Triangular Lattice Phased Array Antenna Bridge Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional array antennas face challenges with grating lobes and increased complexity due to the large number of antenna elements required, which affects performance, cost, mass, and power consumption, especially when antenna elements are arranged on a square lattice.
Innovation Solution
The use of a triangular lattice arrangement for antenna elements within array antennas, along with bridge structures to mitigate gaps between panels, reduces the number of elements needed and improves performance by minimizing grating lobes and simplifying the antenna architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a square lattice arrangement is used for antenna elements, then the antenna structure is simple to manufacture, but grating lobes increase and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a symmetric square lattice arrangement to an asymmetric triangular lattice arrangement. This asymmetry in element positioning eliminates grating lobes while maintaining manufacturing feasibility, as the triangular pattern can be implemented using standard PCB fabrication processes with adjusted element coordinates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the antenna element arrangement by adopting a triangular lattice with specific spacing ratios (e.g., spacing in one direction equals the square root of twice the spacing in the perpendicular direction). This parameter transformation resolves the grating lobe issue while preserving ease of manufacture.
2Reliability
If the number of antenna elements is increased to improve performance, then antenna performance improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the lattice geometry from square to triangular with optimized spacing parameters, the patent achieves superior performance with fewer elements. The triangular arrangement provides better spatial distribution that reduces the total element count needed to achieve the same or better beamforming performance.
3Reliability
If the number of antenna elements is increased to reduce grating lobes, then grating lobes are minimized, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric triangular lattice arrangement inherently suppresses grating lobes through its geometric properties, eliminating the need to increase element density. This asymmetric configuration provides natural grating lobe reduction while maintaining a manageable number of elements and structural simplicity.
4Ease of manufacture
If gaps between panels are left unfilled, then manufacturing is simpler, but antenna array uniformity and performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gap-filling function from the main antenna elements and implements it separately using passive bridge structures. These bridge elements are specifically designed to fill the gaps between panels without requiring active RF connections, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while restoring array uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Passive bridge structures serve as intermediary elements between adjacent antenna panels. These bridges mediate the discontinuity caused by panel gaps, providing a transition that maintains the apparent uniformity of the antenna array aperture without requiring direct electrical connections across the gap.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies directed to terminated bridge elements between panel gaps are of an antenna structure are described. The antenna structure includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and a structure. The first circuit board includes a first set of antenna elements. The second circuit board includes a second set of antenna elements. The structure is located over a gap between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. The structure includes an antenna element. The antenna element, an antenna element of the first set of antenna elements, and an antenna element of the second set of antenna elements form a lattice pattern.