Tracking system with orthogonal polarizations and a retro-directive array
First Claim
1. A transmit switch, comprising:
- two phase mixers configured to receive a signal to be transmitted and phase inputs I and Q, and to produce a quadrature signal comprising two signal components SQ and SI;
a hybrid coupler, wherein the hybrid coupler is to combine SQ phase shifted by 90°
with SI phase shifted by 180°
to produce a transmit output; and
a switching mechanism to turn off the transmit output by, swapping the phase inputs I and Q at the phase mixers, andcombining SQ phase shifted by 180°
with SI phase shifted by 90°
to produce a null transmit output.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments relate to a retro-directive array that facilitates a tracking operation. This retro-directive array includes a first antenna configured to receive an input signal which is substantially circularly polarized from a tracking device. The first antenna separates the input signal into two signal components (e.g., Ex and Ey) associated with different orthogonal polarizations, wherein the two signal components comprise a quadrature signal wherein Ey=j·Ex. The retro-directive array also includes a bi-directional quadrature gain (BQG) module coupled to the first antenna which is configured to boost the quadrature signal. It additionally includes a second antenna which configured to transmit the boosted quadrature signal to the tracking device. The disclosed embodiments also relate to a transceiver switch, which includes: an input configured to receive a signal to be transmitted, and two phase mixers configured to receive the signal to be transmitted and phase inputs I and Q, and to produce a signal comprising two quadrature signal components SI and SQ, respectively, wherein SQ=j SI. The transmit switch also includes a hybrid coupler, which is configured to combine SI phase shifted by 180° with SQ phase shifted by 90° to produce a transmit output which is proportionate to S; and a switching mechanism configured to turn off the transmit output by swapping the phase inputs I and Q to the phase mixers.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A transmit switch, comprising:
-
two phase mixers configured to receive a signal to be transmitted and phase inputs I and Q, and to produce a quadrature signal comprising two signal components SQ and SI; a hybrid coupler, wherein the hybrid coupler is to combine SQ phase shifted by 90°
with SI phase shifted by 180°
to produce a transmit output; anda switching mechanism to turn off the transmit output by, swapping the phase inputs I and Q at the phase mixers, and combining SQ phase shifted by 180°
with SI phase shifted by 90°
to produce a null transmit output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for operating a retro-directive array, comprising:
-
receiving a first input signal at a first antenna comprising two or more antenna elements including at least two spatially orthogonal antenna elements, the first input signal comprising two signal components associated with different orthogonal polarizations, wherein the two signal components are received by the two spatially orthogonal antenna elements, and wherein the two signal components comprise a first quadrature signal; feeding the two signal components through a bi-directional quadrature gain (BQG) module, the BQG module to boost the first quadrature signal; and transmitting the boosted first quadrature signal through an associated second antenna in the retro-directive array. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An apparatus which includes a retro-directive array, wherein the retro-directive array comprises:
-
a first antenna comprising two or more antenna elements including at least two spatially orthogonal antenna elements, the two spatially orthogonal antenna elements to receive two signal components of a first input signal associated with different orthogonal polarizations, and wherein the two signal components comprise a first quadrature signal; a bi-directional quadrature gain (BQG) module coupled to the first antenna and configured to boost the first quadrature signal; and a second antenna configured to transmit the boosted first quadrature signal to the tracking device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification