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:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1995
Yu-Wen Chang, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Elmer Freibergs, Toms River, NJ (US);
Lothar Wandinger, Elberon, NJ (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A multi-mode, common-aperture antenna system capable of simultaneously transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic radiation in at least two frequency bands. The antenna system includes a first beam antenna comprised of a parabolic reflector and four open-ended waveguides that act as an antenna feed. The parabolic reflector focuses radiation along a first beam axis that may be scanned electronically or mechanically. The four waveguides extend from the focus of the parabolic reflector to transceivers that transmit and/or receive radiation in a first mode. The transceivers mount at the rear of the reflector. The antenna system also includes a second beam antenna which operates in a second mode, e.g. optical or infrared (IR) mode. The second beam antenna includes a small opening in the parabolic reflector that acts as an optical aperture for a focusing lens mounted at the rear of the reflector and positioned coaxially with the small opening. An optical apparatus occupies the focal plane of the focusing lens. The optical apparatus generates and/or senses optical radiation incident with the beam axis of the second beam antenna.