Apparatus and method using wavefront phase measurements to determine geometrical relationships
US6982678B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 2, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 3, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q3/26
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus includes a microwave source that produces a microwave feed beam, and a first pair of microwave sensors that each intercept and receive a portion of the microwave feed beam. The two microwave sensors are spaced apart from each other along a first-pair axis. A first phase-comparison device has as it inputs the output signals of the two microwave sensors, and as an output a first phase comparison of the first-sensor output signal and the second-sensor output signal. A first geometrical calculator has as an input the first phase comparison and as an output a geometrical relationship of the first-pair axis to an other feature. This geometrical relationship output may be used to generate a control signal that is used to alter the geometrical relationship. There may be additional microwave sensors operating in a similar manner but spaced to provide information for other geometrical axes or allow improvements in geometrical measurements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.