Adaptive array having an auxiliary channel notched pattern in the steered beam direction

Claim 2

Claim 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising (Figure 2): (a) third and fourth antenna element ports, each said port for coupling to one of said antenna elements of said system; (b) a third circuit (3B) coupled to said third and fourth ports for providing a second sum signal (via 7B) at a second sum port representing a second sum of signals provided to said third and fourth ports by the antenna elements coupled thereto and for providing a second difference signal (via 8B) at a second difference port representing a second difference of signals provided to said third and fourth antenna ports; (c) a second adaptive control loop (6B, 9B) coupled to the second difference port (via 4B, 5B) and having an output (from 4B) providing a second difference output signal corresponding to the second difference signal; (d) a fourth circuit (10S) for summing the first sum signal and the second sum signal and having an output providing a total sum signal; (e) a fifth circuit (10D) for summing the first difference output signal and the second difference output signal and having an output providing a total difference signal; and (f) wherein said second circuit (11) adds the total difference signal and the total sum signal and has an output port associated with said first and second control loops.

Claim 3

Claim 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising (Figure 2) a plurality of adaptive modules with each module having: (1) said first and second element ports for coupling to said antenna elements (lA, 1B, ..., 1N) of said system; (2) said first circuit (3A, 38, ..., 3N) coupled to said first and second ports for providing a first sum signal (via 7A, 7B, ..., 7N) at a first sum port representing a first sum of signals provided to said first and second ports by the antenna elements coupled thereto and for providing a first difference signal (via 8A, 8B, ..., 8N) at a first difference port representing a first difference of signals provided to said first and second antenna ports; and (3) a weight (4A, 4B, ... 4N) for weighting the first difference signal; and said apparatus further including: (a) a sixth circuit (10S) for summing the first sum signals of said modules and providing a total sum signal; (b) a seventh circuit (10D) for summing the first difference signals of said modules and providing a total difference signal; (c) a correlating circuit (9A, 98,..., 9N) responsive to the first difference signals of the modules for controlling each of said seventh circuit; and (d) eight circuit (11) for adding the total difference signal and the total sum signal and providing an output signal, said output signal associated with said correlating circuit.

Claim 4

Claim 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said correlating circuit (9A, 9B, ..., 9N) comprises (Figure 3): (a) a multiplexer (80) having inputs (5A, 58, ..., 5N) coupled to the first difference port (8A, 8B, ..., 8N) of each module and having an output; (b) an adaptive controller (90) having an input coupled to the output of the multiplexer (80) and having outputs coupled to said weights (4A, 4B, ..., 4N); and (c) timing and control circuit (81) associated with the multiplexer (80) and the controller (90).

Claim 5

Claim 5. The apparatus of claims 3 or 4 further comprising a circuit (2A, 2B, ..., 2N) for steering a beam of radiation received by said antenna elements whereby automatic notched steering control in the beam steered direction is achieved.

Claim 6

Claim 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said correlating circuit (9A, 9B, ..., 9N) comprises: a multiplexer (80), correlator and demultiplexer (90) responsive to the first difference signals of the modules for controlling each of said weights (4A, 4B, ..., 4N); and a summing circuit (11) for adding the total difference signal and the total sum signal and providing an output signal, said output signal associated with the correlator.

Claim 7

Claim 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said correlator and demultiplexer (90) comprise (Figure 4), in series, a 90° hybrid (14) providing in-phase and quadrature outputs, the in-phase output (15I) in series with a first sample and hold circuit (171), a first integrator (18I) and a first amplifier (19I); and the quadrature output (15Q) in series with a second sample and hold circuit (17Q), a second integrator (18Q) and a second amplifier (19Q).