Patent ID: 7271767

Claim:
A subarray beamformer for a multi-beam phased array antenna comprising: a plurality of phased array antenna beamforming layers comprising; a first beamforming layer having a first plurality of combiners in a first orientation and combining a first set of signals to form a second set of signals; second beamforming layer having a second plurality of combiners in a second orientation coupled to and opposing said first plurality of combiners, said second plurality of combiners combining said second set of signals to form at least one first combined signal, a third beamforming layer having a third plurality of combiners in a third orientation and combining a third set of signals to form a fourth set of signals; and a fourth beamforming layer having a fourth plurality of combiners in a fourth orientation coupled to and opposing said third plurality of combiners, said fourth plurality of combiners combining said fourth set of signals to form at least one second combined signal, wherein said first plurality of combiners are in a first unidirectional orientation and said second plurality of combiners are in a second unidirectional orientation orthogonal to said first unidirectional orientation.