Digital beamforming radar system
First Claim
1. A digital beamforming radar system, which comprises:
- a receiver, the receiver including;
a plurality of antenna elements, at least one of the plurality of antenna elements being adapted to receive a radar signal and output a received signal;
a plurality of low-noise block converters, at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters including an amplifier, a mixer, and a local oscillator input, the at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters being responsive to the received signal from a corresponding antenna element, the at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters outputting an intermediate frequency signal, the local oscillator input being adapted to enable a first local oscillator signal to be externally inputted to the at least one low-noise block converter, the mixer being responsive to the first local oscillator signal, at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters comprising a commercially available low-noise block converter for use in satellite television systems, the commercially available low-noise block converter comprising an internal local oscillator circuit, the commercially available low-noise block converter being modified to provide the local oscillator input and to disable the internal local oscillator circuit;
at least one analog-to-digital converter, the at least one analog-to-digital converter being responsive to the intermediate frequency signal of a corresponding low-noise block converter, the at least one analog-to-digital converter outputting a digital signal; and
a processor responsive to the digital signal of the at least one analog-to-digital converter, the processor being adapted to perform digital beamforming algorithms on the digital signal to form a plurality of beams.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A receiver for a digital beamforming radar system includes a plurality of antenna elements, low-noise block converters, one or more analog-to-digital converters, and a processor. The antenna elements receive a radar signal and output a received signal. The low-noise block converters are modified commercially available components used in satellite television systems, respond to the received signal from a corresponding antenna element, and output an intermediate frequency signal. The low-noise block converters include at least one amplifier, a mixer, and a local oscillator input. The local oscillator input enables an external local oscillator signal to be inputted to the mixer. The analog-to-digital converters are responsive to the intermediate frequency signal of a corresponding low-noise block converter. The processor is responsive to the digital signals output by the analog-to-digital converters.
131 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A digital beamforming radar system, which comprises:
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a receiver, the receiver including;
a plurality of antenna elements, at least one of the plurality of antenna elements being adapted to receive a radar signal and output a received signal;
a plurality of low-noise block converters, at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters including an amplifier, a mixer, and a local oscillator input, the at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters being responsive to the received signal from a corresponding antenna element, the at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters outputting an intermediate frequency signal, the local oscillator input being adapted to enable a first local oscillator signal to be externally inputted to the at least one low-noise block converter, the mixer being responsive to the first local oscillator signal, at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters comprising a commercially available low-noise block converter for use in satellite television systems, the commercially available low-noise block converter comprising an internal local oscillator circuit, the commercially available low-noise block converter being modified to provide the local oscillator input and to disable the internal local oscillator circuit;
at least one analog-to-digital converter, the at least one analog-to-digital converter being responsive to the intermediate frequency signal of a corresponding low-noise block converter, the at least one analog-to-digital converter outputting a digital signal; and
a processor responsive to the digital signal of the at least one analog-to-digital converter, the processor being adapted to perform digital beamforming algorithms on the digital signal to form a plurality of beams. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of adapting low-cost, efficient, low-noise block converters for use in a digital beamforming radar receiver comprising the steps of:
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providing a first commercially available low-noise block converter used in satellite television systems;
modifying the first commercially available low-noise block converter to disable a local oscillator circuit, the local oscillator circuit being internal to the first commercially available low-noise block converter; and
providing a local oscillator input, the local oscillator input being electrically coupled to a mixer, the mixer being internal to the first commercially available low-noise block converter, the local oscillator input being adapted to enable a first local oscillator signal to be externally inputted to the mixer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method of making a digital beamforming radar system comprising the steps of:
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making a receiver comprising the steps of;
coupling a plurality of antenna elements to a plurality of low-noise block converters, at least one of the plurality of antenna elements being adapted to receive a radar signal and output a received signal, at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters including an amplifier, a mixer and a local oscillator input, the at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters being responsive to the received signal from a corresponding antenna element, the at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters outputting an intermediate frequency signal, the local oscillator input being adapted to enable a first local oscillator signal to be externally inputted to the at least one low-noise block converter, the mixer being responsive to the first local oscillator signal, at least one of the plurality of low-noise block converters comprising a commercially available low-noise block converter for use in satellite television systems, the commercially available low-noise block converter comprising an internal local oscillator circuit;
modifying the commercially available low-noise block converter to include the local oscillator input and to disable the internal local oscillator circuit;
coupling the plurality of low-noise block converters to at least one analog-to-digital converter, the at least one analog-to-digital converter being responsive to the intermediate frequency signal of a corresponding low-noise block converter, the at least one analog-to-digital converter outputting a digital signal; and
coupling the at least one analog-to-digital converter to a processor, the processor being responsive to the digital signal of the at least one analog-to-digital converter, the processor being adapted to perform digital beamforming algorithms on the digital signal to form a plurality of beams. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification