Method and apparatus for a ring interferometer

• US 6,225,949 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Guard, Glenn B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US09/218,043
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 342/156, 342/442, 342/445
• US Class Current: 342/442
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/242 Circumferential scanning

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the azimuth and elevation angles of a signal from an emitter is provided. An antenna array receives the signal. The antenna array includes one or more pairs of antenna elements of like polarization mounted diametrically opposite each other in a ring. A switch receives the received signal from the antenna pairs. The switch outputs a processor-selectable number of signals. A radio frequency converter downconverts a processor-selectable number of signals. The converter outputs the downconverted signals. An intermediate frequency processor measures phase differences across the antenna pair baselines for the downconverted signals. The intermediate frequency processor outputs the measured frequency and phase difference data. An ambiguity resolution processor selects antenna pairs by controlling the switch. The ambiguity resolution processor receives the measured frequency and phase difference data from the intermediate frequency processor. The ambiguity resolution processor determines the azimuth and elevation angles of arrival corresponding to the signal.

Claims

1. A method for determining the azimuth and elevation angles of arrival of a signal using an apparatus for electromagnetic direction finding, wherein said apparatus includes an antenna array, wherein said antenna array includes having one or more pairs of antenna elements of like polarizations mounted diametrically opposite each other in a ring, wherein said antenna array receives said signal, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring a phase difference across an antenna pair baseline for each of at least one antenna pair in said antenna array;

(b) hypothesizing azimuth and elevation angles of arrival of said signal;

(c) calculating u_H and w_H, wherein u_H and w_H are determined by

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

mounting the antenna array to an aircraft or missile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said measuring step includes the steps of:

selecting an antenna element pair, wherein antenna elements of the selected antenna element pair are mounted diametrically opposite each other in the ring; and

measuring the phase difference of the received signals across the selected antenna element pair.

4. A method for determining the azimuth and elevation angles of a signal, comprising the steps of:

receiving said signal with an antenna array, wherein said antenna array includes one or more pairs of antenna elements of like polarization mounted diametrically opposite each other in a ring;

outputting a processor-selectable number of signals from a switch, wherein said switch receives said received signal from said antenna pairs;

downconverting said processor-selectable number of signals;

measuring phase differences across the antenna pair baselines for said downconverted signals; and

determining the azimuth and elevation angles of said received signal using said measured phase differences from antenna pairs selected by said switch.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining step comprises the steps of:

hypothesizing said azimuth and elevation angles of arrival;

calculating u_H and w_H, wherein u_H and w_H are determined by

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining step further includes the steps of:

receiving heading, pitch, and roll data from a platform'"'"'s navigation system; and

performing heading, pitch, and roll corrections to said determined azimuth and elevation angles of arrival.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

mounting the antenna array to an aircraft or missile.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said measuring step includes the steps of:

selecting an antenna element pair, wherein antenna elements of the selected antenna element pair are mounted diametrically opposite each other in the ring; and

measuring the phase difference of the downconverted signals across the selected antenna element pair.

9. An electromagnetic direction finding apparatus for determining the azimuth and elevation angles of a signal, comprising:

an antenna array for receiving said signal, wherein said antenna array includes one or more pairs of antenna elements of like polarization mounted diametrically opposite each other in a ring;

a switch for receiving said received signal from said antenna pairs, wherein said switch outputs a processor-selectable number of signals;

a radio frequency converter for downconverting said processor-selectable number of signals, wherein said converter outputs the downconverted signals;

an intermediate frequency processor for measuring phase differences across the antenna pair baselines for said downconverted signals, wherein said intermediate frequency processor outputs said measured frequency and said phase difference data; and

an ambiguity resolution processor for selecting said antenna pairs by controlling said switch, wherein said ambiguity resolution processor receives the measured frequency and phase difference data from said intermediate frequency processor, and wherein said ambiguity resolution processor determines the azimuth and elevation angles of arrival corresponding to said signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said ambiguity resolution processor includes:

a hypothesizer for hypothesizing said azimuth and elevation angles of arrival;

a calculator for calculating u_H and w_H, wherein u_H and w_H are determined by

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said ambiguity resolution processor receives heading, pitch, and roll data from a platform'"'"'s navigation system and performs heading, pitch, and roll corrections to said determined azimuth and elevation angles of arrival.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the antenna array is mounted to an aircraft or a missile.

13. A method for determining the azimuth and elevation angles of a signal, comprising the steps of:

receiving the signal with an antenna array, wherein the antenna array includes one or more pairs of antenna elements of like polarization mounted diametrically opposite each other in a ring;

measuring phase differences of the received signal across one or more antenna element pair baselines; and

determining the azimuth and elevation angles of the signal from the measured phase differences;

wherein said determining step includes the steps of;

hypothesizing the azimuth and elevation angles of arrival,

calculating u_H and w_H, wherein u_H and w_H are determined by

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said se determining the azimuth and elevation angles of said signal using said measured phase differences furthers includes the steps of:

receiving heading, pitch, and roll data from a platform'"'"'s navigation system; and

performing heading, pitch, and roll corrections to said determined azimuth and elevation angles of arrival.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

mounting the antenna array to an aircraft or missile.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said measuring step includes the steps of:

selecting an antenna element pair, wherein antenna elements of the selected antenna element pair are mounted diametrically opposite each other in the ring; and

measuring the phase difference of the received signals across the selected antenna element pair.