PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA SYSTEM WITH CONTROLLABLE ELECTRICAL TILT

摘要

A phased array antenna system with controllable electrical tilt generates two signals V 2 a and V 2 b with variable relative delay therebetween. The signals are converted into antenna element drive signals by a power distribution network. The network splits each of the two signals V 2 a and V 2 b into three signal components. Pairs of components of different signals are input respective hybrid coupling devices (hybrids), which provide vector sums and differences of their inputs and act as phase-to-power converters. Their outputs are distributed between further hybrids, which act as power-to-phase converters and provide antenna element drive signals with phase varying both with element array position and also with the variable relative delay between the two signals V 2 a and V 2 b. Antenna electrical tilt is therefore controllable by altering a single relative delay.