Patent ID: 9136611
Filing Date: 2015-09-15
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A directional antenna, comprising: an enclosure positioned on an aircraft; a first linear antenna array disposed within the enclosure, the first linear antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements physically oriented in a first orientation, the plurality of antenna elements being positioned along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft and being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance center-to-center; a second linear antenna array disposed within the enclosure, the second linear antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements physically oriented in a second orientation and spaced apart from each other by the predetermined distance center-to-center, wherein the second orientation is different from the first orientation; and a controller in communication with each of the plurality of antenna elements of the first linear antenna array and each of the plurality of antenna elements of the second linear antenna array, the controller configured to selectively activate at least one of the first linear antenna array and the second linear antenna array, the controller further configured to independently control a RF phase angle of each of the plurality of antenna elements of the first linear antenna array and each of the plurality of antenna elements of the second linear antenna array, allowing the linear antenna array to concentrate RF radiations in a particular wavelength generally toward at least one ground station.