Hazeltine Corporation

Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Marconi Aerospace Systems Inc.

Marconi Aerospace Systems Inc. Advanced Systems Division

Gec-marconi Hazeltine Corporation Electronic Systems Division

Gary A Schay

Alfred R Lopez

Richard J Kumpfbeck

Paul H Feldman

Edward M Newman

John F Pedersen

Joseph B Gencorelli

John Cosenza

Michael S Murphy

Corrado Mancini

An arrayable dipole antenna, the antenna comprising: at least one exciter configured to be fixed to a ground plane and, upon fixation thereto, to extend substantially perpendicularly therefrom; at least one radiator disposed adjacent the at least one exciter, opposite the ground plane; and at least one voltage feed source in electrical communication with each radiator, wherein each resonator is configured for electrical communication with the ground plane upon installation thereon, wherein at least one radiator is perpendicular to at least one exciter, and wherein each radiator is indirectly coupled to at least one exciter.

Indirectly fed dipole antenna

An assembly comprising a horizontal GPS patch antenna element and a vertical IFF antenna element providing simultaneous high performance IFF communication and GPS reception with minimal IFF to GPS interference. The IFF element can be a monopole element. A second monopole co-linear with the IFF element can provide simultaneous UHF communication. In embodiments, the assembly is a blade that can replace an existing IFF blade on an aircraft or other asset. Separate IFF and GPS connectors can be provided, or a single connecter can be shared using an integral diplexer. Embodiments include a GPS preamplifier integral with the blade. In other embodiments, the IFF element is an annular slot transponder that is centered on the GPS patch element. System embodiments include bandpass filters and/or GPS blanking to further protect the GPS receiver from IFF transmissions.

Dual-band GPS/IFF antenna

The system and method of global positioning system (GPS) anti-jam (AJ) AJ antennas utilizing a circular array of patch antennas. In some cases the circular array is conformal. The elements are single patch, dual band (L1/L2) and are linearly polarized. A mode former and progressive phase tapers are used.

Circular patch array for anti-jam GPS

A dipole array antenna is configured for improved cellular operation by avoidance of metallic contacts which can lead to generation of intermodulation products (IMP). Isolated rectangular dipole radiators 12-17 are electromagnetically excited by perpendicularly aligned non-contacting exciter resonators 40-45. The rectangular exciter resonators 40-45 are integrally formed with microstrip signal distribution feed 18 supported above a ground plane 22. A non-contact RF grounded termination for the outer conductor of coaxial input line 52 uses a quarter-wave microstrip line section 56 to provide a low impedance RF path to ground to avoid IMP. An RF-isolated DC grounding circuit for surge protection includes a parallel combination of quarter-wave line sections 62 and 66. Line section 66 provides an RF open circuit path to a DC grounding post 67. Line section 62 provides a parallel non-contact low impedance RF path to ground, avoiding IMP from flow of an RF current through pressure contact points at post 67. The low impedance RF path to ground through line section 62 is isolated from the signal distribution line 18b of the antenna by the RF open circuit provided by quarter-wave line section 68.

Low intermodulation electromagnetic feed cellular antennas

In a cellular type communication system a sector antenna 12 provides coverage of a sector with a relatively low receive gain. A multi-beam antenna 20 covers the same sector with a plurality of narrower beams 21', 22', 23' and 24' providing higher gain. A multi-beam antenna system 10 provides higher gain operation by selecting the one of the narrower beams 21', 22', 23' or 24' currently providing best reception of a signal transmitted by a user and coupling that selected beam to a system receiver 18. Beam selection is accomplished by sequentially coupling each narrow beam to a microprocessor based control unit 40 and storing samples of user signals as received in each narrow beam on a continuing repetitive basis. The stored samples are then analyzed in order to select the beam currently providing best reception.

High gain antenna systems for cellular use

A 90 degree azimuth beamwidth is achieved in a narrow cellular antenna, by inclusion of sidewalls. To improve front-to-back performance, slot radiating elements extending through the sidewalls re-radiate signals behind the antenna. Signals re-radiated from the slot elements are effective to partially cancel signals otherwise radiated behind the antenna as a result of diffraction. H-shaped slots are described for sidewall use and side-to-side slots are described for endwall use. Slots may be dielectrically loaded by contiguous portions of a radome.

Cellular antennas with improved front-to-back performance

In a cellular type communication system a sector antenna 12 provides coverage of a sector with a relatively low receive gain. A multi-beam antenna 20 covers the same sector with a plurality of narrower beams 21', 22', 23' and 24' providing higher gain. A multi-beam antenna system 10 provides higher gain operation by selecting the one of the narrower beams 21', 22', 23' or 24' currently providing best reception of a signal transmitted by a user and coupling that selected beam to a system receiver 18. Beam selection is accomplished by sequentially coupling each narrow beam to a microprocessor based control unit 40 and storing samples of user signals as received in each narrow beam on a continuing repetitive basis. The stored samples are then analyzed in order to select the beam currently providing best reception. If, based on analysis of subsequent samples, a different one of beams 21', 22', 23' or 24' provides best reception (because of user movement or changing transmission conditions) that different beam is coupled to the system receiver 18. Spaced diversity reception is achieved by providing a second multi-beam antenna 20a and enabling the system receiver 18 to choose either of two, or both, inputs. Fail/safe operation is provided by coupling the sector antenna 12 to the system receiver 18 in the absence of coupling of a superior narrow beam signal.

A field monitor in the near field receives an antenna signal which approximates that which would be received by the monitor if located in the far field. In one aspect of the invention, the antenna signal is produced by an array of spaced apart receiving elements. In another aspect of the invention, the signal received from a near field sampling antenna is passed through a signal processor having the necessary characteristics to construct from the sample a signal corresponding to that which would have been received in the far field. Antenna element arrays are also used as plane wave sources permitting antenna testing with a radiating path length of one-eighth or one-quarter of the far field distance. Compact indoor antenna test ranges are also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Stony Brook, NY, United States of America

Gary A Schay