RF waveform modulation apparatus and method

• US 7,865,152 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Simon D
• Application Number:
  US11/875,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/67.11, 455/129, 455/575.7, 455110-111, 343/702, 343/732, 343/850, 342/361, 342/365, 375/302
• US Class Current: 455/91
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/02 Light- or radiation-emitting guns ; Light- or radiation-sensitive guns; Cartridges carrying light emitting sources, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0043 Directed energy weapons, i.e. devices that direct a beam of high energy content toward a target for incapacitating or destroying the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0068 the high-energy beam being of microwave type, e.g. for causing a heating effect in the target
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

The disclosed system, device and method for a signal modulation apparatus generally includes a first signal generator suitably configured to generate a first continuous wave radio frequency (RF) signal, and a second signal generator suitably configured to generate a second continuous wave RF signal. A dual-circular polarized antenna may be adapted to receive the first continuous wave RF signal into a right-hand port and the second continuous wave RF signal into a left-hand port, where the signals are combined into a modulated RF signal in the dual-circular polarized antenna.

Claims

1. A method of generating a modulated radio frequency (RF) signal, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a first continuous wave RF signal having a first frequency;

generating a second continuous wave RF signal having a second frequency different from the first frequency;

inputting the first continuous wave RF signal into a right-hand port of a dual-circular polarized antenna;

inputting the second continuous wave RF signal into a left-hand port of the dual-circular polarized antenna; and

subsequent to inputting, combining the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal to create the modulated RF signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of amplifying at least one of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal prior to inputting into the dual-circular polarized antenna.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of combining occurs substantially in the dual-circular polarized antenna.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of combining occurs substantially subsequent to emission of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal from the dual-circular polarized antenna.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of radiating the modulated RF signal on a target.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of the modulated RF signal disrupting at least one of a guidance system electronic component and a sensor system electronic component of the target.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulated RF signal comprises modulated microwave radiation.

8. A signal modulation apparatus, comprising:

a first signal generator suitably configured to generate a first continuous wave radio frequency (RF) signal having a first frequency;

a second signal generator suitably configured to generate a second continuous wave RF signal having a second frequency different from the first frequency; and

a dual-circular polarized antenna suitably configured to receive the first continuous wave RF signal into a right-hand port and to receive the second continuous wave RF signal into a left-hand port,

wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably adapted to induce a combination of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal into a modulated RF signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one amplifier suitably configured to amplify at least one of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably configured to combine the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal into the modulated RF signal substantially in the dual-circular polarized antenna.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably configured to combine the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal into the modulated RF signal substantially subsequent to emission of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal from the dual-circular polarized antenna.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably configured to radiate the modulated RF signal on a target.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the modulated RF signal disrupts at least one of a guidance system electronic component and a sensor system electronic component of the target.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the modulated RF signal comprises modulated microwave radiation.

15. A directed energy unit, comprising:

a first signal generator suitably configured to generate a first continuous wave radio frequency (RF) signal having a first frequency;

a second signal generator suitably configured to generate a second continuous wave RF signal having a second frequency different from the first frequency; and

a dual-circular polarized antenna suitably configured to receive the first continuous wave RF signal into a right-hand port and to receive the second continuous wave RF signal into a left-hand port,

wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably configured to induce a combination of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal into a modulated RF signal, and

wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitable configured to radiate the modulated RF signal on a target.

16. The directed energy unit of claim 15, further comprising at least one amplifier suitably configured to amplify at least one of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal prior to entering the dual-circular polarized antenna.

17. The directed energy unit of claim 15, wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably configured to combine the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal into the modulated RF signal substantially in the dual-circular polarized antenna.

18. The directed energy unit of claim 15, wherein the dual-circular polarized antenna is suitably configured to combine the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal into the modulated RF signal substantially subsequent to emission of the first continuous wave RF signal and the second continuous wave RF signal from the dual-circular polarized antenna.

19. The directed energy unit of claim 15, wherein the modulated RF signal disrupts at least one of a guidance system electronic component and a sensor system electronic component of the target.

20. The directed energy unit of claim 15, wherein the modulated RF signal comprises modulated microwave radiation.