Polarization agility in an RF radiator module for use in a phased array
First Claim
1. A polarization agile RF radiator module for use in a phased array, said module comprising:
- an RF radiator structure capable of supporting at least two orthogonal modes of RF propagation and coupled to an arrangement of (i) a pair of parallel latchable hybrid phase shifters in series with (ii) a 90°
Lange hybrid microstrip coupling circuit.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A 90° coupling circuit cascaded with a pair of hybrid mode latchable phase shifters provides polarization agility for an RF radiator module of the type typically used in a phased array. For example, such radiator modules typically may utilize an active microwave integrated circuit (MIC), a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) or a passive reciprocal hybrid mode element (RHYME) circuit. These circuits are arranged to provide duplex RF transmit/receive functions with controllable phase shifts at each radiator site in a phased array. By appropriately setting the two controllable phase shifters to different combinations of phase shifts (e.g., 0° and/or 90°) to a dual orthogonal mode radiator, different spatial polarizations for RF radiator transmit/receive functions can be defined. The radiator itself may include a square or circular waveguide including, in some cases, a reciprocal dielectric quarter-wave plate and a non-reciprocal ferrite quarter-wave plate. If a square waveguide is utilized, then 0°, 90° hybrid mode latchable phase shifters may be arranged on either side of a common ground plane with direct waveguide coupling into a septum polarizer waveguide section of the radiator element. A 90° Lange hybrid coupler also may be used by itself in conjunction with an electrically rotatable ferrite quarter-wave plate radiating element to achieve a certain degree of polarization agility.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A polarization agile RF radiator module for use in a phased array, said module comprising:
an RF radiator structure capable of supporting at least two orthogonal modes of RF propagation and coupled to an arrangement of (i) a pair of parallel latchable hybrid phase shifters in series with (ii) a 90°
Lange hybrid microstrip coupling circuit.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A polarization agile duplex RF radiator module for use in a phased array, said module comprising:
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a 90°
microstrip coupling circuit having four terminals where RF signals input to any one terminal are passed at reduced amplitude to adjacent terminals with relative phase shifts of 0° and
-90° and
simultaneously isolated from the remaining terminal;a first controllable hybrid mode latchable phase shifter connected at one end with a first one of said four terminals of said 90°
microstrip coupling circuit;a second controllable hybrid mode latchable phase shifter connected at one end with a second one of said four terminals of said 90°
microstrip coupling circuit, adjacent said first terminal;a first RF radiator structure coupled to an opposite end of said first hybrid mode phase shifter; and a second RF radiator structure disposed orthogonal to said first RF radiator structure and coupled to an opposite end of said second hybrid mode phase shifter.
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18. A polarization agile duplex RF radiator module for use in a phased array, said module comprising:
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a microstrip hybrid coupler having four terminals; a first controllable hybrid mode latchable phase shifter connected in series with a first terminal of said microstrip hybrid coupler; a second controllable hybrid mode latchable phase shifter connected in series with a second terminal of said microstrip hybrid coupler; a first RF radiator structure coupled to a third terminal of said microstrip hybrid coupler; and a second RF radiator structure disposed orthogonal to said first RF radiator structure and coupled to a fourth terminal of said microstrip hybrid coupler.
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19. A method for changing the polarization of RF signals transmitted and received by an RF radiator module in a phased array, said method comprising:
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(a) feeding RF electrical signals to/from an RF radiator structure capable of supporting at least two orthogonal modes of RF propagation via an arrangement of a pair of parallel latchable phase shifters in series with a 90°
coupling circuit; and(b) switching said pair of phase shifters from one of the following set of polarization phase states to another;
(0°
, 90°
), (90°
, 0°
), and (0°
, 0°
). - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for achieving RF signal polarization agility using an RF radiator module in a phased array, said method comprising:
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(a) feeding RF signals to an RF radiator structure capable of supporting at least two orthogonal modes of RF propagation via two orthogonal conductive loops each coupled to a respectively associated terminal of a 90°
Lange hybrid microstrip coupling circuit; and(b) changing the polarity of the RF signals by electrically rotating a ferrite quarter-wave plate including a multi-poled, magnetically permeable, yoke structure having first and second electrical windings wound on alternate sets of yoke pole pieces surrounding a ferrite core disposed within a circular waveguide as part of said radiator structure and coupled to the conductive loops.
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25. A polarization agile RF radiator module for use in a phased array, said module comprising:
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an RF radiator structure capable of supporting at least two orthogonal modes of RF propagation, said modes excited by two orthogonal conductive loops each connected to a respectively associated terminal of a 90°
Lange hybrid microstrip coupling circuit;said RF radiator structure comprising a circular waveguide coupled to said conductive loops, said circular waveguide having an electrically rotatable ferrite quarter-wave plate including a multi-poled, magnetically permeable, yoke structure having first and second electrical windings wound on alternate sets of yoke pole pieces surrounding a ferrite core.
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Specification