May 13, 2025

US12298426 - Low swap aperture for direction finding across extreme wide band

A wideband direction finding (WBDF) aperture employs a limited number of extreme wideband end-fire antenna elements capable of covering a wide frequency bandwidth. Arranging variable sized antenna elements in a specific pattern, the WBDF aperture enables direction finding capability covering an extreme wide frequency band. The pattern arrangement of variable sized elements offers the signal discernment to limit ambiguities in signal angle of arrival. This small form factor design enables the WBDF aperture to be mounted on the surface of a missile, munition, or small UAS wing or fuselage. The WBDF aperture offers a combination of differing sized antenna elements arranged in a specific pattern, combined with direction finding and signal tracking to provide an unambiguous relative azimuth and elevation angle of the target.

Assignee: Raytheon Company
Inventors: Joshua A. Whorf, Jacquelyn A. Vitaz, Steven Carson, Stephen Sekelsky, Chad Wangsvick
Filing date: 2021-04-28

The patent describes a wideband direction-finding aperture that utilizes a limited number of end-fire antenna elements arranged in a specific pattern to effectively cover a wide frequency bandwidth. This design allows for precise direction finding and signal tracking, making it suitable for integration on missiles, munitions, or small unmanned aerial systems.

Claim 1

A wideband direction-finding aperture, comprising: an array having at least four antenna elements, an array center point, an x axis, a y axis, and a z axis, wherein the at least four antenna elements are end-fire antenna elements with beam patterns oriented along the y axis, wherein the at least four antenna elements comprise: a first antenna element of a first size and having a first element center point; a second antenna element of the first size and having a second element center point; a third antenna element of the first size and having a third element center point; and a fourth antenna element of a second size and having a fourth element center point, wherein the second size is smaller than the first size; the array configured, for a signal reception of a wide frequency bandwidth to enable a direction finding (DF) of a target, wherein the at least four antenna elements are oriented in a pattern, the pattern configured to limit at least one ambiguity associated with the signal reception, wherein the pattern comprises: the first element center point oriented a forward distance and a second right distance from the array center point; the second element center point oriented a second aft distance and a first right distance from the array center point; the third element center point oriented a first aft distance and a left distance from the array center point; and the fourth element center point oriented the first aft distance and a third right distance from the array center point, wherein the first aft distance is less than the second aft distance, wherein the forward distance is larger than the first aft distance and smaller than the second aft distance, wherein the first right distance is less than the second right distance, wherein the second right distance is less than the third right distance, wherein the third right distance is larger than the left distance, wherein the array center point is coincident to the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis, wherein forward and aft are opposing directions along the y axis, wherein left and right are opposing directions along the x axis. an array having at least four antenna elements, an array center point, an x axis, a y axis, and a z axis, wherein the at least four antenna elements are end-fire antenna elements with beam patterns oriented along the y axis, wherein the at least four antenna elements comprise: a first antenna element of a first size and having a first element center point; a second antenna element of the first size and having a second element center point; a third antenna element of the first size and having a third element center point; and a fourth antenna element of a second size and having a fourth element center point, wherein the second size is smaller than the first size; a first antenna element of a first size and having a first element center point; a second antenna element of the first size and having a second element center point; a third antenna element of the first size and having a third element center point; and a fourth antenna element of a second size and having a fourth element center point, wherein the second size is smaller than the first size; the array configured, for a signal reception of a wide frequency bandwidth to enable a direction finding (DF) of a target, wherein the at least four antenna elements are oriented in a pattern, the pattern configured to limit at least one ambiguity associated with the signal reception, wherein the pattern comprises: the first element center point oriented a forward distance and a second right distance from the array center point; the second element center point oriented a second aft distance and a first right distance from the array center point; the third element center point oriented a first aft distance and a left distance from the array center point; and the fourth element center point oriented the first aft distance and a third right distance from the array center point, wherein the first aft distance is less than the second aft distance, wherein the forward distance is larger than the first aft distance and smaller than the second aft distance, wherein the first right distance is less than the second right distance, wherein the second right distance is less than the third right distance, wherein the third right distance is larger than the left distance, wherein the array center point is coincident to the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis, wherein forward and aft are opposing directions along the y axis, wherein left and right are opposing directions along the x axis. the first element center point oriented a forward distance and a second right distance from the array center point; the second element center point oriented a second aft distance and a first right distance from the array center point; the third element center point oriented a first aft distance and a left distance from the array center point; and the fourth element center point oriented the first aft distance and a third right distance from the array center point, wherein the first aft distance is less than the second aft distance, wherein the forward distance is larger than the first aft distance and smaller than the second aft distance, wherein the first right distance is less than the second right distance, wherein the second right distance is less than the third right distance, wherein the third right distance is larger than the left distance, wherein the array center point is coincident to the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis, wherein forward and aft are opposing directions along the y axis, wherein left and right are opposing directions along the x axis.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12298426

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12298426