Analog ferrite phase shifter control circuit

Claim 1

In a control circuit for repetitively actuating and deactuating, in response to the repetitive occurrence of binary signals, each one of a plurality of electric current switching means, each one thereof being in circuit with a different one of a like plurality of analog ferrite phase shifters, such switching means and phase shifters being arranged in rows and columns corresponding to the radiating elements of an antenna array, the improvement comprising: a. a first plurality of recirculating shift registers, the number thereof being equal to the number of rows of electric current switching means; b. a second plurality of recirculating shift registers, the number thereof being equal to the number of columns of electric current switching means; c. means for connecting the output stage of a different one of the recirculating shift registers in the first plurality thereof to the actuating terminals of the electric current switching means in each different row thereof and for connecting the output stage of a different one of the recirculating shift registers in the second plurality thereof to the deactuating terminals of the electric current switching means in each column thereof; d. programming means for initially shifting a binary ''''one'''' from the input stage of each recirculating shift register to an intermediate stage thereof, the particular intermediate stage in each such register to which the binary ''''one'''' is shifted being varied to change the time of actuation and deactuation of each one of the electric switch means; and, e. clocking means to shift the binary ''''one'''' in each recirculating shift register from its initial intermediate stage to the last stage and to recirculate repetitively such binary ''''one''''.