Beam-forming network for an array antenna and array antenna comprising the same

Description

The invention is based on the overlapping sub-arrays concept, and in particular on a three layers hierarchical partition of a regular array, or lattice, of antenna elements.

According to the invention, the array is firstly partitioned in a plurality of overlapping contiguous non-overlapping clusters of antenna elements (NOSAs), and secondly partitioned in a plurality of overlapping sub arrays (OSAs), each overlapping sub-array comprising a subset of all the non-overlapping sub-arrays.
Conventional state-of-the-art architectures for active arrays require a number of HPAs and Weight Elements (WEs) equals to the number of antenna elements (AEs), and suffer from some drawbacks when used in practical applications:

• Most prior art BFNs are only designed for linear arrays.
• Some prior art BFNs are not lossless from the point of view of Microwave Circuit Theory.
• Other prior art BFNs are theoretically lossless but exhibit high complexity.

The invention aims at providing a BFN free from all or at least some of these drawbacks, i.e. suitable for both linear and planar arrays, theoretically lossless, with a simple structure and a limited number of control elements, yet providing a high level of flexibility and scalability and satisfactory radiation performances.

Innovations and advantages

The technology offers a simple structure and a limited number of control elements and HPAs, yet providing a high level of flexibility and scalability and satisfactory radiation performances.

In addiction, the novelty of this network lies on the capability to outperform state-of-the-art architectures in terms of scan loss performances within field of view.

Domains of application

Typical multi-beam Applications comprise telecommunication satellites generating multi-beam coverage’s and ground Systems like: ground vehicular and aeronautical teleccomunication terminals, antennas for mobile systems base stations, etc.