JPH09260931A - Phased array antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain diversified communication by realizing transmission and reception of plural signals with different frequencies while securing miniaturization. SOLUTION: Plural 2nd antenna elements 14 receiving a signal of a 2nd frequency are arranged to a 2nd dielectric at a prescribed interval and 1st antenna elements 13 sending a signal with a 1st frequency different from the 2nd frequency are arranged at a prescribed interval on the 2nd dielectric as a 1st dielectric 11, and the 1st and 2nd dielectric are stacked, the 1st antenna element 13 sends a signal with the 1st frequency and the 2nd antenna element 14 of the 2nd dielectric material 12 receives a signal with the 2nd frequency.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a phased array antenna suitable for mounting on a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite for communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in the field of space development, communication with ground stations and the like is performed using radio waves of different frequencies for transmission and reception. As an antenna system for such communication. A phased array antenna in which antenna elements called patch array are arranged for each frequency is mounted on a spacecraft with two transmitting antennas and one receiving antenna. In the case of transmitting, a transmitting face array antenna is used. In the case of reception, a phased array antenna for reception is used to transmit and receive radio waves to and from the ground station.

However, the above-mentioned antenna system has a problem that the system becomes large in size because a phased array antenna must be provided for each frequency, and the size of a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite is increased. Such a situation is one of the serious problems particularly in the case of diversifying communication required in the field of recent space development.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional phased array antenna, when an antenna system for communicating using radio waves having different frequencies is constructed,
It has the problem of becoming large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a phased array antenna which realizes transmission and reception of a plurality of signals having different frequencies and enables diversification of communication. To do.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a first dielectric body in which first antenna elements for transmitting a signal of a first frequency are arranged at a predetermined interval, and to the first dielectric body. And a second dielectric element in which second antenna elements that receive signals of a second frequency different from the first frequency are arranged with a predetermined interval, and a phased array antenna is provided. It is composed.

According to the above structure, the first antenna element of the first dielectric body arranged in a stack or the second antenna element of the second dielectric body for transmitting a signal of the first frequency is By receiving the signal of the second frequency, transmission and reception of signals of different first and second frequencies are performed. Therefore, the antenna system that transmits and receives signals of different frequencies, which contributes to the diversification of communication, can be realized by ensuring the same size reduction as the antenna system that transmits and receives signals of the same frequency.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a main part of a phased array antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention. An antenna structure 10 is formed by stacking first and second dielectric bodies 11 and 12 having a honeycomb structure. It is mounted on a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite (not shown).
The antenna structure 10 is formed in a substantially circular outer shape as shown in FIG. 2, for example.

First antenna elements 13 for transmission, which are called circular patch arrays, are formed on the first dielectric 11 at predetermined intervals corresponding to the directivity direction. This first
The antenna element 13 has a transmission frequency (for example, 2.48G).
The shape dimension D (for example, 32.5 mm) and the arrangement interval are set according to Hz (bandwidth 2.5 MHz) and the thickness dimensions of the first and second dielectrics 11 and 12.

A second receiving antenna element 14, which is called a circular patch array, is formed on the one surface of the second dielectric 12 corresponding to its directivity direction at predetermined intervals. The ground conductor 15 is provided on the direction side.
The first and second antenna elements 13 and 14 are electrically connected to the ground conductor 15, and as shown in FIG. 3, a transmitter (Tx) 16, a receiver (Rx) 17, a switch ( Ex) 18 are connected in order.

The second antenna element 12 has a geometrical dimension d (corresponding to the receiving frequency (for example, 1.61 GHz (bandwidth 2.5 MHz)) and the thickness dimensions of the first and second dielectric bodies 11 and 12. For example, 49.7 mm), the arrangement intervals t1 and t2
Are set and selectively arranged coaxially with the first antenna element (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

In the above configuration, in the transmission mode, the transmission signal of the first frequency is guided to the transmitter 16 via the exchange 18 and transmitted from the transmitter 16 to the communication station via the first antenna element 13. It At this time, since the second antenna element 14 is set so as to correspond to the signal of the second frequency different from the first frequency of the transmission signal, the second antenna element 14 is not used for transmission of the transmission signal.

In the reception mode, the second antenna element 14 receives a reception signal having a second frequency different from the transmission signal, the reception signal is guided to the receiver 17, and the internal signal (not shown) is passed through the exchange 18. Guided by equipment. At this time, the second antenna element 14 includes the first antenna element 13 among them.
In which the first antenna element 13 does not exist, the received signal is received by the antennas arranged on the same axis.

Since the first antenna element 13 is set so as to correspond to the signal having the first frequency different from the second frequency of the received signal, it does not receive the received signal.

As described above, in the phased array antenna, the plurality of second antenna elements 14 for receiving the signal of the second frequency are arranged on the second dielectric 12 at a predetermined interval, and A first dielectric element 11 in which first antenna elements 13 for transmitting a signal of a first frequency different from the second frequency are arranged on the second dielectric material 12 at a predetermined interval is stacked and arranged, The first antenna element 13 is configured to transmit the signal of the first frequency, and the second antenna element 14 of the second dielectric 12 is configured to receive the signal of the second frequency.

According to this, it becomes possible to transmit and receive signals having different frequencies by the first and second antenna elements 13 and 14 that are arranged in a stack, and to the same extent as when transmitting and receiving signals of the same frequency. The miniaturization of is realized.

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to the case of being mounted on a spacecraft, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be mounted on a fixed station such as a ground station.

Further, in the above embodiment, the first and second
Although the case where the antenna elements 13 and 14 are formed in a circular shape has been described, the present invention is not limited to this and can be formed in various shapes. When the second antenna element 14 is arranged coaxially with the first antenna element 13, the portion facing the first antenna element 13 is cut out as the second antenna element 14. It may be configured to have a frame shape. According to this, the useless part of the antenna element not used for receiving the signal is eliminated, and the antenna element can be effectively used. Therefore, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0019]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a phased array antenna capable of transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals having different frequencies and diversifying communication. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a partial detail of a phased array antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an arrangement state of first and second antenna elements of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement configuration of first and second antenna elements in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Antenna structure. 11, 12 ... First and second dielectrics. 13, 14 ... First and second antenna elements. 15 ... Ground conductor. 16 ... Transmitter. 17 ... Receiver. 18 ... Exchange.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A first dielectric body in which first antenna elements for transmitting a signal of a first frequency are arranged at a predetermined interval, and a first dielectric body is laminated and arranged on the first dielectric body. And a second dielectric element in which second antenna elements for receiving a signal of a second frequency different from the above frequency are arranged with a predetermined interval. 2. The phased array antenna according to claim 1, wherein one of the first antenna element and the second antenna element is formed to be larger in diameter than the other. 3. The phased array antenna according to claim 2, wherein the other of the first antenna element and the second antenna element having the larger diameter is formed in a frame shape. 4. The phased array antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first and second antenna elements are formed in a substantially circular shape. 5. The first frequency of the signal used for transmission by the first antenna is higher than the second frequency of the signal used for reception by the second antenna element. Item 5. The phased array antenna according to any one of items 1 to 4.