Stacked Parasitic Antenna Array for Multiband UAV Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current parasitic antenna arrays fail to achieve high efficiency at higher microwave frequencies due to neglected interconnect impedance effects, are often large, heavy, and expensive, and lack wideband or multiband operation, making them impractical for use in UAVs or soldier platforms.
Innovation Solution
A stacked parasitic antenna array design featuring vertically stacked parasitic antenna arrays with monopole elements, ground planes, and load circuits, allowing independent or shared tuning across frequency bands, and utilizing PIN diodes and capacitors for variable impedance control, eliminating the need for inductive vias and large resistors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard DC bias network with large resistance or inductance is used for RF choke, then biasing function is achieved, but interconnect impedance effects become significant at higher frequencies reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic large resistance or inductance components from the DC bias network. By removing these components that cause significant interconnect impedance effects at higher frequencies, the design achieves both proper biasing function and high RF efficiency without the energy losses associated with traditional RF choke implementations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a modified DC bias network configuration that acts as an intermediary solution. This new bias network provides the necessary DC blocking and RF grounding functions without relying on large resistance or inductance values, thereby eliminating the harmful impedance effects while maintaining proper biasing operation at higher microwave frequencies.
2Reliability
If currently available parasitic antenna array designs are used, then basic antenna function is achieved, but the arrays are large, heavy, and expensive making them impractical for UAV or soldier platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the antenna array into multiple parasitic elements with independent load circuits, allowing each element to be optimized for specific functions. This segmentation enables a more compact design that reduces overall size and weight while maintaining the necessary antenna functions for UAV or soldier platform applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs variable reactance load circuits that can dynamically adjust electrical parameters of the parasitic elements. By changing the reactance values, the antenna array achieves proper impedance matching and radiation patterns without requiring physically large structures, thereby reducing size and weight for mobile platforms.
3Reliability
If currently available parasitic antenna array designs are used, then basic antenna function is achieved, but the arrays lack wideband or multiband operation capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamically adjustable load circuits with variable reactance for each parasitic element. This dynamic capability allows the antenna array to adapt its electrical characteristics across different frequency bands, enabling wideband and multiband operation while maintaining proper impedance matching and radiation patterns throughout the extended frequency range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the parasitic antenna array with multi-functional load circuits that can operate across multiple frequency bands. Each parasitic element with its variable reactance load circuit serves multiple functions: impedance matching, radiation control, and frequency tuning, thereby achieving wideband and multiband operation from a single compact structure.
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 achieves improved RF and DC performance, increased gain, and reduced size, weight, and cost, enabling efficient operation up to Ku band frequencies with enhanced power handling and multiband capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a monopole element connected to said substrate and configured for radiating electromagnetic energy in an omni-directional radiation pattern
Implementation Method 2
each parasitic element connected to a load circuit configured for providing a variable reactance to said parasitic element
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a stacked parasitic array. The stacked parasitic array may include a stack of multiple parasitic antenna arrays (ex.—layers). Each of the parasitic antenna arrays (ex.—layers) may be independently tuned for multiband operation or, alternatively, the parasitic antenna arrays (ex.—layers) may be designed for common band and fed coherently as a collinear array for promoting increased gain and elevation beam steering.