Antenna system
First Claim
1. A system for receiving signals from spatial objects comprising:
- a. an array fed aperture antenna for producing multiple beam patterns covering a predetermined spatial volume,b. a corresponding feed port for each beam pattern coupled to said array for producing an output when a signal is generated by an object within a corresponding beam pattern,c. a receiver for receiving said antenna array feed port outputs, andd. means coupled between said antenna array feed ports and said receiver for simultaneously monitoring all feed port outputs and automatically coupled only the output of the feed port producing the greatest power to said receiver whereby automatic and continuous reception of signals from an object within said multiple beam pattern is accomplished.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for receiving signals from spatial objects comprising an array fed aperture antenna for producing multiple beam patterns covering a predetermined spatial volume a corresponding feed port for each beam pattern coupled to said array for producing an output when a signal is generated by an object within a corresponding beam pattern, a receiver for receiving the antenna array feed port outputs, and means coupled between the antenna array feed ports and the receiver for automatically coupling only the output of the feed port producing the greatest power to the receiver whereby automatic and continuous reception of signals from an object within the multiple beam pattern is accomplished. In addition, the invention relates to coherent summing of various combinations of the feed port outputs to provide a variable beam width pattern.
108 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for receiving signals from spatial objects comprising:
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a. an array fed aperture antenna for producing multiple beam patterns covering a predetermined spatial volume, b. a corresponding feed port for each beam pattern coupled to said array for producing an output when a signal is generated by an object within a corresponding beam pattern, c. a receiver for receiving said antenna array feed port outputs, and d. means coupled between said antenna array feed ports and said receiver for simultaneously monitoring all feed port outputs and automatically coupled only the output of the feed port producing the greatest power to said receiver whereby automatic and continuous reception of signals from an object within said multiple beam pattern is accomplished. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 30, 31)
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20. A system for receiving signals from spatial objects comprising:
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a. an antenna array for producing multiple beam patterns covering a predetermined spatial volume, b. a corresponding feed port coupled to said array for each beam pattern and for producing an output when a signal is generated by an object within a corresponding beam pattern, c. a switching network coupled to said feed ports, d. a receiver coupled to said switching network, and e. means coupled to said switching network for manually selecting predetermined combinations of said feed port outputs to be coupled to said receiver thereby determining the spatial volume from which signals are to be received. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33)
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34. A method of receiving signals from spatial objects comprising the steps of:
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a. producing multiple beam patterns from an antenna array for covering a predetermined spatial volume, b. producing an output signal from a corresponding feed port for each beam pattern when a signal is generated by a target within a corresponding beam, and c. simultaneously monitoring all feed port outputs and automatically switching the output of the feed port producing the greatest power to a receiver whereby automatic and continuous reception of signals from said object within said multiple beam pattern is accomplished. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method of receiving signals from spatial objects comprising the steps of:
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a. producing multiple beam patterns from a Luneberg antenna array for covering a predetermined spatial volume, b. producing an output signal from a corresponding feed port for each beam pattern when a signal is generated by an object within a corresponding beam, c. simultaneously monitoring the outputs of all feed ports, and d. selectively providing an automatic mode and a manual mode of operation including; (i) in the automatic mode automatically switching the output of the feed port producing the greatest power to a receiver whereby automatic and continuous reception of a signal from an object within said multiple beam pattern is accomplished, and (ii) in the manual mode, selectively coupling any one, two or more coherently summed feed port outputs to said receiver whereby manual reception of a signal from an object within one, two or more of said beams is accomplished.
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38. An antenna system comprising:
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a. an array fed spherical Luneberg lens aperture for producing multiple beam patterns covering a predetermined spatial volume, b. a corresponding feed port for each beam pattern coupled to said array for producing an output when a signal is generated by an object within a corresponding beam pattern, c. low noise amplifiers coupled to each feed port for simultaneously generating right-hand circular and left-hand circular polarized signals representing said feed port output signal, d. means for simultaneously comparing all right-hand circular polarized signals and for separately and simultaneously comparing all left-hand circular polarized signals from said amplifiers to produce first and second output control signals representing an object within a corresponding beam pattern, e. dual receivers, one of said receivers for processing right-hand circular polarized signals and the other receiver for processing left-hand circular polarized signals, and f. a switching circuit coupled between said low noise amplifiers, said dual receivers and said comparing means for coupling to said receivers only the corresponding outputs of the amplifiers producing a signal representing said feed port output signal generated by an object within a corresponding beam pattern.
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39. A method of receiving signals from spatial objects comprising the steps of:
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a. producing multiple beam patterns from an array fed aperture antenna for covering a predetermined spatial volume and generating output signals representing a target within a corresponding beam, b. coupling radiometer receivers covering the telemetry bandwidth to said antenna array to continuously and simultaneously monitor all signal outputs from said antenna array and generate magnitude signals for each antenna feed, c. connecting comparators to said radiometer receivers for generating signals representing the antenna feed having the greatest magnitude signal output, and d. connecting the antenna feed of said antenna array having the greatest magnitude signal output representing a target in a particular beam pattern to a receiver whereby automatic and continuous reception of signals from said object within said multiple beam pattern is accomplished.
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Specification