Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
  • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
  • H01Q21/061—Two dimensional planar arrays
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
  • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
  • H01Q21/20—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
  • H01Q21/28—Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q23/00—Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them

Definitions

• the invention relates to a microwave antenna for the simultaneous reception of the radiation fields of N> 2 in orbit of satellites which are offset azimuthally from one another by certain angles, the microwave antenna having radiation elements which are divided into N groups, each group being connected to a feed point via a line distribution network is.
• Antennas are known which are directed to different satellites by an automatic pivoting mechanism can be aligned one after the other.
• a disadvantage of these antennas is that, on the one hand, they do not allow simultaneous reception of satellite signals from different satellites and, on the other hand, they require a complex swiveling device.
• a multifocus reflector antenna is known in which two radiation exciters are arranged slightly offset from the focal point of the parabolic mirror used, such that the signals of two satellites can be received simultaneously without giving away the antenna.
• a disadvantage of this antenna is that the radiation exciters cannot be arranged directly in the focal point of the parabolic mirror, so that the gain of the antenna is not optimal compared to the mirror size.
• parabolic antennas are also known in which a radiation exciter is arranged to be movable on a line in front of the mirror, so that a plurality of satellites can be aimed at when the parabolic reflector is stationary.
• the disadvantage here is that, again, a complex positioning device for the radiation exciter is required and the gain of the antenna is not optimal due to the radiation exciter not arranged in the focal point.
• planar antennas are known which, however, only allow reception of the signals from the satellite to which they have been directed.
• Positioning devices for selective alignment to several satellites are also known for planar antennas.
• the object of the invention is to provide a microwave antenna which enables the simultaneous reception of several azimuthally offset satellites in the geostationary orbit without a pivoting device.
• This object is achieved according to the invention by a microwave antenna with the features of claim 1.
• This antenna is characterized in that the side provided with radiation elements is subdivided into a plurality of individual microwave antennas, each microwave antenna having a plurality of radiation elements.
• Each of these microwave antennas forms a particularly flat or even surface. These surfaces are arranged at certain angles to one another, which corresponds to the respective azimuthal offset of the satellites to be received.
• there are only two groups of radiation elements so that the signals can be received by two satellites. However, more than two satellites can be received simultaneously by a corresponding number of radiation element groups.
• the groups of radiation elements can either be arranged side by side or one behind the other. If the groups are arranged one behind the other in the radiation direction, it must be ensured that the electromagnetic radiation from the satellite, whose signals are received with a group of radiation elements, which is arranged behind one or more other groups in the radiation direction, can penetrate the upstream groups unhindered. If diaphragms are used, as described in the exemplary embodiments, they must be arranged in such a way that the radiation fields can pass through the diaphragm groups upstream to the groups downstream.
• the microwave antenna according to the invention advantageously manages without any pivoting and / or positioning devices and guarantees the maximum gain for each partial microwave antenna or flat antenna, each sub-microwave antenna being formed by a group of radiation elements.
• radiator element groups are arranged one behind the other for the simultaneous reception of two different polarization directions and / or types in the radiation direction.
• a dielectric substrate in particular a dielectric film, carries the line distribution networks of several groups. Due to the small thickness of the carrier substrate, it can advantageously be easily bent by the required angle, which corresponds to the azimuthal angle.
• the microwave antenna has at least two conductive layers, in particular conductive plates, arranged parallel to one another, in which mutually opposite recesses or cavities are provided such that a dielectric substrate with one or more line distribution networks is arranged between each pair of successive layers, the ends of each line distribution network facing the recesses or cavities in order to form the radiation elements with the latter.
• the conductive layers or plates arranged in pairs can each be formed as separate parts or plates, or else all conductive layers of the partial microwave antennas are formed by two bent conductive plates arranged parallel to one another. At least two line distribution networks are arranged side by side between the plates, which together with the plates form the radiation elements of the groups.
• a plurality of planar antennas are thus arranged next to one another in a housing, the surface normals of the antennas pointing in the aligned state of the microwave antenna in the direction of the corresponding satellites.
• the microwave antenna When setting up the microwave antenna, it only has to be aligned with a satellite. If the microwave antenna is designed for the simultaneous reception of signals from two satellites, the alignment to the second satellite can be omitted since the two partial microwave antennas are already arranged in the housing at the correct angle to one another.
• Figure 1 A side view of the schematic
• Figure 5 The schematic structure of a
• Figure 6 A cross-sectional view through the microwave antenna
• Microwave antenna in which the functionally identical components of the two flat antennas are made in one piece;
• FIGS 8 and 9 Further embodiments of the microwave antenna according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 shows a microwave antenna consisting of two flat antennas 1 a and 1 b arranged side by side.
• the surface normals F N of the two flat antennas la and lb form an angle ⁇ between them which corresponds to the azimuthal angle between the two satellites, the signals of which are to be received with the two flat antennas la and lb.
• the two flat antennas la and lb are only shown schematically. So it is possible to provide two separately manufactured flat antennas. It is just as well possible, as shown in FIG. 7, to manufacture the two flat antennas la and lb from parts that belong together.
• Figures 2 to 4 show further possible embodiments of the invention
• Microwave antenna The design of the housing 2, 2 'and 2' 'can be chosen as desired. It depends largely on whether two ( Figures 2 and 3) or more flat antennas, e.g. As shown in Figure 4, three flat antennas la '', lb '' and lc '' are arranged side by side.
• the shape of the housing can also be box-shaped.
• the round, cylindrical jacket-shaped design of the surfaces 2a, 2a 'and 2a' 'of the housing 2, 2' and 2 '' facing the satellites avoids unnecessary edges on the housing.
• the shape of the housing should be such that the low-noise converters 3 themselves find space in the housing 2, 2 'and 2' 'and are thus adequately protected against external influences.
• the individual flat antennas are arranged.
• the flat antennas can be fixed in the housing by means of positioning and / or holding elements.
• the flat antennas are cast in the housing.
• FIG. 5 shows the schematic structure of a flat antenna, as is known, for example, from DE 19712510.
• the radiator elements are arranged in a matrix and consist of the diaphragms 4a, 6a and the exciting or outcoupling strip-shaped conductor sections 5b.
• the received signals are routed to a decoupling point, not shown, also called a feed point, from where the signals reach the low-noise converter via a coaxial waveguide.
• the diaphragm shape of the diaphragms 4a and 6a is to be selected in accordance with the requirements for broadband and the type of polarization to be received.
• the individual elements 4, 5 and 6 are kept at a distance by flat insulation materials 7 and 8. As shown in FIG.
• FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the aperture masks 4 'and 6' and the coupling networks 5 'for the two flat antennas la and lb or the two radiator element groups are in one piece.
• the aperture masks 4 'and 6' are manufactured in two steps. First the panels are punched into a flat sheet. The sheet is then bent at the connecting line of the two radiator element groups in such a way that the two surface normals F N of the two radiator element groups form the azimuth angle to one another.
• the two coupling networks can also be applied simultaneously to only one substrate carrier.
• the insulation materials, not shown in FIG. 7, which guarantee the distance between the parts 4 ', 5' and 6 ', such as foam mats also be in one piece for each layer, since they can be bent as easily as the substrate carrier.
• FIG. 8 shows a further possible embodiment of the microwave antenna according to the invention, in which, for example, two flat antennas are arranged next to one another and at an angle to one another in such a way that the satellite signals to be received from the microwave antenna cross.

Landscapes

• Waveguide Aerials (AREA)
• Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)
• Details Of Aerials (AREA)
• Aerials With Secondary Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=7883495

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (8)

Family Cites Families (20)

• 1998
  • 1998-10-05 DE DE19845868A patent/DE19845868A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 1999
  • 1999-07-28 DE DE59911458T patent/DE59911458D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-07-28 EP EP99941473A patent/EP1145368B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-07-28 AU AU55075/99A patent/AU5507599A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-07-28 AT AT99941473T patent/ATE287129T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-07-28 US US09/806,740 patent/US6580401B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-07-28 WO PCT/EP1999/005400 patent/WO2000021154A2/fr active IP Right Grant

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events