Digital beam stabilization techniques for wide-bandwidth electronically scanned antennas
First Claim
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1. A method for maintaining beam pointing for an electronically scanned antenna (ESA) employing a chirped pulse waveform wherein its frequency is varied over a wide frequency bandwidth within a pulse, comprising:
- for radiating elements comprising the ESA, each radiating element having an associated phase shifter having a discrete set of available phase shift values, setting the respective phase shifters to values for steering an ESA beam to a desired pointing direction for a first frequency in the frequency bandwidth during the pulse;
changing the operating frequency of the ESA in the frequency bandwidth during the pulse;
applying a set of phase corrections to the respective phase shifters to compensate for the change in frequency to maintain the ESA beam pointing direction during the pulse;
for at least some subsequent changes in the operating frequency within the pulse, applying a corresponding set of phase corrections to compensate for the frequency changes to maintain the ESA beam pointing direction during the pulse.
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Abstract
Techniques for maintaining beam pointing for an Electronically Scanned Antenna (ESA) as its frequency is varied over a wide frequency bandwidth. A technique uses discrete phase shifters, a number of stored states, and a control methodology for rapidly switching among the states.
28 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for maintaining beam pointing for an electronically scanned antenna (ESA) employing a chirped pulse waveform wherein its frequency is varied over a wide frequency bandwidth within a pulse, comprising:
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for radiating elements comprising the ESA, each radiating element having an associated phase shifter having a discrete set of available phase shift values, setting the respective phase shifters to values for steering an ESA beam to a desired pointing direction for a first frequency in the frequency bandwidth during the pulse;
changing the operating frequency of the ESA in the frequency bandwidth during the pulse;
applying a set of phase corrections to the respective phase shifters to compensate for the change in frequency to maintain the ESA beam pointing direction during the pulse;
for at least some subsequent changes in the operating frequency within the pulse, applying a corresponding set of phase corrections to compensate for the frequency changes to maintain the ESA beam pointing direction during the pulse. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An electronically scanned array (ESA) antenna employing a chirped pulse waveform, wherein the waveform frequency is varied within the pulse over a wide frequency bandwidth, comprising:
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a set of radiating elements;
a set of phase shifters, each having a discrete set of phase shifts, each radiating element having an associated one of said phase shifters;
a control system for setting the respective phase shifters to values for steering an ESA beam to desired pointing directions for frequencies in the frequency bandwidth within a pulse, and for applying sets of phase corrections to the respective phase shifters to compensate for changes in frequency to substantially maintain the ESA beam pointing direction within each pulse. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronically scanned array (ESA) antenna employing a chirped pulse waveform, wherein the waveform frequency is varied within the pulse over a wide frequency bandwidth, comprising:
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a set of radiating elements;
a set of phase shifters, each having a discrete set of phase shifts, each radiating element having an associated one of said phase shifters;
a beam steering system for setting the respective phase shifters to values for steering an ESA beam to desired pointing directions;
a beam stabilization circuit for compensating for frequency changes within a pulse to maintain a beam pointing direction during the pulse, said circuit applying sets of phase corrections to the respective phase shifters to compensate for changes in frequency to substantially maintain the ESA beam pointing direction within each pulse. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification