Phase control circuits using frequency multiplication for phased array antennas

Claim 2

A phased array antenna coupling circuit of the type used for coupling a transmission circuit with a plurality of more than two phased array antenna elements comprisinG: a multiplier circuit, means for multiplying the frequencies of at least two signals supplied thereto; combining circuit means for interconnecting said transmission circuit and said multiplier circuit means, said combining circuit means being adapted to combine in a preselected manner at least two signals which are separated by a phase angle; and, a recombining circuit means for interconnecting said multiplier circuit means and said more than two phased array antenna elements.

Claim 3

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said combining circuit means includes phase shifting means connected to said transmission circuit first and second input terminal means, each of which handles a signal which is separated by a phase angle from the signal handled by the other.

Claim 4

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 2 wherein: said multiplier circuit comprises a plurality of frequency multiplier elements each being connected between said combining and recombining circuits; and, said combining circuit comprises first and second multi-output power dividers, said first multi-output power divider being connected to said first input terminal means and said second multi-output power divider being connected to said second input terminal means.

Claim 5

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 3 wherein said combining circuit and said recombining circuit each combine at least two signals which are separated from one another by a phase angle.

Claim 6

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said combining circuit includes a four port hybrid power divider which is connected to both said first and said second multi-output power dividers and is further connected to two of said frequency multiplier elements; said frequency multiplier elements are frequency doublers; and, said recombining circuit includes a four port hybrid power divider which is connected between at least two of said frequency doublers and at least one of said antenna elements.

Claim 7

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein: there are three four port hybrid power dividers in said combining circuit, a first of which has two inputs connected to said first multi-output power divider, a second of which has a first input connected to said first multi-output power divider and a second input connected to said second multi-output power divider, and a third of which has two inputs connected to said second multi-output power divider; there are six doublers, a pair of said doublers being attached to each of said three four port hybrid power dividers in said combining circuit; and, there are three four port hybrid power dividers in said recombining circuit, each one being attached to a separate pair of said doublers.

Claim 8

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 6 wherein: said four port hybrid power dividers in said combining circuit and said recombining circuit are 90* hybrids; and, there is further included three 90* delay elements which are respectively connected between one frequency doubler in each frequency doubler pair and a four port hybrid in said recombining circuit.

Claim 9

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said combining circuit includes a 180* four port hybrid power divider which is connected to both said first and said second multi-output power dividers and is further connected to two said frequency multiplier elements; said frequency multiplier elements are frequency doublers; and, said recombining circuit includes a 180* four port hybrid power divider which is connected between at least two of said frequency doublers and at least one of said antenna elements.

Claim 10

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said frequency multiplier elements each multiply signals to the Nth power; and, said combining circuit includes N four port hybrid power dividers which are respectively connected to both said first and said second multi-output power dividers and which are respectively further connected to separate ones of said multiplier elements.

Claim 11

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 9 wherein: said multi-output power dividers are N-way power dividers, each having N outputs; there are N-1 phase shifting elements, each connected between a separate output of one of said N-way power dividers and a separate one of said N four port hybrid power dividers; there are N multiplying elements, each one connected to a separate four port hybrid power divider in said combining circuit; there are (N-1)-way power dividers connected between each said multiplier element and said recombining circuit; and, phase delay elements are connected between the outputs of all but one of said (N-1)-way power dividers and said recombining circuit.

Claim 12

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said frequency multiplier elements each multiply signals to the Nth power; said multi-output power dividers each have N outputs; and wherein is further included (N-1)-way power dividers each having N-1 outputs and each being connected between a separate multiplier element and said recombining circuit means.

Claim 13

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein; said multiplier elements are quadruplers.

Claim 14

A phased array antenna coupling circuit as claimed in claim 12 wherein: said first and second multi-output power dividers are two-way power dividers each having first and second outputs; said combining circuit further comprises a 90* phase shifter; said combining circuit further includes a first and a second combining 180* hybrid each having sum and difference parts, said first combining 180* hybrid having a first input connected to said first output of said first two-way power divider and a second input connected to said first output of said second two-way power divider, and said second combining 180* hybrid having a first input connected to said second output of said first two-way power divider and a second input connected through said 90* phase shifter to said second output of said second two-way power divider; said recombining circuit comprises first and second recombining 180* hybrids each having first and second inputs and sum and difference ports, and first and second recombining 180* hybrids each having first and second inputs and sum and difference ports; said sum port of said first combining 180* hybrid is connected through a quadrupler to said first input of said first recombining 180* hybrid; said difference port of said first combining 180* hybrid is connected through a quadrupler to said second input of said second recombining 180* hybrid; said sum port of said second combining 180* hybrid is connected through a quadrupler to said first input of said second recombining 180* hybrid; said difference port of said second combining 180* hybrid is connected through a quadrupler to said second input of said first recombining circuit further comprises a 90* phase delay element; said sum port of said first recombining 180* hybrid is connected to said first input of said first re-recombining 180* hybrid; said difference port of said first recombining 180* hybrid is connected to said first input of said second re-recombining 180* hybrid; said sum port of said second recombining 180* hybrid is connected to said second input of said first re-recombining 180* hybrid; said diffeRence port of said second recombining 180* hybrid is connected through said 90* phase delay element to said 90* phase delay element to said second input of said second rerecombining 180* hybrid; and, said difference port of said first re-recombining 180* hybrid and said sum and difference ports of said second re-recombining 180* hybrid are each connected to one of said phased array antenna elements.