Phased array antenna system with virtual time delay beam steering
US6529162B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 17, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 4, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 17, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q3/2682
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and technique for phased array antenna beam steering for transmitting and receiving without sending the waveform through an actual (physical) time delay when a time varying frequency is used as the waveform. The inventive system is adapted for use with an antenna having an array of radiating elements and includes a plurality of signal sources. Each source is adapted to provide a signal having a predetermined frequency offset signal for an associated radiating element or set of radiating elements. For transmit a plurality of first mixers is provided. Each of the first mixers is coupled to receive an excitation signal as a first input and the output from a respective one of the sources as a second input. The output of each mixer is coupled to a respective subset of the antenna radiating elements. In effect, each of the sources provides a virtual time delay. In a specific embodiment, the virtual time delay source includes a direct digital synthesizer and a digital-to-analog converter connected to receive the output thereof. A second mixer is included in each source for mixing the output of the converter with the output of a supplemental signal source. For receive the process …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.