The Boeing Company

Gordon D Osterhues

Julio A Navarro

Neal Eugene Tornberg

Percy Yen

Michael C Miller

Douglas K Waineo

Alan R Keith

Devin W Hersey

Michael H Florian

A compact, low profile electronically scanned antenna module is provided. The antenna module includes a multi-layer antenna integrated printed wiring board (AiPWB) that includes a radiator layer on a front surface. The radiator layer includes a plurality of RF radiating elements. The antenna module additionally includes a plurality of radiator electronics modules orthogonally connected to a back surface of the AiPWB. The electronics modules are interconnected with radiating elements through the AiPWB and include a plurality of beam steering electronic elements mounted to a multi layer conformable substrate. The orthogonal connections allow the antenna module to have outer dimensions that are substantially equal to the dimensions of a perimeter of the AiPWB. Additionally, frequency and scanning angle requirements of the antenna module can be increased by merely increasing the length of the electronics modules in the orthogonal direction to allow for additional beam steering electronic elements needed to accommodate the increased frequency and scanning requirements.

Compact, low profile electronically scanned antenna

An antenna module for an electronically scanned phased array antenna is provided. In various embodiments, the module includes a transmit/receive (T/R) module layer including a plurality of T/R modules. The module additionally includes an external phase shifter layer that includes a plurality of sets of secondary phase shifters. Each secondary phase shifter set is associated with a specific one of the T/R modules. Furthermore, the module includes a horn antenna layer having a plurality of antenna horns. The horn antenna layer is positioned between the T/R module layer and the phase shifter layer such that each horn is aligned between one T/R module and the associated one of the sets of phase shifters.

Electronically scanned antenna with secondary phase shifters

An electronically scanned antenna system includes a plurality of array elements and a control system. Each array element has a plurality of reflecting components capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon. Each reflecting component, in turn, is interconnected to at least one reflecting segment by at least one switch. In this regard, when the switches are in a closed state the respective reflecting segments are electrically coupled to the respective reflecting components to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the respective reflecting components. The control system is capable of controlling the switches to thereby control the array elements to provide a desired degree of phase shift to a signal reflected from the antenna. Advantageously, the control system is capable of controlling the switches of one reflecting component at the same time the control system controls corresponding switches of other reflecting components.

Electronically scanned antenna system, an electrically scanned antenna and an associated method of forming the same

A layered, electronically scanned antenna. The antenna includes a plurality or array layers separated by dielectric spacers. Each array layer includes a transistor switched grid formed by a plurality of reflective/transmissive elements such as cross dipoles interconnected by a plurality of semiconductors, such as MOSFETs. When the switched grid is in an open state, its associated array layer is reflective. When it is in a closed condition, its associated layer is in a transmissive state. By controlling the state of each array layer, a desired degree of phase shift can be imparted to the signal reflected by the antenna. The antenna thus eliminates the need for costly MEMS/MMIC technology to achieve the desired degrees of phase shift of a signal reflected by the antenna.

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Irvine, CA, United States of America

Gordon D Osterhues