High-performance distributionally integrated subarray antenna

Claim 2

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna comprising a feed-through lens having a radiating aperture and a pickup aperture; means having no less than one input and a plurality of outputs for producing no less than one phase front at said plurality of outputs; means including a multibeam matrix having a number of subarray input terminals equal to said plurality of outputs and responsive to said no less than one phase front thereat and additionally including an output feed array for simultaneously forming a plurality of substantially orthogonal overlapping beams and for directing said overlapping beams toward said pickup aperture of said feed-through lens, thereby to generate no less than one main beam from said radiating aperture; and means including switchable time-delay phase shifters disposed in series with said subarray input terminals for compensating for differences in arrival time of off-broadside wavefronts incident on said radiating aperture.

Claim 3

The distributionally integrated subarray antenna as defined in claim 1 additionally including phase shifters in said feed-through lens and means coupled to said phase shifters for scanning said main beam.

Claim 4

The distributionally integrated subarray antenna as defined in claim 1 additionally including an anechoic chamber surrounding the volume intermediate said output feed array and said radiating aperture.

Claim 5

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna capable of generating multiple simultaneous beams over a broadband of frequencies with high antenna aperture efficiency, said subarray antenna comprising a feed-through lens defining a radiating aperture; a first two-dimensional multibeam matrix having a first plurality of inputs and a corresponding plurality of outputs for producing a discrete phase front corresponding to each of said inputs at said plurality of outputs; and means including a feed array and a second two-dimensional multibeam matrix having inputs corresponding to respective subarray input terminals, said inputs being coupled to said plurality of outputs of said first multibeam matrix to energize said inputs so connected with said respective discrete phase fronts thereby to form beams corresponding to said respective subarray input terminals having sin x/x amplitude distributions where x is linear distance about each phase center and for directing said beams toward said feed-through lens thereby generating a cluster of simultaneous beams in space having a direction corresponding to said respective inpUt terminals of said first matrix.

Claim 6

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna capable of generating multiple simultaneous beams over a broadband of frequencies with high antenna aperture efficiency, said subarray antenna comprising a feed-through lens defining a radiating aperture; a first two-dimensional multibeam matrix having a first plurality of inputs and a corresponding plurality of outputs for producing a discrete phase front corresponding to each of said inputs at said plurality of outputs; and means including a feed array and a second two-dimensional multibeam matrix having inputs corresponding to respective subarray input terminals, said inputs being coupled to said plurality of outputs of said first multibeam matrix to energize said inputs so connected with said respective discrete phase fronts thereby to form beams corresponding to said respective subarray input terminals having sin x/x amplitude distributions where x is linear distance about each phase center and for directing said beams toward said feed-through lens thereby generating a cluster of simultaneous beams in space having a direction corresponding to said respective inpUt terminals of said first matrix.

Claim 7

The distributionally integrated subarray antenna capable of generating multiple simultaneous beams over a broad band of frequencies with high antenna aperture efficiency as defined in claim 4 additionally including means disposed intermediate said subarray input terminals of said second two-dimensional multibeam matrix and said plurality of output terminals of said first two-dimensional multibeam matrix for compensating for differences in arrival time for off-broadside wavefronts incident on said radiating aperture.

Claim 8

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna comprising a planar radiating array, a planar pickup array having elements corresponding, respectively, with the elements of said radiating array; a controllable phase shifter interconnected between each element of said radiating array and corresponding elements of said pickup array; means including a first matrix having no less than one input and a first plurality of outputs corresponding, respectively, to subarray input terminals for producing no less than one phase front thereat, a feed array disposed to illuminate said planar pickup array; means including a second matrix interconnected between said feed array and said subarray input terminals for generating a second plurality of substantially orthogonal overlapping beams whereby said overlapping beams illuminate said pickup array thereby to generate a main beam from said planar radiating array; and means coupled to said phase shifters for scanning said main beam.

Claim 9

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna comprising a planar radiating array, a planar pickup array having elements corresponding, respectively, with the elements of said radiating array; a controllable phase shifter interconnected between each element of said radiating array and corresponding elements of said pickup array; means including a first matrix having no less than one input and a first plurality of outputs corresponding, respectively, to subarray input terminals for producing no less than one phase front thereat, a feed array disposed to illuminate said planar pickup array; means including a second matrix interconnected between said feed array and said subarray input terminals for generating a second plurality of substantially orthogonal overlapping beams whereby said overlapping beams illuminate said pickup array thereby to generate a main beam from said planar radiating array; and means coupled to said phase shifters for scanning said main beam.

Claim 10

The distributionally integrated subarray antenna as defined in claim 6 wherein said first matrix is a corporate feed.

Claim 11

The distributionally integrated subarray antenna as defined in claim 6 wherein said first and second matrices are Butler matrices, said second matrix having more inputs than the number of subarray input terminals with the excess inputs being terminated with impedances substantially equal to the characteristic impedance thereof.

Claim 12

The distributionally integrated subarray antenna as defined in claim 6 additionally including a time-delay phase shifter interposed between each subarray input terminal and a corresponding input to said second matrix; and means connected to said time-delay phase shifter for controlling said time-delay phase shifter in a manner to compensate for differences in arrival time of off-broadside wavefronts incident on said radiating array.

Claim 13

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna comprising a feed-through lens defining a radiating aperture; a corporate feed having an input and a first plurality of outputs corresponding, respectively, to subarray input terminals; means disposed intermediate said respective subarray input terminals and said outputs of said corporate feed for compensating for differences in arrival time for off-broadside wavefronts incident on said radiating aperture; a planar feed array; means including a two-dimensional multibeam matrix having a second plurality of inputs and a corresponding second plurality of outputs interconnected from said subarray input terminals to said feed array for illuminating said feed-through lens with a first plurality of substantially orthogonal overlapping beams having sin x/x amplitude distribution where x is linear distance about each phase center corresponding, respectively, to said subarray input terminals whereby the radiation pattern from said radiating aperture corresponding to each subarray terminal has a rectangular configuration.

Claim 14

A distributionally integrated subarray antenna comprising a feed-through lens defining a radiating aperture; a corporate feed having an input and a first plurality of outputs corresponding, respectively, to subarray input terminals; means disposed intermediate said respective subarray input terminals and said outputs of said corporate feed for compensating for differences in arrival time for off-broadside wavefronts incident on said radiating aperture; a planar feed array; means including a two-dimensional multibeam matrix having a second plurality of inputs and a corresponding second plurality of outputs interconnected from said subarray input terminals to said feed array for illuminating said feed-through lens with a first plurality of substantially orthogonal overlapping beams having sin x/x amplitude distribution where x is linear distance about each phase center corresponding, respectively, to said subarray input terminals whereby the radiation pattern from said radiating aperture corresponding to each subarray terminal has a rectangular configuration.