Antenna having elements with programmable digitally generated time delays
US5130717A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 29, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q3/2682
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An array antenna (12) in which dependent programmable and digitally generated time delays are imposed on signals passing through each antenna element (14) is disclosed. A beam steering computer (32) determines data values corresponding to delays needed at each element to form a desired beam angle. These data values are written into digital element signal processors (DESPs) (40) which are associated with each element in one-to-one correspondence. Each DESP (40) includes a waveform generator (30), which produces digitized samples synchronously with a reference clock signal. A stream of the digitized samples passes through and is delayed in a highly precise delay generator (54) before being converted to analog in a D/A converter (60). The analog signal is modulated (62), amplified (66), and then radiated at the associated element (14). Received signals are amplified (70), demodulated (72), converted to digital in an A/D converter (74), and then passed through the same delay generator (54). They are then re-converted to analog (60), modulated (62) back to RF, and combined (50) with other delayed RF signals. The delay generator (50) includes a register file (106) which receives a digiti…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.