EP4046241A1 - Array antenna - Google Patents
Array antennaInfo
- Publication number
- EP4046241A1 EP4046241A1 EP20793760.8A EP20793760A EP4046241A1 EP 4046241 A1 EP4046241 A1 EP 4046241A1 EP 20793760 A EP20793760 A EP 20793760A EP 4046241 A1 EP4046241 A1 EP 4046241A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- line
- delay
- antenna
- excitation
- eij
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 230000005284 excitation Effects 0.000 claims description 67
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims description 30
- 230000010287 polarization Effects 0.000 claims description 12
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 claims description 10
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000003990 capacitor Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 230000010363 phase shift Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 abstract description 11
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 27
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 description 21
- 238000009415 formwork Methods 0.000 description 14
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000002131 composite material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000001934 delay Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000003989 dielectric material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004973 liquid crystal related substance Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009416 shuttering Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000859 α-Fe Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003111 delayed effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002955 isolation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001228 spectrum Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q13/00—Waveguide horns or mouths; Slot antennas; Leaky-waveguide antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
- H01Q13/20—Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
- H01Q13/26—Surface waveguide constituted by a single conductor, e.g. strip conductor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q13/00—Waveguide horns or mouths; Slot antennas; Leaky-waveguide antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
- H01Q13/20—Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
- H01Q13/206—Microstrip transmission line antennas
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
- H01Q1/32—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
- H01Q1/34—Adaptation for use in or on ships, submarines, buoys or torpedoes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
- H01Q21/0006—Particular feeding systems
- H01Q21/0075—Stripline fed 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
- H01Q21/061—Two dimensional planar arrays
- H01Q21/065—Patch antenna array
-
- 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
- H01Q21/08—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
- H01Q3/26—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
- H01Q3/2682—Time delay steered arrays
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
- H01Q3/26—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
- H01Q3/30—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array
- H01Q3/34—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array by electrical means
- H01Q3/36—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
- H01Q1/28—Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
Definitions
- the present description relates to an antenna array, which may be particularly suitable for establishing a radio link in at least one of the Ku and Ka frequency bands, between a mobile carrier and a geostationary satellite.
- the communication systems designated by "SATCOM On-The-Move” make it possible to establish a radio-type communication link between a mobile carrier and a geostationary satellite.
- the mobile carrier can be a land vehicle, a maritime vessel or an aircraft, in particular an airplane or a drone.
- SATCOM On-The-Move For civilian applications, such a system can make it possible to provide an internet connection to carrier passengers, including access to messaging services, television services, etc.
- military applications it can provide a continuous communication link between an aircraft and troops on the ground, or between an aircraft and an operational mission control post.
- the use of the Ku frequency bands, between 12 GHz (gigahertz) 18 GHz, and Ka, between 26.5 GHz and 40 GHz, for such systems provides communication link rates which are higher, compared to to other frequency bands previously used.
- the Ku and Ka frequency bands require that the antennas that are used on board carriers have sufficiently high gains, including gain values that are greater than 30 dBi, where dBi is the unit of gain, in decibels per compared to an antenna which radiates uniformly in all directions of space, or "decibels relative to isotropy" in English.
- the carrier which is equipped with the antenna being mobile, it is necessary for the antenna to be able to produce a tilting in azimuth of 0 ° (degree) to 360 °, and a sufficiently large tilting in elevation, by example from 0 ° to 60 °.
- Such deflections are measured with respect to a reference direction of the antenna which may be intended to be substantially parallel to the vertical direction of the place where the device is located.
- the gain of the antenna must have different values depending on the polarization, with a rejection rate that is high enough for the polarization orthogonal to that used to make a communication link.
- the radiation polarizations involved can be, for example, the right and left circular polarizations, or two linear polarizations that are oriented perpendicular to each other.
- the thickness of the antenna is an additional constraint, in particular when the antenna is intended to be fixed on the fuselage of an aircraft, in order to reduce air flow disturbances that can cause the antenna.
- thickness values that are less than a few centimeters are required for such applications on board an aircraft.
- antennas with fully mechanical deflection including antennas with fully mechanical deflection, antennas with mixed deflection, that is to say partially by orientation movement and partially by phase-shifting network effect variable, antennas with a two-dimensional array of radiating elements, antennas with an array of reflecting elements, antennas with reconfigurable materials, for example based on ferrites or liquid crystals, etc.
- all these antennas only partially meet all the existing constraints, including constraints of fragility, in particular when the antenna has moving parts, size constraints, gain constraints which is sufficiently high, constraints cost, operating temperature constraints, etc.
- an aim of the present invention is to provide a new antenna which satisfies at least one of the aforementioned constraints to an improved extent, or which provides a compromise between some of these constraints which is improved by compared to existing antennas.
- the invention may aim to provide such an antenna which is suitable for providing communication links.
- a first aspect of the invention provides an array antenna which comprises:
- each radiating element being adapted to individually produce an emission radiation from an electrical excitation signal which is received by this radiating element;
- each line pattern being adapted to retransmit an electromagnetic signal which is received at input by this line pattern, with a variable delay on the basis of line within the delay line, so that the electromagnetic signal is a guided traveling wave which propagates along the delay line from a supply end of this delay line, and each line pattern being provided with at least one control input making it possible to vary the delay which is produced by this line pattern for the electromagnetic signal;
- each excitation link being adapted to transmit to the corresponding radiating element, as an excitation electrical signal for this radiating element, an electrical signal which corresponds to a phase of the guided traveling wave as it exists at the line pattern which is coupled by the excitation link, the line d 'radiating elements and the delay line thus coupled to each other forming an antenna line.
- each line pattern comprises at least one delay cell unit, this delay cell unit comprising at least a first variable capacitance capacitor, and at least one meander of conductive track which is combined with a second variable capacitance capacitor to produce a variable value of inductance. Then, the line pattern is arranged so that the individual command which is transmitted by the control unit to the control input of this line pattern determines capacitance values of the first and second capacitors.
- the antenna which is proposed by the invention is of the antenna-array type, the direction of transmission or reception of which is selected by the individual command which is transmitted by the control unit to each pattern of delay line.
- the antenna can therefore not have any moving part, and can also be particularly thin, in particular with a thickness of a few centimeters or less.
- an antenna according to the invention can be manufactured using known, reliable and inexpensive technologies, such as printed circuit technologies, or PCB for "printed circuit board" in English.
- coplanar printed circuit technology where a metallized surface which serves as a ground plane is coplanar with metallized portions which are intended to transmit useful signals, can be used.
- the absence of reconfigurable materials such as ferrites or liquid crystals, and the absence of moving parts in the antenna ensure that it is functional in a wide temperature range.
- the architecture of the antenna based on at least one delay line for which the delays which are produced by the line patterns are variable, implements a structure for addressing the electromagnetic signals to the radiating elements that is simple.
- the array antenna further comprises a shielding structure which is arranged near the delay line, so as to at least partially obscure the radiation which is produced by the line patterns of that here, without significantly obscuring the emission radiations which are produced by the radiating elements coupled to the line patterns.
- a shielding structure which is arranged near the delay line, so as to at least partially obscure the radiation which is produced by the line patterns of that here, without significantly obscuring the emission radiations which are produced by the radiating elements coupled to the line patterns.
- the array antenna can comprise several juxtaposed lines of radiating elements, so as to form a matrix of radiating elements, each row of radiating elements being associated with at least one delay line which is dedicated to this row of radiating elements so as to form an antenna line separate from the other antenna lines.
- the array antenna further comprises a phase shifter assembly which is adapted to transmit the same signal to be transmitted to the supply ends of all the delay lines, in accordance with variable phase shift values which are individually assigned to the lines. delayed by the control unit.
- the delay line can be formed in at least one metallized surface of a printed circuit support, or "PCB", in particular by a coplanar printed circuit technology according to which an electrical signal transport track and an electrical ground track are formed in the same metallized surface.
- the array antenna thus formed may have a thickness which is less than 10 cm, preferably less than 5 cm, measured perpendicular to the printed circuit support.
- particularly robust and compact configurations can be obtained for the array antenna, when the radiating elements which are connected to the line patterns of the delay line by the excitation links, are carried by the same circuit carrier. printed as that of the delay line;
- the excitation links can each include at least one variable coupling element, this variable coupling element having a control input adapted to receive a coupling intensity signal which is delivered by the control unit.
- the variable coupling element is then arranged to vary an intensity of the electrical excitation signal as received by the radiating element which is coupled by the excitation link, relative to the electromagnetic signal as transmitted in the delay line by the line pattern which is coupled by the same link excitement;
- each row pattern can comprise several delay cell units, for example four delay cell units, which are assembled in series. Then, the excitation link which is coupled to this line pattern can be electrically connected to the delay line between two of the delay cell units which are successive in the line pattern, or between the last of the cell units to. delay of the line pattern and the first of the delay cell units of the next line pattern in the delay line;
- each radiating element can comprise at least one surface element, also called a pellet or “pad” in English, which is metallized or metallic, and which is coupled by continuous electrical connection or remotely coupled by electromagnetic interaction to the corresponding line pattern, so as to form the excitation link between this radiating element and this line pattern.
- each radiating element can comprise several metallized or metallic surface elements, which are superimposed and all coupled to the excitation line of this radiating element, and which have different dimensions so as to produce radiation emission efficiencies which are maximum for radiation frequency values which are different between at least two of the surface elements of the same radiating element;
- the same line of radiating elements can be associated with two delay lines, so that each radiating element of the line of radiating elements is coupled to receive a first electrical excitation signal from a line pattern which belongs to a first of the two delay lines, and to simultaneously receive a second electrical excitation signal from another line pattern which belongs to the other of the two delay lines.
- a phase difference between the first and second electrical excitation signals which are received by the same radiating element determines a polarization of the emission radiation which is produced by that radiating element;
- a step length of the radiating elements measured between any two radiating elements which are neighboring inside the antenna array, may be less than or equal to a smallest wavelength value in a transmission band antenna array, divided by the term (1 + sin (0max)), where 0max is a maximum value of the antenna pointing elevation angle.
- the radio transmission signal which is produced by the array antenna then has good homogeneity, without array lobes which would be due to spectrum aliasing;
- each delay line can extend between its supply end and a terminal end of this delay line, the supply end being provided with an impedance matching cell, and the terminal end being provided with a termination cell which has an impedance value substantially equal to a characteristic impedance value of the delay line.
- the impedance matching cell and the terminating cell of each delay line can be formed in the same metallized surface of circuit board that the line patterns of this delay line.
- a second aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle which comprises an array antenna according to the first aspect of the invention, this array antenna being installed on board the vehicle.
- a vehicle can be, in particular, a land vehicle, a ship or an aircraft, in particular an airplane, a helicopter or a drone, including a drone with fixed airfoil or a drone of the multicopter type.
- FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of an array antenna according to the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a plan view of a delay cell unit which can be used in an array antenna according to the invention, with the circuit diagram which is equivalent to this cell;
- FIG. 3a is a plan view of one possible embodiment for an excitation link and a radiator, intended to be coupled to a delay cell unit according to [Fig. 2];
- FIG. 3b corresponds to [Fig. 3a] for an alternative embodiment
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an antenna line forming part of an antenna array conforming to [Fig. 1] - [Fig. 3b];
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a composite radiator which can be used in the array antenna of [Fig. 1]; [0025] [Fig. 6a] shows a possible connection method for supplying the electromagnetic signal to the delay lines of an array antenna according to the invention;
- FIG. 6b shows another method of connection which is also possible for supplying the electromagnetic signal to the delay lines of an array antenna according to the invention
- FIG. 7a shows another configuration which can be used for the array antenna of [Fig. 1], in order to obtain a radiation emission which is selective according to the polarization, for the embodiment of the excitation links of [Fig. 3a];
- FIG. 7b corresponds to [Fig. 7a], for the embodiment of the excitation links of [Fig. 3b];
- FIG. 8 is a radiation pattern obtained for an array antenna according to the invention.
- FIG. 9 illustrates a possible use of an array antenna according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention
- microstrip printed circuit technology or "microstrip” in English
- microstrip in English
- the antenna array of the invention is formed from at least one, but preferably several antenna lines which are juxtaposed parallel to each other inside 'a plan of the antenna.
- Each antenna line is formed from a delay line, the latter consisting of a rectilinear chain of line patterns, all identical within a single delay line and also identical between all the lines. antenna.
- the line patterns are arranged in the antenna plane in a two-dimensional, preferably square, matrix, one direction of which is the direction of the length of the antenna lines, and the other direction is that of juxtaposition of the antenna lines.
- FIG. 1 is a plan view of such an antenna array structure according to the invention.
- L1, L2, L3 and L4 designate four delay lines which are neighboring in the array antenna 100
- M11, M12 and M13 designate three successive first line patterns of the delay line L1, M21, M22 and M23 designate three successive first line patterns of the delay line L2
- M31, M32 and M33 designate three successive first line patterns of the delay line L3
- M41, M42 and M43 designate three successive first line patterns of the line L4 delay.
- each delay line can contain 41 line patterns
- the array antenna 100 can contain 42 delay lines.
- Each delay line is associated with a line of radiating elements to form an antenna line, with a separate radiating element that is associated with each line pattern of the delay line.
- the radiating element Eij is supplied with an excitation signal from the line pattern Mij, where i is an integer index which identifies the delay line, i.e. Li, and j is another integer index which is equal to the sequence number of the line pattern Mij within the delay line Li.
- An excitation link Lij then connects an output side of the line pattern Mij to the element radiating Eij, to transmit to the latter the excitation signal which comes from the line pattern Mij.
- All the radiating elements Eij can be identical to each other, as can all the excitation links Lij.
- FIG. 2 shows a delay cell unit
- the lower part of the same figure shows the electrical diagram which is equivalent to this delay cell unit.
- M1 and M2 denote two metallized portions which are electrically connected to each other and to an electrical ground of the array antenna 100.
- the portions M1 and M2 are arranged on opposite sides of metallized portions P1, P2 and P2 ', while being electrically insulated therefrom.
- the portions P1, P2 and P2 ’ are intended to transmit an electromagnetic signal between the left and right edges of [Fig. 2], by applying a transmission delay to this signal.
- the electromagnetic signal propagates along the delay line which is formed by the chain of delay cell units.
- the portion P2 ' which is on the right edge of the delay cell unit shown is continuously extended into the portion P2 which is on the left edge of the next delay cell unit in the line direction L.
- the corresponding lengths of insulation intervals between the portions M1 / M2 and P1 / P2, or P1 / P2 ' determine the phase variations to be produced in an equivalent manner by the sections of transmission lines T, and consequently the values length to be assigned to these sections T.
- the width g of the insulation intervals between the portions P1 and P2 / P2 ', as well as their length W, determine capacitance values C se .
- the length l s of meanders of the portion P1 protruding in the portions M1, M2, and the width S s of the isolation gap in these meanders determine an inductance value L S h.
- the short-circuit connections m1 and m2 provide continuity of electrical ground function to the metallized portions M1 and M2 through the meanders which constitute the inductance L S h.
- varactors V1 and V2 can be arranged to create bridges between the portions P1 and P2 / P2 '.
- varactors V3 and V4 make it possible to make the value of the inductance L S h variable and controllable.
- their connections and control devices are not shown.
- the value of the capacitances Cse of a delay cell unit which is thus constituted can be varied by a control unit 1, denoted CTRL in [Fig.
- each CRLH cell in the direction L can be 2.7 mm (millimeter), for example.
- the maximum delay which is necessary between the excitation signals which are transmitted to two successive radiating elements Eij and Ei j + 1 can be obtained from four CRLH cells as described above.
- These four delay cell units are arranged in series within the delay line Li, to form the line pattern Mij as considered above.
- Such a line pattern Mij which is made up of several delay cell units can also be called a delay line macrocell.
- each line pattern Only one of the delay cell units of each line pattern is coupled to a radiating element through the excitation line which is dedicated to that line pattern.
- a condition of homogeneity of each delay line is that the length of each delay cell unit in that delay line is less than a quarter of the wavelength of the emitted radiation. Such a condition is verified for the digital values of the example described, the wavelength associated with the frequency of 14 GHz being equal to 21.4 mm.
- FIG. 3a shows another printed circuit of coplanar technology, which constitutes the radiating element Eij and the excitation link Lij.
- the radiating element Eij may consist of a metallized pellet, or “pad” in English, for example in the form of a disc 3 mm in diameter.
- the diameter of the metallized pellet can be between 0.25l / h and 0.50l / h, where l denotes the wavelength of the emitted radiation, and n is the refractive index of the dielectric material of the printed circuit.
- the value of 3 mm for the diameter of the metallized pellet corresponds to 0.347 l / h.
- the metallized pellet can also be in the form of a square, for example with a side still 3 mm for the value of 14 GHz of the frequency of the radiation emitted.
- the metallized portions Q1 and Q2 are arranged in series, the portion Q2 being intermediate between the portion Q1 and the radiating element Eij and continuous with the latter, to constitute the excitation link Lij.
- the metallized portion M laterally surrounds the portions Q1 and Q2.
- the two printed circuits of [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3a] can be rotated in the same direction, so that the printed circuit substrate of [Fig. 3a] or intermediate between its metallized portions and those of the printed circuit of [Fig. 2] Then the conductive connection X1 connects the metallized portion Q1 to the metallized portion P2 '.
- the conductive connections X2 and X5 connect the metallized portion M to the metallized portion M1, and the conductive connections X3 and X4 connect the metallized portion M to the metallized portion M2.
- Another varactor, designated by V5 can connect the metallized portions Q1 and Q2 to one another within the excitation link. Lij to adjust an amplitude of the excitation signal which is transmitted from the line pattern Mij to the radiating element Eij.
- Each varactor V5 has a suitable control device, and is connected so that its capacitance value is adjusted by control unit 1.
- FIG. 4 schematically shows the antenna line which is thus formed from the delay line L1.
- Reference 2 designates the dielectric substrate of the printed circuit in which the line patterns are formed, for example in the manner illustrated by [FIG. 1] and when each row pattern consists of four CRLH cells and a connecting segment to an excitation link.
- Line patterns M11, M12 and M13 are shown, with associated radiating elements E11, E12 and E13.
- a strip of the printed circuit which contains the delay line L1 can be enclosed in an electrically conductive formwork, to screen against the radiation that the delay line L1 could emit.
- the conductive formwork of the delay line L1 may be composed of two formwork parts, a formwork part 21 which is arranged on the substrate 2, and a formwork part 22 which is arranged under the substrate 2, in alignment. with the formwork part 21.
- the radiating elements are located outside these formwork parts 21 and 22, so that the radiation which is emitted by these radiating elements is not obscured.
- the shuttering portions 21 and 22 thus form a shield structure which is selectively effective for the delay line L1. Openings can be provided in the formwork part 21, especially so that the shielding structure does not interfere with the electrical operation of the excitation links: the opening 011 is dedicated to the excitation link L11, the opening 012 to the excitation link L12, the opening 013 to the excitation link L13 ...
- the formwork parts 21 and 22 can advantageously be electrically connected to the electrical ground of the array antenna 100, and in particular the part formwork 21 can be in direct contact with the metallized portions M1, M2 and M. Possibly, the formwork parts 21 and 22 can be copper, and also be made based on printed circuits. In this case, additional printed circuit substrates which are dedicated to the formwork parts 21 and 22 can be placed on either side of the substrate 2, forming a compact stack. Metallized strips can in particular form the surfaces of the shuttering parts 21 and 22 which are parallel to the substrates, and metal studs which are arranged through the substrates can act as surfaces oriented perpendicular to the substrates for them. formwork parts 21 and 22.
- the contours which are indicated in broken lines in [Fig. 4] show the locations of the shield structures which are dedicated to the delay lines L2 and L3.
- the excitation links Lij and the radiating elements Eij can be produced in the form of metallized pellets which are located on the same face of the printed circuit substrate 2 as the line patterns Mij delay lines Li. These pellets are aligned in the direction L, with a line of pellets between two delay lines Li which are adjacent.
- the pads are electrically isolated from each other, and electrically isolated from all the metallized portions which constitute the delay lines (P1 and P2 / P2 'in [Fig. 2]) as well as from the metallized portions of electrical ground (M1 and M2 in [Fig. 2]). [Fig.
- FIG. 3b shows a possible adaptation of the excitation link Lij, which is appropriate when the radiating elements Eij thus consist of isolated metallized pellets carried by the substrate 2.
- the metallized portion Q2 of [Fig. 3a] can be extended in the form of a metallized line QL2, until projecting beyond the edge of the metallized pad of the radiating element Eij.
- the previously described assembly of the substrate of [Fig. 2] with that of [Fig. 3a] can be used for the substrate of [Fig. 3b], so that the metallized line QL2 influences remotely, by electromagnetic interaction through the printed circuit substrate of the excitation link Lij (that of [Fig. 3b]), the chip of the radiating element Eij.
- the position of the radiating element pad Eij, as effective when the substrates are assembled by the connections X1-X5, with respect to the metallized line QL2, is indicated by dashed lines in [Fig. 3b].
- each metallized portion Q1 can be connected to one of the metallized portions P1 or P2 / P2 'by an electrical connection which passes through the printed circuit substrate 2, or by means of a wired electrical connection and of a metallized track which are added to pass over one of the metallized portions M1 and M2.
- Such connection modes are commonly designated by “back biased circuit” in English and “top biased circuit”, respectively.
- each radiating element Eij can be constituted by several metallized pellets of different sizes, for example five pellets Eij 0 to Eij 4 , which are superimposed from one of them forming a basic metallized pellet, as shown in [Fig. 5]. All the metallized pads of each radiating element Eij can be electrically isolated from each other.
- the base pad, Eij 0 can be coupled through the excitation link Lij to the line pattern Mij in any of the ways illustrated by [Fig. 3a] and [Fig. 3b].
- the upper pads, Eij 1 to Eij 4 in the example shown can be supplied with an excitation signal from the base pad Eij 0 , remotely by electromagnetic interaction.
- each patch can be made on the surface of a different printed circuit substrate, and all the substrates are stacked on top of each other so as to superimpose the pads in the direction perpendicular to the substrates.
- Such stacks dedicated to forming the radiating elements Eij can be housed between the formwork parts 21 which are dedicated to delay lines Li which are neighboring. For the example illustrated by [Fig.
- the pellet Eij 0 is in the form of a disc and carried by the substrate 2
- the pellet Eij 1 also in the form of a disc, is carried by the substrate 21
- the pellet Eij 2 still in the form of a disc, is carried by the substrate 22
- the pellet Eij 3 still in the form of a disc, is carried by the substrate 23
- the pellet Eij 4 still in the form of a disc, is carried by the substrate 24.
- the respective diameters of all these pellets Eij ° -Eij 4 can be between 0.25l / h and 0.50l / h.
- each metallized pellet and the edge of that of the printed circuit surfaces in which it is located are shown with lines of the same type.
- FIG. 6a] and [Fig. 6b] show two possible architectures for the signal supply of the delay lines by the control unit 1.
- a supply end of each delay line is connected by a phase shifter assembly 3 to a signal output of the unit. control 1.
- y denotes the phase of the electromagnetic signal as it arrives at the input of this phase shifter assembly 3.
- FIG. 6a] corresponds to an architecture of the parallel type for the phase shifter assembly 3, in order to apply an identical phase shift Df between any two of the delay lines Li which are neighboring in the array antenna 100.
- the value of phase shift Df determines the offset of the radiation which is emitted by the array antenna 100 in a plane which is perpendicular to the lines of radiating elements.
- FIG. 6a is presented for four neighboring delay lines, but a person skilled in the art knows how to generalize the parallel architecture of phase shifters which is shown in this figure to the real number of antenna lines of the array antenna 100.
- the references 0 , Df and 2 ⁇ Df designate phase shifters which are controlled to apply delays respectively equal to 0, Df and 2 ⁇ Df to the part of the signal which they each transmit.
- [Fig. 6b] corresponds to [Fig. 6a] by replacing the parallel architecture of the phase shifter assembly 3 by a series architecture.
- each MiO impedance matching cell can be produced with the same technology as that used for the line patterns Mij, but by suitably adapting the electrical parameters of this MiO cell with respect to those of the line patterns Mij .
- the impedance matching cell Mi0 and all the line patterns Mij, j 1 0, can be produced simultaneously on the same printed circuit substrate.
- the MiO impedance matching cell may have a structure of the same type as the CRLH cells, but with dimensions of metallized portions and widths of the intervals between these portions which are different.
- each delay line Li can be terminated by a final cell MiC.
- this final cell MiC is adapted to have an input impedance which is equal to the characteristic impedance of the chain of line patterns Mij.
- the MiC final cells can advantageously be produced with the same technology as that used for the Mij line patterns, but by suitably adapting the electrical parameters of this MiC cell with respect to those of the Mij line patterns.
- each antenna line is formed by two delay lines which are associated with the same line of radiating elements.
- the radiating elements Eij are simultaneously supplied with an excitation signal from the two delay lines Li and Li '.
- each radiating element Eij is connected to the line pattern Mij of the delay line Li by the excitation link Lij, and also connected to the line pattern Mij 'of the delay line Li' by the excitation link Lij '.
- the radiating element Eij can be constituted by at least one metallized disc-shaped pellet, and the excitation links Lij and Lij 'reach the circumference of the disc at two places which are angularly spaced with respect to the center of the disc. Then, excitation signals which are transmitted respectively by the excitation links Lij and Lij ', and which are identical while being out of phase by an angle controlled by the control unit 1, cause an emission of radiation which is distributed between the two left and right circular polarizations. In particular, it is possible to produce the radiation exclusively with a left or right circular polarization, when the phase shift angle is equal to the angle between the excitation links Lij and Lij 'at the edge of the disk of the element. radiating Eij, or equal to the opposite of this angle.
- the phase angle which is controlled by the control unit 1 is applied between the signals which are transmitted to the delay lines Li and Li ', at the level of the supply ends thereof.
- These delay lines Li and Li ' can be arranged on either side of the line of radiating elements Eij, as shown in [Fig. 7a] and [Fig. 7b]. Alternatively, they can be superimposed on one another on the same side of the line of radiating elements Eij. In both cases, the delay lines Li and Li 'are preferably housed separately in respective shielding structures.
- FIG. 7b] is equivalent to [Fig. 7a], for the embodiment of the excitation links of [Fig. 3b].
- FIG. 8 is a diagram which shows the variations of the power density which is radiated by the array antenna 100 in a meridian plane, for two values of elevation of the transmission-reception direction: 0 ° (line curve thin) and -60 ° (curve in thick lines).
- the horizontal axis marks the values of the elevation angle, noted Q and measured with respect to the direction perpendicular to the antenna plane, and the vertical axis marks the values of the radiated power density, denoted D and expressed in dB (decibel).
- the two curves show that a directivity value of at least 33 dBi is obtained in each case.
- the directivity is defined as the maximum value of transmission power density per unit of solid angle, corresponding to the pointing direction of the array antenna 100, divided by the average value of this power density of emission over the whole complete solid angle interval, that is to say over 4 ⁇ p steradians.
- FIG. 9 shows the array antenna 100 attached to the fuselage of an airplane 101, with the printed circuit substrate 2 which is parallel to the outer surface of the fuselage at the location of the array antenna 100.
- the antenna -network 100 can then be used for data links between the aircraft 101 and a radio communication satellite 102, in particular for establishing internet communication links.
- a data link may conform to the communication system which is known as "SATCOM On-The-Move".
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Abstract
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Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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FR1911539A FR3102311B1 (en) | 2019-10-16 | 2019-10-16 | ANTENNA-NETWORK |
PCT/FR2020/051764 WO2021074505A1 (en) | 2019-10-16 | 2020-10-07 | Array antenna |
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EP4046241A1 true EP4046241A1 (en) | 2022-08-24 |
EP4046241B1 EP4046241B1 (en) | 2023-11-29 |
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EP20793760.8A Active EP4046241B1 (en) | 2019-10-16 | 2020-10-07 | Antenna array |
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US (1) | US12034211B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP4046241B1 (en) |
FR (1) | FR3102311B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2021074505A1 (en) |
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CN115037348B (en) * | 2022-05-11 | 2024-07-23 | 中国人民解放军陆军装甲兵学院 | Dual-band communication analog repeater with printed array antenna |
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EP3010086B1 (en) * | 2014-10-13 | 2017-11-29 | Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. | Phased array antenna |
US10014585B2 (en) * | 2015-07-08 | 2018-07-03 | Drexel University | Miniaturized reconfigurable CRLH metamaterial leaky-wave antenna using complementary split-ring resonators |
US20180241122A1 (en) * | 2017-02-17 | 2018-08-23 | Space Exploration Technologies Corp. | Distributed phase shifter array system and method |
-
2019
- 2019-10-16 FR FR1911539A patent/FR3102311B1/en active Active
-
2020
- 2020-10-07 WO PCT/FR2020/051764 patent/WO2021074505A1/en active Application Filing
- 2020-10-07 US US17/769,271 patent/US12034211B2/en active Active
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FR3102311A1 (en) | 2021-04-23 |
EP4046241B1 (en) | 2023-11-29 |
US12034211B2 (en) | 2024-07-09 |
FR3102311B1 (en) | 2022-06-24 |
US20240235047A9 (en) | 2024-07-11 |
US20240136729A1 (en) | 2024-04-25 |
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