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US5038147A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronically scanned antenna

Assignee: Alcatel Espace Industries SA
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Filing: 1989-11-03
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Granted: 1991-08-06
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Expires: 2009-11-03
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Abstract

Abstract An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array (11) of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector (10), and feed and control electronics, with the array (11) being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, and in which elementary sources that are not used simultaneously are grouped together in classes (Ci) in which only one source can be active at a time, with all of the sources in each class (Ci) being interconnected by a passive combiner (40) for that class. The invention is applicable in particular to space telecommunications.

Inventors

  • 👤 Albert Cerro
  • 👤 Michel Coustere
  • 👤 Benoit Hanin
  • 👤 Regis Lenormand
  • 👤 Jean-Philippe Marre

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 13:41
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/26; H01Q3/2658

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises: a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; and a divider between each elementary source and its respective combiner for dividing a signal from said each elementary source into a plurality of signals with each of said plurality of signals from each divider being coupled to a different combiner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 106 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises: a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; and a divider between each elementary source and its respective combiner for dividing a signal from said each elementary source into a plurality of signals with each of said plurality of signals from each divider being coupled to a different combiner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 130 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises: a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; beam forming means including a plurality of beam forming units for adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals received from said passive combiners; and a divider between each combiner and said beam forming means for dividing a signal from said each combiner into a plurality of signals, with each of said plurality of signals from each divider being coupled to a different beam forming unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 130 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises: a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; beam forming means including a plurality of beam forming units for adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals received from said passive combiners; and a divider between each combiner and said beam forming means for dividing a signal from said each combiner into a plurality of signals, with each of said plurality of signals from each divider being coupled to a different beam forming unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 133 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time, each said combiner including successive sets of microwave couplers with each coupler receiving two inputs and providing one output, with the couplers in a first of said successive sets receiving inputs from respective elementary sources and the couplers in each succeeding set receiving inputs from the outputs of the couplers in a previous set, with a last set comprising a single coupler for providing a combiner output signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 133 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time, each said combiner including successive sets of microwave couplers with each coupler receiving two inputs and providing one output, with the couplers in a first of said successive sets receiving inputs from respective elementary sources and the couplers in each succeeding set receiving inputs from the outputs of the couplers in a previous set, with a last set comprising a single coupler for providing a combiner output signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 108 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises: a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; and control means between said elementary sources and said passive combiners for selectively activating at any one time only one of the input signals to each passive combiner, said control means selectively activating a low noise amplifier associated with each said elementary source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 108 words
An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises: a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; and control means between said elementary sources and said passive combiners for selectively activating at any one time only one of the input signals to each passive combiner, said control means selectively activating a low noise amplifier associated with each said elementary source.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3500427A Cited
US3438029A Cited
US3737899A Cited
US4090199A Cited
US4257050A Cited
US4228436A Cited
US4544927A Cited
US4583061A Cited
JPS62203403A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-08-05 1995-02-04 1995-08-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-08-05 1999-02-04 1999-08-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-08-05 2003-02-04 2003-08-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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