FULL-DUPLEX DUAL-FREQUENCY SELF-STEERING ARRAY USING PHASE DETECTION & PHASE SHIFTING
First Claim
11. A method of operating a self-steering retrodirective array comprising:
- (a) receiving an incoming signal from a signal source, (b) using a phase detector for detecting angle orientation of the incoming signal and providing an output of an error voltage signal indicative of phase detected, (c) coupling the output error voltage signal to a phase shifter for generating a transmitted signal in the same phase as the incoming signal, and (d) transmitting the transmitted signal back to the signal source at the same angle orientation as the incoming signal.
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Abstract
A self-steering retrodirective array capable of both full-duplex communication and maintaining a constant retrodirected power level uses an angle-detecting array with a phase detector to detect the angle of the incoming signal from a source and generate an error voltage signal, and a transmitting array having a phase shifter controlled by the error voltage signal to retrodirect a beam back in the direction of the source. A phase shifter in the receiving array also ensures coherent combination of the incoming signal. The angle-detection array and transmitter array are RF-decoupled for full-duplex communication. The efficiency of the system is increased by using an interrogator signal at a much lower frequency than the transmitted signal. In a preferred embodiment, a simple two-element angle detecting array detects the direction of the source. Since the source angle is determined by measuring the phase difference between the two antenna elements, the angle detecting array is insensitive to the type of modulation used for the incoming signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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11. A method of operating a self-steering retrodirective array comprising:
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(a) receiving an incoming signal from a signal source, (b) using a phase detector for detecting angle orientation of the incoming signal and providing an output of an error voltage signal indicative of phase detected, (c) coupling the output error voltage signal to a phase shifter for generating a transmitted signal in the same phase as the incoming signal, and (d) transmitting the transmitted signal back to the signal source at the same angle orientation as the incoming signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A self-steering retrodirective array comprising:
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(a) an angle-detecting array having a phase detector for detecting angle orientation of an incoming signal from a signal source and providing an output of an error voltage signal indicative of phase detected, and (b) a transmitter array for directing a transmitted signal back to the signal source at the same angle orientation as the incoming signal, said transmitter array being coupled to the output error voltage signal of said angle-detecting array and having a phase shifter for ensuring that the transmitted signal is transmitted in phase. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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17-1. A self-steering retrodirective array according to claim 15, wherein said transmitting array has two radiating-edge fed microstrip patch antennas, and the phase shifter is a reflection-type phase shifter used to perform the beam steering of the transmitted signal.
Specification