Methods and apparatus for mobile phased array system

• US 10,379,203 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gianvittorio, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Windrich, Marcus E
• Application Number:
  US14/727,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 342 25 R- 25 F
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/36 Means for anti-jamming , e.g. ECCM, i.e. electronic counter-counter measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46

Abstract

Method and apparatus for a phased array system including a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) configured to fly in an array formation having an array lattice spacing. The UAVs can include a puck having a phased array element and a signal processing module configured to receive and process a signal to achieve for the array lattice spacing a spacing that is less than a wavelength of operation of the phased array elements.

Claims

1. A phased array system comprising:

a first plurality of first unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) configured to fly in an array formation having an array lattice spacing, each respective first UAVs comprising;

a puck including a data link system, a phased array element, and a phased locked loop system, the phased locked loop system including a beacon receive antenna, the phased locked loop system being configured to receive a beacon signal via the beacon receive antenna and process the beacon signal to achieve for the array lattice spacing a spacing that is less than a wavelength of operation of the phased array element, and the phased array element being configured to transmit a radar waveform that is synchronized to the beacon signal that is received by the phased locked loop system via the beacon receive antenna,

wherein the phased array element includes a pair of parallel processing paths, each of the parallel processing Paths being configured to;

(i) digitize a respective portion of a received differential signal to produce signal data, and (ii) store the signal data in a buffer that is shared by the parallel processing paths for use by the data link system, and

wherein the first plurality of first UAVs is configured to form a phased array antenna when flying in the array formation, with each of the first UAVs carrying a different phased array element of the phased array antenna, such that;

(i) the spacing between the phased array elements of the phased array antenna is set based on the beacon signal, and (ii) radar waveforms transmitted from the phased array antenna are synchronized based on the beacon signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first UAVs comprise multi-rotor copters.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the puck is configured to provide a wireless data downlink.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the array lattice spacing is configured to be less than or equal to 0.5 of the wavelength of operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one of a phased array radar, an anti-jammer, and a communications system.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second UAV that is independently controllable, the second UAV being configured to transmit to the first plurality of first UAVs the beacon signal to enable the first plurality of first UAVs to navigate to the array lattice spacing.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon signal comprises a signal provided by a second, independently controlled UAV.

6. A method of providing a phased array system comprising:

receiving commands at a first plurality of first unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the commands configured to cause the first plurality of first UAVs to fly in an array formation having an array lattice spacing, each respective UAVs comprising;

a puck including a data link system, a phased array element and a phased locked loop system, the phased locked loop system including a beacon receive antenna, the phased locked loop system being configured to receive a beacon signal via the beacon receive antenna and process the beacon signal to achieve for the array lattice spacing a spacing that is less than a wavelength of operation of the phased array element, and the phased array element being configured to transmit a radar waveform that is synchronized with the beacon signal by the phased locked loop system,

wherein the phased array element includes a pair of parallel processing paths, each of the parallel processing paths being configured to;

(i) digitize a respective portion of a received differential signal to produce signal data, and (ii) store the signal data in a buffer that is shared by the parallel processing paths for use by the data link system, and

wherein the first plurality of first UAVs is configured to form a phased array antenna when flying in the array formation, with each of the first UAVs carrying a different phased array element of the phased array antenna, such that;

(i) the spacing between the phased array elements of the phased array antenna is set based on the beacon signal, and (ii) radar waveforms transmitted from the phased array antenna are synchronized based on the beacon signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the first UAVs comprise multi-rotor copters.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the puck is configured to provide a wireless data downlink.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the array lattice spacing is configured to be less than or equal to 0.5 of the wavelength of operation.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the system comprises at least one of a phased array radar, an anti-jammer, and a communication system.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising moving the phased array system formed by the first plurality of first UAVs through space while phased array system transmits and receives.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the beacon signal comprises a signal provided by a second, independently controlled UAV.

11. A system, comprising:

a controller; and

a means for providing a hovering phased array radar configured for wireless communication with the controller, the means for providing a hovering phased array radar having an array lattice spacing and comprising;

a puck including a data link system, a phased array element and a phased locked loop system, the phased locked loop system including a beacon receive antenna, the phased locked loop system being configured to receive a beacon signal via the beacon receive antenna and process the beacon signal to achieve for the array lattice spacing a spacing that is less than a wavelength of operation of the phased array element, and the phased array element being configured to transmit a radar waveform that is synchronized with a beacon signal that is received by the phased locked loop system via the beacon receive antenna,

wherein the phased array element includes a pair of parallel processing paths, each of the parallel processing paths being configured to;

(i) digitize a respective portion of a received differential signal to produce signal data, and (ii) store the signal data in a buffer that is shared by the parallel processing paths for use by the data link system,

wherein the array lattice spacing of the phased array radar is based on the beacon signal, and

wherein radar waveforms transmitted from the phased array radar are synchronized based on the beacon signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the beacon signal comprises a signal provided by an independently controlled UAV.