Digitally controlled beam former for a spacecraft
First Claim
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1. A digitally controlled beam former for a spacecraft having a multi-element antenna array and a control processor having N-outputs for each element of the antenna array, the beam former comprising:
- N-paths for each element of the antenna array, each of the N-paths being connected to a separate one of the outputs of the control processor for controlling weightings applied to amplitude and phase signals of a respective N-path;
N-beam former channels, each one of which is connected to a separate one of the N-paths for each element of the antenna array, a nominal beam associated with each of the N-paths having a first beam position corresponding to a respective region on earth; and
calibration means for periodically calibrating each of the N-paths of each element of the spacecraft'"'"'s antenna array using a reference beam having a second beam position corresponding to a specific region on earth, the calibration means being adapted to measure any offset of the second beam position from said specific region using an uplink at said specific region, the measured offset being used by the control processor to compensate for phase drift in the N-paths for each element of the antenna array.
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Abstract
A digitally controlled beam former for a spacecraft which includes means for periodically calibrating the feed paths of the spacecraft'"'"'s antenna array by measuring the apparent movement of the center of a reference signal and a nominal signal and utilising the measured data to compensate for at least the phase drift in the antenna feed paths. The measured data may also be used to compensate for amplitude and phase drift in the antenna feed paths.
63 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A digitally controlled beam former for a spacecraft having a multi-element antenna array and a control processor having N-outputs for each element of the antenna array, the beam former comprising:
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N-paths for each element of the antenna array, each of the N-paths being connected to a separate one of the outputs of the control processor for controlling weightings applied to amplitude and phase signals of a respective N-path; N-beam former channels, each one of which is connected to a separate one of the N-paths for each element of the antenna array, a nominal beam associated with each of the N-paths having a first beam position corresponding to a respective region on earth; and calibration means for periodically calibrating each of the N-paths of each element of the spacecraft'"'"'s antenna array using a reference beam having a second beam position corresponding to a specific region on earth, the calibration means being adapted to measure any offset of the second beam position from said specific region using an uplink at said specific region, the measured offset being used by the control processor to compensate for phase drift in the N-paths for each element of the antenna array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A spacecraft, comprising:
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a digitally controlled beam former, said former having a multi-element antenna array and a control processor having N-outputs for each element of the antenna array, the beam former comprising; N-paths for each element of the antenna array, each of the N-paths being connected to a separate one of the outputs of the control processor for controlling weightings applied to amplitude and phase signals of a respective N-path; N-beam former channels, each one of which is connected to a separate one of the N-paths for each element of the antenna array, a nominal beam associated with each of the N-paths having a first beam position corresponding to a respective region on earth; and calibration means for periodically calibrating each of the N-paths of each element of the spacecraft'"'"'s antenna array using a reference beam having a second beam position corresponding to a specific region on earth, the calibration means being adapted to measure any offset of the second beam position from said specific region using an uplink at said specific region, the measured offset being used by the control processor to compensate for phase drift in the N-paths for each element of the antenna array.
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Specification