The present invention is a dual Ka-band, compact, high efficiency CP antenna cluster with dual band compact diplexers-polarizers that can be used as a basic building block for mobile satellite antenna arrays that require minimal dimensions and high efficiency.

A parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna that comprises two or more antenna feeds each directed towards a parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the antenna feeds are positioned in one or more line-arrays parallel to a focal line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, and the line-array is substantially centered opposing the reflector. The antenna comprises a controller configured to scan along a straight edge of the reflector by electronically adjusting a phase of each of the antenna feeds, thereby changing the incident angle of an energy beam relative to the reflector. The controller is configured to scan along a curved edge of the reflector by moving, using a mechanical positioning mechanism, the antenna feeds in a direction parallel to a directrix of the reflector while maintaining the positioning or by electronically selecting one of two or more parallel line-arrays.

A digital receiver includes a digital synthesizer that generates a local oscillating (LO) signal at a selected frequency, and a signal mixer that receives an input signal and generates a mixed output signal in response to shifting a phase of the input signal based on the frequency of the LO signal. A multi-mode dynamic channelizer is selectively operable in a first mode and a second mode. The first mode generates a plurality of individual channels having a channel size defined by a bandwidth and a gain, and the second mode generates a parallelization of a selected channel. In response to operating in the second mode, the multi-mode dynamic channelizer adjusts at least one of the bandwidth and the gain of the selected channel based on the mixed output signal to change the channel size of the selected channel.

The present invention is a dual Ka-band, compact, high efficiency CP antenna cluster with dual band compact diplexers-polarizers that can be used as a basic building block for mobile satellite antenna arrays that require minimal dimensions and high efficiency.

Aspects of the disclosure provide for an antenna system. The antenna system includes a main reflector, a phased array feed, and a mechanical steering system. The phased array feed is configured to receive and/or transmit signals reflected off the main reflector and to electronically steer a transmitted signal on a first axis. The main reflector and the phased array feed are both attached to the mechanical steering system, and the mechanical steering system is configured to move the transmitted signal along a second axis.

A method for adjusting a pointing direction of an antenna beam involves forming a beam with a reflector antenna including a reflector and a feed, the feed including an array of N antenna elements, by activating a first set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements. A signal metric of a signal communicated via the beam is measured. In an iterative fashion, a pointing direction of the beam is adjusted at least in part by activating a different set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements, and the signal metric is re-measured with each iterative adjustment. A final pointing direction and associated final set of antenna elements are selected for operation of the reflector antenna based on the signal metric measurements.

A parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna that comprises two or more antenna feeds each directed towards a parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the antenna feeds are positioned in one or more line-arrays parallel to a focal line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, and the line-array is substantially centered opposing the reflector. The antenna comprises a controller configured to scan along a straight edge of the reflector by electronically adjusting a phase of each of the antenna feeds, thereby changing the incident angle of an energy beam relative to the reflector. The controller is configured to scan along a curved edge of the reflector by moving, using a mechanical positioning mechanism, the antenna feeds in a direction parallel to a directrix of the reflector while maintaining the positioning or by electronically selecting one of two or more parallel line-arrays.

An antenna device is disclosed, including a control means and at least two transmission means in predeterminable positions and at least two receiving means in predeterminable positions. The control means is set up in such a way that it alternately individually excites the at least two transmission means in transmission, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving means receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission means. The control means is further set up to excite the at least two transmission means jointly in transmission at a predeterminable moment in such a way that each of the at least two receiving means receives a transmission signal generated by a single virtual transmission means.

A reflect array-feeding array (RA-FA) antenna is disclosed. The RA-FA antenna comprising: a reflect array base comprising a plurality of reflecting elements with a phase shift distribution to reflect an incident beam to generate a reflected beam having a narrower beamwidth in an elevation plane and a same beamwidth in an azimuth plane, and a feeding array comprising a phased antenna array with a beam-steering ability to direct the incident beam at the reflecting elements. The reflecting elements may be configured in a pattern with rows and columns and reflecting elements along rows have a same phase shift, and reflecting elements along columns have phase shifts to narrow the incident beam to form the reflected beam narrower in the elevation plane.

A digital receiver includes a digital synthesizer that generates a local oscillating (LO) signal at a selected frequency, and a signal mixer that receives an input signal and generates a mixed output signal in response to shifting a phase of the input signal based on the frequency of the LO signal. A multi-mode dynamic channelizer is selectively operable in a first mode and a second mode. The first mode generates a plurality of individual channels having a channel size defined by a bandwidth and a gain, and the second mode generates a parallelization of a selected channel. In response to operating in the second mode, the multi-mode dynamic channelizer adjusts at least one of the bandwidth and the gain of the selected channel based on the mixed output signal to change the channel size of the selected channel.