Phased array antenna and phase control method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9568936-B2
Application number	US-201214113096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2012
Priority date	Jul 27, 2011
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

In a phased array antenna that has a configuration in which a plurality of antenna panels, in each of which a plurality of antenna elements are arrayed, are connected in the form of a plane and that radiates power transmission microwaves in the arrival direction of a pilot signal sent from an electric-power receiving facility (rectenna system), by controlling the phases of signals input to and output from the antenna elements. An arithmetic processing section, which is provided in each of the antenna panels, calculates the phase shifts of power transmission microwaves to be radiated from the antenna elements. Then, the phase information indicating the phase shifts calculated by the arithmetic processing section is sent to at least three adjacent antenna panels by a transmission and reception section provided in each of the antenna panels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A phased array antenna comprising:
a plurality of antenna panels;
a plurality of antenna elements arrayed in each of the plurality of antenna panels, the plurality of antenna elements being connected in a form of a plane, the plurality of antenna elements radiating signals in an arrival direction of a pilot signal sent from an electric-power receiving facility, a phase of signals output from the plurality of antenna elements being controllable;
an arithmetic processing section provided in each of the plurality of antenna panels, the arithmetic processing section determining a phase shift of the signals radiated from a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements based on a position of the respective one of the plurality of antenna panels, and an adjacent panel phase shift sent from an adjacent one of the plurality of antenna panels;
a reception part in each of the plurality of antenna panels to receive the adjacent panel phase shift determined by another arithmetic processing section of an adjacent one of the plurality of antenna panels; and
a transmission part in each of the plurality of antenna panels to send the phase shift determined by the arithmetic processing section to at least three adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels.

2. The phased array antenna according to claim 1 ,
wherein, after the adjacent panel phase shift is received from two or more adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels, the arithmetic processing section is adapted to determine the phase shift based on adjacent panel phase shifts from each of the two or more adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels, and if a plurality of different possible phase shifts are determined, the arithmetic processing section determines the phase shift based on the majority of different possible phase shifts; and
the transmission part is adapted to send the determined phase shift to the two or more adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels.

3. A phased array antenna comprising:
a plurality of antenna panels;
a plurality of antenna elements arrayed in each of the plurality of antenna panels, the plurality of antenna elements being connected in a form of a plane, the plurality of antenna elements radiating signals in an arrival direction of a pilot signal sent from an electric-power receiving facility, a phase of signals output from the plurality of antenna elements being controllable;
an arithmetic processing section provided in each of the plurality of antenna panels, the arithmetic processing section determining a phase shift of the signals radiated from a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements based on a position of the respective one of the plurality of antenna panels, and an adjacent panel phase shift sent from an adjacent one of the plurality of antenna panels;
a reception part in each of the plurality of antenna panels to receive the adjacent panel phase shift determined by another arithmetic processing section of an adjacent one of the plurality of antenna panels; and
a transmission part in each of the plurality of antenna panels to send the phase shift determined by the arithmetic processing section to at least three adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels;
wherein, after the adjacent panel phase shift is received from two or more adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels, the arithmetic processing section is adapted to determine the phase shift based on adjacent panel phase shifts from each of the two or more adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels, and if a plurality of different possible phase shifts are determined, the arithmetic processing section determines the phase shift based on the majority of different possible phase shifts;
wherein the transmission part is adapted to send the determined phase shift to the two or more adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels;
wherein, after two adjacent panel phase shifts are received from two different adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels, the arithmetic processing section is adapted to set a new phase shift when the two different adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels agree with each other; and
wherein the transmission part is adapted to sends phase disagreement information indicating disagreement between the phase shift and the adjacent panel phase shift of the adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels when the adjacent panel phase shift of the adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels disagree with each other, and to send the phase shift to the adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels when the phase shifts of the two different adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels agree with each other.

4. The phased array antenna according to claim 3 ,
wherein, when the two adjacent panel phase shifts of adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels disagree with each other, the reception part is adapted to then receive a third adjacent panel phase shift from a third adjacent one of the plurality of antenna panels,
wherein the arithmetic processing section is adapted to determine the phase shift based additionally on the third adjacent panel phase shift, and determines the phase shift based on a majority decision between the first, second and third adjacent panel phase shifts; and
wherein the transmission part is adapted to newly send the phase shift set via the majority decision to the adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels.

5. A phase control method for a phased array antenna that has a configuration in which a plurality of antenna panels in each of which a plurality of antenna elements are arrayed are connected in the form of a plane and that radiates signals in an arrival direction of a pilot signal sent from an electric-power receiving facility, by controlling phases of signals input to and output from the antenna elements, the method comprising:
receiving, with a reception part provided in each of the plurality of antenna panels, adjacent panel phase shift information used to determine a phase shift of the signals to be radiated from the antenna elements, from an adjacent one of the plurality of antenna panels;
calculating the phase shift of the signals to be radiated from the antenna elements based on the received adjacent panel phase shift information;
radiating the signals from the antenna elements at a phase corresponding to the determined phase shift; and
sending, with a transmission part provided in each of the antenna panels, the determined phase shift to at least three other adjacent ones of the plurality of antenna panels.

Assignees

• Narita Takanori
• Amma Kenichi
• Tsukakoshi Fumiya
• Ohno Morito
• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Narita Takanori
• Amma Kenichi
• Tsukakoshi Fumiya
• Ohno Morito

Classifications

• H01Q1/288

  Satellite antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/521

  reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas · CPC title

• H01Q3/26

  varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05F5/00 Primary

  Systems for regulating electric variables by detecting deviations in the electric input to the system and thereby controlling a device within the system to obtain a regulated output · CPC title

• H01Q23/00

  Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them · CPC title