Device, system and method to mitigate side lobes with an antenna array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019372220-A1
Application number	US-201916351309-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2019
Priority date	Oct 6, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms to transmit signals with an antenna array. In an embodiment, a first signal is received at a first input of the first antenna while a second signal is received at a second input of the second antenna. A difference in phase differentials—the phase differentials each between the first signal and the second signal—results from propagation of the first signal and the second signal in the antenna array and from a difference between respective configurations of the first antenna and the second antenna. Each of the first antenna and the second antenna has respective emitters distributed along the length thereof. In another embodiment, the first antenna and the second antenna have different respective dielectric structures or different respective distributions of emitters.

First claim

1 . An antenna array comprising:
a first antenna including a first input configured to receive a first signal at a first time, the first antenna further including a first emitter, the first antenna to propagate the first signal at the first emitter, wherein, of all emitters of the first antenna, the first emitter is an Nth closest emitter to the first input, wherein N is a positive integer; and a second antenna including a second input configured to receive a second signal at the first time, the second antenna further including a second emitter, the second antenna to propagate the second signal at the second emitter, wherein, of all emitters of the second antenna, the second emitter is an Nth closest emitter to the second input; wherein a difference between a configuration of the first antenna and a configuration of the second antenna to contribute to a difference between: a first phase differential, at the first time, between the first signal at the first input and the second signal at the second input; and a second phase differential, at a second time, between the first signal at the first emitter and the second signal at the second emitter.

2 . The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the difference between the first phase differential and the second phase differential is based at least in part on a first difference between:
a distance of the first emitter from the first input; and a distance of the second emitter from the second input.

3 . The antenna array of claim 2 , wherein the first difference is equal to or greater than a width of the first emitter.

4 . The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna comprises a first medium disposed between the first input and the first emitter, the first antenna further to propagate the first signal from the first input to the first emitter via the first medium;
wherein the second antenna comprises a second medium disposed between the second input and the second emitter, the second antenna further to propagate the second signal from the second input to the second emitter via the second medium; and wherein the difference between the first phase differential and the second phase differential is based at least in part on a difference between a permittivity of the first medium and a permittivity of the second medium.

5 . The antenna array of claim 4 , wherein the first medium adjoins the first input and further adjoins the first emitter.

6 . The antenna array of claim 4 , wherein the first medium extends only partially along a path from the first input to the first emitter.

7 . The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein inputs of the antenna array include inputs disposed along a straight line and one or more inputs offset from the straight line.

8 . The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array includes multiple antennae having different respective orientations relative to a plane.

9 . The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna is curved.

10 . The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array comprises at least three antennae, wherein, for each pair of antennae of the at least three antennae, the pair of antennae provides a different respective one of a set of differences each between a respective pair of signal phase differentials, wherein, for each difference of the set of differences, the difference corresponds to a respective quotient of:
a respective first value; and a second value raised to a first respective power; wherein the respective first value is equal to a product of: a third value; and a fourth value raised to a second respective power.

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . A method at an antenna array, the method comprising:
receiving, at a first time, a first signal at a first input of a first antenna; receiving, at the first time, a second signal at a second input of a second antenna; propagating the first signal at a first emitter of the first antenna, wherein, of all emitters of the first antenna, the first emitter is an Nth closest emitter to the first input, wherein N is a positive integer; and propagating the second signal at a second emitter of the second antenna, wherein, of all emitters of the second antenna, the second emitter is an Nth closest emitter to the second input, wherein a difference between a configuration of the first antenna and a configuration of the second antenna contributes to a difference between: a first phase differential, at the first time, between the first signal at the first input and the second signal at the second input; and a second phase differential, at a second time, between the first signal at the first emitter and the second signal at the second emitter.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the difference between the first phase differential and the second phase differential is based at least in part on a first difference between:
a distance of the first emitter from the first input; and a distance of the second emitter from the second input.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first antenna comprises a first medium disposed between the first input and the first emitter, the method further comprising propagating the first signal from the first input to the first emitter via the first medium;
wherein the second antenna comprises a second medium disposed between the second input and the second emitter, the method further comprising propagating the second signal from the second input to the second emitter via the second medium; and wherein the difference between the first phase differential and the second phase differential is based at least in part on a difference between a permittivity of the first medium and a permittivity of the second medium.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first medium extends only partially along a path from the first input to the first emitter.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising propagating the first signal along a curved path of the first antenna.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the antenna array comprises at least three antennae, wherein, for each pair of antennae of the at least three antennae, the pair of antennae provides a different respective one of a set of differences each between a respective pair of signal phase differentials, wherein, for each difference of the set of differences, the difference corresponds to a respective quotient of:
a respective first value; and a second value raised to a first respective power; wherein the respective first value is equal to a product of: a third value; and a fourth value raised to a second respective power.

21 . An antenna comprising:
a signal source; and an antenna array coupled to receive first and second input signals responsive to a signal from the signal source, the antenna array including
first and second sets of emitters coupled to the first and second inputs, respectively, and responsive to first and second input signals, respectively, the first and second sets of emitters to generate a main beam that sums across the array, wherein the first and second sets of emitters emit different side lobe patterns to mitigate constructive interference between sides lobes generated by the first and second set of emitters.

22 . The antenna defined in claim 21 wherein the different side lobe patterns are due to phase differences between the first and second input signals.

23 . The antenna defined in claim 22 wherein the

Assignees

• Kymeta Corp

Inventors

• Kundtz Nathan
• Rothaar Bruce

Classifications

• H01Q21/005

  Slotted waveguides arrays · CPC title

• H01Q3/30 Primary

  varying the {relative} phase {between the radiating elements of an array (H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01Q21/068

  using parallel coplanar travelling wave or leaky wave aerial units (H01Q21/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q21/0006

  Particular feeding systems · CPC title

• H01Q21/20

  the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path {(slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062)} · CPC title