Polyhedral PCB Horn Antenna with Integrated Electronics

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional horn antennas and phased array antennas face challenges with size, weight, and cost, particularly in high-end applications, where they are often bulky, heavy, and expensive, limiting their use to specific high-end applications.

Innovation Solution

A horn antenna device and array are designed using a housing formed by folding printed circuit board (PCB) panels with dielectric substrates and electrically conductive layers, creating a polyhedral shape with a open end, incorporating wireless communication circuitry and an antenna feed, and assembled using low-cost, lightweight materials and manufacturing techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional horn antennas are used to achieve high gain and directional radiation pattern, then antenna performance is improved, but size and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna performanceVSAvoidantenna weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameters from traditional metal and rigid structures to flexible printed circuit board materials with thin conductive layers. This parameter change enables the horn antenna to maintain its electromagnetic radiation performance while dramatically reducing weight and enabling conformal mounting on non-planar surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements the horn antenna structure using flexible PCB panels with thin conductive traces instead of rigid metal structures. This allows the antenna to be lightweight, flexible, and suitable for integration into various form factors without sacrificing functional performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If conventional phased array antennas are used to achieve high bandwidth and dense element spacing, then antenna performance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth and element spacingVSAvoidarray architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the phased array into multiple independent PCB panel segments that can be folded and assembled into a polyhedral configuration. Each panel can be manufactured separately using standard PCB processes, reducing overall system complexity and enabling modular assembly while maintaining dense element spacing and high bandwidth performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If traditional manufacturing methods are used for horn antennas, then structural strength is ensured, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical manufacturing processes (metal forming, welding, assembly) with PCB fabrication processes (circuit trace deposition, panel lamination, folding). This substitution enables cost-effective production using automated PCB manufacturing while the folded joint design provides sufficient mechanical strength for the application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8564492B2Horn antenna including integrated electronics and associated method

Publication Date: 2013.10.22 HARRIS CORP

AI summary

An antenna device includes a housing having a plurality of printed circuit board (PCB) panels connected together with folded joints therebetween to define a polyhedral shape having a first open end. Each of the PCB panels includes a dielectric substrate and an electrically conductive layer thereon inside of the housing. Wireless communication circuitry is mounted on at least one of the plurality of PCB panels outside the housing, and an antenna feed is connected to the wireless communication circuitry adjacent a second end opposite the first open end of the housing.