Split aperture array for increased short range target coverage
First Claim
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1. A plurality of radiating elements configured in a common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets in a long range mode or a short range mode of operation;
- a control processor operatively coupled to a pair of exciter and receiver arrangements coupled in parallel to said array, said control processor responsive to a control signal for configuring said plurality of radiating elements to define a pair of sub-apertures from said common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets, wherein said pair of sub-apertures are each independently steerable array apertures, each subaperture communicating with a respective one of said pair of exciter and receiver arrangements;
wherein said short range mode, each of said exciter pairs is responsive to a corresponding pulse waveform to form separate beams from said subapertures differing in at least one of frequency, phase, and beam pointing direction;
wherein in said long range mode, each of said exciter pairs is responsive to a corresponding pulse waveform of the same frequency, phase, and beam pointing direction to coherently combine signal data to form a single narrowband beam from said subapertures.
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Abstract
A phased array radar system comprising a plurality of radiating elements configured in a common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets; and a transmit and receive arrangement responsive to a first control signal for configuring the plurality of radiating elements to define a plurality of sub-apertures from the common array aperture for detecting and tracking short range targets, wherein the plurality of sub-apertures are independently steerable array apertures.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A plurality of radiating elements configured in a common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets in a long range mode or a short range mode of operation;
- a control processor operatively coupled to a pair of exciter and receiver arrangements coupled in parallel to said array, said control processor responsive to a control signal for configuring said plurality of radiating elements to define a pair of sub-apertures from said common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets, wherein said pair of sub-apertures are each independently steerable array apertures, each subaperture communicating with a respective one of said pair of exciter and receiver arrangements;
wherein said short range mode, each of said exciter pairs is responsive to a corresponding pulse waveform to form separate beams from said subapertures differing in at least one of frequency, phase, and beam pointing direction; wherein in said long range mode, each of said exciter pairs is responsive to a corresponding pulse waveform of the same frequency, phase, and beam pointing direction to coherently combine signal data to form a single narrowband beam from said subapertures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- a control processor operatively coupled to a pair of exciter and receiver arrangements coupled in parallel to said array, said control processor responsive to a control signal for configuring said plurality of radiating elements to define a pair of sub-apertures from said common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets, wherein said pair of sub-apertures are each independently steerable array apertures, each subaperture communicating with a respective one of said pair of exciter and receiver arrangements;
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5. A phased array radar system having a plurality of radiating elements configured in a common array aperture of m×
- n elements, said system comprising;
a controller for configuring a first subset of said elements of said common array aperture into a first sub-aperture for providing a first interrogating beam; and
a second subset of said elements of said common array aperture distinct from said first subset, into a second sub-aperture for providing a second interrogating beam;a pair of transmitters, each one coupled to a corresponding one of said first and second sub-arrays and responsive to said controller in a first mode for simultaneously generating said first and second interrogating beams, said beams being independently steerable; a pair of receiver beamformers, each one coupled to a corresponding one of said first and second sub-arrays for providing beamformed output data indicative of target reflections from each of said first and second interrogating beams; a signal processor arrangement responsive to said beamformed output data for determining target detection and tracking according to each said sub-array;
wherein said controller is operable for providing in said first mode a signal waveform to said pair of transmitters differing in at least one of frequency, phase, and pointing direction to generate said first and second interrogating beams; andwherein said controller is operable for providing in a second mode a signal waveform to said pair of transmitters of the same frequency, phase, and beam pointing direction such that the interrogating beams are coherently combined into a single narrowband beam output from said subarrays and corresponding to the full array aperture. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
- n elements, said system comprising;
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9. In a phased array radar system having a plurality of radiating elements configured in a common array aperture of m×
- n elements, a method for detecting and tracking targets comprising;
electronically separating said common array aperture of m×
n elements into a first sub-aperture comprising a first subset of said m×
n elements defining a first sub-array, and a second sub-aperture comprising a second subset of said m×
n elements distinct from said first subset defining a second sub-array;in a first mode, generating a first interrogating beam of a first frequency from said first sub-array and a second interrogating beam of a second frequency from said second sub-array, said first and second interrogating beams differing in at least one of frequency, phase, and beam pointing direction;
independently steering said first and second interrogating beams;
receiving beamformed data from each of said first and second sub-apertures corresponding to said interrogating beams, and independently processing said beamformed data to provide target information for each of said first and second sub-apertures;in a second mode, coherently operating said first and second sub-arrays to generate a narrowband interrogating beam of a given frequency corresponding to the full common array aperture;
receiving beamformed data from each of said first and second sub-apertures corresponding to said narrowband interrogating beam, and combining said beamformed data to provide target information indicative of the full common array aperture. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
- n elements, a method for detecting and tracking targets comprising;
Specification