Method and system for calibration of sectionally assembled phased array antennas
First Claim
1. In an antenna comprising a plurality of phased array antenna sections, a method of determining a correction factor for beam coefficients used in at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections, comprising the steps of:
- creating a beam using elements of said at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections;
measuring power from said beam from a remote location; and
determining said correction factor for beam coefficients used in said at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections based on said power.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention describes a method and system for the calibration of sectionally assembled phased array antennas. When a large, multi-sectioned phased array antenna on board a satellite (10, FIG. 1) is unfolded during deployment, an error in the alignment of a phased array antenna section (25) can cause an error in the pointing angle of the transmit antenna beam (50). A suitable receive antenna (80) receives a signal from the transmit antenna beam (50) which enables a processor unit (95, FIG. 2) to determine the required correction factor. The correction factor is then applied to the beam coefficients which control the beam of the phased array antenna section (25). Subsequent to a first measurment, the correction factor can be updated to minimize the impact of antenna element failures on the resulting antenna pattern.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. In an antenna comprising a plurality of phased array antenna sections, a method of determining a correction factor for beam coefficients used in at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections, comprising the steps of:
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creating a beam using elements of said at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections; measuring power from said beam from a remote location; and determining said correction factor for beam coefficients used in said at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections based on said power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In an antenna comprising a plurality of phased array antenna sections, a method of determining a correction factor for beam coefficients used in at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a signal from an antenna; receiving at a communications node said signal through a receive communications beam, said receive communications beam being generated by said at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections; measuring the power of said signal from a remote location; and determining a correction factor for beam coefficients of elements which comprise said at least one of said plurality of phased array antenna sections based on said power. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A transmitting node for determining a correction factor for beam coefficients used in a phased array antenna, said phased array antenna including a plurality of sections, said transmitting node comprising:
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an antenna which receives a signal from at least one of said plurality of sections of said phased array antenna, said phased array antenna being at a remote location from said antenna; a processor which calculates a correction factor for beam coefficients of at least one of said plurality of sections of said phased array antenna, said correction factor being based on the power of said signal; and a transmitter which transmits said correction factor from said transmitting node. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for determining a correction factor for beam coefficients used in a phased array antenna, said phased array antenna including a plurality of sections, said system comprising:
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a transmitter which transmits a signal to a receiving node; a receiving node which comprises said phased array antenna, said receiving node being used to measure the power of said signal from a remote location; and a processor which calculates said correction factor for beam coefficients used in at least one of said sections of said phased array antenna. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification