Luneburg Lens Antenna Array for Electronic Beam Steering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current antenna/sensor systems rely on complex and costly gimbaled or phased array technologies, which increase weight, maintenance costs, and steering time, limiting their application in areas like satellite communications, air traffic control, and surveillance due to their complexity and expense.

Innovation Solution

A Luneburg Lens is combined with a patch antenna array, allowing for electronic beam steering without mechanical hardware, using a processor and MEMS switching to selectively address patch antennas and form monopulse radar beams, eliminating the need for gimbal mechanisms and phase shifters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If gimbaled antenna or phased array antenna is used for beam steering, then beam steering capability is achieved, but weight increases and pointing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam steering capabilityVSAvoidantenna weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical gimbal mechanisms with an electronically controlled patch antenna array system. The beam steering is achieved through electronic phase and amplitude control of individual antenna elements rather than mechanical rotation, eliminating the need for heavy gimbal structures while maintaining steering capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna system is divided into multiple discrete patch antenna elements arranged in an array. Each element can be independently controlled to achieve beam forming and steering through constructive and destructive interference of electromagnetic waves, replacing the need for a single large mechanically steered antenna.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If gimbaled antenna or phased array antenna is used for beam steering, then beam steering capability is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam steering capabilityVSAvoidantenna system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical gimbal systems and their associated tracking mechanisms with a simpler electronic control system. The patch antenna array with electronic phase shifters and amplitude controllers provides beam steering through electrical signals, reducing mechanical complexity while achieving the same functional capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If phased array antenna is used for electronic beam steering, then beam steering is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectronic beam steeringVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses relatively simple and inexpensive patch antenna elements rather than complex phased array components. The patch antennas can be manufactured using standard PCB techniques, making them much cheaper than traditional phased array elements while providing sufficient performance for the application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Measurement precision

If gimbaled antenna is used for tracking, then tracking capability is achieved, but steering time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking capabilityVSAvoidsteering time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical gimbal rotation with electronic beam steering through phase and amplitude control of antenna elements. This allows instantaneous beam redirection without mechanical inertia delays, achieving the same tracking precision much faster by controlling the phase difference between adjacent elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This configuration reduces weight, cost, and beam-steering time, enabling wider field of regard scans and accurate tracking while minimizing near-field effects and angle distortion, thus enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of antenna systems.

Implementation Method 1

the reflected radar beam is received at its incoming incidence angle by the Luneburg lens and directed to the opposite end of the lens and focused onto a receiving subarray

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentUS8854257B2Conformal array, luneburg lens antenna system

Publication Date: 2014.10.07 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE AS REPRESENTED BY THE SEC OF THE ARMY

AI summary

A Luneburg lens is used in conjunction with a patch antenna array. The patch antenna array is conformed or adapted to cover a portion or backside of the Luneburg len's surface with the backplane of the conformed antenna array defining a field of regard (FOR) in which objects are detected and tracked. A processor is connected to a receiver/exciter module which connects to transmit/receive modules which are connected to the individual patch antennas through a network of MEMS switches. In a receive mode, selected subarrays of the conformed patch antenna array are scanned during selected time intervals with the sum and delta beams being formed coherently in amplitude and phase to realize amplitude monopulse sensing and angle tracking of an object.