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US3946388A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for and method of analyzing electromagnetic waves
Assignee: Thales SA
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Filing: 1973-04-17
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Granted: 1976-03-23
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Expires: 1993-04-17
Abstract
Abstract A high-frequency wave, e.g. from a target reflecting transmitted radar signals, arrives with different phasing at a plurality of spaced-apart receivers or at a single receiver movable with reference to the signal source. The wave components thus received are fed directly to an array of electromechanical input transducers on the entrance side of a piezoelectric crystal, or are transmitted to respective storage elements which temporarily register information of their phasing to modulate a local oscillation delivered to these input transducers, whereby micro-acoustic vibrations are generated in the crystal with a phase relationship corresponding to that of the original wave components. The acoustic waves in the crystal converge, possibly with the aid of an internal or external focusing surface, on the exit side of the crystal to excite one of a multiplicity of mechanoelectrical output transducers producing a signal indicative of that phase relationship. The system can be used to measure angle of incidence, relative radial velocity, source distance, or the harmonics content of the wave to be analyzed.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Schifrine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 01:58
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/02; G01S7/04; G01S13/00; G01S13/88; G01S13/89; G01S13/895; G01S13/90; G01S13/9004; G01S7/28; G01S7/2806; G01S7/285; G01S7/292; G01S7/2923; G01S7/35; G01S7/352; G01S7/356
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A system for analyzing an electromagnetic wave, comprising: receiving means oriented toward a common source of a wave to be analyzed and adapted to derive therefrom a multiplicity of differently phased wave components; a vibration-transmissive solid body provided with a multiplicity of electromechanical input transducers arrayed in at least one row along an entrance edge and with a multiplicity of mechanoelectrical output transducers arrayed in at least one row along an exit edge remote from said entrance edge; and circuit means extending from said receiving means to said input transducers for substantially simultaneously energizing the latter with substantially the same frequency and with a phase relationship corresponding to that of said wave components, thereby mechanically generating localized vibrations in said body giving rise at said exit edge to a resultant vibration predominantly exciting an output transducer whose location on said body is a function of said phase relationship.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
148 words
A system for analyzing an electromagnetic wave, comprising: receiving means oriented toward a common source of a wave to be analyzed and adapted to derive therefrom a multiplicity of differently phased wave components; a vibration-transmissive solid body provided with a multiplicity of electromechanical input transducers arrayed in at least one row along an entrance edge and with a multiplicity of mechanoelectrical output transducers arrayed in at least one row along an exit edge remote from said entrance edge; and circuit means extending from said receiving means to said input transducers for substantially simultaneously energizing the latter with substantially the same frequency and with a phase relationship corresponding to that of said wave components, thereby mechanically generating localized vibrations in said body giving rise at said exit edge to a resultant vibration predominantly exciting an output transducer whose location on said body is a function of said phase relationship.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is a piezoelectric crystal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said crystal is ruby.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a multiplicity of individual receivers respectively connected by said circuit means to said input transducers, said radiation receivers and said input transducers being disposed in homothetic arrays.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as defined in claim 4, further comprising modulating means in said circuit means between said radiation receivers and said input transducers for stepping down the frequency of incident radiation to a vibration frequency transmissible by said body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
108 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a single radiation receiver movable relatively to a source of incident radiation, said circuit means including a multiplicity of memory elements respecitively connected to said inut transducers and distributing means for successively connecting said radiation receiver to said storage elements for storing therein information on the phasing of successively received radiation samples, said circuit means further including a local oscillator and modulating means between said memories and said input transducers connected to said oscillator for deriving therefrom a multiplicity of constant-frequency oscillations relatively modulated in phase according to the information stored in the respective memory elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said body includes focusing means between said entrance and exit sides for directing said localized vibrations in convergent paths toward said output transducers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said input transducers are arrayed in a plane on said entrance side, said output transducers being arrayed in a plurality of zones differently spaced from said plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said body is divided into sections of different length each carrying one of said zones.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising display means connected to said output transducers for indicating the location of an output transducer predominantly excited by said resultant vibration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises delay means for propagating different harmonics of said wave with different phase velocities, said delay means being provided with a multiplicity of taps respectively connected by said circuit means to said input transducers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said crystal is garnet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said body is divided into portions of different density, said focusing means being formed by a boundary between said portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as defined in claim 13 wherein said portions respectively consist of garnet and ruby.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said focusing mens is formed by an internally reflecting curved lateral edge of said body.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-03-23 | 1979-09-22 | 1980-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-03-23 | 1983-09-22 | 1984-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-03-23 | 1987-09-22 | 1988-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |