Transmit/receive module having multiple transmit/receive paths with shared circuitry

US6034633A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• John W. Cassen · Sykesville, US
• Stephanie A. Parks · Helston, GB
• Edward L. Rich · Ogden, US
• Gary N. Bonadies · Laurel, US
• Gary L. Ferrell · Pasadena, US
• John Fisher · Ellicott City, US
• John W. Gipprich · Millersville, US
• John D. Gornto · Columbia, US
• Daniel J. Heffernan · Pasadena, US
• David A. Herlihy · Ellicott City, US
• Patrick K. Richard · Baltimore, US
• David W. Strack · Baltimore, US
• Scott K. Suko · Elkridge, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 23, 1998
• Grant date: Mar 7, 2000
• Expiry date: Sep 23, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01Q21/0025
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A transmit/receive (T/R) module adapted for use in a radar system. The module has a unified structure including a layered substrate on and in which two T/R channel circuits are integrated. The channel circuits make use of power distribution, channel controller, and RF signal routing circuitry, partly on a channel shared basis. In the RF routing circuitry, respective coupler elements are employed to combine RF receive signals for output to an RF receive manifold and to split an RF transmit signal from a transmit manifold into separate RF transmit signals for input to the T/R channel circuits.