The Boeing Company

Ming Chen

Jimmy Susumu Takeuchi

Lixin Cai

Peter Timothy Heisen

Kenneth G Voyce

Dan R Miller

Isaac Ron Bekker

Julio A Navarro

David Mitchell Anderson

Robert Tilman Worl

Fong Shi

Alec Adams

Douglas Allan Pietila

Harold J Redd

Mark Richard Davis

Matthew A Stoneback

Rodney D Cameron

Chris D McKinley

Michael S Foster

John Byam O'Connell

Mark A Curry

Scott A Raby

Victor S Starkovich

Mark Gregory Bedson

Robert L Wightman

Mike Bemes

Randal L Ternes

Korey Martin Holmstrom

John B O'Connell

Antenna elements include a metallic square ring patch and a metallic square ring slot to transmit or receive radio frequency (RF) signals. The antenna elements use several dielectric layers that are separated by a low-dielectric foam layer upon which the square ring patch is positioned. The disclosed antenna elements may be arranged together in an antenna array that is tunable to collectively generate or receive RF signals. In particular, the antenna array functions as a 256-element transmit/receive half-duplex antenna, operating in transmit or receive mode for half the time. The antenna array includes a radiator block, a transmit/receiver (T/R) amplifier block, a beamformer block, and a distribution network block.

Low cost electronically scanning antenna array architecture

A dual ultra-wideband electronically scanning antenna linear array and a method for producing same is disclosed. In one embodiment, the antenna is comprised of circuit board-based multi-layered sections with integrated feeds. A first dielectric layer or substrate has a thin metal coating on the bottom surface to form a signal ground and metal coating on the top surface where capacitively loaded radiating dipoles are etched. Each of the dipole elements are connected to an associated conductive antenna feed disposed on a bottom surface of another dielectric layer disposed below the first dielectric layer.

Dual ultra wide band conformal electronically scanning antenna linear array

A switchable transmit and receive phased array antenna ('STRPAA') is disclosed. The STRPAA includes a housing, a plurality of radiating elements, and a plurality of transmit and receive ('T/R') modules. The STRPAA may also include either a first multilayer printed wiring board (&#x201c;MLPWB&#x201d;) configured to produce a first elliptical polarization or a second MLPWB configured to produce a second elliptical polarization within the housing.

Switchable transmit and receive phased array antenna with high power and compact size

Switchable transmit and receive phased array antenna

Disclosed is a switchable transmit and receive phased array antenna ('STRPAA'). As an example, the STRPAA may include a housing, a multilayer printed wiring board ('MLPWB') within the housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, a plurality of radiating elements located on the top surface of the MLPWB, and a plurality of transmit and receive (&#x201c;T/R&#x201d;) modules attached to the bottom surface of the MLPWB. The STRPAA may also include a plurality of vias, wherein each via, of the plurality of vias, passes through the MLPWB and is configured as a signal path between a T/R module, of the plurality of T/R modules, on the bottom surface of the MLPWB and a radiating element, of the plurality of radiating elements, located on the top surface of the MLPWB opposite the T/R module.

A circulator/isolator assembly to operate within a first frequency range is disclosed. The assembly includes a first magnetic substrate having a first surface and a second surface and a first ground plane formed on the first surface, a dielectric layer disposed adjacent the first magnetic substrate, the dielectric layer comprising a multi-port junction circuit disposed on a first side of the dielectric layer and dimensioned to be resonant within the first frequency range, the multi-port junction circuit comprising a conductive disk coupled to a plurality of RF transmission traces, a first RF transmission trace forming an input port and a second RF transmission trace forming an output port, a ground plane disposed on a second side of the dielectric layer, and a first magnetic cylinder disposed proximate the multi-port junction circuit of the dielectric layer.

Integrated circulator for phased arrays

Apparatus, systems and methods to transmit power and data are provided. A particular apparatus includes a transmission component. The transmission component includes at least one first frequency selective surface (FSS) layer, at least one second FSS layer, and a dielectric layer separating the at least one first FSS layer and the at least one second FSS layer. In a particular embodiment, the apparatus also includes a first coupler coupled to the dielectric layer to send a signal along the transmission component.

Transmitting power and data

A circulator/isolator assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a first magnetic substrate having first surface and a second surface and a first ground plane formed on the first surface. A dielectric layer is disposed adjacent first magnetic substrate. The dielectric layer includes a multi-port junction circuit coupled to transmission traces. One of the traces forms an input port and another forms an output port. A first magnet is disposed proximate the multi-port junction circuit of the dielectric layer. The first magnet excites a circular, unidirectional magnetic flux field in the first magnetic substrate that limits electromagnetic wave propagation to a single direction.

A dual beam dual-selectable-polarization phased array antenna comprises an aperture unit, a printed wiring board, radiating elements, chip units, a pressure plate, and a rear housing unit. The printed wiring board has sub assemblies bonded to each other with a bonding material providing both mechanical and electrical connection. The printed wiring board is connected to the aperture unit. The radiating elements are formed on the printed wiring board. The chip units are mounted on the printed wiring board. The chip units include circuits capable of controlling radio frequency signals radiated by the radiating elements to form dual beams with independently selectable polarization. The pressure plate is connected to the aperture unit. The aperture unit is connected to the rear housing unit such that the aperture unit covers the rear housing unit.

Dual beam dual selectable polarization antenna

A particular portable radio frequency identification (RFID) reader includes an active antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements to receive RFID signals from RFID devices. The antenna elements include control circuitry to control a beam pattern generated by the active antenna array. The portable RFID reader further includes sum circuitry and difference circuitry. The sum circuitry is operable to determine a sum signal by summing the RFID signals received by at least two of the plurality of antenna elements. The difference circuitry is operable to determine a difference signal between the RFID signals received by at least two of the plurality of antenna elements. The portable RFID reader also includes a controller to electronically steer the beam pattern and to determine a direction from the RFID reader to a particular RFID device.

Portable radio frequency identification (RFID) reader

Apparatus, systems and methods to transmit power and data are provided. A particular apparatus to transmit power and data includes a transmission medium. The transmission medium includes at least one first frequency selective surface (FSS) layer, at least one second FSS layer, and a dielectric layer separating the at least one first FSS layer and the at least one second FSS layer. In a particular embodiment, the apparatus also includes a first coupler coupled to the transmission medium to send a signal along the transmission medium and a second coupler coupled to the transmission medium. The second coupler may receive signals via the transmission medium, receive power via the transmission medium to power devices coupled to the second coupler, process and send data via the transmission medium, or any combination thereof.

In accordance with an embodiment, a radio frequency transition system includes a stripline trace section with openings in ground planes and forms a quarter wavelength resonator and an electromagnetic mechanism to couple the RF energy from the stripline trace section to a connector, wherein the RF signal energy is transferred from inside a beam forming network printed wiring board to an a back side of a phased array antenna system with minimal RF losses. An RF transition system is disclosed. The RF transition system comprises a stripline trace section with openings in ground planes and forms a quarter-wavelength resonator. The RF transition system further includes an electromagnetic mechanism to couple the RF energy from the stripline trace section to a connector. The RF signal energy is transferred from inside a beam forming network printed wiring board to an a back side of a phased array antenna system with minimal RF losses.

Radio frequency (RF) transition design for a phased array antenna system utilizing a beam forming network

A dual beam electronically scanned phased array antenna architecture including a plurality of antenna modules orthogonally connected to a signal distribution board. Each module includes a radiator board orthogonally connected to a first end of a support mandrel. Each radiator board includes RF radiators and a pair of chip carriers mounted to opposing sides of the respective mandrel and interconnected to the respective radiator board. Each module includes a signal transfer board formed to fit around a second end of the mandrel such that it is compressed between the mandrel and the signal distribution board, and a pair of signal distribution bridges mounted to the opposing sides of the mandrel. Each signal distribution bridge interconnects respective chip carriers with the signal transfer board and distributes digital, DC and/or RE signals received from the signal transfer board to a plurality of beam scanning circuits included in the respective chip carrier.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Ming Chen