Interleaved TR Antenna Arrays for Grating Lobe Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Array antennas in high-frequency millimeter band communications face issues with grating lobes and high side lobes due to the discontinuous arrangement of transmit-receive antenna arrays, which compromises interference resistance and system performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of interleaved transmit-receive antenna arrays in a continuous arraying direction and a tapered distribution arrangement in the discontinuous direction, where the number of TR antenna arrays changes from the outermost to the middle column, effectively reduces grating and side lobes by interleaving TX and RX arrays and adjusting their alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If multiple TR antenna arrays are arranged in a discontinuous manner to meet long distance communication requirements, then communication distance is improved, but grating lobes and high side lobes are introduced causing poor interference resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional linear arrangement to two-dimensional planar arrangement of antenna elements. By organizing elements in a matrix configuration with specific spacing relationships in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, the system achieves extended communication distance while controlling grating lobes through the additional dimensional constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs non-uniform amplitude weighting across the antenna elements rather than equal spacing and excitation. By applying asymmetric amplitude distribution where central elements have higher weights and edge elements have lower weights, the system extends the effective aperture for longer communication distance while suppressing side lobes and grating lobes through the asymmetric weighting pattern.
2Device complexity
If element spacing is increased to reduce the number of elements and lower system costs, then system costs are improved, but grating lobes are introduced degrading performance
Solution Approach 1:
By adding a vertical dimension to the antenna array configuration, the patent achieves equivalent performance with fewer total elements. The two-dimensional arrangement allows larger element spacing without introducing grating lobes, as the additional dimensional constraint prevents the formation of grating lobe patterns that would occur in one-dimensional arrays with large spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the amplitude excitation parameters of individual elements rather than relying solely on geometric spacing. By adjusting the amplitude weights of elements according to a specific distribution pattern, the system can tolerate larger element spacing while maintaining low side lobe levels and avoiding grating lobes, thereby reducing the total number of elements required.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If amplitude weighting is applied to decrease side lobe level, then SLL is improved, but aperture efficiency is reduced and design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific amplitude weight parameters for each element position in the array, transforming the design from a geometric configuration problem to a parameter optimization problem. By defining explicit amplitude relationships between elements based on their positions, the system achieves side lobe control through parameter selection rather than complex adaptive weighting, simplifying the overall design process.
Data Source
AI summary
An array antenna is provided. The array antenna includes at least one pair of interleaved TR antenna arrays in a continuous arraying direction, where the TX arrays and RX arrays of two adjacent TR antenna arrays are interleaved. This can effectively rectify discontinuousness of TX arrays and RX arrays in a discontinuous arraying direction in the prior art, and thereby reduce grating lobes or side lobes caused by discontinuous TX arrays and discontinuous RX arrays in an array antenna, so that performance of the array antenna improves.