Ring Slot Patch Radiator Cell for Wideband Phased Array Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional phased array antennas (PAAs) are complex and prone to failure due to mechanical moving parts, limiting their ability to provide high-quality antenna performance over wide frequency bandwidth and large scan volumes efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The development of a low-cost, low-profile ring cell antenna element with a unique feed structure, comprising stacked dielectric layers, a microstrip ring patch radiator, and a ring slot, supported by dual feed lines and a metallic or via fence, which operates in both transmit and receive modes, reducing mutual coupling and providing wide impedance bandwidth without mechanical parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional phased array antennas use mechanical moving parts for beam steering, then beam pointing capability is achieved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical moving parts with an electronic phase shifting system. Each antenna element is equipped with independent phase shifters that electronically control the phase of signals fed to or received from each element, enabling beam steering without any mechanical movement. This substitution of mechanical systems with electronic control systems directly resolves the contradiction by eliminating mechanical complexity while maintaining beam steering functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic beam steering through electronic phase control. The phase shifters can dynamically adjust the phase of signals in real-time, allowing the beam to be pointed in different directions without mechanical movement. This dynamic electronic control replaces static mechanical structures, reducing complexity while maintaining operational flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If conventional phased array antennas use mechanical moving parts, then beam direction control is achieved, but reliability decreases due to failure points
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing mechanical moving parts with solid-state electronic phase shifters, the patent eliminates the failure points associated with mechanical wear, friction, and moving components. The electronic system has no parts that move or wear, significantly improving reliability while maintaining beam direction control capability.
3Device complexity
If a standard patch antenna is used, then simple structure is achieved, but impedance bandwidth is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining a patch antenna with a ring slot etched in the ground plane. This composite configuration creates multiple resonant modes that broaden the impedance bandwidth. The interaction between the patch and ring slot generates complementary resonance patterns that extend the frequency range over which the antenna maintains good impedance matching, thereby increasing adaptability without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna is segmented into distinct functional components: the radiating patch element and the ring slot in the ground plane. This segmentation allows each component to contribute differently to the overall radiation pattern and impedance characteristics, enabling broader bandwidth through the combination of multiple resonant modes while keeping the individual components relatively simple.
4Area of stationary object
If antenna array elements are placed close together, then compact design is achieved, but mutual coupling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ring slot in the ground plane as an intermediary structure between adjacent antenna elements. This ring slot acts as a decoupling mechanism that reduces mutual coupling between elements while allowing the elements to be placed closer together. The ring slot modifies the current distribution and electromagnetic field patterns in the ground plane, thereby reducing the harmful mutual coupling effects.
5Power
If broadside antenna gain is emphasized, then forward direction performance is improved, but scan volume capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam steering capability through electronic phase control that allows the antenna to adaptively scan beams across different directions. The phase shifters enable real-time adjustment of beam direction, providing large scan volume capability while maintaining good broadside performance through proper phase and amplitude control of the array elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna design achieves multi-functionality by simultaneously providing high broadside gain and large scan volume capability. The combination of the patch-ring slot structure and electronic phase control enables the antenna to function effectively both in broadside mode for maximum gain and in scanned modes for directional coverage, making it universally applicable to different operational 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 enables high-quality antenna performance over wide frequency bandwidth and large scan volumes, reducing integration costs and complexity, and is suitable for various applications including aircraft and IoT devices, with improved polarization performance and reduced failure points.
Implementation Method 1
The feed lines excite orthogonal resonant modes in the ring slot, which, in turn excite orthogonal resonant modes in the ring patch above
Implementation Method 2
The feed lines excite orthogonal resonant modes in the ring slot, which, in turn excite orthogonal resonant modes in the ring patch above
Implementation Method 3
The disclosed ring cells use a number stacked dielectric layers, at least two of which are separated by a low-dielectric foam layer
Data Source
AI summary
Various ring cells are disclosed herein that include a metallic ring patch and a ring slot to transmit or receive radio frequency (RF) signals. The disclosed ring cells use several dielectric layers that are separated by a low-dielectric foam layer upon which the ring patch is positioned. The ring slot is located below the foam layer. An electrically conductive fence formed curved electrically conductive walls or a circular pattern of electrical vias is positioned around the ring slot. Electrical feed lines are used to either supply electrical power to the ring cells or output RF signals that are received by the ring patch.