Modular Array Antenna Beam Shaping for Side Lobe Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current array antennas require new, larger sizes to enhance performance, which is costly and difficult to transport and deploy, as their size and performance are fixed once constructed.
Innovation Solution
An array antenna composed of mechanically separate radiating panels with complex shaping coefficients applied to radio frequency signals to dynamically adjust the antenna's size and performance, allowing for orientation of the maximum gain and reduction of side lobes by accounting for panel differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the antenna size is increased to improve performance, then the gain and angular resolution are improved, but the manufacturing cost and transportation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is divided into multiple independent radiating panels that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. Each panel contains radiating elements that can be independently configured, allowing the overall antenna to achieve large-aperture performance through modular construction rather than requiring a single large monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamic beam forming techniques where the phase and amplitude of signals from individual radiating elements are electronically controlled to steer the beam and adjust the radiation pattern. This allows a fixed physical structure to achieve variable performance characteristics equivalent to different antenna sizes or configurations.
2Measurement precision
If the antenna size is increased to improve performance, then the gain and angular resolution are improved, but the transportation and deployment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the antenna into multiple transportable panels, the system achieves large-aperture performance while maintaining ease of transportation. Each panel can be transported independently using standard logistics, and the panels are assembled on-site to form the complete large-aperture antenna array.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single large two-dimensional aperture to a three-dimensional array of distributed panels. This dimensional transformation allows the antenna to achieve equivalent performance to a large continuous aperture while using a modular structure that is easier to transport and deploy.
3Ease of operation
If mechanically separate radiating panels are used to ease transportation, then the transportation ease is improved, but side lobes are generated due to panel differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements calibration procedures that measure the actual performance of each radiating panel and use this information to adjust the beam forming weights. This feedback mechanism compensates for manufacturing tolerances and positioning variations between panels, eliminating the harmful side lobes that would otherwise result from panel differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the phase and amplitude parameters of the signal fed to each radiating element to compensate for variations between panels. By changing these parameters based on measured panel characteristics, the system maintains optimal beam formation and minimizes side lobe levels despite using mechanically separate panels.
Data Source
AI summary
An array antenna includes a plurality of mechanically separate radiating panels arranged side-by-side, means for applying a shaping to the signals transmitted by the radiating elements of the panels and a device for managing the shaping of the signals, wherein the shaping coefficients correspond to a sum of at least: a shaping coefficient (Wco) making it possible to orient the maximum gain of the antenna in a given direction, and at least the opposite of a shaping coefficient (Wc) making it possible to orient the maximum gain of the antenna in the direction of a side lobe resulting from differences between the radiating panels of the array antenna. The method relates also to the associated transmission/reception method.