RF puck
First Claim
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1. A radio-frequency (RF) module for use individually or in an integrated system with at least one other RF module, the RF module comprising:
- an aperture comprising an antenna element for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic radiation;
a transmit-receive circuit coupled to the antenna element;
a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the transmit-receive circuit;
a synchronization interface for transmitting or receiving a synchronization signal;
a digital receiver-exciter coupled to the transmit-receive circuit, and coupled to the synchronization interface, the digital receiver-exciter configured to obtain digital samples of a received signal, the received signal corresponding to electromagnetic radiation received by the antenna element;
a processor coupled to the digital receiver-exciter; and
a data interface coupled to the processor;
wherein the processor is configured;
to form, from the digital samples of the received signal, in-phase and quadrature data representing the received signal; and
to output the in-phase and quadrature data through the data interface,wherein the module is configured to operate in an integrated system with a second module, the second module being identical to the module except for a switch setting, the module being configuredto receive in-phase and quadrature data, through the data interface, from the second module, andto combine;
the in-phase and quadrature data formed from the digital samples of the received signal, andthe in-phase and quadrature data received from the second module, to perform digital beam-forming.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An RF module including transmitting, receiving, and processing elements, capable of operating in a standalone mode or as part of an array of similar or identical modules. The RF module includes a radiator (205), transmit-receive circuitry (165), a digital receiver-exciter (160), a processor (100), and a data interface (150). The processor is configured to exchange in-phase and quadrature data with other processors in an array, so that, when configured as an array, digital transmit beam forming and receive beam forming are possible.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A radio-frequency (RF) module for use individually or in an integrated system with at least one other RF module, the RF module comprising:
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an aperture comprising an antenna element for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic radiation; a transmit-receive circuit coupled to the antenna element; a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the transmit-receive circuit; a synchronization interface for transmitting or receiving a synchronization signal; a digital receiver-exciter coupled to the transmit-receive circuit, and coupled to the synchronization interface, the digital receiver-exciter configured to obtain digital samples of a received signal, the received signal corresponding to electromagnetic radiation received by the antenna element; a processor coupled to the digital receiver-exciter; and a data interface coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured; to form, from the digital samples of the received signal, in-phase and quadrature data representing the received signal; and to output the in-phase and quadrature data through the data interface, wherein the module is configured to operate in an integrated system with a second module, the second module being identical to the module except for a switch setting, the module being configured to receive in-phase and quadrature data, through the data interface, from the second module, and to combine; the in-phase and quadrature data formed from the digital samples of the received signal, and the in-phase and quadrature data received from the second module, to perform digital beam-forming. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification