Self Focusing Distributed Communications Array
First Claim
1. A method of communicating between a remote transmitting station and a receive antenna having at least two sub-arrays, the method comprising:
- a. receiving a signal transmitted by the remote transmitting station with the at least two of the antenna sub-arrays, so that each of the at least two sub-arrays forms an output signal corresponding to the received signal;
b. designating the output of one of the at least two sub-arrays as a reference output signal;
c. forming a collection of composite output signals by combining the reference output signal with permutations of output signals from the other of the at least two sub-arrays and their output signals having an added time delay;
d. selecting a composite output signal from the collection;
e. calculating time offsets between the selected composite output signal and the at least two sub-array output signals;
f. selecting the output signal from the sub-array having received the signal last and adding a time adjustment to the output signals associated with other sub-arrays so that the output signals from each sub-array are synchronized; and
g. combining the time adjusted output signals to create an output signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of processing signals received and transmitted between a satellite and sub-arrays of an antenna array. The satellite emits an analog signal received by the sub-arrays, each sub-array in turn produces a corresponding output. The array'"'"'s total output is approximated by designating one of the sub-array'"'"'s output as a reference output, and digitally forming a series of beams that consist of the reference output and permutations of the other sub-array outputs with either no time delay or with a time delay applied. A high power beam from the series is selected for cross correlation with each sub-array output to determine the signal'"'"'s relative arrival time at each sub-array. Each sub-array output is time delayed based on the signal arrival time at that sub-array. The time delayed outputs are combined to form a high gain beam.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of communicating between a remote transmitting station and a receive antenna having at least two sub-arrays, the method comprising:
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a. receiving a signal transmitted by the remote transmitting station with the at least two of the antenna sub-arrays, so that each of the at least two sub-arrays forms an output signal corresponding to the received signal; b. designating the output of one of the at least two sub-arrays as a reference output signal; c. forming a collection of composite output signals by combining the reference output signal with permutations of output signals from the other of the at least two sub-arrays and their output signals having an added time delay; d. selecting a composite output signal from the collection; e. calculating time offsets between the selected composite output signal and the at least two sub-array output signals; f. selecting the output signal from the sub-array having received the signal last and adding a time adjustment to the output signals associated with other sub-arrays so that the output signals from each sub-array are synchronized; and g. combining the time adjusted output signals to create an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of communicating between a remote receiving station and a transmit antenna having at least two sub-arrays, the method comprising:
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a. receiving a signal transmitted by the at least two of the antenna sub-arrays, so that the receiving station forms an output signal corresponding to the signal transmitted by each of the antenna sub-arrays; b. designating the signal received from one of the at least two sub-arrays as a reference output signal; c. forming a collection of composite output signals by combining the reference output signal with permutations of output signals from the other of the at least two sub-arrays and their output signals having an added time delay; d. selecting a composite output signal from the collection; e. calculating time offsets between the signals by comparing arrival times of the selected composite output signal with the at least two sub-array output signals; f. selecting the received signal with the highest time delay and adding a time adjustment to the output signals associated with other sub-arrays so that the output signals from each sub-array is synchronized; and g. combining the time adjusted output signals to create an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of signal communications comprising:
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a. sending signals from at least two antenna sub-arrays of an antenna; b. designating the sent signal of one of the at least two sub-arrays as a reference sent signal; c. forming a collection of composite sent signals by combining the reference sent signal with permutations of sent signals from the other of the at least two sub-arrays and their sent signals having an added time delay; d. selecting a composite sent signal from the collection; e. calculating time offsets between the sent signals by cross correlating the selected composite output signal with the at least two sub-array output signals; f. synchronizing the sent signals based on the calculated time offsets; and g. combining the time adjusted output signals to create an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of processing signals handled by an antenna having at least two sub-arrays, the method comprising:
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a. receiving output signals from at least two antenna sub-arrays of an antenna; b. designating the received signal of one of the at least two sub-arrays as a reference signal; c. forming a collection of composite signals by combining the reference sent signal with permutations of signals from the other of the at least two sub-arrays and their signals having an added time delay; d. selecting a composite signal from the collection; e. calculating time offsets between the signals by cross correlating the selected composite signal with the other received signals; f. synchronizing the received signals based on the calculated time offsets; and g. combining the time adjusted output signals to create a coherent signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of processing signals handled by an antenna having at least two sub-arrays, the method comprising:
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a. receiving output signals from at least two antenna sub-arrays of an antenna; b. designating the received signal of one of the at least two sub-arrays as a reference signal; c. forming a collection of composite signals by combining the reference sent signal with permutations of signals from the other of the at least two sub-arrays and their signals having an added phase shift; d. selecting a composite signal from the collection; e. calculating time offsets between the signals by cross correlating the selected composite signal with the other received signals; f. synchronizing the received signals based on the calculated time offsets; and g. combining the time adjusted output signals to create a coherent signal.
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Specification