Antenna system and method for operating an antenna system

• US 6,323,806 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airsys Navigation Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: Airsys Navigation Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Greving, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/530,971
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 342/372, 342/19, 342/383
• US Class Current: 342/372
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2813 Means providing a modification of the radiation pattern for cancelling noise, clutter or interfering signals, e.g. side lobe suppression, side lobe blanking, null-steering arrays specially adapted to secondary radar systems G01S13/762; aerials or aerials systems H01Q21/29, H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2629 Combination of a main antenna unit with an auxiliary antenna unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna installation with an omni-directional antenna (M) and with an auxiliary antenna (A1) the reception signals from which can be combined in respect of amplitude and phase in such a way that a reception miniumu is produced in a desired orientation in space. A further auxiliary antenna (A2) is arranged and can be coupled in such a way that at least one reception minimum is produced where exactly one reception minimum points in the said desired direction in space and coincides with the said reception minimum produced by the first mentioned auxiliary antenna in respect of its orientation and where the attenuations to the reception minimum produced by the first mentioned auxiliary antenna and to the reception minimum produced by at least one of the further auxiliary antennae so that they do not of themselves inhibit the reception of a transmitter sending at a predetermined minimum level, and that the reception minima which coincide in their orientation jointly effect a greater attenuation so that they are suitable for the suppression of jammers. A very narrow reception minimum is produced. In other areas, satellite signals can be received.

Claims

1. Antenna installation for suppressing a jammer, comprising:

an onmi-directional main antenna configured to receive main reception signals from a transmitter sending a transmitter signal at a predetermined minimum level and a jamming signal from the jammer;

a first auxiliary antenna configured to receive first auxiliary reception signals including the transmitter signal and the jammer signal;

a second auxiliary antenna arranged and configured to receive second auxiliary reception signals including the transmitter signal and the jammer signal; and

a signal processing mechanism configured to adjust amplitudes and phases of the reception signals from the first auxiliary antenna, to adjust amplitudes and phases of the reception signals from the second auxiliary antennae, and to combine together an adjusted reception signal from the first auxiliary antenna, an adjusted reception signal from the second auxiliary antenna and the reception signal from the main antenna to produce a minimum of the jamming signal without inhibiting reception of the transmitter signal and so that the adjusted reception signals from the first and second auxiliary antennae jointly suppress the jamming signal in the reception signal from the main antenna.

2. Antenna installation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first auxiliary antenna in conjunction with the main antenna is configured to produce precisely one reception minimum and that the second auxiliary antenna together with the main antenna is configured to produce a plurality of reception minima in orientations in space.

3. Antenna installation in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the second auxiliary antenna is further removed from the main antenna than the first auxiliary antenna.

4. Antenna installation in accordance with claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

plural first and several second auxiliary antennae configured to provide suppression of several jammers.

5. Antenna installation in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the first and second auxiliary antennae has omni-directional characteristics.

6. Antenna installation in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the first auxiliary antenna is spaced a distance less than one wavelength away from the main antenna.

7. Antenna installation in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the second auxiliary antenna is spaced from the main antenna a distance which is at least one wavelength.

8. Method for receiving a transmission signal at a predetermined signal level from a GPS satellite, comprising:

providing an antenna installation including an omnidirectional main antenna, a first auxiliary antenna, and a second auxiliary antenna;

receiving reception signals including the transmission signal and at least one jamming signal on the main antenna, the first auxiliary antenna, and the second auxiliary antenna;

adjusting amplitudes and phases of the reception signals from the first auxiliary antenna and from the second auxiliary antennae; and

combining together an adjusted reception signal from the first auxiliary antenna, an adjusted reception signal from the second auxiliary antenna and the reception signal from the main antenna to produce a minimum of the jamming signal without inhibiting reception of the transmitter signal and so that the adjusted reception signals from the first and second auxiliary antennae jointly suppress the jamming signal in the reception signal from the main antenna.