ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED ANTENNA SYSTEM

• US 3,560,978 A
• Filed: 11/01/1968
• Issued: 02/02/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ernest G. Parker, Leon Himmel, Sven H. Dodington
• Inventors: Himmel, Leon, Dodington, Sven H., Parker, Ernest G.
• Application Number:
  US04/772,686
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• US Class Current: 342/399
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/28 using a secondary device in the form of two or more substantially straight conductive elements log- periodic antennas H01Q11/10; constituting a reflecting surface H01Q19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/446 the radiating element being at the centre of one or more rings of auxiliary elements

Abstract

IN A TACAN BEACON ANTENNA, A MONOPOLE RADIATOR SURROUNDED BY TWO OR MORE CONCENTIC CIRCULAR ARRAYS OF PARASITIC ELEMENTS, WHICH ELEMENTS ARE DIGITALLY INHIBITED IN SEQUENCE IN A PREDETERMINED MANNER, IS USED TO PRODUCE A ROTATING RADIATION PATTERN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 15 AND 135 CYCLE-PER-SECOND SIGNALS AT A RECEIVER. PARASITIC ELEMENTS ARE INHIBITED BY BEING OPEN CIRCUITED BY DIGITALLY CONTROLLED SWITCHING DIODES. RECIRCULATING SHIFT REGISTERS ARE USED TO INHIBIT PARASITIC ELEMENTS IN THE CIRCULAR ARRAYS TO PRODUCE THE REQUIRED MODULATION RADIATION PATTERN. A COMMON CLOCK IS USED TO STEP SAID REGISTER ALONG TO PRODUCE THE DESIRED ROTATING PATTERN.

Claims