Multibeam antenna system
A multibeam antenna system having a substrate forming a ground plane and a lens positioned on the substrate. At least one radiating element is positioned around the lens and configured to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic wave. A switching means enables one of the at least one radiating element to be selected. The lens is constituted by a cylindrical ring whose axis is perpendicular to the substrate.
1. A Multibeam antenna system comprising:
a substrate forming a ground plane,
a lens positioned on the substrate,
a plurality of radiating elements configured to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic waves, said radiating elements being positioned on the substrate around the lens,
a plurality of reflective elements arranged around the plurality of radiating elements;
each radiating element being associated with a respective reflective element for directing, by reflection, radiation from the respective radiating element to the lens; and
a switching device configured to select at least one of the radiating elements,
wherein the lens comprises a cylindrical ring whose axis is perpendicular to the substrate.
2. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical ring has an cross-section a circular or parallelepipedic shape.
3. The antenna system according to claim 2 , wherein the cylindrical ring has a thickness close to λg/4 where λg is the guided wavelength and equal to
λ
0
ɛ
r
μ
r
(λ0 the wavelength in a vacuum, ∈r and μr respectively the permittivity and permeability of the material forming the lens).
4. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the material of the lens is chosen from among plastic materials comprising polymethylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), ceramics, and magneto dielectric materials.
5. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the radiating elements are chosen from among the monopoles, patches, slots.
6. The antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein the radiating elements are positioned on a circle circumscribing the lens.