Digital beam displacement circuit

Claim 2

A high frequency switching matrix having an input, a pair of outputs and digitally operating means for selectively apportioning a signal at the input to either output and apportioning an input signal between both outputs in different fixed proportions, said matrix including a plurality of pairs of high frequency transmission lines interconnecting said input and both outputs, each line being one quarter wavelength in length, energizable switching means at the junction of each of said pairs of transmission lines for selectively grounding said junctions thereby to selectively apply a very high impedance at the input of that pair of lines when said switch is energized in one condition and a finite preselected impedance when said switching means is energized in another condition; finite preselected impedances of said lines being apportioned according to the desired apportionment of signals between said outputs, and means selectively applying energization to different groups of less than all of said energizable switching means.

Claim 3

In the matrix of claim 1, at least two pairs of series connected transmission lines interconnecting the input and each output.

Claim 4

In the matrix of claim 2, at least two additional pairs of series connected transmission lines interconnecting the input and each of the outputs with the additional pairs being in parallel with the first mentioned pairs.

Claim 5

In the matrix of claim 1, two pairs of series connected transmission lines interconnecting said input and each output with said switching means at the junction of each said pairs, and said two pairs meeting at a common crossover junction.

Claim 6

In the matrix of claim 4, at least two additional pairs of series connected transmission lines, with the additional pairs in parallel relation to the first mentioned pairs.

Claim 7

In combination with the switching matrix of claim 1, an antenna array having a plurality of energizable prObes with two of said probes energizable by the pair of outputs of said matrix, whereby the beam provided by the antenna array is stepped in angular position upon application of digital energization to different groups of said means.

Claim 8

In the matrix of claim 1, a cross over junction, a first pair of said transmission lines interconnecting said input and cross over junction, a second pair of said transmission lines in parallel with said first pair, a third pair of transmission lines interconnecting said cross-over junction and one of said outputs, a fourth pair of said lines in parallel with said third pair, a fifth pair of said lines interconnecting said cross-over junction and said other output, a sixth pair of said lines in parallel with said fifth pair, energizable back biased diodes at the interconnection of each pair of lines and selectively energizable to ground said junction, the open circuit impedances of said first pair being 50 ohms and 59 ohms, respectively; the open circuit impedances of said second pair being 50 ohms and 45.4 ohms respectively; the open circuit impedances of the third pair being 59 ohms and 50 ohms respectively, the open circuit impedances of said fourth pair being 83.6 ohms and 50 ohms, respectively; the open circuit impedances of said fifth pair being 83.6 ohms and 50 ohms, respectively; and the open circuit impedances of said sixth pair being 59 ohms and 50 ohms respectively.

Claim 9

In the matrix of claim 7, means selectively digitally energizing the back biased diodes to ground the junction of the first pair and third pair thereby to selectively interconnect the input and only one output, and means selectively energizing the back biased diodes to ground the junction of the first pair and the sixth pair thereby to selectively interconnect the input and only the other output.

Claim 10

An electronic beam forming and electronic beam tilting system comprising: an antenna array having a plurality of spaced antenna elements and a plurality of assymmetrically disposed feed means with each feed means energizing all antenna elements, each of said feed means providing a beam component from said antenna elements that is angularly displaced ahead of an adjoining beam component produced by a different one of said feed means, which different one is in turn, angularly displaced ahead of a still different one of said feed means, thereby to provide a series of successively displaced beam components, and means for electronically tilting said beam, said tilting means comprising electronic switching means for adjustably apportioning the amplitude of energy between a pair of said feed means producing adjoining beam components.

Claim 11

An electronic beam forming and electronic beam tilting system comprising: an antenna array having a plurality of spaced antenna elements and a plurality of assymmetrically disposed feed means with each feed means energizing all antenna elements, each of said feed means providing a beam component from said antenna elements that is angularly displaced ahead of an adjoining beam component produced by a different one of said feed means, which different one is in turn, angularly displaced ahead of a still different one of said feed means, thereby to provide a series of successively displaced beam components, and means for electronically tilting said beam, said tilting means comprising electronic switching means for adjustably apportioning the amplitude of energy between a pair of said feed means producing adjoining beam components.

Claim 12

In the system of claim 9, said switching means being digitally controlled in steps to provide a plurality of descrete angular tilt levels.