Dual Reflector Antenna for Vehicle Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antennas for telecommunications and broadband multimedia applications on vehicles in motion face challenges in maintaining high pointing stability and performance across various dimensions and conditions, particularly in satellite and terrestrial connections, and require efficient polarization realignment and reduced mechanical stresses.
Innovation Solution
A dual reflector offset antenna design with a corrugated horn as the primary feed, featuring a main reflector and subreflector with optimized coefficients, a mechanical platform for realigning polarization, and a DC converter, allowing for high angular scanning and reduced mechanical parts in motion, enabling efficient operation and improved performance in constrained spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the antenna dimensions are reduced to facilitate use in vehicles, then the antenna can be mounted on various vehicles including trains and aircrafts, but the antenna performance and gain may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is divided into two separate reflector surfaces (first and second reflector surfaces) with distinct polynomial coefficients, allowing each surface to be optimized independently for its specific function while contributing to overall antenna performance in a compact configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a conventional single-reflector design to a dual-reflector configuration, adding a second reflective surface to achieve enhanced performance and polarization control within reduced dimensional constraints
2Reliability
If the feed assembly is rotated to provide spatial polarization stabilization, then polarization stability is improved, but the mechanical complexity and stress on moving parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the feed assembly to achieve polarization stabilization, the patent inverts the approach by rotating the second reflector surface, which indirectly adjusts the polarization orientation while reducing mechanical stress on the feed assembly and its mounting structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the polarization control function from the feed assembly rotation mechanism and relocates it to the second reflector surface rotation, separating the functions and reducing the mechanical burden on the feed assembly
3Adaptability or versatility
If the antenna beam scanning range is increased in elevation, then the angular scanning capability is improved, but the gain losses and side lobe control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different second-order polynomial coefficients to the first and second reflector surfaces, optimizing each surface locally for its specific role in beam formation and scanning, thereby maintaining gain stability across extended elevation scanning ranges
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic rotation of the second reflector surface to achieve beam scanning in elevation, allowing the antenna to adapt its beam direction while maintaining optimal gain characteristics through coordinated adjustment of the reflector orientation
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 antenna achieves high pointing stability and performance across various dimensions, minimizes gain losses, and effectively controls side lobes, ensuring reliable satellite and terrestrial connections under motion and critical conditions, with reduced mechanical stresses and improved modularity.
Implementation Method 1
the feed, directed by the horn to the sub-reflector, is reflected by the latter to the main reflector and then outwardly to the targeted direction
Data Source
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AI summary
Dual reflector offset mechanical pointing low profile telecommunication antenna, to be used above all on vehicles, even high-speed ones. Its reduced physical dimensions facilitate its use, with respect to the known solutions, as it allows its connecting to the receiving system, such as a satellite, though installed on a train or on an aircraft. The invention lies within the technical field of telecommunications and the applicative field of stationary, movable antennas of reduced dimensions, and accordingly within that of telecommunications in general. The original dual reflector antenna is obtained from a second-order polynomial that configurates it in the Cartesian space XYZ.