Phased Array Antenna with True Time Delay and Polarization Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional phased array antennas require bulky beam-forming networks and intermediate frequency hardware, limiting their flexibility and adaptability, especially at high frequencies, and are often fixed in polarization, making them unsuitable for space-borne applications where polarization changes are necessary.
Innovation Solution
A space-fed reconfigurable phased array antenna system that employs spatial signal combining techniques using beam scan phase shifters and true-time delay phase shifters, eliminating the need for beam-forming networks and allowing for flexible polarization control by using modular 2π phase shifters and true-time delay phase shifters, along with ortho-mode transducers and couplers to adjust signal phases and polarizations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If beam-forming networks are used to control phase and amplitude of signals from antenna elements, then coherent signal addition and high gain are achieved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the beam-forming network from the phased array antenna system, replacing it with a simplified architecture that uses individual phase shifters at each antenna element. This eliminates the complex hardware while maintaining the ability to control phase and amplitude of signals, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving gain capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the beam-forming function into individual phase shifter units distributed across each antenna element. Instead of a centralized beam-forming network, each element has its own phase control mechanism, distributing the complexity and eliminating the need for bulky centralized hardware while maintaining coherent signal addition capability.
2Speed
If intermediate frequency conversion is performed for high frequency signals, then signals can be processed by beam-forming networks, but hardware complexity and channel requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate frequency conversion hardware from the system architecture. By operating directly at high frequencies with simplified phase control at each antenna element, the system eliminates the need for down-conversion to intermediate frequencies, thereby reducing hardware complexity while maintaining signal processing capability.
3Reliability
If phased array antennas are designed for a particular polarization, then polarization-specific performance is optimized, but adaptability and flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic polarization control by incorporating adjustable phase shifters that can modify the phase relationship between orthogonal antenna elements. This allows the antenna system to dynamically change its polarization state (linear, circular, or elliptical) after deployment, providing adaptability while maintaining optimized performance for different polarization requirements.
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 solution reduces the complexity and cost of phased array antennas, enabling beam scanning and shaping reconfigurability, flexible polarization, and eliminating the need for intermediate frequency conversion hardware, allowing for adaptable communication capabilities in space-borne and aircraft applications.
Implementation Method 1
The phase of each of the signals from a particular source that are received by the antenna elements are selectively controlled so that all of the signals are in phase with each at a common antenna port
Implementation Method 2
beam-forming networks that weight the individual signals so as to adjust their amplitude and phase so that they can be coherently added together in this manner
Implementation Method 3
a back-end circuit spaced apart from the front-end circuit and including an antenna receiving the receive signals from the rear antenna elements or transmitting the transmit signals to the rear antenna elements
Data Source
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Figure 2
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A phased array antenna system including a front-end circuit having a plurality of antenna channels, each including a front antenna element and a rear antenna element, that provides a spatially combined beam. Each antenna channel includes a beam scan phase shifter and a true time delay phase shifter through which the receive signals or the transmit signals propagate.