An antenna device has a radiating unit having a plurality of antennas, configured to emit a radio signal with a radiation pattern. In addition, the antenna device has a calculator configured to generate and to apply to the plurality of antennas a plurality of feed signals based on an identification signal provided in order to generate the radio signal. The calculator is additionally configured to control the feed signals in a time-varying manner so that the radio signal is emitted with a time-varying radiation pattern.

A system and method provides time delays for an antenna array such as an electronically-scanned antenna array in a wide band range. The system and method can utilize time delay units including a radio frequency integrated circuit time delay unit portion provided on a radio frequency integrated circuit and an interposer time delay unit portion. The interposer time delay portion is provided on an interposer associated with the radio frequency integrated circuit.

The present invention provides a time delay device which allows changing, in accordance with a frequency of a local signal, a delay in a radio frequency signal supplied to an antenna element and also allows reducing a degree of dependency of the delay on a radio frequency in a band which is used. Each of (i) dispersion caused by a first dispersion imparting filter which gives a delay to a first local signal and (ii) dispersion caused by a second dispersion imparting filter which gives a delay to an intermediate frequency signal generated from the first local signal and the radio frequency signal is set to have a positive or negative sign which is opposite to the sign of the other.

A phased-array antenna system includes antenna elements of an RF front-end that each propagate a wireless beam portion. A digital beamforming system generates a digital beam corresponding to the wireless beam that is transmitted or received from the phased-array antenna system. Digital beamforming processors are each associated with a proper subset of the antenna elements. The digital beamforming processors can be collectively configured to iteratively process digital beam portions of the digital beam in a plurality of iteration levels comprising a lowest iteration level associated with lowest-level digital beam portions corresponding to the respective wireless beam portions at each of the respective antenna elements and a highest iteration level associated with the digital beam. Each digital beam portion associated with a given iteration level includes a sum of lesser digital beam portions from a next lower iteration level.

Antenna systems and methods of detecting RF signals received from a field of view (FOV) are presented, employing intersecting fan beam pluralities formed by associated columns or rows of antenna elements and cross-correlation of components of the received radiation from the fan beam pluralities. The intersecting fan beams pluralities form pencil-like beams persistently spanning the FOV as desired. Angle(s) of arrival and frequency channels of incident RF signals may be determined through power estimation, ranking and filtering, and/or frequency channelization techniques. Higher sensitivity beams may be cued to more accurately characterize the incident signals.

An integrated circuit (10, 10a-d) is disclosed, which is configured to be connected to an antenna module (3) having multiple antenna elements (17). The integrated circuit (10, 10a-d) comprises a plurality of communications circuits (50.sub.j), each of which is configured to be connected to an antenna element (17) of the antenna module (3). It also comprises a first clock input terminal (55.sub.1) configured to receive a reference clock signal from outside the integrated circuit (10, 10a-d) and a first clock-distribution network (60.sub.1) connected between the first clock input terminal (55.sub.1) and a first subset (65.sub.1) of the communication circuits (50.sub.j). Furthermore, it comprises a second clock input terminal (55.sub.2) configured to receive a reference clock signal from outside the integrated circuit (10, 10a-d) and a second clock-distribution network (60.sub.1) connected between the second clock input terminal (55.sub.2) and a second subset (65.sub.2) of the communication circuits (50.sub.j).

Systems and methods for delaying an input signal are described. A device can receive an input signal. The device can activate a state of at least one circuit element among a plurality of circuit elements. The plurality of circuit elements can be connected to a plurality of segments of a transmission line. The device can output the input signal to the transmission line. The device can receive a reflection of the input signal. A delay between the reflection and input signal can be based on the activated state of the at least one circuit element among the plurality of circuit elements. The device can output the reflection of the input signal as an output signal.

This disclosure includes a compact directional antenna array that has a low profile, is easy to deploy and provides a directional response over a wide range of frequencies. The array includes one or more pairs of equal length conductors that are arranged radially about the center of the array. The conductors follow the surface of a lossy medium and are each referenced to a conductive rod that is inserted into the medium. The directional response of the array is selectable by means of a series of configurable relays or switches that route some signals through a delay network to a combiner and other signals directly to the combiner.

A liquid crystal antenna includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and liquid crystals arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate. First protrusions and second protrusions are arranged at a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, a size of each first protrusion in a first direction is substantially greater than a size of each second protrusion in the first direction, and the first direction is a direction perpendicularly from the second substrate to the first substrate. A run-through labyrinth-type gap is defined by the first protrusions at a surface of the second substrate, and each second protrusion is arranged in the labyrinth-type gap.

A beam-steering antenna system for improving the angular coverage comprises a transmission line comprising a first end and a second end. The antenna system further comprises a plurality of antenna elements selectively coupled to the transmission line for selectively coupling energy within the transmission line to the plurality of antenna elements. Furthermore, the antenna system comprises a power amplifier coupled to the first end of the transmission line configured to couple-in an input signal into the transmission line during a first operating period. Moreover, the antenna system comprises a delay line coupled to the second end of the transmission line configured to reflect a portion of the input signal into the transmission line, thereby providing a reflection signal during a second operating period.