System and method for operating transmit/receive modules of active aperture phased array antennas
First Claim
1. A method for controlling the active apertures of a phased array antenna of a radar transmitting RF pulses wherein each module of a plurality of modules includes a transmitter amplifier, a receiver amplifier, and a receiver protector element constituting unlike elements that are operated in response to a T/R signal during successive transmit/receive cycles of the radar, the transmitter amplifier elements of the array of modules, the receiver amplifier elements of the array, and the receiver protector elements of the array, each constituting like elements, the method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a T/R signal simultaneously to all the elements of the array;
delaying the application of the T/R signal to the array between a selected minimum and maximum time interval;
delaying the application of the T/R signal to corresponding elements of the array at predetermined times between the minimum and maximum time interval for operating like elements of the array substantially simultaneously;
varying the delayed application of the T/R signal to the like elements of the array for operating the unlike elements of the array at predetermined times relative to one another during the transmit/receive cycles; and
adjusting the time of occurrence of the RF pulses to the antenna manifold for transmitting the RF pulses during the simultaneous operation of the transmit amplifiers of the array.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling the times of activation and deactivation of transmit amplifiers, receiver amplifiers and receiver protectors of multiple T/R modules during successive transmit and receive cycles of an active aperture phase array antenna of a radar system. The corresponding elements of each T/R module are delayed to operate like elements simultaneously. The delayed application of this T/R signal to the like element is varied for operating unlike elements of the array at predetermined times relative to one another. A system and method for determining the required delay is disclosed.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for controlling the active apertures of a phased array antenna of a radar transmitting RF pulses wherein each module of a plurality of modules includes a transmitter amplifier, a receiver amplifier, and a receiver protector element constituting unlike elements that are operated in response to a T/R signal during successive transmit/receive cycles of the radar, the transmitter amplifier elements of the array of modules, the receiver amplifier elements of the array, and the receiver protector elements of the array, each constituting like elements, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a T/R signal simultaneously to all the elements of the array; delaying the application of the T/R signal to the array between a selected minimum and maximum time interval; delaying the application of the T/R signal to corresponding elements of the array at predetermined times between the minimum and maximum time interval for operating like elements of the array substantially simultaneously; varying the delayed application of the T/R signal to the like elements of the array for operating the unlike elements of the array at predetermined times relative to one another during the transmit/receive cycles; and adjusting the time of occurrence of the RF pulses to the antenna manifold for transmitting the RF pulses during the simultaneous operation of the transmit amplifiers of the array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of controlling the operating time in response to the reception of a pulsed T/R signal, of a plurality of like elements in a plurality of T/R modules for an active aperture phased array antenna wherein each T/R module includes a plurality of unlike elements;
- the method comprising;
providing a delay device for delaying selectively the reception of each pulsed T/R signal by the elements of the T/R modules, each said delay device having a plurality of selectable delay increments between a minimum and maximum range; determining and storing values corresponding to a selected minimum operating delay and a selected maximum operating delay for each of the elements of the plurality of T/R modules, the minimum operating delay corresponding to the operating delay together with a selected minimum increment of the delay device, the maximum operating delay corresponding to the operating delay together with a selected maximum incremental delay; determining and storing selected delay values falling between the minimum and maximum stored operating delays of all the elements of the array, for selecting the increment of delay of each respective elements; and operating each of the elements of the array in accordance with a selected delay increment for operating the like elements of the array substantially simultaneously and the unlike elements of each module at predetermined times relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
- the method comprising;
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10. In a radar for transmitting RF pulses during each transmit cycle and for receiving echoes of the transmitted RF pulses during each receive cycle, a system for controlling the operating time in response to the reception of pulsed T/R signals, of a plurality of like elements in a plurality of T/R modules for an active aperture phased array antenna having a manifold, wherein each T/R module includes a plurality of unlike elements, one of the unlike elements of each module being a transmitter amplifier;
- the system comprising;
a delay device for delaying selectively the reception of each pulsed T/R signal by the elements of the T/R modules, each said delay device having a plurality of selectable delay increments between a minimum and maximum range; means for determining and storing values corresponding to a selected minimum operating delay and a selected maximum operating delay for each of the elements of the plurality of T/R modules, the minimum operating delay corresponding to the operating delay together with a selected minimum increment of the delay device, the maximum operating delay corresponding to the operating delay together with a selected maximum incremental delay; means for determining and storing selected delay values falling between the minimum and maximum stored operating delays of all the elements of the array, for selecting the increment of delay of each respective elements; means for operating each of the elements of the array in accordance with a selected delay increment for operating the like elements of the array substantially simultaneously and the unlike elements of each module at predetermined times relative to one another; and means for adjusting the time of occurrence of the RF pulses of the antenna manifold for transmitting the RF pulses during the simultaneous operation of the transmitter amplifiers of the array. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
- the system comprising;
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14. A system for controlling active apertures of a phased array antenna comprising:
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a plurality of T/R modules each said module including a transmitter amplifier element, a receiver amplifier element, and a receiver protector element, the elements of each T/R module constituting unlike elements, each plurality of the transmitter amplifier elements of the array, each plurality of the receiver amplifier elements of the array, and each plurality of receiver protector elements of the array constituting like elements; means for transmitting a T/R signal to all the like and unlike elements of the array simultaneously; delay means for delaying application of the T/R signal to the like and unlike elements of the array between a selected minimum and maximum time interval; means for delaying the application of the T/R signal to corresponding elements of the array at predetermined times between the minimum and maximum time interval for operating like elements of the array substantially simultaneously; and means for varying the delayed application of the T/R signal to the like elements of the array for operating the unlike elements of the array at predetermined times relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A system for controlling active apertures of a phased array antenna comprising:
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a plurality of T/R modules each said module including a transmitter amplifier element, a receiver amplifier element, and a receiver protector element, the elements of each T/R module constituting unlike elements, each plurality of the transmitter amplifier elements of the array, each plurality of the receiver amplifier elements of the array, and each plurality of receiver protector elements of the array constituting like elements; means for transmitting a T/R signal to all the like and unlike elements of the array simultaneously; delay means for delaying application of the T/R signal to the like and unlike elements of the array between a selected minimum and maximum time interval; and means for delaying the application of the T/R signal to corresponding elements of the array at predetermined times between the minimum and maximum time interval for operating like elements of the array substantially simultaneously and for varying the delayed application of the T/R signal to the like elements of the array for operating the unlike elements of the array at predetermined times relative to one another, whereby compensation for the unequal or unknown delay commencing from the generation of the T/R signal until the elements of the array are operated, is effected such that like elements are operated simultaneously and unlike elements are operated in accordance with predetermined time relationships.
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Specification