Patent · US Expired

Active microwave reflector for electronically steered scanning antenna

US6191748A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
13References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 22, 2000
Grant dateFeb 20, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 22, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01Q3/46
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electronically steered scanning active microwave reflector, capable of being illuminated by a microwave source to form an antenna, comprises a set of elementary cells, each comprising a phase-shifter microwave circuit placed before a conductive plane. This phase-shifter comprises conductive wires or tracks positioned on a support, the wires or tracks each comprising at least two two-state semiconductor elements, for example diodes, and being connected to conductors by which the states of the diodes can be controlled independently of each other, it being possible for each of the diodes to be on or off. Thus, four possible states are obtained and the geometrical and electrical characteristics of the cell are such that a given phase-shift value of the microwave received corresponds to each of these states. Finally, microwave decoupling means are provided between the cells. These means consist, in particular, of waveguides formed between two neighboring cells. The walls of these waveguides are parallel to the polarization of the waves and the spacing between these waveguides is such that it prohibits the propagation of the wave.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.