PCB Phased Array Architecture With Ring Patch Elements for Lower Cost
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing phased array antennas (PAAs) are costly due to the use of ceramic chip carrier modules and complex waveguide radiators, which increase fabrication complexity and costs, making them unsuitable for many line-of-sight communication applications.
Innovation Solution
The use of low-complexity aperture coupled patch radiators, low-cost commercial-off-the-shelf surface mount MMICs, and a low-cost multilayer printed wiring board stack-up, along with ring-shaped antenna elements that eliminate mechanical moving parts, reducing the number of layers and assembly complexity while maintaining RF performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ceramic chip carrier modules and complex waveguide radiators are used in phased array antennas, then RF performance is improved, but cost and fabrication complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive ceramic chip carrier modules with low-cost printed circuit board (PCB) based antenna elements. The PCB substrate serves as both the mechanical support and the radiating structure, eliminating the need for costly ceramic packages while maintaining acceptable RF performance for line-of-sight communication applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex waveguide radiator structure from the antenna design. Instead, it uses simplified microstrip or patch antenna elements directly fabricated on PCB substrates, removing unnecessary complexity while retaining the essential radiating function for the target application scope.
2Reliability
If ceramic chip carrier modules and complex waveguide radiators are used in phased array antennas, then RF performance is improved, but cost increases by over a factor of three
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts inexpensive PCB materials and standard surface mount components instead of premium ceramic substrates and complex waveguide structures. This substitution reduces the cost-per-element by over a factor of three while providing sufficient performance for non-military line-of-sight communication applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters from high-performance ceramic to standard PCB materials, and adjusts the structural parameters from complex waveguides to planar microstrip/patch designs. These parameter changes optimize the cost-performance ratio for the specific application requirements.
3Reliability
If traditional phased array antenna structures are used, then RF performance is maintained, but the number of layers and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the PCB substrate itself: the substrate provides mechanical support, electrical grounding, signal routing, and serves as the radiating element background. This integration reduces the number of separate layers and components compared to traditional multi-layer ceramic constructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the antenna array into independent, modular PCB-based elements that can be independently fabricated and then assembled. Each element is a self-contained unit with integrated feed network and radiating structure, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Antenna elements include a metallic square ring patch and a metallic square ring slot to transmit or receive radio frequency (RF) signals. The antenna elements use several dielectric layers that are separated by a low-dielectric foam layer upon which the square ring patch is positioned. The disclosed antenna elements may be arranged together in an antenna array that is tunable to collectively generate or receive RF signals. In particular, the antenna array functions as a 256-element transmit/receive half-duplex antenna, operating in transmit or receive mode for half the time. The antenna array includes a radiator block, a transmit/receiver (T/R) amplifier block, a beamformer block, and a distribution network block.