Phase control network for active phased array antennas

• US 6,504,505 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yung, Kar W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H.
• Application Number:
  US09/702,264
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 342/372, 342/374
• US Class Current: 342/374
• 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 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence

Abstract

A phase control block for combining signals from a phased array antenna includes a phase shifter for generating a phase shifted signal; a phase switch connected to the phase shifter having a first state wherein the phase switch connects a first signal to a switched signal output and a second signal to the phase shifter; and a signal summing device connected to the phase shifter for generating an output that is a sum of the switched signal output and the phase shifted signal.

Claims

1. A phase control block for combining signals from a phased array antenna comprising:

a phase shifter;

a plurality of phase switches connected to the phase shifter having a first state wherein the plurality of phase switches forms a non-phase shifted signal from a first signal and a phase shifted signal from a second signal at the phase shifter and a second state wherein the plurality of phase switches forms a non-phase shifted signal from the second signal and a phase shifted signal from the first signal at the phase shifter; and

a signal summing device connected to the phase shifter and the plurality of phase switches for generating a summed output signal that is the sum of the non-phase shifted signal and the phase shifted signal.

2. A phase control network comprising:

a plurality of phase control blocks as recited in claim 1.

3. A phase control network comprising:

a first phase control block as recited in claim 1 having a first output signal;

a second phase control block as recited in claim 1 having a second output signal; and

a third phase control block as recited in claim 1 receiving the first output signal and the second output signal and generating a third output signal in response to the first output signal and the second output signal.

4. A phase control block as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of phase switches comprises a plurality of single pole, single throw switches.

5. A phase control block as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of phase switches comprises a plurality of phase control switches selectively coupling a first input and a second input to said signal summing device.

6. A phase control block as recited in claim 5 wherein said phase shifter comprises a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter, and said plurality of phase control switches selectively coupling said first phase shifter and said second phase shifter to said summing device.

7. A phase control block as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of phase switches comprises a plurality of phase reversing switches selectively coupling a first input and a second input to said signal summing device.

a signal summing device connected to the phase shifter and the phase switch for generating a summed output signal that is the sum of the non-phase shifted signal and the phase shifted signal.

8. A phase control network for combining signals from a phased array antenna comprising:

a plurality of phase control blocks having a pair of inputs and a single output connected in a tree pattern to generate a single output signal;

a phase shifter;

a plurality of phase switches connected to the phase shifter having a first state wherein the plurality of phase switches forms a non-phase shifted signal from a first signal and a phase shifted signal from a second signal at the phase shifter and a second state wherein the plurality of phase switches forms a non-phase shifted signal from the second signal and a phase shifted signal from the first signal at the phase shifter; and

a signal summing device connected to the phase shifter and the plurality of phase switches for generating an output signal that is the sum of the non-phase shifted signal and the phase shifted signal.

9. A phase control network as recited in claim 8 wherein the plurality of phase switches comprises a plurality of single pole, single throw switches.

10. A phase control network as recited in claim 8 wherein said plurality of phase switch comprises a plurality of phase control switches selectively coupling a first input an a second input to said signal summing device.

11. A phase control network as recited in claim 10 wherein said plurality of phase shift comprises a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter and said plurality of phase control switches selectively coupling said first phase shifter and said second phase shifter to said summing device.

12. A method for combining signals from a phased array antenna comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a plurality of input signals in pairs wherein each of the pairs comprises a first input signal and a second input signal;

(b) in a first state of a switching circuit, phase shifting the first input signal to generate a phase-shifted signal;

(c) non-phase shifting the second signal to form a non-phase shifted signal;

(d) in a second state of the switching circuit, phase shifting the second input signal to form the phase-shifted signal;

(e) non-phase shifting the first signal to form the non-phase shifted signal; and

(f) summing the phase shifted signal with the non-phase shifted signal to generate a sum signal for each of the pairs.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the step of providing a switching circuit in a first state.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of providing a switching circuit in a first state comprises switching a plurality of phase reversing switches.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the step of phase shifting comprises phase shifting the first input signal in response to said plurality of phase reversing switches and a phase shifter.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of providing a switching circuit in a first state comprises switching a plurality of phase control switches.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the step of phase shifting comprises phase shifting the first input signal in response to said plurality of phase control switches and a phase shifter.

18. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the step of providing a switching circuit in a second state.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of providing a switching circuit in a second state comprises switching a plurality of phase reversing switches.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein the step of phase shifting comprises phase shifting the second input signal in response to said plurality of phase reversing switches and a phase shifter.

21. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of providing a switching circuit in a second state comprises switching a plurality of phase control switches.

22. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein the step of phase shifting comprises phase shifting the second input signal in response to said plurality of phase control switches and a phase shifter.