Antenna calibration

• US 7,990,312 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Scott, Michael Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brainard; Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US12/303,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20100220003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 342/165, 342/174
• US Class Current: 342/165
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to antenna calibration for active phased array antennas. Specifically, the present invention relates to a built in apparatus for autonomous antenna calibration

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of self-calibration of a plurality of calibration antennas comprising the steps of: (i) selecting two calibration antennas to be calibrated that have a common area in range of both calibration antennas; (ii) selecting at least one radiating element within range of the two calibration antennas; (iii) transmitted a known test signal from the one or more selected radiating elements; (iv) measuring a received signal at each of the two calibration antennas; (v) comparing the received signals at each of the two calibration antennas; and (vi) determining a correction coefficient for each calibration antenna based on the received signals at the said calibration antennas.

Claims

1. A method of self-calibration of a plurality of calibration antennas comprising the steps of:

(i) mounting the plurality of calibration antennas around an antenna array;

(ii) selecting two calibration antennas to be calibrated that have a common area of the array in range of both calibration antennas, said selected two calibration antennas forming a pair of calibration antennas;

(iii) selecting at least one radiating element from the array within range of the pair of calibration antennas;

(iv) transmitting a known test signal from the one or more selected radiating elements;

(v) measuring a received signal at each of the pair of calibration antennas;

(vi) comparing the received signals at each of the pair of calibration antennas; and

(vii) determining a correction coefficient for each calibration antenna of said pair of calibration antennas based on the received signals at the said pair of calibration antennas.

2. A method of self-calibration according to claim 1, wherein steps (i) to (vi) are repeated for each pair of the calibration antennas having a common areas of the array in range.

3. A method of self-calibration according to claim 2, wherein a different radiating element is selected from the array for each pair of the calibration antennas having a common area of the array in range.

4. A method of self-calibration according to claim 3, wherein step (vii) is carried out after steps (i) to (vi) have been repeated, the correction coefficient for each calibration antenna being based on the received signals at more than one pair of calibration antennas for which it is one of the pair.

5. A method of self-calibration according to claim 2, wherein step (vii) is carried out after steps (i) to (vi) have been repeated, the correction coefficient for each calibration antenna being based on the received signals at more than one pair of calibration antennas for which it is one of the pair.