Polarization-rotation modulated, spread polarization-rotation, wide-bandwidth radio-wave communications system

• US 5,592,177 A
• Filed: 06/11/1993
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Barrett Holding LLC
• Original Assignee: Autometric Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Barrett, Terence W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US08/075,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 342/361, 342/362, 342/363, 342/364, 342/365, 342/366
• US Class Current: 342/361
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/245 provided with means for varying the polarisation polarising devices H01Q15/24; tracking by comparing linear polarisation compounds G01S3/146; reducing depolarisation effects H04B7/00; polarisation diversity H04B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/26 Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

A wide bandwidth radio wave communication system having a dual feed pair of cross-polarized antennas having a common axis and being at orthogonal angles to each other. A source of RF signals is coupled to the antennas and a shifter device is between at least one of the pair of cross-polarized antennas and the source of RF signals for modulating the polarization of RF signals launched by the pair of cross-polarized antennas.

Claims

1. A radio wave communication system comprising:

a source of RF signals,

a dual feed pair of cross polarized antennas having a common axis and being at orthogonal angles to each other relative to said common axis, and

means for coupling said source of RF signals to said pair of cross-polarized antennas including phase modulation means connected between at least one of said pair of cross-polarized antennas and said source for modulating the polarization of RF signals launched by said pair of cross-polarized antennas with an information signal.

2. A radio wave communication system as defined in claim 1 including a receiver pair of cross-polarized antennas having a common axis for receiving radio waves launched by said first mentioned pair of cross-polarized antennas and being at said orthogonal angles to each other relative to said axis.

3. A radio wave communication system as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 in which said radio wave is a continuous wave.

4. A radio wave communication system as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 in which said radio wave is pulsed.

5. A radio wave communication system as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said phase modulation means cause the polarization of RF signals to effectively rotate the said common axis of said first mentioned pair of cross-polarized antennas.

6. A radio wave communication system as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said phase modulation means includes a phase shifter.

7. A radio wave communication system as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said means to phase modulate includes a low loss dispersionless delay in line providing phase delays of fractions of a degree over discrete intervals of time, and cross-correlation means for detecting said fractions of phase delay.