Dual band antenna element

Claim 2

An antenna element comprising: means for responding to a signal in a first frequency band comprising a first waveguide having a first aperture, and means mounted at the first aperture of the first waveguide for responding to a signal in a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band and having dual polarization aperture and a dipole element extending out of the second waveguide at the second aperture.

Claim 3

The antenna element of claim 1, the second waveguide comprising a means for responding to a signal in the second frequency band in a first polarization, and the dipole element comprising a means for responding to a signal in the second frequency band in a second polarization.

Claim 4

The antenna element of claim 2, comprising a means adjacent each second waveguide for preventing signals of the second frequency band from entering the first waveguide.

Claim 5

The antenna element of claim 3, the at least one second waveguide having a tapered extension opposite the second aperture, and which tapers away from the first aperture of the first waveguide.

Claim 6

The antenna element of claim 4, the at least one second waveguide comprising an array of second waveguides mounted within the first aperture of the first waveguide.

Claim 7

The antenna element of claim 5, the dipole element comprising a means for connecting to a first feed line and a means for impedance matching the dipole element to the first feed line.

Claim 8

The antenna element of claim 6, the dipole element comprising a dipole antenna having two metal sections, the means for impedance matching comprising a tapered conductor between the two metal sections of the dipole antenna, the first waveguide comprising a means for connecting to a second feed line and a means comprising a triangular plate for impedance matching the first waveguide to the second feed line.

Claim 9

The antenna element of claim 7, the first frequency band and the second frequency band comprising non-overlapping bands of frequencies.

Claim 10

The antenna element of claim 8, the means for preventing comprising a dielectric material mounted adjacent each second waveguide.

Claim 11

The antenna element of claim 8, the means for preventing comprising a choke mounted adjacent each second waveguide.

Claim 12

The antenna element of claim 8, the means for preventing comprising an electric field absorber mounted adjacent each second waveguide.

Claim 13

The antenna element of claim 8, the first waveguide and each second waveguide having rectangular cross-sections.

Claim 14

The antenna element of claim 12, the rectangular cross-sections of the first waveguide and each second waveguide having one dimension greater than 0.5 wavelength and one dimension less than 0.5 wavelength.

Claim 15

The antenna element of claim 13, each second waveguide parallels the first waveguide and parallels the dipole element.

Claim 16

A planar phased array comprising: means for responding to a first frequency band signal comprising an array of first rectangular waveguides each having a first aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength, and means mounted within the first aperture of each first waveguide for responding to a second frequency band signal higher than the first frequency band signal and having dual polarization, comprising an array of second rectangular waveguides parallel to the first rectangular waveguides each second waveguide having: a second aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength; a tapered extension opposite the second aperture; a dipole element extending out of the second waveguide at the second aperture, the dipole element comprising two meral sections and a means comprising a tapered conductor between the two metal sections for impedance matching the dipole element to a feed line; and a means adjacent the second waveguide for preventing the second frequency band signals from entering the first waveguide.

Claim 17

A planar phased array comprising: means for responding to a first frequency band signal comprising an array of first rectangular waveguides each having a first aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength, and means mounted within the first aperture of each first waveguide for responding to a second frequency band signal higher than the first frequency band signal and having dual polarization, comprising an array of second rectangular waveguides parallel to the first rectangular waveguides each second waveguide having: a second aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength; a tapered extension opposite the second aperture; a dipole element extending out of the second waveguide at the second aperture, the dipole element comprising two meral sections and a means comprising a tapered conductor between the two metal sections for impedance matching the dipole element to a feed line; and a means adjacent the second waveguide for preventing the second frequency band signals from entering the first waveguide.

Claim 18

A planar phased array comprising: means for responding to a first frequency band signal comprising an array of first rectangular waveguides each having a first aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength, and means mounted directly adjacent the first aperture of each first waveguide for responding to a second frequency band signal higher than the first frequency band having dual polarization, comprising an array of second rectangular waveguides parallel to the first rectangular waveguides each second waveguide having: a second aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength; a dipole element extending out of the second waveguide at the second aperture, the dipole element comprising two metal sections and a means comprising a tapered conductor between the two metal sections for impedance matching the dipole element to a feed line; and a means adjacent the second waveguide for isolating the first frequency band signals from the second frequency band signals.

Claim 19

A planar phased array comprising: means for responding to a first frequency band signal comprising an array of first rectangular waveguides each having a first aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength, and means mounted directly adjacent the first aperture of each first waveguide for responding to a second frequency band signal higher than the first frequency band having dual polarization, comprising an array of second rectangular waveguides parallel to the first rectangular waveguides each second waveguide having: a second aperture with one cross-sectional dimension less than 0.5 wavelength; a dipole element extending out of the second waveguide at the second aperture, the dipole element comprising two metal sections and a means comprising a tapered conductor between the two metal sections for impedance matching the dipole element to a feed line; and a means adjacent the second waveguide for isolating the first frequency band signals from the second frequency band signals.

Claim 20

An antenna element comprising: means for responding to a signal in a first frequency band having dual polarization comprising a first waveguide having a first aperture, and means comprising an array of second waveguide mounted within the first aperture of the first waveguide for responding to a signal in a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band and having dual polarization.

Claim 21

An antenna element comprising: means for responding to a signal in a first frequency band having dual polarization comprising a first waveguide having a first aperture, and means comprising an array of second waveguide mounted within the first aperture of the first waveguide for responding to a signal in a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band and having dual polarization.

Claim 22

The antenna element of claim 17, the means for responding to a signal in a second frequency band having dual polarization being mounted directly adjacent the first aperture of the first waveguide.

Claim 23

The antenna element of claim 18, the means for responding to a signal in a second frequency band comprising at least one second waveguide having a second aperture and a dipole element extending out of the second waveguide at the second aperture.

Claim 24

The antenna element of claim 19, the second waveguide comprising a means for responding to a signal in the second frequency band in a first polarization, and the dipole element comprising a means for responding to a signal in the second frequency band in a second polarization.

Claim 25

The antenna element of claim 20, comprising a means adjacent each second waveguide for isolating signals in the second frequency band from signals in the first frequency band.

Claim 26

The antenna element of claim 21, the at least one second waveguide comprising an array of second waveguides mounted directly adjacent the first aperture of the first waveguide.

Claim 27

The antenna element of claim 22, the dipole element comprising a means for connecting to a first feed line and a means for impedance matching the dipole element to the first feed line.

Claim 28

The antenna element of claim 23, the dipole element comprising a dipole antenna having two metal sections, the means for impedance matching comprising a tapered conductor between the two metal sections of the dipole antenna, the first waveguide comprising a means for connecting to a second feed line and a means comprising a triangular plate for impedance matching the first waveguide to the second feed line.

Claim 29

The antenna element of claim 24, the first frequency band and the second frequency band comprising non-overlapping bands of frequencies.

Claim 30

The antenna element of claim 25, the means for preventing comprising a dielectric material mounted adjacent each second waveguide.

Claim 31

The antenna element of claim 25, the means for preventing comprising a choke mounted adjacent each second waveguide.

Claim 32

The antenna element of claim 25, the means for preventing comprising an electric field absorber mounted adjacent each second waveguide.

Claim 33

The antenna element of claim 25, the first waveguide and each second waveguide having rectangular cross-sections.

Claim 34

The antenna element of claim 29, the rectangular cross-sections of the first waveguide and each second waveguide having one dimension greater than 0.5 wavelength and one dimension less than 0.5 wavelength.

Claim 35

The antenna element of claim 30, each second waveguide parallels the first waveguide and parallels the dipole element.

Claim 36

The antenna element of claim 17, the first waveguide and each second waveguide having one dimension greater than 0.5 wavelength and one dimension less than 0.5 wavelength.