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Tracking array antenna system

  • US 5,594,460 A
  • Filed: 11/09/1995
  • Issued: 01/14/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An array antenna system, suitable to be mounted on a moving platform, comprising an array antenna supported by and steerable about a mechanical elevation axis, said mechanical elevation axis being supported by and steerable about a mechanical azimuth axis, and said array antenna having a beam which selectively directs to of a plurality of beam positions around a first virtual cross-elevation axis that is perpendicular to said mechanical elevation axis and has no mechanical substance,beam-switch means for generating a tracking signal based on a signal received by said array antenna by selecting at least two of said plurality of beam positions and by forming the beam such that the beam alternately directs toward selected beam positions,second virtual cross-elevation axis inclination angle detecting means for generating a first inclination angle signal by directly or indirectly detecting an inclination angle of said moving platform a second virtual cross-elevation axis that is perpendicular to said mechanical elevation axis and has no mechanical substance, andazimuth axis beam-switch tracking means for steering said array antenna about said mechanical azimuth axis according to said tracking signal such that the azimuth of the array antenna approaches the azimuth of a target when it is determined that said moving platform is not inclined about said second virtual cross-elevation axis on the basis of at least said first inclination angle signal.

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