Reflective Array Antenna with Shared Diodes for Blind Area Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of active reflective array antennas for signal coverage increases costs due to the presence of active devices, necessitating a solution that reduces the need for active devices while maintaining effective blind area coverage.
Innovation Solution
A reflective array antenna design featuring a substrate with opposite surfaces, mounting areas, and arrays of reflective antenna elements, including diodes, phase-shift delay lines, and radiation patches, which reduces the number of diodes used and allows for beam scanning to cover blind areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an active reflective array antenna is used for blind area coverage, then signal coverage capability is improved, but costs increase due to the presence of active devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the active device (diode) from each individual antenna element and shares it across multiple elements. Specifically, one diode is shared by multiple reflective antenna elements in the same column, where the diode's state controls the reflection characteristics of all connected elements simultaneously. This extraction reduces the total number of active devices while maintaining coverage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared diode serves multiple functions: it controls the reflection state for multiple antenna elements simultaneously, and through the phase-shift delay line, it enables both coverage function and beam scanning function. This multi-functionality allows a single active device to perform what previously required multiple separate active devices.
2Device complexity
If the number of diodes is reduced in each mounting area, then costs and complexity are reduced, but coverage angle may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a phase-shift delay line that adds a temporal dimension to the control mechanism. By controlling the phase shift of the reflected signal, the system can achieve beam scanning in the horizontal direction, effectively extending the coverage angle without adding more diodes. This transforms a spatial problem (coverage angle) into a temporal/phase control problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase-shift delay line enables dynamic beam steering by adjusting the phase of reflected signals from different antenna elements. This dynamic control allows the beam to scan across different angles, maintaining adaptability and coverage versatility even with fewer diodes, as the system can electronically steer beams to cover different areas.
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
The design minimizes the use of active devices, thereby reducing costs and ensuring comprehensive signal coverage through horizontal and vertical beam scanning within specified angles.
Implementation Method 1
Each reflective antenna element may include a diode, a phase-shift delay line, and a radiation patch group. One end of the diode is connected to the radiation patch group
Implementation Method 2
the phase-shift delay line is configured to be grounded. The radiation patch group includes at least two radiation patches disposed along a column direction
Data Source
AI summary
A reflective array antenna includes a substrate and a plurality of reflective antenna elements. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface that are disposed opposite to each other, the first surface including at least one mounting area. A plurality of reflective antenna elements is distributed in an array and are disposed in each mounting area. The reflective array antenna in this disclosure can meet a requirement for blind area coverage and can reduce use of an active device to reduce costs.