Design and testing of compact dual-band dual-polarized robust satellite navigation antenna arrays

Die steigende Nachfrage nach präzisen Positionierlösungen für hochautomatisiertes Fahren und sicherheitskritische Anwendungen führt zu der Verwendung von Array-basierten Satellitennavigationsempfängern, die aufgrund des verbesserten Diversity-Gewinns und der potentiellen Strahlformungsfähigkeit eine bessere Leistung aufweisen. Die Notwendigkeit, die Robustheit von Navigationsempfängern gegenüber Quellen von Signalstörungen, wie Mehrwegempfang, atmosphärische, sowie Jamming- und Spoofing, zu verbessern, verlangt, den Empfänger weiter auszubauen, um Polarisations- und Frequenz-Diversity auszunutzen. Das hieraus resultierende Design ist durch eine signifikante Zunahme der Hardware- und Softwarekomplexität gekennzeichnet. Diese Komplexität steigt noch mit dem Trend, den Navigationsempfänger zu miniaturisieren, um die Integration in Fahrzeugen oder mobilen Systemen zu erleichtern. Da die gegenseitige Verkopplung zwischen den Antennenelementen eines kompakten Antennen- Arrays steigt, verschlechtert sich deren Strahlungseffizienz und Polarisationsreinheit und damit die Systemrobustheit. In dieser Arbeit wird ein kompaktes, dualbandiges und dualpolarisiertes Antennenarray für einen Navigationsempfänger untersucht, schaltungstechnisch entworfen und aufgebaut, womit Array-, Frequenz-, und Polarisations-Diversity ermöglicht wird. Dies führt zu einer signifikant verbesserten Robustheit gegenüber den angesprochenen Störungen. Diese Arbeit umfasst das Design des dualbandigen und dualpolarisierten Patchantennenelements, das Design des kompakten Antennenarrays, das Studium der Kreuzpolarisationsquellen in Patchantennen, die Analyse des Einflusses der gegenseitigen Kopplung auf die Strahlungseffizienz und Polarisationsreinheit, und die Abschwächung beider Effekte durch eigenmode-basierten Entkopplungs- und Anpassungsnetzwerken. Darüber hinaus beinhaltet die Arbeit die Integration des Antennensystems mit einem HF-Frontend zur Leistungsverstärkung, Filterung und Signalkonvertierung der Satellitensignale. Die Arbeit umfasst auch die Integration mit einem Array-basierten digitalen Empfänger, in dem neben der Datenerfassung, auch die Richtungsschätzung, das Beamforming und die Anti-Jamming-Algorithmen implementiert wurden. Die Machbarkeit sowohl der Array-Diversity als auch der Polarisations-Diversity wurde in Automotive-related Feldmessungen bestätigt, insbesondere für Elevationswinkel unter 40 bzw. 60 Grad, wo der Einfluss des Mehrwegempfangs ausreichend hohe Pegel erreicht. Die Messungen bestätigten die Robustheit des Empfängers gegenüber Stör- Nutzsignalverhältnissen von bis zu 85 dB und übertrafen damit mehrere "State-of-the-Art" Empfänger.The increasing demand for accurate positioning solutions for highly-automated driving and safety-critical applications motivates the use of array-based satellite navigation receivers that feature better performance, due to the enhanced diversity gain and the potential beamforming capability. The need for improving the robustness of navigation receivers against sources of signal distortion such as multipath propagation, atmospheric impact, jamming, and spoofing violations requests to extend the receiver to exploit polarization and frequency diversities. The resulting design is challenged by the significant rise in hardware and software complexity. This complexity increases even more with the trend to miniaturize the navigation receiver, to ease the integration in vehicles or mobile systems, because mutual coupling rises between the radiating elements of the receiver, and deteriorates their radiation efficiencies and polarization purities, and hence degrades the system robustness. In this thesis, a compact dual-band dual-polarized array-based navigation receiver that uses array diversity, frequency diversity, and polarization diversity is studied and designed, to provide robustness against the different types of distortions. The main contributions of the presented work include the design of the dual-band dual-polarized patch antenna element, the design of the compact antenna array, the study of the cross-polarization sources in patch antennas, the analysis of the mutual coupling impact on radiation efficiency and polarization purity of radiating elements, and the mitigation of both impacts using eigenmode-based decoupling and matching networks. Furthermore, the work also involves the integration of the antenna system with an RF-IF front-end, developed in cooperation with IMMS GmbH, for power amplification, filtering, and down-converting. The dissertation covers also the integration with an array-based digital receiver, developed in cooperation with RWTH Aachen University and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), to implement data acquisition, direction-of-arrival estimation, beamforming, and anti-jamming algorithms. The feasibility of both the array diversity and the polarization diversity was confirmed in automotive-related field measurements, particularly for elevations below 40 and 60 degrees, respectively; i.e., at directions far from the main beam direction of the even mode of the array (at zenith), and where the impact of multipath propagation on strength and polarization of the signal reaches sufficient levels to disturb the receiver. Measurements proved the receiver robustness against jamming-to-signal ratios up to 85 dB, outperforming several state-of-the-art receivers described in literature

A new blind adaptive antenna array for GNSS interference cancellation

This paper introduces a new blind adaptive antenna array as a possible solution to the interference cancellation problem. This new technique is compared to three classical ones over two different sensor radiation patterns. Special attention is paid to the array compatibility with a conventional GNSS receiver. A wide radiation pattern sensor is shown to improve the positioning accuracy by maximizing the satellite constellation visibility. Finally, the new processor demonstrates its superiority in term of positioning accuracy in presence of strong interferences. However, its phase response may make it incompatible with classical GNSS receivers. Some efforts must be done to stabilize it

Assessment of Measurement Distortions in GNSS Antenna Array Space-Time Processing

Antenna array processing techniques are studied in GNSS as effective tools to mitigate interference in spatial and spatiotemporal domains. However, without specific considerations, the array processing results in biases and distortions in the cross-ambiguity function (CAF) of the ranging codes. In space-time processing (STP) the CAF misshaping can happen due to the combined effect of space-time processing and the unintentional signal attenuation by filtering. This paper focuses on characterizing these degradations for different controlled signal scenarios and for live data from an antenna array. The antenna array simulation method introduced in this paper enables one to perform accurate analyses in the field of STP. The effects of relative placement of the interference source with respect to the desired signal direction are shown using overall measurement errors and profile of the signal strength. Analyses of contributions from each source of distortion are conducted individually and collectively. Effects of distortions on GNSS pseudorange errors and position errors are compared for blind, semi-distortionless, and distortionless beamforming methods. The results from characterization can be useful for designing low distortion filters that are especially important for high accuracy GNSS applications in challenging environments

Compact adaptive planar antenna arrays for robust satellite navigation systems

In den zurückliegenden zwei Jahrzehnten ist die Abhängigkeit der Industriegesellschaft von satellitengestützten Ortungssystemen, Navigationsdiensten und Zeitsignalen dramatisch gewachsen. Darauf aufbauende moderne Anwendungen reichen von hochgenauen Ortungsgeräten bis zu intelligenten Transportsystemen und von der Synchronisation mobiler Netzwerke zu Wetter- und Klimabeobachtung. Dies setzt neue höhere Standards in der Robustheit, Genauigkeit, Verfügbarkeit und Verlässlichkeit moderner Navigationsempfänger voraus. Möglich werden diese Verbesserungen aktuell mit der Einführung von Multiantennensystemen in den Navigationsgeräten. Jedoch wird die Nutzung dieses Ansatzes durch die größeren Abmessungen der Antennenarrays erschwert, weil standardmäßig der Elementabstand zu einer halben Freiraumwellenlänge gewählt wird, was im L Band ca. 10 cm bedeutet. In dieser Arbeit werden kompakte Antennenarrays für Navigationsempfänger mit geringerem Elementabstand vorgeschlagen, die eine Miniaturisierung der Empfängerabmessungen erlauben. Diese kompakten Arrays werden in ihrer Leistungsfähigkeit jedoch durch die negativen Effekte der Verkopplung zwischen den Einzelelementen beeinträchtigt. Für die Beurteilung der Empfängerleistungsfähigkeit existieren verschiedene Qualitätsparameter für Analyse und Entwurf der planaren Arrays. Damit werden z. B. Diversity Freiheitsgrade, Qualität der Richtungsschätzung, Polarisationsreinheit und die wechselseitigen Kopplungen gemessen und eine Entwurfsumgebung wird vorgestellt, in der das optimale kompakte Antennenarray für den jeweiligen Einsatzzweck ausgewählt und konfiguriert werden kann. Dieser Prozess wird durch eine Analyse des Rauschens und seiner Korrelationseigenschaften für den gesamten Empfänger begleitet. Darüber hinaus wird ein analytisches Modell des effektiven carrier-to-interference-plus-noise ratio abgeleitet, um die Leistungsfähigkeit der Navigationsempfänger in Szenarien mit Störsignalen zu untersuchen. Schließlich werden diese Betrachtungen durch den Aufbau eines kompletten Satellitennavigationsempfängers ergänzt, um mit ihm den Nachweis der Funktionsfähigkeit und der stabilen Funktion des entworfenen Systems mit kompaktem Array unter Störereinfluss bei Laborbedingungen und in den reale Außeneinsatz zu erbringen.Over the past two decades, humankind's reliance on global navigation satellite systems for precise positioning, navigation and timing services has grown remarkably. Such advanced applications vary from highly accurate surveying to intelligent transport systems, and from mobile network timing synchronization to weather and climate monitoring. This envisages new and higher standards of robustness, accuracy, coverage and integrity in modern navigation receivers. Recently, this has been accomplished with the incorporation of the multi-element navigation antenna receiver. However, the industrialization of this approach is limited due to the large antenna array size, hindered by the inter-element separation of half of the free-space wavelength, i.e. ≈ 10 cm at L band 1-2 GHz. In this thesis, compact navigation antenna arrays with smaller inter-element separations are proposed for the miniaturization of the overall size. However, these arrays become afflicted with the adverse effects of mutual coupling. Therefore, various figures-of-merit for the analysis and design of a compact planar navigation antenna array, such as performance diversity degrees-of-freedom, directional finding capabilities, and polarization purity, including mutual coupling effects, have been presented. This provides a general framework for the selection and configuration of the optimum compact navigation antenna array. In order to mitigate the mutual coupling, integration of the decoupling and matching network into customized compact navigation antenna array designs is performed. This is fostered by the correlated noise characterization of the complete receiver. Furthermore, an analytical model of the equivalent carrier-to-interference-plus-noise ratio is derived to investigate the navigation performance in interference scenarios. In the end, this is complemented by the implementation of the complete navigation receiver for verification and robustness validation of the derived compact antenna array concepts in indoor and outdoor interference scenarios

Metasurface Cloaks to Decouple Closely Spaced Printed Dipole Antenna Arrays Fed by a Microstrip-to-Balanced Transmission-Line Transition

In this work, we present a numerical study of 1D and 2D closely spaced antenna arrays of microstrip dipole antennas covered by a metasurface in order to properly cloak and decouple the antenna arrays operating at neighboring frequencies. We show that the two strongly coupled arrays fed by a microstrip-to-balanced transmission-line transition are effectively decoupled in 1D and 2D array scenarios by covering the dipole antenna elements with an elliptically shaped metasurface. The metasurface comprises sub-wavelength periodic metallic strips printed on an elliptically shaped dielectric cover around the dipole antennas and integrated with the substrate. We present a practical design of cloaked printed dipole arrays placed in close proximity of each other and demonstrate that the arrays are decoupled in the near field and operate independently in the far field with their original radiation characteristics as if they were isolated

Inverted-S Antenna with Wideband Circular Polarization and Wide Axial Ratio Beamwidth

A novel broadband circularly polarized (CP) antenna with wide axial ratio (AR) beamwidth is proposed. It is composed of two curved arms shaped like an inverted “S”. The mechanisms of wideband CP operation and wide AR beamwidth are explained. To validate the concept, a prototype at C-band is manufactured and measured. Experimental results confirm that the antenna achieves an impedance bandwidth of 63% and a CP bandwidth of 42%. Furthermore, maximum AR beamwidth of 140o is achieved and wide AR beamwidth can be maintained in a frequency bandwidth of 35% in nearly all elevation planes. In addition, the antenna has the advantage of being easily extended to arrays. A 4-element array using the proposed antenna is investigated through both simulations and experiments, and achieves 60% CP bandwidth and wide AR beamwidth. The proposed inverted-S antenna can realize wide CP bandwidth and wide AR beamwidth, and is easy to form wideband CP arrays

2009 Index IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters Vol. 8

This index covers all technical items - papers, correspondence, reviews, etc. - that appeared in this periodical during the year, and items from previous years that were commented upon or corrected in this year. Departments and other items may also be covered if they have been judged to have archival value. The Author Index contains the primary entry for each item, listed under the first author\u27s name. The primary entry includes the coauthors\u27 names, the title of the paper or other item, and its location, specified by the publication abbreviation, year, month, and inclusive pagination. The Subject Index contains entries describing the item under all appropriate subject headings, plus the first author\u27s name, the publication abbreviation, month, and year, and inclusive pages. Note that the item title is found only under the primary entry in the Author Index

2008 Index IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Vol. 16

This index covers all technical items - papers, correspondence, reviews, etc. - that appeared in this periodical during the year, and items from previous years that were commented upon or corrected in this year. Departments and other items may also be covered if they have been judged to have archival value. The Author Index contains the primary entry for each item, listed under the first author\u27s name. The primary entry includes the coauthors\u27 names, the title of the paper or other item, and its location, specified by the publication abbreviation, year, month, and inclusive pagination. The Subject Index contains entries describing the item under all appropriate subject headings, plus the first author\u27s name, the publication abbreviation, month, and year, and inclusive pages. Note that the item title is found only under the primary entry in the Author Index

Standing-Wave Dielectric Array Antennas

Due to the evolutions in wireless communication systems, antenna engineers have been confronting a number of challenges regarding improving the performance of antennas, miniaturizing the size as well as considering the fabrication simplicity. Although dielectric resonator antennas typically suffer from exhibiting low gain, they have been thoroughly under investigating as they are being excellent candidates to be utilized to fulfill contemporary communication systems requirements and specifications, especially at high-frequency ranges. The reason behind this solicitude is because they have several advantageous features, including but not limited to the simplicity of the used excitation mechanism and fabrication easiness. One of the well-known methods to improve the gain is by arraying additional individual DRAs. However, one major obstacle evokes when designing the array to operate at a higher frequency. Spurious radiations from the feeding network are considerable and unfavorably influence the overall array performance. Moreover, it is mandatory to have several quarter-wavelength transmission lines and power dividers which, in turns, lead to high configuration complexity. The substantial intention of this dissertation is to explore dielectric resonator array antenna designs where the concept of standing waves is utilized. In contradictory to corporate-fed traveling-wave array antennas designs, the need to utilize microstrip discontinuities such as quarter-wave transformers or power dividers is eliminated while having a single feeding port to excite the entire array structure. Consequently, undesired spurious coupling and radiations can be exceedingly minimized especially when operating at very high-frequency bands. The dissertation proposes two novel dielectric array configurations based on the concept of standing-wave. In the first configuration, vertical and horizontal low-profile dielectric bridges have been employed to connect 3x3 dielectric array elements. The top surface of each bridge is covered by a metallic patch to prevent unfavorable radiations coming out of the bridges. The array structure is fed using a single coupling aperture resides symmetrically underneath the center element only. When exciting waves are coupled to the center element, these waves can be transferred to other array elements via the introduced dielectric bridges. Therefore, the entire structure resonates at the resonant frequency as a whole. The proposed design provides a realized gain of about 15 dBi at the boresight. The return loss is about -20 dB possessing about 35.7% useful impedance bandwidth. The experimental results show excellent agreement with those obtained by simulation. The second proposed configuration consists of four dielectric resonator antennas forming a linear array. On the top surface of the substrate and between the array elements, there are three metallic patches which are employed to excite the array elements. These patches are slightly extended under the slabs to allow sufficient coupling. Under each dielectric slab, there is one metallic patch reside symmetrically at the center to enhance the wave coupling in both directions toward the array elements. The single feeding coaxial probe is attached to the center patch, and its location was optimized to provide excellent impedance matching. The maximum observed gain is 15 dBi at the boresight. The array structure is well matched and the return loss is measured to be -45 dB. The validity and versatility of both designs are realized and illustrated. One powerful advantageous feature is that the feeding network was extremely simplified to a single port to excite the entire array structure. Another advantage is that both designs were partially fabricated using 3D printing technology. Therefore, it can be said that the proposed configurations are easy to fabricate since the complexity of designing feeding networks was obviated

Decoupling for Millimeter-Wave Array Antennas Using Near-Field Shrinking Dielectric Superstrate

A decoupling concept of near-field shrinking dielectric superstrate (NFSDS) is proposed for large-scale, wideband, and dual-polarized mm-wave arrays. An NFSDS with a thickness of 4 mm (0.32 λ0 at 24 GHz) is mounted seamlessly above the array, which shrinks the near field of the array elements to reduce the space wave coupling while slightly increasing the surface wave coupling of the arrays. By loading a superstrate with a certain thickness and low permittivity, the total coupling of the mm-wave arrays is reduced significantly. Periodic air holes are drilled through the superstrate to lower the NFSDS permittivity. An 8 × 8 mm-wave array is simulated, fabricated, and measured to verify the proposed decoupling concept. The simulated and measured coupling of the mm-wave array is reduced from -17 dB to lower than -23.2 dB from 24 – 29.5 GHz and lower than -25 dB in most of the band, respectively. The radiation patterns of the array before and after decoupling almost keep unchanged. Moreover, the NFSDS can efficiently improve the array beam scanning capability. The measured results align well with the simulated