The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 1984
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1982
Donald B Spencer, Federal Way, WA (US);
John L Fitch, Seattle, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for electronically steering a radio frequency signal beam (RF) along at least one of 'X' and/or 'Y' coordinates with respect to the axis of the signal beam (RF) and comprising n pairs of back-to-back prisms (20, 21) formed of ferroelectric dielectric material such, for example, as BaTiO.sub.3, LiNbO.sub.3, LiTaO.sub.3, Bi.sub.12 SiO.sub.20 (BSO) and Bi.sub.12 GeO.sub.20 (BGO), means for applying voltages across terminals (A, B and C, D) of the prisms (20, 21) so as to establish separate and independent DC electric fields in the prisms (20, 21) and for varying the voltage applied across the terminals of one prism (20) relative to the voltage applied across the terminals of the other prism (21) in each of the n pairs of prisms so as to alter the incremental permittivity of one prism (20) in each of the n pairs relative to the other prism in each of the n pairs (n), thereby changing the prism refraction angles and controllably deflecting the direction of the radiated energy beam to one side or the other of the undeflected beam axis. The beam steering system is highly versatile and may be used with any type of fixed beam antenna; it may comprise a composite structure (30) including two pairs of back-to-back prisms (20, 21 and 20', 21') for steering the beam along either or both of 'X' and/or 'Y' coordinates; and, it may be used to steer electromagnetic beams in the millimeter wave, centimeter wave, infrared wave and optical wave regions.