Phased antenna arrays using a single phase shifter

摘要

Techniques for the design of low cost, low complexity phased arrays are described. The techniques allow control of the phase progression in the entire phased array by using only one phase shifter for a bank of arrays. In some examples, the phased array includes directional couplers, amplifying stages, power combiners and a phase shifter. The phase shifter may be of various kinds, including simple and compact phase shifters formed of varactor diodes and inductors or transmission lines.

主权项

1. A phased array comprising:
a plurality of antennas; a feed network comprising a plurality of coupling stages each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of antennas for coupling a respective portion of a first traveling signal to the respective antenna, the first traveling signal traveling in a first direction relative to the plurality of antennas and resulting from an input signal to the feed network; and a tunable phase shifting stage configured to receive the first traveling signal and produce a phase shifted second traveling signal, wherein the tunable phase shifting stage is configured to tunably adjust the phase of the second traveling signal resulting from the first traveling signal to scan a beam produced by the phased array, wherein the second traveling signal travels in the feed network in a second direction relative to the plurality of antennas, the second direction being opposite the first direction of the first travelling signal, such that each coupling stage couples a respective portion of the second traveling signal and the respective portion of the first traveling signal to the respective antenna for that coupling stage.