

26. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 25, comprising providing at least one of:a greater total number of LNAs per antenna unit than the total number of antenna elements per antenna unit; andthe first and second inputs from the antenna element on a continuous conductor.

27. The method of manufacturing an antenna apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 26, comprising at least one of:providing a track of the first input on the integrated circuit orthogonal to a track of the second input on the integrated circuit; andproviding each of the first input and the second input between a first ground and a second ground on the integrated circuit.

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