Patent ID: 7609205
Filing Date: 2009-10-27
Classification: H01P,H01Q

Abstract:
1. An electrically steerable phased array antenna system including an array of antenna elements and a corporate feed network arranged to split two input signals and vectorially combine proportions of such signals to provide antenna element signals and a beam with electrical tilt adjustable in response to varying the two input signals' phase difference, and wherein: a) the corporate feed network has an inner region and two outer regions, the inner region being located between the two outer regions and being arranged for input of the two input signals; b) the two outer regions are each arranged for generation of vector combinations of proportions of a respective one of the input signals plus and minus fractions of the other input signal; c) each outer region has a respective splitting and combining network arranged to provide the said vector combinations as output signals via a respective set of antenna elements connections, each set being either mostly or wholly located peripherally around a respective one of the splitting and combining networks; and d) each splitting and combining network has respective input signal connections from the inner region disposed largely peripherally of the corporate feed network, and each splitting and combining network is arranged in combination with the input signal connections such that track cross-overs in the corporate feed network are avoided.