Harris Corporation

Eagle Technology, LLC

Timothy Earl Durham

Griffin Keith Gothard

Anthony Mark Jones

James Joseph Rawnick

Jay A Kralovec

Sean Ortiz

Stephen B Brown

Robert C Taylor

William F Croswell

Yves Patenaude

Robert M Taylor

Verlin A Hibner

Donald Alan Lieb

Mark D Vanstrum

James Douglas Struttmann

Randy Eugene Boozer

William R Whaley

Adam Zaricki

Chris Synder

Kerry Timothy Speed

Michael James Lynch

Benedikt A Munk

Ralph Trosa

Chris Snyder

Charles W Kulisan

Roger Wayne Strange

Stephen R Landers

Anthony A Jones

Dieter L Gum

St Phen B Brown

Anthony M Jones

A radar antenna for a flight vehicle that follows a flight path comprises a radio frequency (RF) reflector, and separated first arrays of first RF feed elements to form, with the reflector, respective first fixed radar beams that are directed at the Earth and positionally offset with respect to each other, such that when the radar antenna follows the flight path, the respective first fixed radar beams trace respective first subswaths on the Earth that are separated from each other by respective subswath gaps.

Multiple beam antenna for wide swath satellite based SAR

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) generates concurrent first radar pulses in first frequency channels. The SAR transmits, and receives returns of, the concurrent first radar pulses by first antenna feeds that form first beams in the first frequency channels and that are directed to respective first subswaths of a swath on the Earth separated by subswath gaps. The SAR generates concurrent second radar pulses in second frequency channels. The SAR transmits, and receives returns of, the concurrent second radar pulses by second antenna feeds configured to form second beams in the second frequency channels and that are directed to respective second subswaths of the swath on the Earth and that coincide with the subswath gaps. The SAR processes the returns of the first radar pulses from the first subswaths and the returns of the second radar pulses from the second subswaths to form a SAR image contiguous across the swath.

Multi-channel split-swath (MCSS) synthetic aperture radar (SAR)

The tubular slot-mode antenna includes an array of slot antenna units carried by a tubular substrate, e.g. a cylindrical substrate, and each slot antenna unit having a pair of patch antenna elements arranged in laterally spaced apart relation about at least one central feed position. Adjacent patch antenna elements of adjacent slot-mode antenna units have respective spaced apart edge portions with predetermined shapes and relative positioning to provide increased capacitive coupling therebetween. The array of slot-mode antenna units may define a plurality of ring-shaped slots coaxial with an axis of the tubular substrate, and a feed arrangement may be coupled thereto to operate the array of slot-mode antenna units in an endfire mode.

Tubular endfire slot-mode antenna array with inter-element coupling and associated methods

The slot-mode antenna includes an array of slot antenna units carried by a substrate, and each slot antenna unit having a pair of patch antenna elements arranged in laterally spaced apart relation about at least one central feed position. Adjacent patch antenna elements of adjacent slot-mode antenna units have respective spaced apart edge portions with predetermined shapes and relative positioning to provide increased capacitive coupling therebetween. The spaced apart edge portions may be continuously or periodically interdigitated to provide the increased capacitive coupling therebetween.

Single polarization slot antenna array with inter-element coupling and associated methods

The dual-polarization antenna with a slot pattern can produce vertical polarized energy near the horizon and can scan to near grazing angles. The dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna includes an array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units carried by a substrate, and each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit having at least four patch antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation about a central feed position. Adjacent patch antenna elements of adjacent dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna units have respective spaced apart edge portions defining gaps therebetween. Capacitive coupling plates are adjacent the gaps and overlap the respective spaced apart edge portions to provide increased capacitive coupling therebetween.

Dual polarization antenna array with inter-element capacitive coupling plate and associated methods

The slot-mode antenna includes an array of slot antenna units carried by a substrate, and each slot antenna unit has a pair of patch antenna elements arranged in laterally spaced apart relation about at least one central feed position. Adjacent patch antenna elements of adjacent slot-mode antenna units include respective spaced apart edge portions defining gaps therebetween, and a capacitive coupling layer or plates overlap the respective spaced apart edge portions to provide increased capacitive coupling therebetween. The capacitive coupling layer may include continuous or periodic capacitive coupling plates along each gap defined by the respective spaced apart edge portions.

Single polarization slot antenna array with inter-element capacitive coupling plate and associated methods

Method for controlling an input impedance of an antenna (). The method can include the steps of coupling RF energy from an input RF transmission line () to an antenna radiating element () through an aperture () defined in a ground plane (). For example, the aperture () can be a slot and the radiating element () can be a patch type element. The input impedance can thereafter be controlled by selectively varying a volume or a position of a conductive fluid () disposed in a predetermined region between the RF transmission line and the antenna radiating element. The volume of conductive fluid () can be automatically varied in response to at least one control signal ().

Shaped ground plane for dynamically reconfigurable aperture coupled antenna

The dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna includes an array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units carried by a substrate, with each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit having at least four patch antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation about a central feed position. Adjacent patch antenna elements of adjacent dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna units include respective spaced apart edge portions having predetermined shapes and relative positioning to provide increased capacitive coupling therebetween. The respective spaced apart edge portions may be continuously or periodically interdigitated to provide the increased capacitive coupling therebetween.

Dual polarization antenna array with inter-element coupling and associated methods

An antenna includes a substrate, and an array of dipole antenna elements on the substrate. Each dipole antenna element includes a medial feed portion and a pair of legs extending outwardly therefrom. Adjacent legs of adjacent dipole antenna elements include respective spaced apart end portions with impedance coupling therebetween. An impedance matching layer is adjacent a side of the array of dipole antenna elements opposite the substrate. The impedance matching layer includes an array of spaced apart conductive elements.

Phased array antenna with an impedance matching layer and associated methods

A phased array antenna includes a substrate, and an array of dipole antenna elements are on the substrate. Each dipole antenna element includes a medial feed portion, and a pair of legs extending outwardly therefrom. Each dipole antenna element further includes a passive load, and a switch connected thereto for selectively coupling the passive load to the medial feed portion so that the dipole antenna element selectively functions as an absorber for absorbing received signals while the passive load dissipates energy associated therewith.

Phased array antenna absorber and associated methods

A reflector antenna system may include an arc-shaped antenna reflector defining a first antenna beam, and a phased array antenna positioned in the first antenna beam including first and second arrays of antenna elements coupled together in back-to-back relation. The first array may face the antenna reflector, and the second array may face away from it. A controller switchable between a reflecting mode and a direct mode may be connected to the arrays. The controller, when in the reflecting mode, may cause back-to-back pairs of first antenna elements from the arrays to define a feed-through zone for the first antenna beam, and cause second antenna elements in the first array to define a first active zone for the first antenna beam. Furthermore, when in the direct mode, the controller may cause antenna elements in the second array to define a second active zone for a second antenna beam.

Reflector antenna system including a phased array antenna operable in multiple modes and related methods

An antenna feed system includes a plurality of RF horn antennas () for operating on a plurality of RF frequency bands. A first one of the feed horns () can have a boresight axis and is configured for operating at a first one of the frequency bands. A second one of the feed horns () is positioned coaxially within the first one of the feed horns () and is configured for operating at least at a second one of the frequency bands. Further, the first one of the feed horns () is a corrugated horn that has a plurality of corrugations () formed on an interior surface defining a profile. The profile extends substantially from a throat () of the first feed horn and along a tapered portion of the first feed horn. The profile substantially minimizes an interaction of the corrugations with the second feed horn.

Coaxial horn antenna system

A phased array antenna includes a substrate, and a patterned conductive layer is on the substrate. The patterned conductive layer defines a plurality of slotted dipole antenna elements each having a medial feed portion associated therewith. Each slotted dipole antenna element includes a pair of slotted legs extending outwardly from the medial feed portion. Pairs of adjacent slotted legs of adjacent slotted dipole antenna elements include respective spaced apart end portions having predetermined shapes and relative positioning to provide increased inductive coupling between the adjacent slotted dipole antenna elements.

Wideband slotted phased array antenna and associated methods

A reflector antenna system may include at least one antenna reflector having an arcuate shape and defining an antenna beam, a feed device spaced apart from the at least one antenna reflector, and a phased array antenna positioned in the antenna beam between the at least one antenna reflector and the feed device. More particularly, the phased array antenna may include a substrate and a plurality of back-to-back pairs of first antenna elements carried by the substrate and configured for defining at least one feed-through zone for the antenna beam. The phased array antenna may further include a plurality of back-to-back pairs of second antenna elements carried by the substrate and defining at least one active beamsteering zone for the antenna beam.

Growing community of inventors

Palm Bay, FL, United States of America

Timothy Earl Durham