Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Determining direction – Interferometer
Patent
1995-12-13
1998-01-06
Blum, Theodore M.
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Determining direction
Interferometer
342372, G01S 1300
Patent
active
057060126
ABSTRACT:
The virtual interferometer is an improved method for generating multiple ultaneous transmit beams as effected by a phased array radar. The technique is particularly suited to a solid state active radar array having a transmit/receive (T/R) module that is located at each radiating element. Potential applications to radar systems include environments such as air traffic control in which wide area surveillance with high search rates may be required. With multiple simultaneous beam generation coupled with parallel receiver beamformers and processors, such a radar system could support large volume searches while preserving the narrow beam characteristics by using the full aperture for generation of each of the multiple beams. The multiple simultaneous beams are generated by applying a particular phase shift at each radiating element, with no requirement for amplitude modulation. To form the multiple simultaneous beams on transmit, the antenna is logically divided into a series of equal segments, with a quadratic or near-quadratic phase profile applied to each of the logical antenna segments. The curvature of the phase function determines the angular extent covered by the series of beams being generated. This phase function has the effect of focusing the radiation at a specific distance either in front of or behind the phased array antenna, depending on the sign of the curvature. Each of the logical antenna segments interferes coherently with the others, resulting in a constructive/destructive interference pattern in the far-field of the antenna.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4368469 (1983-01-01), Ott et al.
patent: 4825172 (1989-04-01), Thompson
patent: 5457466 (1995-10-01), Rose
Blum Theodore M.
Goshorn Elmer
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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