ADE Reflector Antenna Multi-Band SATCOM Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional low profile antennas for satellite communication (SATCOM) applications either have a large swept volume or operate only at single frequency bands, resulting in high cost and low efficiency, which is undesirable for aircraft, ships, and vehicles due to drag, observability, and multi-band operation requirements.
Innovation Solution
The use of axially displaced elliptical (ADE) reflectors with shaped configurations, including elliptical and modified elliptical apertures, and the adjacently mounted elliptical ADE reflector antennas to achieve high efficiency and multi-band operation within a low profile and minimal swept volume, enabling monopulse capability and reduced pointing loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If conventional low profile antennas are used for SATCOM applications, then the antenna profile is reduced, but the swept volume becomes large or the antenna operates only at single frequency bands
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is divided into multiple frequency-independent feed horns, each optimized for specific frequency bands (e.g., C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band). Each feed horn operates independently to illuminate the common reflector aperture, enabling multi-band operation without increasing the overall antenna profile or swept volume.
Solution Approach 2:
A single low-profile reflector antenna structure serves multiple frequency bands simultaneously through the use of multiple frequency-independent feed horns. The common reflector aperture and low-profile configuration are universally utilized across all frequency bands, eliminating the need for separate antennas for each band while maintaining low swept volume.
2Reliability
If multiple separate antennas are used for different frequency bands, then each antenna can be optimized for its band, but the total system cost and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple frequency-independent feed horns are merged into a single low-profile reflector antenna system. Each feed horn maintains its band-specific optimization characteristics while sharing a common reflector aperture and mounting structure, thereby reducing the total space requirements and system cost compared to using separate antennas for each frequency band.
3Device complexity
If conventional single-band antennas are used, then the antenna design is simpler, but the number of antennas needed for multi-band communication increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system dynamically adapts to different frequency bands by selectively activating appropriate frequency-independent feed horns based on the required communication band. This allows a single antenna structure to provide multi-band operation capability while maintaining relatively simple individual feed horn designs, each optimized for specific bands.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides low profile, high efficiency, multi-band antennas with reduced pointing loss and increased tracking accuracy, capable of operating over multiple frequency bands without increasing the overall system footprint, thus reducing costs and space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
various configurations of low profile multi-band antennas for satellite communications (SATCOM) applications having high antenna efficiencies... include one or more reflectors having a center-fed shaped axially displaced elliptical (ADE) configuration
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna comprising a reflector have a center-fed shaped axially displaced elliptical (ADE) configuration with either an elliptical aperture or a truncated elliptical aperture is described.