US3842419A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Passive ranging interferometer system
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1972-08-08
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Granted: 1974-10-15
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Expires: 1992-08-08
Abstract
Abstract Two triad antennas are arranged orthogonally. Signals emitted a distance R from the antennas generate phase related signals in the triad antenna systems. The distance R of the emitter form the antenna is functionally related to the phase difference of the received signals. A D.C. analog voltage proportional to the phase difference is produced and the distance of the emitter from the antenna systems is measured with relation to this analog voltage. Hybrids and couplers connected to the antenna are switched by a logic system so that discontinuities in their phase shift/voltage transfer characteristics, produced by angular displacement of the source about the antenna center, are eliminated and a signal related only to the distance R is obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 W Arndt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:45
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S11/00; G01S11/02; G01S11/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A passive ranging interferometer comprising: an antenna array having elements in spaced relationship to each other; said elements producing phase related signals in response to a wave received by said array from an emitter; said phase related signals comprising equal and opposite phase components and a phase differential component; means connected to said antenna to produce an analogue voltage proportional to said phase differential component and representative of the distance of an emitter from said antenna array, said means connected to said antenna including means for adding and cancelling said equal and opposite phase components; and said analogue voltage being independent of said equal and opposite phase components; said analogue voltage being constant for a constant emitter range from aid antenna array and independent of the angle of said emitter with respect to the boresight of said array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A passive ranging interferometer comprising: an antenna array having elements in spaced relationship to each other; said elements producing phase related signals in response to a wave received by said array from an emitter; said phase related signals comprising equal and opposite phase components and a phase differential component; means connected to said antenna to produce an analogue voltage proportional to said phase differential component and representative of the distance of an emitter from said antenna array, said means connected to said antenna including means for adding and cancelling said equal and opposite phase components; and said analogue voltage being independent of said equal and opposite phase components; said analogue voltage being constant for a constant emitter range from aid antenna array and independent of the angle of said emitter with respect to the boresight of said array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
107 words
The system of claim 1 wherein: said elements in said array are arranged on orthogonal baselines; said phase related signals produced by said elements on a first of said baselines being proportional to the boresight emitter off angle of said first baseline; said phase related signals produced by said elements on a second of said baselines arranged orthogonally with respect to said first baseline being proportional to the complement of said boresight off angle; and said means connected to said antenna including means to combine said phase related signals of said first and second baseline arranged elements to produce a signal independent of said boresight off angle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
The system of claim 2 wherein: each of said baseline arranged elements includes a center element and end elements spaced apart from said center element; and said menas connected to said antenna to produce an analogue voltage including means connected to said baseline arranged elements to combine the signals produced in said end elements for producing signals having a component corresponding to the distances from each respective end element to a line representing the emitter signal Wave front in plane wave form and components representing the distances from the assumed plane wave front to the emitter spherical signal wave front.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
The system of claim 3 wherein: said equal and opposite phase related components being the components representing the distances from respective end elements perpendicular to the assumed plane wave front and defined by a line from each said respective end element to the respective perpendicular point of intersection with said plane wave front, said differential phase related components representing the distances between the assumed plane wave front and the curved wave front defined by lines from said respective perpendicular intersections and passing through said curve wave front.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 4 wherein: said means connected to said antenna to produce said analog voltage has a linear and continuous phase/voltage transfer characteristic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system of claim 5 wherein: each of said baseline arranged elements form a right hand and a left hand antenna pair of elements for each baseline; said means connected to said antenna producing +H, -H, +C, and -C outputs for each of said pairs; and said means connected to said antenna including means to combine one of the said outputs from said right hand pair with one of the said outputs from said left hand pair, maintaining said continuous phase/voltage transfer characteristic over 0* to 360* and 0* to -360* of electrical angle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 6 wherein: said means for combining said outputs including summers connected to sum the following left and right hand outputs of baseline arranged elements,
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
The system of claim 7 wherein: said means for combining includes a plurality of AND gates with each of said summer outputs being connected to the input of a respective AND gate; logic means connected to said right and left hand outputs and responsive thereto for sensing the electrical phase angle for each of said baseline arranged right and left hand pairs and selecting the appropriate pair of left and right hand outputs for maintaining the phase/voltage transfer characteristic continuous.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
The system of claim 8 wherein: said logic means includes threshold devices connected to respective left and right hand outputs; said right and left hand outputs being voltage outputs symmetrical with respect to a voltage midpoint in the respective output phase/voltage transfer characteristic; said threshold devices being arranged to generate a signal when each of said thresholds respective voltage output exceeds its voltage midpoint; and a plurality of AND gates connected to said threshold devices AND responsive to said and gates connected to said summer outputs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system of claim 9 wherein: said threshold devices producing unique combinations of signals in response to said left and right hand outputs, for identifying the electrical phase angle of the left and right hand outputs; said AND gates connected to said threshold devices selecting the outputs of said AND gates connected to said summers for maintaining said phase/voltage transfer characteristic continuous.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 10 wherein: said AND gates select the following summers and respective left and right hand outputs for each of the following phase angles, for maintaining said phase/voltage transfer characteristic continuous;
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB1041589A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-14 | 1978-04-15 | 1978-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-14 | 1982-04-15 | 1982-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-14 | 1986-04-15 | 1986-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |