Slot-Fed Radiating Plane Antenna With Differential No-Cross Feed Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active array antennas face inefficiencies and losses in transmitting high-power signals due to amplifier summations and routing issues within the electronic transmission chain, leading to degraded antenna performance and variability among individual antennas.
Innovation Solution
The design of a slot-fed patch-type elementary antenna with stacked substrates and optimized ribbon excitation, utilizing phase-shifted power supply lines and differential powering to minimize crossings and improve impedance matching, resulting in simplified routing and reduced losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If amplifier summations are used to prepare high-power signals upstream of the active antenna, then high peak power emission is achieved, but efficiency deteriorates due to low amplifier efficiencies and additional losses
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of summing amplified signals upstream (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by amplifying individual low-power signals at each antenna element and then combining them in space through phased array beam forming. This eliminates the need for high-power amplifier summation and reduces energy losses significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the high-power signal generation into multiple low-power signal paths, each processed independently by low-power amplifiers at individual antenna elements. This segmentation allows efficient low-power amplification followed by coherent combination, avoiding the inefficiency of single high-power amplification.
2Power
If high-power signals are transmitted to the radiating element through the electronic transmission chain, then high peak power is delivered, but losses increase and transmission constraints are imposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional transmission architecture by delivering low-power signals through the transmission chain to each antenna element, where local amplification occurs. This eliminates the problem of transmitting high-power signals over long distances, as only low-power signals need to be transmitted through the feed network.
3Reliability
If power supply lines are routed within or outside the integrated circuit to differentially power opposing ports, then differential excitation is achieved, but routing complexity increases and losses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric routing where opposing ports are powered from different sides of the integrated circuit rather than requiring symmetric crossing of power lines. This asymmetric arrangement eliminates the need for line crossings, reduces routing complexity, and minimizes signal losses while maintaining differential excitation accuracy.
4Reliability
If power supply lines cross within the integrated circuit or on the substrate, then differential powering is achieved, but routing becomes non-optimal and generates losses and imbalances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply connections from the problematic crossing configuration and relocates them to opposite sides of the integrated circuit. This extraction eliminates the crossing point where losses and imbalances occur, while maintaining the necessary differential power balance for reliable operation.
5Ease of manufacture
If reproducible routing from one elementary antenna to another is difficult to achieve, then manufacturing variability increases, but manufacturing flexibility is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal power supply routing architecture that can be consistently implemented across all antenna elements in the array. By using standardized connection points on opposite sides of the integrated circuit, the same routing pattern can be reproduced manufacturing after manufacturing, ensuring consistent performance while maintaining ease of fabrication.
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 design enhances efficiency, reduces variability, and doubles the emitted power while minimizing heat dissipation and board size, allowing for programmable polarization and optimal operation of active array antennas.
Implementation Method 1
Two slots (32, 33) are provided in a ground plane (31)... Each slot is excited by a pair of ribbons... In order to properly excite the main mode TE10 of a slot, it is necessary that the two excitation strips of this slot be supplied in opposite phase
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
This elementary antenna 1 comprises: two slots 32, 33 in a cross defining four half-slots; for each half-slot, excitation strips 41, 42, the first strip 41 being connected to a first via 61 and the second strip 42 being connected to a second via 62; an integrated circuit 70 carrying a plurality of ports; for each half-slot, strip feed tracks, the first track 51 running from a first port 71 to the first via 61 and the second track 52 running from a second port 72 to the second via 62, the first and second ports being two successive ports of the integrated circuit, differentially connected to a transmit/receive channel by first and second feed lines located inside the integrated circuit, the lines and tracks running so that there is no crossing in their respective routings.