Lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel
A lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel includes a phased array antenna panel and at least one lens situated over the phased array antenna panel. The phased array antenna panel has a plurality of antennas arranged in a plurality of antenna segments. Each lens corresponds to at least one of the antenna segments. Each lens is configured to increase a gain of its corresponding antenna segment. Each lens increases a total gain of the phased array antenna panel. Additionally, each lens can provide an angular offset to direct a radio frequency (RF) beam onto its corresponding antenna segment.
1. A lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel comprising:
a plurality of antennas arranged in a plurality of antenna segments on a front surface of said phased array antenna panel;
a plurality of lenses situated over said front surface of said phased array antenna panel;
each of said plurality of lenses situated over a corresponding antenna segment in said plurality of antenna segments;
each of said plurality of lenses increasing a gain of said corresponding antenna segment in said plurality of antenna segments so as to increase a total gain of said phased array antenna panel.
2. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 , wherein said antenna segments are square-formatted antenna segments and said plurality of lenses are circle-shaped.
3. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 , wherein said antenna segments are rectangle-formatted antenna segments and said plurality of lenses are rectangle-shaped.
4. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 , wherein said antenna segments are row-formatted antenna segments and said plurality of lenses are row-shaped.
5. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of radio frequency (RF) front end chips;
a master chip;
wherein said master chip provides phase shift signals for said plurality of antennas through said plurality of RF front end chips.
6. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of antennas and said master chip are integrated in a single printed circuit board (PCB).
7. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of radio frequency (RF) front end chips;
a master chip;
wherein said master chip provides amplitude control signals for said plurality of antennas through said plurality of RF front end chips.
8. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of lenses is substantially flat.
9. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of lenses comprises a plurality of perforations.
10. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of perforations provide an angular offset to direct a radio frequency (RF) beam onto said corresponding antenna segment.
11. A lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel comprising:
a plurality of antennas arranged in a plurality of antenna segments on a front surface of said phased array antenna panel;
a plurality of lenses situated over said front surface of said phased array antenna panel;
each of said plurality of lenses situated over a corresponding antenna segment in said plurality of antenna segments;
each of said plurality of lenses increasing a gain of said corresponding antenna segment in said plurality of antenna segments;
each of said plurality of lenses providing an angular offset to direct a radio frequency (RF) beam onto said least one corresponding antenna segment;
said gain and said angular offset causing an increase in a total gain of said phased array antenna panel.
12. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 , wherein said antenna segments are square-formatted antenna segments and said plurality of lenses are circle-shaped.
13. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 , wherein said antenna segments are rectangle-formatted antenna segments and said plurality of lenses are rectangle-shaped.
14. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 , wherein said antenna segments are row-formatted antenna segments and said plurality of lenses are row-shaped.
15. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 further comprising:
a plurality of radio frequency (RF) front end chips;
a master chip;
wherein said master chip provides phase shift signals for said plurality of antennas through said plurality of RF front end chips.
16. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 15 , wherein said plurality of antennas and said master chip are integrated in a single printed circuit board (PCB).
17. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 further comprising:
a plurality of radio frequency (RF) front end chips;
a master chip;
wherein said master chip provides amplitude control signals for said plurality of antennas through said plurality of RF front end chips.
18. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said plurality of lenses is substantially flat.
19. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said plurality of lenses comprises a plurality of perforations.
20. The lens-enhanced phased array antenna panel of claim 19 , wherein said plurality of perforations provide said angular offset.