Avl Technologies, Inc.

Bruce Barratt

Ian J Timmins

Alan Ellis

Keith Edenfield

Adam C Gropp

James L Oliver

Bryan Keith Edenfield

Wayne Holt

A fixed beam high gain antenna for generating high gain for satellite communication ground terminals includes a multi-layer PCB having a top surface forming a rear surface of the antenna and a bottom layer forming a front surface of the antenna; an antenna array including a plurality of antenna patches on the front surface of the antenna and a plurality of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) on the rear surface of the antenna; wherein the antenna array comprises at least one antenna unit cell each including one of the plurality of ASICs in connection with a corresponding plurality of the plurality of antenna patches; wherein each one of the plurality of ASICs is centrally positioned and surrounded by the corresponding plurality of antenna patches; and wherein a reduced length of the connection between each of the plurality of ASICs and the corresponding plurality of antenna patches minimizes RF transmission loss.

Active fixed beam antenna array

A compensated via structure is utilized in a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) stackup to improve the radio frequency (RF) transmission performance of the PCB. The compensated via structure includes a compensating structure and a central via surrounded by multiple grounding posts, wherein both ends of the central via are connected to the input and the output transmission lines through pads. The compensating structure is within a ground plane located in between of the two layers within which the input and output transmission lines are. The increased coupling between the central via and the grounding posts and between the compensating structure and the ground plane results in reductions in both return and insertion losses and contributes to the improved RF transmission performance.

Printed circuit via for KA satcom circuit boards

An AESA for SATCOM includes a PCB; a plurality of ICs; an RF feed network for an array; a plurality of patch antennas; a SPI bus for controlling phase shifting of the ICs; phase shifters being operable for selectively introducing a phase shift internal to each of the plurality of ICs such that the radiation pattern resulting from the patch antennas connected to a single IC are steered; and wherein the plurality of ICs are operable to selectively provide either left hand circular polarization, right hand circular polarization, horizontal polarization or vertical polarization.

Active electronically steered array for satellite communications

A heatsink for heat dissipation amongst an active electronically steered array (AESA) on a printed circuit board (PCB) includes a metal plate having a first side and a second side; a plurality of integrally formed pockets on the first side of the metal plate each being sized and configured for congruent receipt of a corresponding one of a plurality of functional blocks of the AESA on the PCB; a plurality of waveguide manifolds on the second side of the metal plate including a plurality of holes that launch a wave transmission and a plurality of slots that guide the direction of the wave transmission; and wherein the metal plate prevents localized overheating amongst the AESA by positioning the metal plate on the PCB wherein the plurality of integrally formed pockets and the plurality of holes and the plurality of slots of the plurality of waveguide manifolds facilitate heat dissipation.

Active electronically steered array with waveguide manifold thermocoupled to ICS as a heatsink

A modular feed system for axis symmetric reflector antennas includes an upper hat segment, a mid-section segment and a lower base segment, the upper hat and lower base segments being securable to respective opposing ends of the mid-section segment; wherein the length of the mid-section segment is selected in order to accommodate application of a particularly sized reflector antenna; and a mechanical mating mechanism including base slots for feed spring entry, corresponding carriage springs on the feed, and corresponding recessed spring capture locations; and wherein the carriage springs are sized and configured to pass through the corresponding base slots for feed spring entry as part of the initial mating of the feed to the base segment, and selective rotation thereof moves the corresponding carriage springs into corresponding recessed spring capture locations and causing a mechanically audible sound for indicating that the feed has locked into position.

Modular feed system for axis symmetric reflector antennas

An AESA for SATCOM includes a PCB; a plurality of ICs; an RF feed network for an array; a plurality of patch antennas; a SPI bus for controlling phase shifting of the ICs; phase shifters being operable for selectively introducing a phase shift internal to each of the plurality of ICs such that the radiation pattern resulting from the patch antennas connected to a single IC are steered; a RF power amplifier in each of the ICs, the RF power amplifier being in a common IC footprint with at least one of the phase shifters; the RF power amplifier being structured and disposed for providing amplification for the array, wherein the RF power amplifier compensates for the lossy nature of the internal layers of the PCB; and wherein the plurality of ICs to selectively provide either left hand circular polarization, right hand circular polarization, horizontal polarization or vertical polarization.

Growing community of inventors

Asheville, NC, United States of America

Bruce Barratt