This invention relates to reducing the complexity and cost of antenna arrays and is more specifically concerned with reducing the complexity of an antenna apparatus ( 10 ). It provides an antenna array ( 62 ) made up of a vertical stack of horizontal linear structures ( 74 ) each having several groups of neighboring array antenna elements ( 78 ), the groups ( 74 ) having variable numbers of the antenna elements ( 78 ) each connected to a transmit/receive module ( 66 ). The advantage of this configuration is that less communication modules ( 66 ), such as transmit/receive modules, are required to operate the antenna array ( 62 ), reducing the weight, power consumption and cost of an antenna apparatus ( 10 ) incorporating such an antenna array ( 62 ) without significantly limiting the capability and/or performance of a system compared to a conventional solution.
1. An antenna array comprising:
a plurality of phased array radar processing antenna elements that are arranged in groups of elements defining sub-arrays, each of the sub-arrays comprising horizontal strips of said antenna elements with a variable number of the antenna elements in the horizontal strips of each group; and
a plurality of communication modules;
wherein each communication module is connected to the antenna elements within a respective one of said groups of antenna elements; and
wherein each of the groups is driven with a common signal.
2. An antenna array according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-arrays all include the same number of antenna element rows.
3. An antenna array according to claim 2 , wherein each said sub-array has a phase center and said phase centers are arranged in an irregular configuration.
4. An antenna array according to claim 3 , wherein each said group of antenna elements comprises at least two of said antenna elements.
5. An antenna array according to claim 4 , wherein the groups of phased array antenna elements are provided on lateral structures.
6. An antenna array according to claim 5 , wherein the lateral structures are removable from the array.
7. An antenna array according to claim 6 , wherein the communication modules are transmit/receive modules.
8. An antenna array according to claim 7 , further comprising:
an antenna housing;
a drive shaft connected at a first end to the antenna housing and at another end to an aircraft body; and
a rotary joint disposed along the drive shaft for coupling therethrough electrical power, radio frequency and control signals to the antenna array;
wherein the drive shaft is operable to rotate the antenna assembly through 360°.
9. An antenna array according to claim 1 , wherein each group of antenna elements comprises at least two said antenna elements.
10. An antenna array according to claim 9 , wherein the groups of phased array antenna elements are provided on lateral structures.
11. An antenna array according to claim 10 , wherein the lateral structures are removable from the array.
12. An antenna array according to claim 11 , wherein the communication modules are transmit/receive modules.
13. An antenna array according to claim 12 , further comprising:
an antenna housing;
a drive shaft connected at a first end to the antenna housing and at another end to an aircraft body; and
a rotary joint disposed along the drive shaft for coupling therethrough electrical power, radio frequency and control signals to the antenna array;
wherein the drive shaft is operable to rotate the antenna assembly through 360°.
14. An antenna array according to claim 1 , wherein the groups of phased array antenna elements are provided on lateral structures.
15. An antenna array according to claim 14 , wherein the lateral structures are removable from the array.
16. An antenna array according to claim 15 , wherein the communication modules are transmit/receive modules.
17. An antenna array according to claim 16 , further comprising:
an antenna housing;
a drive shaft connected at a first end to the antenna housing and at another end to an aircraft body; and
a rotary joint disposed along the drive shaft for coupling therethrough electrical power, radio frequency and control signals to the antenna array;
wherein the drive shaft is operable to rotate the antenna assembly through 360°.
18. An antenna array according to claim 1 , wherein the communication modules are transmit/receive modules.
19. An antenna array according to claim 18 , further comprising:
an antenna housing;
a drive shaft connected at a first end to the antenna housing and at another end to an aircraft body; and
a rotary joint disposed along the drive shaft for coupling therethrough electrical power, radio frequency and control signals to the antenna array;
wherein the drive shaft is operable to rotate the antenna assembly through 360°.
20. An antenna array according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an antenna housing;
a drive shaft connected at a first end to the antenna housing and at another end to an aircraft body; and
a rotary joint disposed along the drive shaft for coupling therethrough electrical power, radio frequency and control signals to the antenna array;
wherein the drive shaft is operable to rotate the antenna assembly through 360°.