Detecting and processing weak signals using an array of antennas
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting and processing signals, comprising:
- receiving a weak radio frequency (RF) signal by an array of antennas;
digitally sampling the weak RF signal from each antenna of the array of antennas;
storing digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna;
detecting a presence of the weak RF signal, wherein detecting the presence of the weak RF signal comprises determining a correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas using the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna, wherein determining the correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas comprises;
producing a phase difference between digital samples of signals of respective pairs of antennas of the array of antennas;
combining the digital samples of signals for each respective pair of antennas using the phase difference between the combined digital samples of signals to provide a resulting signal from each pair of antennas, each resulting signal being receivable by a virtual antenna; and
iteratively combining the resulting signals from respective pairs of virtual antennas using a phase difference between the combined resulting signals to provide a single resultant signal.
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Abstract
A method for detecting and processing signals may include receiving a weak radio frequency (RF) signal by an array of antennas. The method may also include digitally sampling the weak RF signal from each antenna of the array of antennas and storing the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna. The method may additionally include detecting a presence of the weak RF signal. Detecting the presence of the weak RF signal may include determining a correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas using the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for detecting and processing signals, comprising:
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receiving a weak radio frequency (RF) signal by an array of antennas; digitally sampling the weak RF signal from each antenna of the array of antennas; storing digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna; detecting a presence of the weak RF signal, wherein detecting the presence of the weak RF signal comprises determining a correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas using the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna, wherein determining the correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas comprises; producing a phase difference between digital samples of signals of respective pairs of antennas of the array of antennas; combining the digital samples of signals for each respective pair of antennas using the phase difference between the combined digital samples of signals to provide a resulting signal from each pair of antennas, each resulting signal being receivable by a virtual antenna; and iteratively combining the resulting signals from respective pairs of virtual antennas using a phase difference between the combined resulting signals to provide a single resultant signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for detecting and processing signals, comprising:
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receiving a weak radio frequency (RF) signal by an array of antennas; digitally sampling the weak RF signal from each antenna of the array of antennas; storing digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna; detecting a presence of the weak RF signal; determining a phase difference of the weak RF signal received by each antenna of the array of antennas, wherein detecting the presence of the weak RF signal and determining the phase difference of the weak RF signal received by each antenna comprises determining a correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas using the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna, wherein determining the correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas comprises; producing a phase difference between digital samples of signals of respective pairs of antennas of the array of antennas; combining the digital samples of signals for each respective pair of antennas using the phase difference between the combined digital samples of signals to provide a resulting signal from each pair of antennas, each resulting signal being receivable by a virtual antenna; and iteratively combining the resulting signals from respective pairs of virtual antennas using a phase difference between the combined resulting signals to provide a single resultant signal; and generating a maximum gain signal using the digital samples of the weak RF signal for each antenna and the phase difference of the weak RF signal received by each antenna of the array of antennas in response to detecting the presence of the weak RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for detecting and processing signals, comprising:
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an array of antennas for receiving a weak RF signal; a component configured to digitally sample the weak RF signal from each antenna of the array of antennas; a storage device for storing digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna; a plurality of channelized correlators, one channelized correlator associated with each respective pair of antennas of the array of antennas, each channelized correlator being configured to determine a correlation between the weak RF signal received by the associated pair of antennas using the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna; a plurality of channelized summers, one channelized summer associated with each respective pair of antennas of the array of antennas for combining the digital samples of signals from the respective pair of antennas using a phase difference between the digital samples of signals being combined to generate a combined signal; and a comparator to compare a magnitude of a resultant signal from iteratively pair-wise combining the digital samples of signals from each of the antennas of the array of antennas to a preset threshold, wherein a presence of the weak RF signal is detected in response to the magnitude of the resultant signal exceeding the preset threshold. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification