US3714652A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Single error channel monopulse system
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1971-04-19
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Granted: 1973-01-30
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Expires: 1991-04-19
Abstract
Abstract This is a monopulse system for deriving the azimuth and elevation error signals in a single channel, eliminating the second error channel used in the conventional monopulse systems and reducing the number of channels required for the sum azimuth and elevation error signals from three to two channels. This reduction from three to two channels is accomplished by introducing a mode generator in the throat of the feed horn. The mode generator selectively changes the phase of signals in certain modes while leaving the phases of other modes uneffected. These selected signals are processed through a circular polarizer which introduces a time phase delay to the signals unaffected by the mode generator so that in the single error channel two signals appear, the azimuth and the elevation error signals, with the elevation error delayed 90* in relation to the azimuth error. These signals are in phase quadrature, can be processed by basic phase comparison techniques and the azimuth and elevation and error information can be separately extracted.
Inventors
- 👤 J Grabowski
- 👤 W Powell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:46
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q25/00; H01Q25/04; G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/42; G01S13/44; G01S13/4436; H01Q13/00; H01Q13/02; H01Q13/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A single error channel monopulse system comprising: a multimode feed horn for transmitting monopulse signals and for receiving monopulse E plane error signal patterns; a mode generator connected to said feed horn for receiving said E plane error signal and for rotating by 90 degrees the E plane error pattern mode signal received from a target off axis in the azimuth plane; said mode generator receiving an elevation E plane error pattern from said feed horn and passing said elevation E plane error pattern mode unchanged through said generator; means connected to said mode generator for generating vertical E field components from said elevation E plane error pattern mode; said vertical E field components being in time phase quadrature relative to said rotated azimuth E plane error pattern; and means connected to said generating means for detecting said azimuth and elevation error signals to determine the target azimuth and elevation error.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A single error channel monopulse system comprising: a multimode feed horn for transmitting monopulse signals and for receiving monopulse E plane error signal patterns; a mode generator connected to said feed horn for receiving said E plane error signal and for rotating by 90 degrees the E plane error pattern mode signal received from a target off axis in the azimuth plane; said mode generator receiving an elevation E plane error pattern from said feed horn and passing said elevation E plane error pattern mode unchanged through said generator; means connected to said mode generator for generating vertical E field components from said elevation E plane error pattern mode; said vertical E field components being in time phase quadrature relative to said rotated azimuth E plane error pattern; and means connected to said generating means for detecting said azimuth and elevation error signals to determine the target azimuth and elevation error.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
151 words
A single error channel monopulse system comprising: a multimode feed horn for transmitting monopulse signals and for receiving monopulse E plane error signal patterns; a mode generator connected to said feed horn for receiving said E plane error signal and for rotating by 90 degrees the E plane error pattern mode signal received from a target off axis in the azimuth plane; said mode generator receiving an elevation E plane error pattern from said feed horn and passing said elevation E plane error pattern mode unchanged through said generator; means connected to said mode generator for generating vertical E field components from said elevation E plane error pattern mode; said vertical E field components being in time phase quadrature relative to said rotated azimuth E plane error pattern; and means connected to said generating means for detecting said azimuth and elevation error signals to determine the target azimuth and elevation error.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
151 words
A single error channel monopulse system comprising: a multimode feed horn for transmitting monopulse signals and for receiving monopulse E plane error signal patterns; a mode generator connected to said feed horn for receiving said E plane error signal and for rotating by 90 degrees the E plane error pattern mode signal received from a target off axis in the azimuth plane; said mode generator receiving an elevation E plane error pattern from said feed horn and passing said elevation E plane error pattern mode unchanged through said generator; means connected to said mode generator for generating vertical E field components from said elevation E plane error pattern mode; said vertical E field components being in time phase quadrature relative to said rotated azimuth E plane error pattern; and means connected to said generating means for detecting said azimuth and elevation error signals to determine the target azimuth and elevation error.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a means to derive the monopulse sum, elevation, and azimuth error signals; said deriving means having a single error channel for deriving said time phase quadrature related azimuth and elevation error signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 2, wherein: said deriving means is a magic tee hybrid having input terminals and first and second output terminals; said sum signal being developed at said first output terminal and said azimuth aNd elevation phase quadrature related signals being developed at said second output terminal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 3, wherein: said rotating means comprises a waveguide; a four port exciter; said waveguide being connected at one end to said multimode feed horn and being connected at its other end to said four port exciter; said waveguide having means on the interior of each of the four walls of said waveguide for mode generation and phase variation of transmitted and received monopulse signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 4, wherein: said means is a step ridge mounted on each of said waveguide walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 5 wherein: each wall of said four port exciter being coextensive with its connecting waveguide wall; said four port exciter having intersecting interior walls defining the said four ports.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
The system of claim 4, wherein: said means for mode generation and phase variation is responsive to the sum TE10 pattern mode, generates a LSE12 mode to shape the said sum pattern transmitted from said multimode feed horn; said means for mode generation and phase variation responsive to an azimuth E plane error pattern mode causing a time phase variation between the TE11 and TM11 modes of the azimuth E plane error pattern in the LSE11 mode and rotating said LSE11 E field pattern by 90*.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
153 words
The system of claim 7, wherein: said means for mode generation is a step ridge mounted on each of said waveguide walls; the amount of said LSE12 mode generated is functionally related to the height of each said step ridge and the length of each said step ridge; said phase difference between said TM11 and TM12 mode is functionally related to each said step ridge length; the effect of said step ridges on the elevation error E plane pattern in the TE20 mode being functionally related to the thinness of each said step ridge relative to wave length of the TE20 mode signal; said step ridges being spaced apart from said four port interior walls by a gap; the phase of said LSE11 mode being functionally related to said gap size; and the relative phasing between said TM11 and TE11 modes being functionally related to the taper angle of each said step ridges.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
177 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said means to generate vertical E fields components comprises circular polarizers; each said circular polarizer having an input connected to a respective port of said four port exciter for receiving the error signal from said respective port; a power divider connected to the output of said circular polarizers for combining the signals from the upper pair of said waveguides of said four port exciter into a single signal and for combining the signals from the lower pair of waveguides of said four port exciter into a single second signal; said magic tee hybrid being connected to receive said first and second signals for developing the sum signal at said sum port and for developing said azimuth and elevation error signals at said difference port; said means for mode generation and phase variation responsive to an azimuth E plane error pattern mode causing a time phase variation between the TE11 and TM11 modes of the azimuth E plane error in the LSE11 pattern mode and rotating said LSE11 E fields by 90*.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 3, wherein: said means to generate vertical E field components from said elevation error signal comprises circular polarizers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A mode generator, comprising a feed horn; a waveguide; a four port exciter; said waveguide being connected at one end to said feed horn and being connected at said other end to said four port exciter; and said waveguide having step ridges on each of its four walls for mode generation and phase variation of transmitted and received monopulse signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
A mode generator, comprising a feed horn; a waveguide; a four port exciter; said waveguide being connected at one end to said feed horn and being connected at said other end to said four port exciter; and said waveguide having step ridges on each of its four walls for mode generation and phase variation of transmitted and received monopulse signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 11, wherein: a step ridge is mounted on each of said waveguide walls;.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 12, wherein: each said four port exciter wall is coextensive with its abutting waveguide wall; said four port waveguide having intersecting interior walls for defining said four ports; and each said step ridge being mounted in the plane of an intersecting waveguide wall of said four port exciter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
73 words
The system of claim 11, wherein: said step ridges, responsive to the sum TE11 pattern mode generates a LSE12 mode to shape the sum pattern transmitted from said multimode feed horn; said step ridges responsive to an azimuth E plane error pattern mode causing a time phase variation between the TE11 and TM11 modes of the azimuth E plane error in the LSE11 pattern mode and rotating said LSE11 E fields by 90*.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
136 words
The system of claim 14, wherein: the proportion of said LSE12 mode generated is functionally related to the height of said step ridge and to the length of said step ridge; said phase difference between said TM11 and TM12 modes is functionally related to said step ridge length; the effect of said step ridges on the elevation error E plane pattern in the TE20 mode being functionally related to the thinness of said step ridge, relative to the wave length of the TE20 mode signal; said step ridges being spaced apart from the interior walls of said four port exciter by a gap; the phase of said LSE11 mode being functionally related to said gap; and the relative phasing between said TM11 and TE11 modes being functionally related to the taper angle of said step ridges.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for generating azimuth and elevation error signals in a single error channel, comprising the steps of: rotating the azimuth E plane error signal pattern received from a target off axis in the azimuth plane by 90*; passing the elevation E plane error signal pattern through a polarizer to generate vertical E field components for said elevation error signal delayed by 90* in time phase compared to said rotated azimuth error pattern.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for generating azimuth and elevation error signals in a single error channel, comprising the steps of: rotating the azimuth E plane error signal pattern received from a target off axis in the azimuth plane by 90*; passing the elevation E plane error signal pattern through a polarizer to generate vertical E field components for said elevation error signal delayed by 90* in time phase compared to said rotated azimuth error pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 16, including the steps of: detecting the azimuth error signal from said rotated azimuth error pattern and detecting the elevation error signal from said elevation error signal delayed by 90* in time phase relative to said rotated azimuth pattern in a single error channel; and producing separate azimuth and elevation error signals from said phase quadrature related azimuth and elevation error signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
A single error channel monopulse system, comprising: means for receiving a plurality of error pattern signals; means for changing the phase of one of said plurality of error pattern signals, with respect to the other signals of said plurality of error pattern signals, and producing phase related signals; and means for detecting said phase related error pattern signals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
A single error channel monopulse system, comprising: means for receiving a plurality of error pattern signals; means for changing the phase of one of said plurality of error pattern signals, with respect to the other signals of said plurality of error pattern signals, and producing phase related signals; and means for detecting said phase related error pattern signals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system of claim 18, wherein: said means for detecting said phase related error signals is limited to a single channel for producing said plurality of phase related error pattern signals; and including means to separate and extract each of said plurality of phase related error pattern signals, connected to said single channel.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 19, wherein: said means for changing in phase includes means for rotating one of said error pattern signals with respect to said other of said plurality of error pattern signals; and said one error pattern signal being changed in phase, being a non-rotated error pattern signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 20, wherein: said error pattern signals are the E plane error patterns in the azimuth and elevation planes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-30 | 1976-07-31 | 1977-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-30 | 1980-07-31 | 1981-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-30 | 1984-07-31 | 1985-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |