Toroidal Reflector Antenna Feed Motion for Wide-Angle Beam Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current antenna systems for high data rate telecommunications, such as those in NGSO satellite-based broadband internet and 5G/6G millimeter wave networks, face challenges in cost and technical performance due to the need for robust and complex mechanical steering antennas or phase array antennas, which are costly and inefficient, especially when tracking or scanning over wide angles.
Innovation Solution
The use of toroidal reflector antennas with movable feed systems instead of the entire antenna, allowing for high gain and efficient beam tracking or scanning with multiple beams, and seamless beam handover, achieved through a modular design and actuator-controlled feed horns, reducing complexity and cost while maintaining high performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical steering antennas (MSAs) are used for beam tracking, then reliable continuous operation is achieved, but the system becomes bulky and expensive due to robust rotation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy reflector from the moving components, leaving only the lightweight feed system to be actuated. The reflector remains stationary while the feed moves along a curved trajectory to achieve beam scanning, eliminating the need for bulky rotation mechanisms required in conventional MSAs
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of moving the entire antenna system (reflector + feed) as in conventional MSAs, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the reflector stationary and moving only the feed. This reversal of the moving component fundamentally reduces mechanical complexity
2Device complexity
If phase array antennas (ESAs) are used for electronic beam steering, then mechanical complexity is reduced, but cost increases significantly due to RF phase and magnitude control on hundreds/thousands of array elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex electronic phase control system of ESAs with a simple mechanical movement of the feed along a curved path. Instead of controlling phase and magnitude on hundreds of array elements, the system uses a single moving feed with straightforward position control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the antenna system into a stationary reflector and a moving feed, allowing the complex RF control functions to be concentrated in the small feed assembly rather than distributed across hundreds of array elements
3Reliability
If the entire antenna system is rotated for beam tracking, then seamless beam handover is achieved, but the system requires two antennas to reduce mass and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic movement of the feed along a curved trajectory to enable seamless beam handover. The feed moves continuously to track satellites across the sky, providing dynamic beam steering without rotating the entire antenna or requiring multiple antennas
4Productivity
If high gain antennas with narrow beamwidth are used for high data rate telecommunications, then data rate is improved, but coverage range decreases due to narrow beamwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the beam dynamic by moving the feed along a curved trajectory, allowing the narrow high-gain beam to sweep across a wide coverage area. The beam maintains its narrow width for high data rate communication while the feed movement extends the effective coverage range through angular scanning
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 provides low-cost, reliable, and high-performance beam-tracking antennas with wide angular range coverage, enabling efficient tracking of NGSO satellites and other applications with high gain and efficiency, and the ability to handle both transmit and receive bands with a single structure.
Implementation Method 1
reflector type of antennas are used to offer high gain and efficiency
Implementation Method 2
a first feed arranged to illuminate the first reflector portion with a first beam; a second feed arranged to illuminate the second reflector portion with a second beam
Data Source
AI summary
Antenna systems with beam tracking and scanning ability are described. The antenna systems include one or more reflectors and one or more feeds. The tracked or scanned beam(s) are produced by moving the feed(s) while the reflector(s) is kept static. This greatly reduces the complexity of the antenna beam tracking and scanning mechanism, while providing the highest possible antenna efficiency and gain in a wide angular range. Multiple beams and/or switched beams can also be achieved using multiple feeds and/or switches.