Beamformer for multi-beam broadcast antenna
First Claim
1. A multi-beam phased array antenna system comprising:
- a plurality of antenna elements;
a single phase and gain control device associated with each antenna element; and
a beam forming computer configured to generate control signals to drive the phase and gain control devices to create multiple beams, wherein;
each beam is assigned unique data corresponding to each of a plurality of users located within a coverage associated with the corresponding beam,a control signal for each antenna element comprises a total gain and a total phase shift, andthe control signal for each antenna element comprises a vector sum of beam components in which one beam component corresponds to each beam, and each beam component comprises a vector sum of unique data signals assigned to each of a plurality of users assigned to the corresponding beam, to encode each beam with the unique data assigned to each user located within the coverage area of the associated beam to enable each user assigned to each beam to engage in a unique communication.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A phased array antenna system operative to broadcast multiple beams that each include coded data for specific users located within the coverage area of the corresponding beam. An appropriate receiver then receives and decodes a particular beam to extract the specific data for a corresponding user. Multiple users may be assigned to each beam using frequency division or orthogonal code multiplexing, and the user data may be encoded into the beams using frequency shift key or phase shift key encoding. For each coding technique, the encoded antenna control signals are combined into a total gain and total phase shift control signal, which drives a single phase and gain control device for each antenna element. In addition, a single data modulator generates the coding parameters for the entire communication system.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A multi-beam phased array antenna system comprising:
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a plurality of antenna elements; a single phase and gain control device associated with each antenna element; and a beam forming computer configured to generate control signals to drive the phase and gain control devices to create multiple beams, wherein; each beam is assigned unique data corresponding to each of a plurality of users located within a coverage associated with the corresponding beam, a control signal for each antenna element comprises a total gain and a total phase shift, and the control signal for each antenna element comprises a vector sum of beam components in which one beam component corresponds to each beam, and each beam component comprises a vector sum of unique data signals assigned to each of a plurality of users assigned to the corresponding beam, to encode each beam with the unique data assigned to each user located within the coverage area of the associated beam to enable each user assigned to each beam to engage in a unique communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multi-beam phased array antenna system comprising:
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a plurality of antenna elements; a phase and gain control device associated with each antenna element; and a continuous wave source; a splitter for receiving an input carrier signal from the continuous wave source, dividing the input carrier signal into a plurality output carrier signals, and delivering an output carrier signal to each antenna element and associated phase and gain control device; a beam forming computer configured to generate control signals to drive the phase and gain control devices to create multiple beams, wherein the control signal for each antenna element includes a beam component corresponding to each beam; and wherein the beam forming computer is configured to generate a control signal for each antenna element that comprises a vector sum of beam components in which one beam component corresponds to each beam, and each beam component comprises a vector sum of unique data signals assigned to each of a plurality of users assigned to the corresponding beam, to encode each beam with the unique data assigned to each user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In or for a beam former operative for controlling a phased array antenna system including a plurality of antenna elements, a phase and gain control device associated with each antenna element, a continuous wave source, and a splitter for receiving an input carrier signal from the continuous wave source, dividing the input carrier signal into a plurality output carrier signals and delivering one of the output carrier signals to each antenna element and associated phase and gain control device, an improvement comprising:
a beam forming computer operative for coding unique data assigned to each of a plurality of users assigned to each of a plurality of beams and combining the coded data into control signals to drive the plurality of antenna elements to broadcast the beams to enable each user assigned to each beam to engage in a unique communication, wherein the beam forming computer is configured to generate a control signal for each antenna element that comprises a vector sum of beam components in which one beam component corresponds to each beam, and each beam component comprises a vector sum of unique data signals assigned to each of a plurality of users assigned to the corresponding beam. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
Specification