Phased array antenna with temperature compensating capability

• US 5,072,228 A
• Filed: 09/11/1990
• Issued: 12/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US07/580,557
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 342/368, 342/371, 342/372, 342/377, 342/360, 343/703
• US Class Current: 342/360
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices

Abstract

A phased array antenna having digital pulse shifters, which compensates for changes in characteristics caused by temperature variations. Each shifter is associated with a radiating element. A CPU calculates by simple processing the phase error of a high frequency signal radiated from each radiating element. A correcting amount is also computed by the CPU, which adds the correcting amount to a phase control signal associated with the radiating element of interest. This successfully maintains the phase plane of a phase array antenna, including its characteristics, such as beam shape and direction and side lobe level. Temperature variations have little or no effect on the antenna.

Claims

1. A characteristic compensating apparatus for a phased array antenna comprising a power divider for dividing transmitting power into a plurality of outputs, a plurality of phase shifters each receiving a respective one of said plurality of outputs of said power divider, a plurality of radiating elements arranged in an array each for receiving an output of a respective one of said plurality of phase shifters, and control means for controlling each of said plurality of phase shifters to have a phase-shift such that said phased array antenna delivers a scanning beam having a desired scanning angle, and characteristic compensating apparatus comprising:

monitoring means for receiving and combining outputs radiated from said plurality of radiating elements and for outputting as monitor outputs combined outputs which are associated with phase-shifts of said each phase shifter and represents a scalar when said control means controls said plurality of phase shifters to have respective first phase-shifts such that said phased array antenna has a predetermined scanning angle and, then, said control means controls each phase shifter to have 90°

, 180° and

270°

phase-shifts in addition to said first phase-shift;

phase error calculating means responsive to said monitor outputs for calculating a phase error of an output radiated from a radiating element associated with said each phase shifter; and

a plurality of latches each associated with a respective one of said plurality of phase shifters, each storing correction data determined in accordance with said phase error calculated by said phase error calculating means, whereby the amount of phase shift of said phase shifters is controlled with a combination of said phase-shift controlled by said control means and said correction data stored in said latches to deliver the scanning beam having the desired scanning angle from said phased array antenna.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is applied to a microwave landing system, said monitoring means, said phase error calculating means and said latches performing operations thereof during periods in which beam scanning for microwave landing is suspended.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said monitoring means outputs said monitor outputs V₁, V₂, V₃ and V₄ in accordance with said phase-shifts of 0°

, 90°

, 180° and

270°

,

said phase error calculating means outputs said phase error φ

given by ##EQU4## said phase shifter comprises an n-bit digital phase shifter, and said latch stores said correction data C given by ##EQU5## wherein INT means the absolute value.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said phase shifter comprises a 4-bit digital phase shifter, and said correction data C are given by ##EQU6##