Method and system permitting the sequential reorganization of signals

• US 8,971,420 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Fuche, Loic, Bellion, Anthony, Stevens, Patrice, Meins, Cyrille Le, Friconneau, Jean-Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/306,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,805 Days
• Field of Search: 375/356, 375/226, 375/240.27, 375/243, 600598-595
• US Class Current: 375/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0822 according to predefined selection scheme

Abstract

A method and system for sequentially reorganizing signals received on a set of sensors, including a network of aerials or sensors, a high-precision clock, controlling a sequencer and suitable for accurately pacing the switching and acquisition times between each aerial, the sequencer is suitable for controlling an antenna switch, an the antenna switch linked to a single-channel radiofrequency receive module, an acquisition card, and a processing model.

Claims

1. A system for sequentially reorganizing signals, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors;

a sensor switch having an output port and a plurality of sensor input ports, each input port respectively connected to one of the plurality of sensors, the sensor switch configured to pass a signal on a selected one of the input ports to the output port;

a sequencer configured to control sequential switching of the sensor switch;

a clock for clocking the sequencer, the clock configured for switching and acquisition timing of the sequencer;

an acquisition card in communication with the output port of the sensor switch, the acquisition card configured to acquire respective signals received from the sensors as sequentially provided by the sensor switch controlled by the sequencer; and

a processing module in communication with the acquisition card, the processing module configured to;

compare a repeated acquisition of at least one of the sensors with an acquisition previously obtained for the at least one of the sensors;

utilize the comparison to determine an existing switching error;

utilize the switching error to apply error correction to stored signals acquired by the acquisition card; and

correct a phase error caused by a switching time.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor switch is an N to 1 receive channel switch.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a formatting module for formatting a signal between the sensor switch and the acquisition card.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the formatting module is a single-channel radiofrequency receive module.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a goniometry module.

6. A method for sequentially reorganizing signals received on a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of:

using an acquisition card to acquire a signal received from a sensor of the plurality of sensors;

storing said signal and then controlling switching of a sensor switch to acquire another signal received from another sensor of the plurality of sensors;

repeating acquisition of respective signals received from each of the sensors of the plurality of sensors until at least a majority of the sensors have been polled and storing the respective acquired information;

selecting at least one of the sensors on which the respective signal has been previously acquired and repeating a signal acquisition and recording cycle; and

using a processing module, the processing module configured to;

compare the repeated acquisition with the acquisition previously obtained for the selected sensor;

utilize the comparison to determine an existing switching error;

utilize the switching error to apply error correction to each of the stored signals; and

correct a phase error caused by a switching time.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the selected sensor is a first sensor.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a goniometry step.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a goniometry step.