The Boeing Company

Andy H Lee

Ronald O Lavin

Manny S Urcia

Dennis K McCarthy

Glenn Thomas Pyle

Michael M LoRe

Mark E Robeson

Michael B Carr

Glenn T Pyle

Michael M Lore

An antenna includes antenna structure configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and including an antenna geometry. The antenna geometry is configured to cause a variable phase shift in the electromagnetic radiation based on an angular position of a direction of propagation of the electromagnetic radiation relative to azimuth. An angle-of-arrival sensor includes the antenna configured to the receive electromagnetic radiation and to produce a phase-shift signal. A method for determining an angle of arrival of electromagnetic radiation uses the angle-of-arrival sensor.

Antennas for producing a variable phase response, angle-of-arrival sensors and methods for determining angle of arrival

In examples, systems and methods for direction finding of electromagnetic signals are described. The device includes a first antenna configured to receive electromagnetic energy. The device also includes a second antenna configured to separately receive the same electromagnetic energy. The device further includes a radome located in a receiving pathway of the first antenna, where the radome is configured to cause a predetermined phase shift that varies based on an angular position of the receiving pathway. The device includes 1 or more radio receivers to receive the signals independently from the antennas. Additionally, the direction finding device includes a processor configured to determine an angle of arrival of the electromagnetic energy based on a comparison of a phase of the electromagnetic energy received by the first antenna to a phase of the electromagnetic energy received by the second antenna.

Tapered wall radome

A method for designing an antenna including defining an operating frequency of an antenna radiating element located within an antenna cavity structure; determining a non-loaded depth of the antenna cavity structure; determining a reduced depth of the antenna cavity structure; determining a reduction factor to reduce the non-loaded depth to the reduced depth; and selecting a dielectric material, at least partially forming a radome structure covering the antenna radiating element, to achieve the reduction factor.

Cavity antenna with radome

An antenna includes an antenna cavity structure that defines an antenna cavity and that has a cavity opening. The antenna also includes an antenna radiating element located within the cavity opening and operable to emit electromagnetic radiation that has a frequency and a wavelength and a radome structure covering the cavity opening. The radome structure includes a dielectric material and defines an antenna window that is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation. Due to the dielectric material of the radome structure, the antenna cavity has a depth less than one-fourth of the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation and the cavity is filled with a low-dielectric material.

An antenna system may include a first antenna, and a second antenna opposite the first antenna, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to provide omnidirectional coverage.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Andy H Lee