Non-parallel line array radar antenna for wide area coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern radar systems using digital beam forming require a large number of antenna elements and receivers, leading to high computational demands and costs, limiting their ability to instantaneously cover wide areas due to the need for separate signal processing in each direction.
Innovation Solution
An antenna arrangement comprising at least two non-parallel line arrays with each line array containing multiple antenna elements connected to receivers, using digital beam forming to create adjacent and partly overlapping beams for instantaneous coverage of a surveillance area, allowing target position calculation within one or two crossing areas between beams from different line arrays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a fully digital 2D array antenna is used to achieve instantaneous wide area coverage, then the coverage area and instantaneous detection capability are improved, but the number of antenna elements and receivers increases significantly, leading to high computational demands and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the surveillance area into multiple coverage sectors, with each sector covered by a separate antenna arrangement. This segmentation allows the system to achieve wide area coverage through multiple specialized arrangements rather than requiring a single complex 2D array, thereby reducing the number of antenna elements and receivers needed while maintaining instantaneous coverage capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a 2D array configuration to using multiple 1D line arrays arranged in specific geometric patterns (such as tetrahedral or pyramidal configurations). This dimensional change allows the system to achieve 3D surveillance coverage with fewer elements by utilizing spatial arrangement and multiple viewing angles rather than a dense 2D grid
2Measurement precision
If digital beam forming is applied in both elevation and azimuth directions to achieve uniform angular resolution, then the beam quality and detection accuracy are improved, but the computational capacity required increases proportionally to the square of the number of antenna elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies digital beam forming separately in only one direction (elevation) for each line array, while covering the other direction (azimuth) through the geometric arrangement of multiple line arrays. This segmentation of beam forming operations reduces computational requirements from O(n²) to O(n) per array, while the multiple arrays provide the necessary angular resolution through their spatial configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves sufficient angular resolution by applying digital beam forming in only one direction rather than both directions, accepting that full 2D beam forming would provide marginally better performance. This partial action approach provides adequate measurement precision for most applications while dramatically reducing computational power requirements
3Device complexity
If the antenna arrangement is rotated to cover different azimuth directions, then the mechanical structure can be simplified, but the instantaneous coverage is limited by the rotation speed and cannot cover wide areas simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the surveillance area into multiple sectors and uses separate antenna arrangements or line arrays for each sector. This segmentation allows each arrangement to cover its specific sector instantaneously without mechanical rotation, while collectively providing comprehensive wide area coverage. The system achieves mechanical simplicity without sacrificing instantaneous coverage capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a statically equivalent dynamic system by using multiple fixed antenna arrangements positioned to provide overlapping coverage of the surveillance area. This dynamic arrangement of multiple static elements replaces the need for a single rotating arrangement, achieving both mechanical simplicity and instantaneous wide area coverage
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention provides an antenna arrangement for a radar system arranged for coverage of a surveillance area and comprising antenna elements. The antenna elements are arranged to receive a signal transmitted from a transmit antenna of a transmit antenna arrangement and reflected by a target towards the antenna arrangement wherein: • the antenna arrangement comprises at least two non-parallel line arrays, • each antenna element being connected to a receiver where each line array is arranged to create, by using digital beam forming, beams for instantaneous coverage of at least said surveillance area and • within the surveillance area said line arrays are arranged to allow the target position to be limited to one or two crossing areas between at least two beams from different line arrays from which target reflections have been received. The invention also provides a corresponding method and a radar system comprising the antenna arrangement.