USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

David W Brock

Hale Bradford Simonds

Peter Stuart Berens

Stephen Douglas Russell

Dennis G Bermeo

Robbi Mangra

Shannon D Kasa

Narayan R Joshi

Jessica L Watson

Markham E Lasher

Robert Joseph Motyl

Steven Edward Mancewicz

Ayax D Ramirez

Brandon J Wiedemeier

Monti E Aklufi

Graham A Garcia

Thomas O Jones, Iii

David V Arney

Bruce Daniel Calder

Lu Xu

Yong An Kho

Terence R Albert

Lawrence Todd Short Bull

Leon Yong Lin

Patrick Albert Groves

Christopher C Obra

Linda Hau

Kemakeo K Wilson

Charles E Dempsey

Kelsey L Burrell

Dave Arney

Hoin Lim

Ryan Joseph Anderson

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a modular, lock and key, tapered slot antenna feed structure, antenna kits including same and methods of use. The invention allows for quick assembly and separation of opposed blades. The invention provides a repeatable tight tolerance feed gap during every assembly. Components of the tapered slot antenna feed structure may be additively manufactured and selectively plated.

Modular tapered slot antenna feed structure method of use and kit

A blade antenna comprising: an upper blade element made of conductive, planar material having a profile that curves upwardly from a centrally-located feed point; and a lower blade element made of conductive, planar material having a profile that curves downwardly from the feed point, wherein the lower blade element is configured to be connected to a ground and has a thickness that is at least three times a thickness of the upper blade element, and wherein the curved profiles of the upper and lower blade elements are disposed with respect to one another so as to form a tapered slot on each side of the feed point.

Blade antenna with ultra-uniform azimuthal gain patterns over a wide bandwidth

A lower element ground plane apparatus for maximizing ground plane surface area in an antenna system, the apparatus involving a lower element of a bi-element antenna and an array of monopole antennas coupled with the lower element of the bi-element antenna, the lower element of the bi-element antenna operable as a ground plane for the array of monopole antennas, whereby ground plane surface area is maximized.

Lower element ground plane apparatus and methods for an antenna system

An antenna comprising first and second antenna elements, a center conductor, and a dielectric. The first antenna element is configured to be electrically connected to an outer conductor of a coaxial cable. The center conductor is electrically connected to the second antenna element and configured to be electrically connected to an inner conductor of the coaxial cable. The dielectric is disposed around the center conductor so as to separate the center conductor from the first antenna element. The first antenna element is shaped to gradually surround the dielectric and the center conductor over a length of the first antenna element so as to form a balun, integrated into the first antenna element, that is configured to gradually transform an unbalanced signal in the coaxial cable to a balanced signal that is characteristic of a two-conductor transmission line.

Antenna with integrated balun

A bicone antenna and methods for manufacture therefor can include a feed portion, a top section and a bottom section that can be centered on a vertical axis. The top section and bottom sections can each have a respective conical surface, which can extend radially outward from the vertical axis at an inner portion at a constant angle &#x3b8;with respect to a horizontal antenna axis of the antenna. For both sections, the inner portion can merge into an outer portion that can have a curved surface, with the curved surface extending radially outward from the conical surface so that the curved surface has a logarithmic profile when viewed in side profile. The above structure can allow for a multi-directional antenna with a minimum of moving parts, which can be easily manufactured, including by additive manufacturing techniques.

Bicone antenna with logarithmically extending conical surfaces

A dual-polarized tapered slot antenna (TSA) comprising: a dielectric bracket; a first pair of conductive blades mounted to the dielectric bracket so as to define a first tapered slot between edges of the conductive blades of the first pair thereby forming a horizontally-polarized TSA; a second pair of conductive blades mounted in the dielectric bracket orthogonal to the first pair so as to define a second tapered slot between edges of the conductive blades of the second pair thereby forming a vertically-polarized TSA; and wherein at least part of each of the slot-defining edges of the conductive blades has a thickness that is non-tapered and stepwise-reduced from the thickness of a remainder of the corresponding blade.

Quad-tapered slot antenna with thinned blades

A spiral antenna apparatus utilizes a noise suppression sheet that is interposed between the spiral antenna element and its ground plane. The noise suppression sheet permits an extremely compact spiral antenna apparatus while lessening antenna performance degradation.

Spiral/conformal antenna using noise suppression/magnetic sheet above ground plane

A system and method are provided for conditioning a received signal prior to transmission. The signal is separated into different signal components in respective contiguous frequency channels. Each signal component is routed through either time domain or frequency domain processing circuitry and simultaneously a sample of the signal component is routed through control signal generation circuitry. The time domain processing circuitry contains a delay such that if any portion of the signal component exceeds a reference voltage signal, a switch is opened using a control signal generated by the control signal generation circuitry to blank that portion of the signal for that particular frequency channel. The outputs of each frequency channel are then combined into an output signal for transmission. A processor may be used to automatically configure various components within the time domain and frequency domain processing circuitry to prevent excessive power signals from being transmitted.

Radio frequency conditioning unit

A compact, broadband, aerodynamically streamlined, mechanically rugged antenna for aircraft and other applications has been developed that has a VSWR of 2:1 or better, and has uniform patterns with no nulls over a wide 8:1 bandwidth from 225 MHz to 1.85 GHz. The antenna has an aerodynamically streamlined shape, with a rugged housing capable of withstanding velocities up to Mach 2. In addition to its usage on aircraft, this antenna would be useful in a wide range of applications as a general purpose, wide bandwidth omnidirectional antenna. The antenna achieves its performance capabilities with the use of a double Vivaldi element feed section, an upper extension made of resistive film or R-card, and a shaped boundary between the feed and upper sections of the radiating elements.

Wideband aircraft antenna with extended frequency range

A compact, omnidirectional, broadband biconical antenna is described, having a first segment with its tip coincident with a horizontal plane, with an elevation angle between 23 degrees and 30 degrees from the horizontal plane; an open second segment joined to a distal end of the first segment, an elevation angle approximately 30 degrees greater than the first segment angle; an open third segment joined to a distal end of the open second segment, an elevation angle approximately 30 degrees greater than the open second segment angle; an open fourth resistive film segment joined to a distal end of the open third segment, an elevation angle approximately equal to the open third segment angle, wherein the segments are mirrored to form a biconical antenna; and a transmission line coupled to the tip of the first segment, interior to the first segment.

Broadband, small profile, omnidirectional antenna with extended low frequency range

An antenna includes a support structure and radiating element. The radiating element includes a dielectric planar substrate having a first and a second surface, at least two conductive spiral arms extending outward from and spiraling about an axis of rotation formed on the first surface, and a feed conductor extending outward from and spiraling about an axis of rotation formed on the second surface. The feed conductor may be substantially aligned with one of the conductive spiral arms. When the support structure is placed upon a substantially planar surface, the radiating element is positioned at height h from the planar surface, wherein height h is about one-fourth the wavelength of the antenna's operating frequency. The antenna may produce an omni-directional antenna pattern in azimuth and a broad antenna pattern in elevation, with both patterns having nulls near the horizon. An external reflector may be operatively coupled to the antenna.

Passive wide-band low-elevation nulling antenna

An electromagnetic sensor system. The system includes an electromagnetic excitable structure that generates an acoustic signal when irradiated with electromagnetic energy; an acoustic energy transducer sensor for generating a first output signal that represents the acoustic signal in response to the acoustic energy transducer detecting the acoustic signal; and a processor for determining whether the electromagnetic excitable structure is being irradiated by the electromagnetic energy in response to the processor receiving the first output signal.

Electromagnetic sensor system and method

A nondestructive acoustic emission testing system using electromagnetic excitation, comprises: a) an electromagnetic wave generator for generating electromagnetic waves that stimulate a test sample to generate acoustic energy; b) an acoustic energy sensor for detecting the acoustic energy and generating a first output signal that represents the acoustic energy; and c) a data processor for comparing the output signal with a reference and for generating a second output signal that represents a characteristic of the test sample.

Nondestructive acoustic emission testing system using electromagnetic excitation and method for using same

A system incorporating an electromagnetic radiating tube uses a plurality of sensors to assess the status of the system and integrates the data produced by these sensors in a way that enhances the effectiveness of the data versus analyzing the data separately. This method has uses in detecting and predicting failures in electromagnetic radiating devices such as microwave tubes, and may also be used for life-cycle monitoring of such devices.

Synergistic method for assessing an electromagnetic radiating tube system

The invention is designed to employ one or a multitude of sensors designed to allow operational monitoring of any of a variety of electromagnetic radiating tubes. Monitoring is conducted to detect a degradation in performance which can be used as a factor in deciding whether tube replacement is justified. Contrary to some past approaches that focused on averaged tube outputs, the invention is designed to examine individual tube pulses.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

David W Brock