Phased array antenna using stacked beams in elevation and azimuth

• Main Authors: Hartwich, Francis, Sikina, Thomas V, Bourgeois, Jacqueline M, Brookner, Eli, Rypysc, Daniel F, Lok, Yuchoi F, Green, Leon, Drake, Peter R, Chang, Yueh-Chi
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.05.2019
• Subjects: ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES; ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION ORRERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TESTING

A radar system uses a rotating antenna array having rows that display dispersive properties while feeding multiple radiating elements. In some embodiments, the radiating elements are dual polarized. In at least one embodiment, beam spoiling may be used to generate an unfocused transmit beam that covers an entire elevation range of interest. Digital beam forming may be used during a receive mode to achieve a stack of narrow-width receive beams in elevation. Frequency scanning may also be used to achieve stacked beams in azimuth.