Adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system for multi-band and multi-aperture operation and method for maintaining data links with one or more stations in different frequency bands

• US 9,244,155 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Bielas, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US13/357,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20120200449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 342/62, 342/372, 342/374, 701/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/306 for transmitting guidance signals; F41G7/308 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0272 Multifunction radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/006 using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/281 Nose antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0056 Conically or cylindrically arrayed
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays

Abstract

Embodiments of an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system suitable for use on a vehicle and method for communicating are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the AESA system includes a plurality of arrays of radiating elements and control circuitry to configure the arrays for multi-band and multi-aperture operations to maintain data links with communication stations.

Claims

1. An adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system suitable for use on a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of arrays, each comprising a plurality of radiating elements; and

control circuitry coupled to the plurality of arrays to configure the arrays for switchable multi-band and multi-aperture operations, wherein the control circuitry is configured

to use a line-of-sight (LOS) vector to direct the array for communications with a communication station as the vehicle maneuvers,

to use the LOS vector to reconfigure the arrays to switch between communicating with a first communication station and a second communication station, and

to switch between communicating with a first communication station within a first frequency band through a first aperture, the first frequency band established for communication with the first communication station, and communicating with the second communication station within a second frequency band through a second aperture, the second frequency band established for communication with the second communication station, the first and second frequency bands being widely-spaced frequency bands having at least a five percent carrier frequency separation,

wherein the first frequency band is a higher-frequency band than the second frequency band, and

wherein for the multi-band and the multi-aperture operations, the control circuitry;

configures each element to operate as a single aperture to transmit RF signals for communicating with the first communication station within the first frequency band, and

configures a plurality of two or more elements to operate as a single element, single aperture, to transmit coherently combined RF signals that have the same phase shift, for communicating with the second communication station within the second frequency band.

2. The AESA system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry configures a perfect-square number of elements to operate as a single aperture for communicating within the second frequency band.

3. The AESA system of claim 1 wherein the first frequency band is X-band and the second frequency band is S-band,

wherein for communicating at an X-band frequency, each element of an array is configured to operate as a single aperture, and

wherein for communicating at an S-band frequency, squares of four elements of an array are configured to operate as a single aperture.

4. The AESA system of claim 3 wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide a sin(x)/(x) amplitude pattern across the elements of an array when operating in the first frequency band and when operating in the second frequency band.

5. The AESA system of claim 3 wherein the vehicle is an interceptor comprising one of a kill-vehicle or missile,

wherein the communication station is one of a ground based, a ship-based, an aircraft-based or a satellite based communication station,

wherein the communication station includes a radar tracking station configured to track a moving target and provide target-tracking data to the interceptor over a link established with the interceptor using the array, and

wherein the interceptor is configured to intercept the moving target using the target tracking data provided by a radar tracking station.

6. The AESA system of claim 5 wherein the arrays are located circumferentially around a vehicle, and

wherein the system further comprising switching circuitry that is configured by the control circuitry to switch between the arrays of the plurality as the vehicle spins to maintain communications with the communication station.

7. An interceptor comprising:

an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system comprising a plurality of arrays, each array comprising a plurality of radiating elements, and

control circuitry coupled to the plurality of arrays to configure each of the arrays for switchable multi-band and multi-aperture operations, wherein the control circuitry is configured to;

use a line-of-sight (LOS) vector to direct the arrays to maintain communications with communication stations as the interceptor maneuvers;

switch between communicating with a first communication station within a first frequency band through a first single aperture, the first frequency band established for communication with the first communication station, and communicating with a second communication station within a second frequency band through a second single aperture, the second frequency band established for communication with the second communication station;

configure single elements of the arrays to operate as the first single aperture to transmit RF signals for communicating with the first communication station within the first frequency band; and

configuring two or more elements of the arrays to operate as the second single element, single aperture, to transmit coherently combined RF signals that have the same phase shift, for communicating with the second communication station within the second frequency band.

8. The interceptor of claim 7 wherein the control circuitry configures a perfect-square number of elements to operate as the second single aperture for communicating within the second frequency band.

9. The interceptor of claim 8 wherein the second communication station is over-the-horizon with respect to the first communication station, and

wherein the control circuitry is to switch between communicating with the first communication station within the first frequency band through the first single aperture to communicating with the second communication station within the second frequency band through the second single aperture during a flight path of the interceptor.

10. The interceptor of claim 9 wherein the arrays are located circumferentially around a vehicle, and

wherein the system further comprising switching circuitry that is configured by the control circuitry to switch between the arrays of the plurality as the vehicle spins to maintain communications with the communication station.

11. The interceptor of claim 10 wherein the interceptor comprises one of a kill-vehicle or missile.

12. A method performed by an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system for maintaining a data link between a vehicle and one or more communication stations, the method comprising:

using a line-of-sight (LOS) vector to direct an array of the AESA system to maintain communications with a communication station as the vehicle maneuvers; and

switching between communicating with a first communication station within a first frequency band through a first single aperture, the first frequency band established for communication with the first communication station, and communicating with a second communication station within a second frequency band through a second single aperture, the second frequency band established for communication with the second communication station, wherein the first and second frequency bands are widely-spaced frequency bands,

wherein the AESA system includes one or more AESAs comprising a plurality of radiating elements that are configured for multi-band and multi-aperture operations, wherein the first frequency band is a higher-frequency band than the second frequency band, and

wherein for the multi-band and the multi-aperture operations, the method includes;

configuring single elements of the arrays to operate as the first single aperture to transmit RF signals for communicating with the first communication station within the first frequency band, and

configuring groups of two or more elements of the arrays to operate as the second single element, single aperture, to transmit coherently combined RF signals that have the same phase shift, for communicating with the second communication station within the second frequency band.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the arrays are located circumferentially around the vehicle, and

wherein the method further comprises switching between the arrays of the plurality as the vehicle spins to maintain communications with the communication station.