Microwave Antenna Beam Steering Through Waveguide Mode Mixing

Antenna beam-steering technology has become increasingly important in modern communication systems, especially in radar and wireless communications where the direction of the beam path plays a crucial role in throughput and signal quality. There is an ongoing need for methods that provide precise steering control and extensive scanning capabilities to maintain high-quality communication. Current steering methods, particularly mechanical methods, often face problems with reliability, speed, and precision. Mechanical steering is typically slow and less precise, often requiring substantial time for altering course once the beam needs significant adjustment. Additionally, these traditional methods have limitations in achieving tight beam scanning, which is a critical requirement in several communication systems.

Technology Description

This technology is a unique method and an apparatus to electronically manipulate antenna beams. It accomplishes the beam steering by modifying the electric field laid out at the open end of one or multiple over-moded waveguides, made possible through precise controlled blending of many modes. This technique involves passing a signal through multiple modes in a waveguide, and the relative phase and amplitude of each mode are altered in relation to other modes to steer the beam. This technology sets itself apart as it provides fine adjustments to the steering angle and enables tight beam scanning, a characteristic that conventional methods can struggle to achieve. Furthermore, this new method reveals an innovative configuration, including a common waveguide for propagating several modes, two specific waveguides for propagating its first and second modes, and a splitter/combiner for coupling the first and second waveguides to the common waveguide. The controller efficiently adjusts the propagation characteristic relating different modes together in at least one path to steer the antenna beam.