Phase measuring circuit of phased array antenna

• US 5,294,934 A
• Filed: 11/06/1992
• Issued: 03/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Soichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US07/972,930
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 342/360, 342/173, 342/174, 342/169, 342/170, 434/2
• US Class Current: 342/173
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices

Abstract

A phase measurement circuit of a phased array antenna having both transmitting and receiving functions includes a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a line or on a plain; phase shifters disposed corresponding to the antenna elements, respectively, for shifting phases of signals to form a beam in a desired direction by changing the phase value; a control circuit for controlling the phase shift quantity of the phase shifter; a test antenna for receiving electric wave of a transmission frequency band from the phased array antenna and transmitting a test signal for measuring an excitation phase to each element of the phased array antenna; and a test translator for converting a frequency of the signal of the transmission frequency band received by the test antenna to that of the signal of a reception frequency band and outputting it as a test signal to the test antenna. Thus, a loop of the signal is formed between the terminal for the transmitted signal and the terminal for the received signal in the phased array antenna, whereby the phases of transmitting and receiving systems can be respectively measured.

Claims

1. A phase measurement circuit of a phased array antenna having both transmitting and receiving functions and having a transmission frequency band and a reception frequency band of different frequencies, comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array;

phase shifters disposed corresponding to said antenna elements, respectively, for shifting phases of signals to form a beam in a desired direction by changing the phase value;

a control circuit for controlling the phase shift quantity of said phase shifter;

a test antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves in the transmission frequency band from the phased array antenna and transmitting a test signal for measuring an excitation phase to each element of the phased array antenna; and

a test translator for converting the frequency of the signal of the transmission frequency band received by the test antenna to that of the signal of the reception frequency band and outputting the converted signal as a test signal to the test antenna.

2. A phase measurement circuit of a phased array antenna having both transmitting and receiving functions and having a transmission frequency band and a reception frequency band of different frequencies, comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array;

phase shifters disposed corresponding to said antenna elements, respectively, for shifting phases of signals to form a beam in a desired direction by changing the phase value;

a control circuit for controlling the phase shift quantity of said phase shifter;

a test antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves in the transmission frequency band from the phased array antenna and transmitting a test signal for measuring an excitation phase to each element of the phased array antenna; and

a test translator for converting the frequency of the electromagnetic waves of the transmission frequency band received by the test antenna to that of the electromagnetic waves of the reception frequency band and outputting the converted signal as a test signal to the test antenna, in which one of the element antennas of the phased array antenna functions as said test antenna, and said test translator is incorporated in the phased array antenna.

3. A phase measurement circuit of a phased array antenna having both transmitting and receiving functions and having a transmission frequency band and a reception frequency band of different frequencies, comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array;

phase shifters disposed corresponding to said antenna elements, respectively, for shifting phases of signals to form a beam in a desired direction by changing the phase value;

a control circuit for controlling the phase shift quantity of said phase shifter;

a test antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves in the transmission frequency band from the phased array antenna and transmitting a test signal for measuring an excitation phase to each element of the phased array antenna; and

a test translator for converting the frequency of the electromagnetic waves of the transmission frequency band received by the test antenna to that of the electromagnetic waves of a reception frequency band and outputting the converted signal as a test signal to the test antenna, in which one of element antennas of the phased array antenna functions as said test antenna, said test translator is incorporated in the phased array antenna, and there is provided in the phased array antenna a switching circuit for connecting an excitation terminal of said test antenna to said test translator or to said phase shifter.