Ultra-wideband low-profile electronic support measure array

• US 10,162,040 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: McKivergan, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Linh V
• Application Number:
  US15/665,748
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 343756, 343755, 343779, 343872, 343909, 343910, 343911 R, 343912
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/16 Azimuthal guidance systems, e.g. system for defining aircraft approach path, localiser system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/12 Means for determining sense of direction, e.g. by combining signals from directional antenna or goniometer search coil with those from non-directional antenna determining direction by amplitude comparison of signals derived by combining directional and non-directional signals G01S3/24, G01S3/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/32 derived from different combinations of signals from separate antennas, e.g. comparing sum with difference
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/08 formed of solid dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0031 Parallel-plate fed arrays; Lens-fed arrays multibeam arrays H01Q25/008
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/25 Ultra-wideband [UWB] systems, e.g. multiple resonance systems; Pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/043 using best eigenmode, e.g. beam forming or beam steering

Abstract

The system and method for using a wideband dielectric lens array to instantaneously and unambiguously determining azimuthal angle of arrival (AoA) of RF energy over a frequency bandwidth of greater than four octaves. By forming two omnidirectional modes with a constant and linear phase response versus azimuth respectively, the AoA of the incident RF signal can be determined unambiguously using a one or two channel receiver architecture that is capable of measuring the phase between the two modal outputs.

Claims

1. A multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array comprising

a graded dielectric lens structure comprising,

one or more disk-shaped lenses comprising,

decreasing thickness from the center of the one or more disk-shaped lenses to an outward edge of the one or more disk-shaped lenses;

and

corresponding tapered dielectric constants wherein lower frequencies radiate from the center of the one or more disk-shaped lenses and higher frequencies radiate from the outward edge of the one or more disk-shaped lenses; and

a plurality of circularly disposed elements;

a plurality of transmit/receive (T/R) modules comprising a power amplifier (PA), a switch, and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) paired to each of the plurality of circularly disposed elements; and

an RF transceiver to generate and receive signals,

wherein the multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array is configured to provide high efficiency and pattern stability over a frequency bandwidth that exceeds four octaves.

2. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of circularly disposed elements comprises sixteen elements spaced circumferentially at 22.5 degrees.

3. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver is configured to generate omnidirectional signals.

4. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver is configured to generate directional signals.

5. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 3, wherein the RF transceiver is configured to generate a first omnidirectional radiation mode that possesses a constant phase vs. azimuth angle and a second omnidirectional mode that possesses a linear phase vs. azimuth angle.

6. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 5, wherein measurement of an angle of a vector ratio of the first and second modes provides an unambiguous azimuth angle of arrival determination.

7. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the array is configured to form sum/difference beams with adjacent pairs of elements to provide an alternate means of determining angle of arrival.

8. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the array provides a scalable azimuth beamwidth by energizing some or all of the plurality of circularly disposed elements.

9. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 5, wherein the array is configured to determine an unambiguous azimuthal angle of arrival using a single receiver by summing the first and the second omnidirectional modes with an additional phase shifter.

10. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the lens array is low profile with a height of less than lambda/20 at the lowest frequency of operation.

11. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the array is fed against a conducting groundplane or as a free-space antenna that does not require an RF counterpoise.

12. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 11, wherein the array being fed as a free-space antenna does not require an RF counterpoise and has a second graded dielectric lens structure.

13. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein multiple graded dielectric lens structures are stacked in elevation to provide enhanced gain and elevation angle of arrival.

14. The multi-element, ultra-wideband, circular array of claim 1, wherein the graded dielectric lens structure utilizes a continuously variable dielectric gradient rather than discrete disk-shaped lenses.

15. A method of determining angle of arrival comprising

providing a graded dielectric lens structure comprising,

one or more disk-shaped lenses comprising,

decreasing thickness from the center of the one or more disk-shaped lenses to an outward edge of the one or more disk-shaped lenses;

and

corresponding tapered dielectric constants wherein lower frequencies radiate from the center of the one or more disk-shaped lenses and higher frequencies radiate from the outward edge of the one or more disk-shaped lenses; and

providing a plurality of circularly disposed elements;

providing a plurality of transmit/receive (T/R) modules comprising a power amplifier (PA), a switch, and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) paired to each of the plurality of circularly disposed elements; and

generating omnidirectional signals using an RF transceiver;

generating a first omnidirectional mode that possesses a constant phase vs. azimuth angle;

generating a second omnidirectional mode that possesses a linear phase vs. azimuth angle;

measuring an angle of a vector ratio of the first and second modes; and

determining an unambiguous azimuth angle of arrival over a frequency bandwidth that exceeds four octaves.

16. The method of determining angle of arrival of claim 15, further comprising generating directional signals.

17. The method of determining angle of arrival of claim 15, wherein the plurality of circularly disposed elements comprises sixteen elements spaced circumferentially at 22.5 degrees.

18. The method of determining angle of arrival of claim 15, further comprising forming sum/difference beams with adjacent pairs of elements to provide an alternate means of determining angle of arrival.

19. The method of determining angle of arrival of claim 15, wherein determining an unambiguous azimuthal angle of arrival uses a single receiver by summing the first and the second omnidirectional modes with an additional phase shifter.

20. The method of determining angle of arrival of claim 15, wherein the graded dielectric lens structure utilizes a continuously variable dielectric gradient rather than discrete disk-shaped lenses.