Array antenna including calibration layer

Abstract

An array antenna device capable of monitoring the characteristics of each antenna element constituting the array antenna device is disclosed. The array antenna device may include a probe located near an antenna element to receive an electrical signal from an antenna element (112), a transmission line that transmits the electrical signal from the probe to a calibration port, and a calibration port that outputs the received electrical signal. The monitoring device analyzes the signal output from the calibration port to monitor the characteristics of the antenna elements, determines whether a failure has occurred in each element, and can correct the values ​​transmitted and received by each element according to the monitoring results. By using corrected values, the functionality and performance of the array antenna device can be maintained even if some antenna elements fail.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The following embodiments relate to an array antenna, and specifically, to an array antenna comprising a calibration layer capable of measuring the characteristics of individual antenna elements constituting the array antenna so as to calibrate the antenna elements. Background Technology

[0002] Array antenna devices composed of multiple antenna elements can be used as part of radar systems applied to warships, fighter jets, and the like. Warships and fighter jets are susceptible to external shocks, which can cause individual antenna elements to malfunction or fail. Alternatively, abnormal radio waves originating from other parts of the warship or fighter jet may cause incorrect signals to be received or transmitted.

[0003] If a failure occurs in some of the multiple antenna elements constituting an array antenna device, the performance or accuracy of the array antenna device may decrease. In this case, the performance and accuracy of the radar using the array antenna device will be reduced, which can significantly affect the mission performance of ships and fighter aircraft.

[0004] Therefore, there is an increasing demand for technology capable of monitoring whether multiple antenna elements constituting an array antenna device are operating normally, and correcting any distortion in the characteristics of the antenna elements. The problem to be solved

[0005] The following embodiments are intended to monitor the characteristics of an antenna in real time.

[0006] The following embodiments aim to appropriately compensate for a signal received using an antenna element according to the state and characteristics of the antenna element constituting the array antenna. means of solving the problem

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment, an array antenna device is disclosed comprising: an antenna layer comprising a flat-shaped antenna dielectric substrate and a radiator located on top of the antenna dielectric substrate; a plurality of probes comprising a horizontal portion extending in a direction parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate from the top of the antenna dielectric substrate and a vertical portion extending from one end of the horizontal portion in a direction penetrating the antenna dielectric substrate; a transmission line contacting the other end of the vertical portion at the bottom of the antenna dielectric substrate to receive an electrical signal from the probes; and a calibration port connected to the transmission line to output the electrical signal.

[0008] Here, the transmission line may be a microstrip line formed on a calibration dielectric substrate located at the bottom of the antenna layer.

[0009] And, the transmission line may include a first extension line extending in a first direction along a plane parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate from the vertical portion; and a second extension line extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction along a plane parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate.

[0010] In addition, the electrical signal output through the calibration port can be used to monitor the state of the radiator or to correct a signal received using the radiator.

[0011] Here, the antenna layer comprises: a first antenna layer composed of a first antenna dielectric substrate in the shape of a flat plate and a plurality of first radiators located on the top of the first antenna dielectric substrate; a second antenna layer composed of a second antenna dielectric substrate in the shape of a flat plate and a plurality of second radiators located on the top of the second antenna dielectric substrate; and a third antenna layer composed of a third antenna dielectric substrate in the shape of a flat plate and a plurality of third radiators located on the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate, wherein the second antenna dielectric substrate is located on the top of the first antenna dielectric substrate in a plane parallel to the first antenna dielectric substrate, and the third antenna dielectric substrate is located on the top of the second antenna dielectric substrate in a plane parallel to the second antenna dielectric substrate, and the horizontal portion extends from the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate in a direction parallel to the third antenna dielectric substrate, and the vertical portion extends from one end of the horizontal portion in a direction penetrating the first antenna dielectric substrate, the second antenna dielectric substrate, and the third antenna dielectric substrate, and the transmission line may contact the other end of the vertical portion at the bottom of the first antenna dielectric substrate.

[0012] And, the operating frequency band of the first radiator is the X band, and the operating frequency bands of the second radiator and the third radiator may be the S band.

[0013] Additionally, the first radiator may be directly fed using a first feed line penetrating the first antenna dielectric substrate, the second radiator may be directly fed using a second feed line penetrating the first antenna substrate and the second antenna dielectric substrate, and the third radiator may be indirectly fed from the second radiator.

[0014] Here, the first radiator is a square-shaped patch antenna element, and the second radiator and the third radiator may be square-shaped loop antenna elements. Effects of the invention

[0015] According to the following example, the characteristics of the antenna can be monitored in real time.

[0016] According to the following embodiment, a signal received using an antenna element can be appropriately compensated according to the state and characteristics of the antenna element constituting the array antenna. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the concept of monitoring the characteristics of an antenna element in an array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an array antenna device including a calibration layer according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view of an array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the structure of a transmission line according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating mutual coupling between a calibration port and each antenna element in an array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the concept of monitoring the characteristics of an antenna element in an array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0020] The array antenna device (100) is an antenna in which a plurality of antenna elements (111, 112) cooperate with each other to operate as a single antenna, and can be operated to provide a large gain in a specific direction desired by the user and a small gain in another direction, so it can be used as part of a radar device.

[0021] Among the plurality of antenna elements (111, 112) constituting the array antenna device (100), at least one element (112) may fail. The element (112) that failed may not be able to transmit or receive a signal, or may not be able to transmit or receive a signal of a value. Consequently, the array antenna device (100) may not operate normally, or the performance of the array antenna device (100) may decrease.

[0022] An array antenna device (100) according to an exemplary embodiment may include a probe located near an antenna element (112) to receive an electrical signal from the antenna element (112), a transmission line that transmits the electrical signal from the probe to a calibration port, and a calibration port that outputs the received electrical signal.

[0023] The monitoring device (120) analyzes the signal output from the calibration port to monitor the characteristics of the antenna element (112), determines whether a failure has occurred in each element (111, 112), and can correct the values ​​transmitted and received by each element (111, 112) according to the monitoring result.

[0024] By using the corrected value, the function and performance of the array antenna device (100) can be maintained even if some antenna elements (112) fail.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an array antenna device including a calibration layer according to an exemplary embodiment. The array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment includes an antenna layer composed of a flat-plate antenna dielectric substrate (220, 240, 260) and a radiator (221, 222, 241, 242, 261) located on top of the antenna dielectric substrate (220, 240, 260), and a calibration layer composed of a probe (211), a transmission line (212), and a calibration port (not shown).

[0027] The antenna layer consists of a flat-shaped antenna dielectric substrate (220, 240, 260) and a radiator (221, 222, 241, 242, 261) located on top of the antenna dielectric substrate (220, 240, 260).

[0028] The first antenna layer consists of a first antenna dielectric substrate (220) and a plurality of first radiators (221, 222) located on top of the first antenna dielectric substrate (220).

[0029] The second antenna layer is composed of a second antenna dielectric substrate (240) located on the top of the first antenna dielectric substrate in a plane parallel to the first antenna dielectric substrate and a plurality of second radiators (241, 242) located on the top of the second antenna dielectric substrate (220).

[0030] The third antenna layer is composed of a third antenna dielectric substrate (260) located on a plane parallel to the second antenna dielectric substrate on top of the second antenna dielectric substrate (240), and a plurality of third radiators (261, 262) located on top of the third antenna dielectric substrate (260).

[0031] According to one aspect, the operating frequency band of the first radiator (221, 222) is an X band, and the operating frequency band of the second radiator (241, 242) and the third radiator (261) may be an S band.

[0032] Signals received using radiators (221, 222, 241, 242, 261) are transmitted to a transmitting and receiving layer (270) and can be modulated and demodulated using a transceiver.

[0033] According to one aspect, a first air gap (230) may be located between the first antenna dielectric substrate (220) and the second antenna dielectric substrate (240). Additionally, a second air gap (250) may be located between the second antenna dielectric substrate (240) and the third antenna dielectric substrate (260).

[0035] An array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment may include a calibration layer comprising a probe (211), a transmission line, a calibration port (not shown), and a calibration dielectric substrate (210).

[0036] The probe (211) may be composed of a horizontal portion extending in a direction parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate from the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate (260), and a vertical portion extending from one end of the horizontal portion in a direction penetrating the antenna dielectric substrate (220, 240, 260).

[0037] The transmission line (212) can receive an electrical signal from a probe by contacting the other end of the vertical portion at the bottom of the first antenna dielectric substrate (220). According to one aspect, the transmission line (212) may be a microstrip line formed on a calibration dielectric substrate (210) located at the bottom of the first antenna layer (220).

[0038] A calibration port (not shown) can be connected to a transmission line (212) to output an electrical signal from the probe. The output electrical signal can be transmitted to a monitoring device. The electrical signal output through the calibration port can be used to monitor the status of the radiator (221, 222, 241, 242, 261) or to correct a signal received using the radiator (221, 222, 241, 242, 261).

[0040] FIG. 3 is a side view of an array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0041] The antenna layer consists of a flat-shaped antenna dielectric substrate (330, 340, 350) and a radiator (331, 342, 351) located on top of the antenna dielectric substrate (330, 340, 350).

[0042] The first radiator (331) located on the top of the first antenna dielectric substrate (330) is connected to a feed port (333) through a feed line (332) penetrating the first antenna dielectric substrate (330) and operates by being directly fed. The first radiator (331) is a square-shaped patch antenna element or an 'E'-shaped patch antenna element with two slots formed on one side of the square, and the operating frequency band may be an X band.

[0043] The second radiator (342) located on the top of the second antenna dielectric substrate (340) is connected to the feed port (345) through the second feed line (343) penetrating the first antenna substrate (330) and the second antenna substrate (340), and is operated by direct feeding. The operating frequency band of the second radiator (342) may be the S band.

[0044] The third radiator (351) located on the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate (350) is operated by being indirectly fed from the second radiator (342). The operating frequency band of the third radiator (351) may be an S band.

[0045] According to one aspect, the second radiator (342) and the third radiator (351) may be square-shaped loop antenna elements.

[0046] A first air gap (341) may be located between the first antenna dielectric substrate (330) and the second antenna dielectric substrate (340), and a second air gap (344) may be located between the second antenna dielectric substrate (340) and the third antenna dielectric substrate (350).

[0047] The probe consists of a horizontal section (313, 314) and a vertical section (311, 312). The horizontal section (313, 314) extends from the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate (350) in a direction parallel to the third antenna dielectric substrate (350). The vertical section (311, 312) extends from one end of the horizontal section (313, 314) in a direction penetrating the first antenna dielectric substrate (330), the second antenna dielectric substrate (340), and the third antenna dielectric substrate (350).

[0048] A transmission line (not shown) receives an electrical signal from a probe by contacting the other end of a vertical portion at the bottom of the first antenna dielectric substrate (330). According to one aspect, the transmission line (not shown) may be a microstrip line formed on a calibration dielectric substrate (320).

[0051] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the structure of a transmission line according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0052] Figure 4(a) is a diagram showing a top view of a microstrip-shaped transmission line formed on a calibration dielectric substrate.

[0053] The transmission line may be connected to the other end (411, 413) of the vertical section and may be composed of a first extension line extending in a first direction along a plane parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate or calibration dielectric substrate, and a second extension line extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction along a plane parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate or calibration dielectric substrate.

[0055] Figure 4(b) is a drawing showing the connection part where the first extension line and the second extension line of the transmission line are connected.

[0056] A first extension line extending horizontally from a first vertical section and a second extension line extending horizontally from a second vertical section meet at the center of the figure, and the second extension line extending perpendicular to each first extension line is shared.

[0057] The part where the first extension line and the second extension line meet forms a triangular shape with a hollow in the middle, and the beginning part of the second extension line is relatively thick, but after being extended a certain distance, it is extended to a relatively thin thickness.

[0059] Figure 4 (c) is a diagram showing the part where the transmission line is connected to the calibration port.

[0060] A calibration port (435) may be located at the point where two second extension lines meet. An electrical signal output through the calibration port (435) may be used to monitor the state of the radiator or to correct a signal received through the radiator.

[0062] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating mutual coupling between a calibration port and each antenna element in an array antenna device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0063] FIG. 5(a) is a diagram illustrating the mutual coupling between the second and third radiators operating in the S-band and the calibration port at the center frequency of the S-band.

[0064] The calibration port must have a uniform coupling value with each antenna element to ensure the accuracy of the calibration. Referring to FIG. 5(a), it is shown that at the center frequency of the S-band, 3.05 GHz, the coupling level between all S-band antenna elements and the calibration port is distributed in the range of -21.2 dB to -33.0 dB.

[0066] Figure 5(b) is a diagram illustrating the mutual coupling between a first radiator operating in the X-band and a calibration port at the center frequency of the X-band.

[0067] Referring to Figure 5(b), it shows that at the center frequency of the X-band, 9.5 GHz, the coupling level between all X-band antenna elements and the calibration port is distributed in the range of -21.1 dB to -51.04 dB.

[0069] Referring to Fig. 5, it can be seen that the coupling value between the calibration port and each antenna element can monitor the characteristics of each antenna element or abnormal input signals using the electrical signal received through the calibration port.

[0071] The method according to the embodiment may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., either alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be those specifically designed and configured for the embodiment, or they may be those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include machine code, such as that generated by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operation of the embodiment, and vice versa.

[0072]

[0073] ​Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to limited examples and drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations from the description above. For example, suitable results can be achieved even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than described, and / or the components of the described system, structure, device, circuit, etc. are combined or assembled in a form different from described, or replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents.

[0074] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims also fall within the scope of the claims set forth below. Explanation of the symbols

[0075] 100: Array antenna device 111, 112: Antenna elements 120: Monitoring device

Claims

Claim 1 An antenna layer comprising a flat-shaped antenna dielectric substrate and a radiator located on top of the antenna dielectric substrate; a plurality of probes comprising a horizontal portion extending in a direction parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate from the top of the antenna dielectric substrate and a vertical portion extending in a direction penetrating the antenna dielectric substrate from one end of the horizontal portion; a transmission line contacting the other end of the vertical portion at the bottom of the antenna dielectric substrate to receive an electrical signal from the probes; and a calibration port connected to the transmission line to output the electrical signal, wherein the electrical signal output through the calibration port is used to monitor the state of the radiator or to correct a signal received using the radiator. Claim 2 An antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line is a microstrip line formed on a calibration dielectric substrate located at the bottom of the antenna layer. Claim 3 An antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line comprises: a first extension line extending in a first direction along a plane parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate from the vertical portion; and a second extension line extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction along a plane parallel to the antenna dielectric substrate. Claim 4 delete Claim 5 In claim 1, the antenna layer comprises: a first antenna layer composed of a planar-shaped first antenna dielectric substrate and a plurality of first radiators located on top of the first antenna dielectric substrate; and a second antenna layer composed of a planar-shaped second antenna dielectric substrate and a plurality of second radiators located on top of the second antenna dielectric substrate. An antenna device comprising: a third antenna dielectric substrate having a flat shape and a plurality of third radiators located on the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate; wherein the second antenna dielectric substrate is located on the top of the first antenna dielectric substrate in a plane parallel to the first antenna dielectric substrate, the third antenna dielectric substrate is located on the top of the second antenna dielectric substrate in a plane parallel to the second antenna dielectric substrate, the horizontal portion extends from the top of the third antenna dielectric substrate in a direction parallel to the third antenna dielectric substrate, the vertical portion extends from one end of the horizontal portion in a direction penetrating the first antenna dielectric substrate, the second antenna dielectric substrate, and the third antenna dielectric substrate, and the transmission line contacts the other end of the vertical portion at the bottom of the first antenna dielectric substrate. Claim 6 An antenna device according to claim 5, wherein the operating frequency band of the first radiator is the X band, and the operating frequency bands of the second radiator and the third radiator are the S band. Claim 7 An antenna device according to claim 5, wherein the first radiator is directly fed using a first feed line penetrating the first antenna dielectric substrate, the second radiator is directly fed using a second feed line penetrating the first antenna substrate and the second antenna dielectric substrate, and the third radiator is indirectly fed from the second radiator. Claim 8 An antenna device according to claim 5, wherein the first radiator is a square-shaped patch antenna element or an 'E'-shaped patch antenna element with two slots formed on one side of the square, and the second radiator and the third radiator are square-shaped loop antenna elements.

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