Antenna calibration

• US 8,004,456 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Scott, Michael Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US12/301,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 342/165, 342/173, 342/174
• US Class Current: 342/174
• 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 calibrating an antenna array comprising the steps of: (i) loading a set of correction coefficients for all or a portion of the antenna array; (ii) outputting a known test signal from all or a portion of the antenna array using said correction coefficients; (iii) measuring the performance of all or a portion of the antenna array using a plurality of calibration antennas; and (iv) generating a new set of correction coefficients to correct the performance of all or a portion of the antenna array.

Claims

1. A method of calibrating an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements forming an array face, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) mounting a plurality of calibration antennas around the array face at a plurality of spaced locations from an edge of the array face;

(ii) loading a set of correction coefficients for all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face;

(iii) outputting a known test signal in sequence from all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face using said correction coefficients;

(iv) measuring the performance of all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face using designated ones of the plurality of calibration antennas to receive each test signal; and

(v) generating a new set of correction coefficients to correct the performance of all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face based on the received signals at the designated calibration antennas.

2. A method of calibrating an antenna array according to claim 1, wherein step (iv) comprises measuring the gain and phase performance of all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face.

3. A method of calibrating an antenna array according to claim 1, wherein step (v) comprises generating a new set of correction coefficients to correct the gain and phase performance of all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face.

4. A method of calibrating an antenna array according to claim 3, wherein the initial set of correction coefficients is generated on manufacturing the antenna array.

5. A method of calibrating an antenna array according to claim 2, wherein step (v) comprises generating a new set of correction coefficients to correct the gain and phase performance of all or a portion of the antenna elements forming the array face.

6. A method of calibrating an antenna array according to claim 5, wherein the initial set of correction coefficients is generated on manufacturing the antenna array.