EP1414110A1 - Système d'antenne orientable avec source rayonnante fixe - Google Patents

Système d'antenne orientable avec source rayonnante fixe Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1414110A1
EP1414110A1 EP20020292622 EP02292622A EP1414110A1 EP 1414110 A1 EP1414110 A1 EP 1414110A1 EP 20020292622 EP20020292622 EP 20020292622 EP 02292622 A EP02292622 A EP 02292622A EP 1414110 A1 EP1414110 A1 EP 1414110A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
antenna system
axis
frame
mounting
reflector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP20020292622
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Eric Amyotte
Martin Gimersky
Jean-Daniel Richerd
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
EMS Technologies Canada Ltd
Original Assignee
EMS Technologies Canada Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by EMS Technologies Canada Ltd filed Critical EMS Technologies Canada Ltd
Priority to EP20020292622 priority Critical patent/EP1414110A1/fr
Publication of EP1414110A1 publication Critical patent/EP1414110A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
    • H01Q19/10—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/104—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces using a substantially flat reflector for deflecting the radiated beam, e.g. periscopic antennas
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
    • H01Q19/10—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/18—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/185—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces wherein the surfaces are plane
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
    • H01Q19/10—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/18—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/19—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface
    • H01Q19/192—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface with dual offset reflectors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
    • H01Q3/02—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
    • H01Q3/08—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
    • H01Q3/12—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
    • H01Q3/16—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems for varying relative position of primary active element and a reflecting device
    • H01Q3/20—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems for varying relative position of primary active element and a reflecting device wherein the primary active element is fixed and the reflecting device is movable

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of antennas and is more particularly concerned with steerable antenna systems for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals.
  • steerable antenna systems it is well known in the art to use steerable (or tracking) antenna systems to communicate with a relatively moving target. Especially in the aerospace industry, such steerable antennas preferably need to have a high gain, low mass, and a high reliability.
  • One way to achieve such an antenna system is to provide a fixed feed source, thereby eliminating performance degradations otherwise associated with a moving feed source. These degradations include losses due to mechanical rotary joints, RF cable connectors, flexible waveguides, long-length RF cables associated with cable wrap units mounted on rotary actuators or the like.
  • steerable/tracking antennas should be designed such as to avoid a so-called keyhole effect, which is a physical limitation due to the orientation of the antenna rotation axis and caused by a limited motion range of an actuator or the like. This effect forces the antenna to momentarily disrupt communication when reaching the physical limitation to allow for the actuators to reposition before resuming the steering, thereby seriously affecting the communication capabilities of the entire antenna system.
  • US Patent 6,043,788 granted on March 28, 2000 to Seavey discloses tracking antenna system that is substantially robust and includes a large quantity of moving components that reduce the overall reliability of the system. Also, the steering angle range of the system is limited by the fixed angle between the boresite of the offset paraboloidal reflector and the kappa axis determined by the distance between the offset ellipsoidal subreflector and the offset paraboloidal reflector; a wide range requiring a large distance there between, resulting in a large antenna system that would not be practical especially for spaceborne applications.
  • An advantage of the present invention is that the steerable antenna system with a fixed feed source enables beam steering over a full spherical (4 ⁇ steradians) angular range with minimum blockage from its own structure, whenever allowed by the supporting platform.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that the steerable antenna system with a fixed feed source enables tracking of a remote station without any keyhole effect over any hemispherical coverage (2 ⁇ steradians).
  • Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the steerable antenna system with a fixed feed source has a high gain, an excellent polarization purity and/or low sidelobes.
  • Still another advantage of the present invention is that the steerable antenna system with fixed feed source has simple actuation devices as well as locations of the same.
  • the fixed-feed source steerable antenna system can be so positioned with a first actuator as to enable tracking of a same orbiting remote station using only a second actuator when the orbit passes in proximity to the zenith of the system location.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that the fixed-feed source steerable antenna system can be mounted on either an orbiting spacecraft or a fixed station and track a ground station or an orbiting spacecraft respectively, or be mounted on a spacecraft and track another spacecraft.
  • a steerable antenna system for reflecting an electromagnetic signal between a fixed feed source and a moving target, the feed source mounting on a support structure and defining a source axis
  • the antenna system comprises: a frame mounting on the support structure; a hyperbolic subreflector for transmitting and receiving the electromagnetic signal to and from the feed source respectively, the hyperbolic subreflector defining a first focal point and a second focal point, the hyperbolic subreflector mounting on the frame so that the feed source is located at the first focal point; a parabolic reflector for transferring the electromagnetic signal from and to the hyperbolic subreflector respectively; the parabolic reflector defining a parabolic focal point and a beam axis, the parabolic reflector mounting of the frame so that the parabolic focal point is common with the second focal point; a planar reflector for transferring the electromagnetic signal from and to the parabolic reflector respectively, the planar reflector defining a normal axis, the planar reflector
  • the antenna system includes a second rotating member mounted on the supporting structure and rotatably supporting the frame, the second rotating member rotating the frame relative to the support structure about the source axis.
  • the antenna system includes a controller controlling rotation of the first and the second rotating members; thereby controlling the antenna system to steer at the target.
  • the first and the second rotating members allow for the antenna system to steer at the target anywhere within a full spherical angular range.
  • the beam axis is co-planar, preferably perpendicular, with the source axis, thereby defining an antenna plane.
  • the predetermined angle is a 45-degree angle, thereby reflecting the electromagnetic signal from the parabolic reflector within a signal plane perpendicular to the beam axis.
  • first and the second rotating members being first and second rotating actuators respectively, preferably first and second stepper motors.
  • the present invention provides for a steerable antenna system for transmitting or receiving an electromagnetic signal to/from a moving target
  • the antenna system comprises: a fixed feed source mounting on a support structure and defining a source axis; a frame mounting on the support structure; a hyperbolic subreflector for transmitting and receiving the electromagnetic signal to and from the feed source respectively, the hyperbolic subreflector defining a first focal point and a second focal point, the hyperbolic subreflector mounting on the frame so that the feed source is located at the first focal point; a parabolic reflector for transferring the electromagnetic signal from and to the hyperbolic subreflector respectively; the parabolic reflector defining a parabolic focal point and a beam axis, the parabolic reflector mounting of the frame so that the parabolic focal point is common with the second focal point; a planar reflector for transferring the electromagnetic signal from and to the parabolic reflector respectively, the planar reflector defining a normal axis, the planar reflector defining
  • the feed source is a dual frequency dual circular polarization feed source.
  • FIG. 1 to 3 there is shown an embodiment 10 of a steerable antenna system with a fixed feed source according to the present invention mounted on a support structure 12 for transmitting and/or receiving an electromagnetic signal 14 to and/or from a target T relatively moving or orbiting around the same.
  • the antenna system 10 includes a fixed RF (Radio Frequency) or the like feed source 30, preferably including a horn 32 connected to a conventional waveguide 34 or the like, secured to the support structure 12 and having a source axis A pointing at a hyperbolic subreflector 20 secured to a frame member 22 that is rotatably mounted on the structure 12, preferably secured to a planar platform P.
  • the generally C-shaped frame 22 also supports a parabolic reflector 40 and a flat reflector 50, rigidly and rotatably mounted thereon, respectively.
  • the subreflector 20 is so oriented as to have its first F1 and second F2 focal points (or focus) in common with the focal point of the feed source 30 and the parabolic reflector 40, respectively.
  • the latter is so oriented as to reflect (or transfer) the signal 14 received from the subreflector 20 to the flat reflector 50 along a beam axis B and vice-versa.
  • the feed source 30, subreflector 20, parabolic reflector 40 and flat reflector 50 all lie within a same antenna plane or elevation plane E. Accordingly, the source A and beam B axes are co-planar, and preferably perpendicular to each other, for the antenna system 10 to be as compact as possible.
  • a first rotating member 52 preferably a first rotating actuator such as a stepper motor or the like, mounted on the frame 22 rotates the flat reflector 50 preferably about the beam axis B; as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the flat reflector 50 shown in solid and dashed lines to reflect the signal 14 to the right and left hand side, respectively.
  • the flat reflector 50 is preferably elliptic in shape in order to provide a circular projected aperture along the beam axis B and the direction of the target T, in these two positions.
  • a controller member 60 is preferably connected to the motors 52, 24 via a first 64 and a second 62 encoders (or the like) respectively to control the rotation of the same; thereby controlling the system antenna 10 to steer at the target T, preferably anywhere within a full spherical angular range.
  • the normal axis C of the flat reflector 50 preferably makes a forty-five degree (45°) constant angle ⁇ relative to the beam axis B to reflect the signal 14 coming from the parabolic reflector 40 within a signal plane or cross-elevation (x-elevation) plane X perpendicular to the elevation plane E and parallel to the source axis A. Consequently, the projection of the flat reflector 50 perpendicular to both the output signal 14 direction and the beam axis B is circular as shown in Fig. 2 and 3, respectively.
  • the first 52 and second 24 motors are the x-elevation and elevation motors adjusting the reference x-elevation angle wand elevation angle ⁇ of the antenna system 10 respectively.
  • the source A and beam B axes are the elevation and x-elevation axes respectively.
  • both the elevation motor 24 and the horn 32 are mounted on respective brackets 16, 18 of the structure 12 to allow for the frame 22 to clear the same during its rotational displacement about the source axis A, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.
  • the actual shapes of the horn 32, subreflector 20, parabolic reflector 40 and flat reflector 50 are determined to maximize the overall electrical antenna gain as it would be obvious to anyone having ordinary skill in the art, also considering its performance in all other aspects such as mechanical, power, reliability, cost, manufacturability, etc.
  • the feed source 30 is a dual frequency dual circular polarization feed source or any other suitable electromagnetic signal source.
  • the platform P represents a spacecraft Earth facing panel and the target T is a ground station on the Earth surface; the spacecraft orbiting around the Earth (or any other planet or the like).
  • the antenna system 10 could be a ground station steering at an orbiting spacecraft to transmit and/or receive signal to/from the same.
  • the antenna system 10 of the present invention mounted on an orbiting spacecraft can also be used to communicate with a similar antenna system 10 mounted on another orbiting spacecraft, whereby the two antenna systems 10 would continuously steer at each other while the two spacecraft are moving in their respective orbits.
  • controller member 60 can simultaneously drive the two motors 24, 52 to have the antenna system 10 sequentially and continuously steering at a moving target in any desired direction.
  • FIG. 4 there is shown a schematic perspective sequential illustration of the steering coverage of the antenna system 10 (shown in dashed lines) of the present invention with the rotational displacement ⁇ of the output signal 14 (shown by all the coplanar arrows in dashed lines) about the x-elevation axis B to form the x-elevation plane X, and the rotational displacement ⁇ of both elevation E and x-elevation X planes about the elevation axis A to substantially cover the full spherical angle around the antenna system 10.
  • the motion being represented in Fig.
  • the controller 60 When the antenna system 10 has to track a moving target T for a short period of time over a relatively small angular range, it is possible for the controller 60 to properly position the antenna system 10 using the elevation motor 24 such that only the x-elevation motor 52 is used for the tracking itself of the target T, considering that the path of the target T essentially remains within a same plane, the x-elevation plane X, as seen by the antenna system 10.
  • a second embodiment 10a of the antenna system positioned with the elevation source axis A generally perpendicular to the platform P.
  • the bracket 18a is substantially reduced down to a simple mounting bracket connected to the horn 32 that points upward at the subreflector 20, thus limiting the run of the waveguide 34 connecting thereto, and the signal losses associated therewith.
  • the bracket 16a is also reduced down to a simple support for the elevation motor 24a itself supporting the rotating frame 22a.
  • the elevation motor 24a is preferably hollowed to enable the fixed horn 32 to be centered and point at the subreflector 20 without being affected by the rotation induced by the same 24a to the frame 22a.

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  • Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)
EP20020292622 2002-10-23 2002-10-23 Système d'antenne orientable avec source rayonnante fixe Withdrawn EP1414110A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20020292622 EP1414110A1 (fr) 2002-10-23 2002-10-23 Système d'antenne orientable avec source rayonnante fixe

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20020292622 EP1414110A1 (fr) 2002-10-23 2002-10-23 Système d'antenne orientable avec source rayonnante fixe

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EP1414110A1 true EP1414110A1 (fr) 2004-04-28

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3157094A1 (fr) * 2015-10-16 2017-04-19 Thales Antenne compacte à ouverture de faisceau modulable
CN113314842A (zh) * 2021-05-20 2021-08-27 深圳市飞宇信电子有限公司 一种用于复杂通讯设备的信号增强外置天线

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3907203A1 (de) * 1989-03-07 1990-09-13 Telefunken Systemtechnik Vorrichtung zur radarbildabtastung
US5844527A (en) * 1993-02-12 1998-12-01 Furuno Electric Company, Limited Radar antenna
US5943007A (en) * 1992-10-07 1999-08-24 Trw Inc. Rotating mirror drum radiometer imaging system
US6492955B1 (en) * 2001-10-02 2002-12-10 Ems Technologies Canada, Ltd. Steerable antenna system with fixed feed source

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3907203A1 (de) * 1989-03-07 1990-09-13 Telefunken Systemtechnik Vorrichtung zur radarbildabtastung
US5943007A (en) * 1992-10-07 1999-08-24 Trw Inc. Rotating mirror drum radiometer imaging system
US5844527A (en) * 1993-02-12 1998-12-01 Furuno Electric Company, Limited Radar antenna
US6492955B1 (en) * 2001-10-02 2002-12-10 Ems Technologies Canada, Ltd. Steerable antenna system with fixed feed source

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3157094A1 (fr) * 2015-10-16 2017-04-19 Thales Antenne compacte à ouverture de faisceau modulable
FR3042653A1 (fr) * 2015-10-16 2017-04-21 Thales Sa Antenne compacte a ouverture de faisceau modulable
CN113314842A (zh) * 2021-05-20 2021-08-27 深圳市飞宇信电子有限公司 一种用于复杂通讯设备的信号增强外置天线

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