Viasat, Inc.

Stefano Vaccaro

Daniel Llorens Del Rio

Ferdinando Tiezzi

Frederic Bongard

Maria Carolina Vigano

Roberto Torres Sanchez

Noel A Lopez

John Filreis

Ferdinanco Tiezzi

Daniel Llorens Del Rìo

A waveguide structure for a compact and scalable dual-polarized antenna array. In one example, a waveguide device comprises septum polarizers dividing common waveguides into first waveguides associated with a first polarization and second waveguides associated with a second polarization. The sets of septum polarizers may be inverted relative to each other to form first groups of four adjacent first waveguides for each type of waveguide. The waveguide device may also include a waveguide feed network including a first waveguide feed stage including waveguide combiner/dividers coupled between the four adjacent waveguides intermediate waveguides. The waveguide device may further include a second waveguide feed stage coupled with the first intermediate waveguides and the second intermediate waveguides, wherein the second waveguide feed stage extends in a direction perpendicular to the first waveguide feed stage.

Waveguide feed network architecture for wideband, low profile, dual polarized planar horn array antennas

An antenna array can include multiple radiating cells, each comprising a radiating element and a phase shifter. Further, each radiating element can comprise a first radiating element port and a second radiating element port. Each of the radiating cells can be configured to selectively connect the phase shifter to one of the radiating element ports. Each of the radiating cells can further comprise a phase delay difference between the signal paths associated with the radiating element ports. Further, the radiating cells can have physical polarization orientations that can be different from at least one other radiating cell.

Aperiodic phased array antenna with single bit phase shifters

An antenna array can include multiple radiating cells, each comprising a radiating element and a phase shifter. Further, each radiating element can comprise a first radiating element port and a second radiating element port. Each of the radiating cells can be configured to selectively connect the phase shifter to one of the radiating element ports, Each of the radiating cells can further comprise a phase delay difference between the signal paths associated with the radiating element ports. Further, the radiating cells can have physical polarization orientations that can be different from, at least one other radiating cell.

In an exemplary embodiment, an antenna architecture comprises a single aperture having both receive elements and transmit elements, where the single aperture has the performance of a dual-aperture but in about half the size. Moreover, in the case of an array with inclined elements, there is the need to interconnect a planar substrate with an inclined substrate at an angle. An exemplary single aperture comprises a metal core having a thick pass-through slot from a first side to a second side; connecting the inclined substrate to the first side of the metal core, and connecting a second substrate to the second side of the metal core. Furthermore, an RF signal is communicated between the first substrate and the second substrate in a contactless manner through the thick pass-through slot.

Hybrid single aperture inclined antenna

In various embodiments, a radiating cell of an antenna array can comprise a compacted hybrid as part of a stripline feed network, a radiating element having slots rotated with respect to the compacted hybrid, and a feed circuit layer in communication with the stripline feed network. The radiating cell radius can be a &#xbd; wavelength or less. Furthermore, the compacted hybrid has two input ports and two output ports, where the input and output ports of the compacted hybrid are non-orthogonal and non-parallel to the slots of the radiating element. A radiating cell can comprise a ground plane with a first side and a second side, where the ground plane comprises a slot. The slot can be non-orthogonal and non-parallel to the two output ports of the feed network.

Method and apparatus for a compact modular phased array element

In an exemplary embodiment, a modular phased array comprises a ground plane with a first side and a second side, where the ground plane has a slot. The modular phased array also comprises a patch antenna located on the first side of the ground plane, and a feed network located on the second side of the ground plane. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground plane isolates the patch antenna from the feed network. The feed network includes a compacted hybrid with two output ports. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground plane comprises slots that are nonorthogonal and nonparallel to the two output ports of the feed network. In another exemplary embodiment, the distance from the center of the patch antenna to the farthest output port of the two output ports of the compacted hybrid is &#xbd; wavelengths or less.

The invention relates to a microstrip patch antenna for mobile satellite communications comprising a first electrically conducting ground plane having at least one opening, at least one patch radiating element, at least one first dielectric layer, disposed between the first electrically conducting ground plane and the patch radiating element and more particularly between the at least one opening and the patch radiating element, at least one feed line for providing signal energy in a contactless manner to or from the patch radiating element through the opening and a second dielectric layer disposed between the feed line and the first electrically conducting ground plane wherein the antenna further comprises a second ground plane and a third dielectric layer disposed between the second ground plane and the feed line.

Planar antenna for mobile satellite applications

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a method and system for designing an inclined antenna array with a hybrid mechanical-electronic steering system with improved radiation performances at low elevation angles is presented. In an exemplary embodiment, a radiating element structure is attached to a mounting surface and includes a patch antenna and a ground plane. The bottom edge of the patch antenna is farther from the mounting surface than the top edge of the patch antenna. If the radiating element structure is used in an inclined array antenna, then the patch antenna has an uncovered view of a low elevation angle. Furthermore, at least a portion of a patch antenna may be uncovered and have a clear view. A clear view of the low elevation angle results in increased directivity and increased polarization quality due to reduced signal scattering.

Inclined antenna systems and methods

A system and method of minimizing a polarization quantization error associated with an antenna sub-array. The antenna sub-array includes at least two radiating elements, with the radiating elements having different polarization orientations from other radiating elements in the antenna sub-array. The radiating elements are dual polarized and have electronic polarization control. In an exemplary embodiment, the radiating elements are configured to reduce the polarization quantization error to be less than half of a polarization quantization step size. In various embodiments, rotating the radiating elements and implementing a phase delay, individually or in combination, is used to change the polarizations of the radiating elements.

Sub-array polarization control using rotated dual polarized radiating elements

The invention relates to a microstrip patch antenna () for mobile satellite communications comprising a first electrically conducting ground plane () having at least one opening (), at least one patch radiating element (), at least one first dielectric layer (L) disposed between the first electrically conducting ground plane and the patch radiating element and more particularly between the at least one opening and the patch radiating element, at least one feed line () for providing signal energy in a contactless manner to or from the patch radiating element through the opening and a second dielectric layer (L) disposed between the feed line and the first electrically conducting ground plane wherein the antenna further comprises a second ground plane () and a third dielectric layer (L) disposed between the second ground plane and the feed line.

Growing community of inventors

Gland, Switzerland

Stefano Vaccaro