US5034752A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiple-beam antenna system with active modules and digital beam-forming
Assignee: Thales SA
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Filing: 1990-06-27
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Granted: 1991-07-23
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Expires: 2010-06-27
Abstract
Abstract Such a system typically comprises: a plurality of elementary antennas configured in an array, each having an associated active module, a plurality of DBF modules, each receiving a microwave signal coming from the active modules and delivering complex digital data (I, Q) representing the input signal; and DBF processor means preparing weighted sums on the basis of this complex digital data, the weighting corresponding to a reception channel defining a narrow beam of the radiation pattern of the antenna. The system further comprises a plurality of prefiltering spatial circuits, each of which receives a plurality of signals coming from the active module and delivers, to an associated DBF module, a signal which is a sum, weighted in amplitude, of certain of the signals received at input, each DBF module being thus associated with a sub-array, the different sub-arrays thus forming being imbricated with one another and the weighting being chosen so that the pattern of the sub-array is a sectoral pattern that essentially lets through only the signals coming from a restricted zone of space. The number of spatial prefiltering circuits and DBF modules is smaller than that of the elementary antennas, and the processor means simultaneously process the outputs signals from the spatial prefiltering circuits so as to obtain, for the radiation pattern of the antenna, an equivalent number of simultaneous, distinct beams of homogeneous quality.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Louis Pourailly
- 👤 Joseph Roger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/0006; H01Q21/0025; H01Q25/00; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
A digital beam-forming antenna with active modules comprising: a plurality of elementary antennas configured in an array; a plurality of amplifier active modules, equal in number to the elementary antennas and each associated, respectively, with one of these modules; a plurality of spatial prefiltering circuits, each of which has a plurality of inputs each connected to one of said active modules and an output delivering a signal which is a sum, weighted in amplitude, of the signals received at input; a plurality of DBF modules, each having an input connected to the output of a respective prefiltering circuit and two outputs giving, in digital form, complex data I, Q representing the signal received at input, each of said DBF modules being thus associated with a sub-array of the array of said elementary antennas, the different sub-arrays thus formed being interleaved with one another and the weighting of the signals of each sub-array being chosen so that its pattern is a sectoral pattern essentially letting through only the signals coming from a restricted zone of space, the number of said spatial prefiltering circuits as well as said DBF modules associated with them being smaller than the number of elementary antennas; and DBF processor means using the complex digital data delivered by said DBF modules to prepare weighted sums of this data according to predetermined weightings to obtain, for the radiation pattern of the antenna, a plurality of distinct, simultaneous and narrow beams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
A digital beam-forming antenna with active modules comprising: a plurality of elementary antennas configured in an array; a plurality of amplifier active modules, equal in number to the elementary antennas and each associated, respectively, with one of these modules; a plurality of spatial prefiltering circuits, each of which has a plurality of inputs each connected to one of said active modules and an output delivering a signal which is a sum, weighted in amplitude, of the signals received at input; a plurality of DBF modules, each having an input connected to the output of a respective prefiltering circuit and two outputs giving, in digital form, complex data I, Q representing the signal received at input, each of said DBF modules being thus associated with a sub-array of the array of said elementary antennas, the different sub-arrays thus formed being interleaved with one another and the weighting of the signals of each sub-array being chosen so that its pattern is a sectoral pattern essentially letting through only the signals coming from a restricted zone of space, the number of said spatial prefiltering circuits as well as said DBF modules associated with them being smaller than the number of elementary antennas; and DBF processor means using the complex digital data delivered by said DBF modules to prepare weighted sums of this data according to predetermined weightings to obtain, for the radiation pattern of the antenna, a plurality of distinct, simultaneous and narrow beams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the weighting achieved by the DBF processor means is an adaptive weighting providing for the convergence of aiming in a desired spatial direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
219 words
A digital beam-forming antenna with active modules comprising: a plurality of elementary antennas configured in an array; a plurality of amplifier active modules, equal in number to the elementary antennas and each associated, respectively, with one of these modules; a plurality of DBF modules, equal in number to the active modules and each associated, respectively, with one of these modules, each receiving the microwave signal coming from the active module and delivering, at output, complex digital data (I, Q) representing the signal received at input; spatial prefiltering circuits having a plurality of inputs receiving said digital data from said DBF modules and a plurality of outputs to deliver weighted sums of at least certain of the digital data received at input, so as to form sub-arrays of the array of elementary antennas, the different sub-arrays thus formed being imbricated with one another and the weighting of the signals of each sub-array being chosen so that its pattern is a sectoral pattern essentially letting through only the signals coming from a restricted zone of space; and DBF processor means using the complex digital data delivered by said DBF modules of the system to prepare weighted sums of these data according to predetermined weightings to obtain, for the radiation pattern of the antenna, a plurality of distinct, simultaneous and narrow beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
219 words
A digital beam-forming antenna with active modules comprising: a plurality of elementary antennas configured in an array; a plurality of amplifier active modules, equal in number to the elementary antennas and each associated, respectively, with one of these modules; a plurality of DBF modules, equal in number to the active modules and each associated, respectively, with one of these modules, each receiving the microwave signal coming from the active module and delivering, at output, complex digital data (I, Q) representing the signal received at input; spatial prefiltering circuits having a plurality of inputs receiving said digital data from said DBF modules and a plurality of outputs to deliver weighted sums of at least certain of the digital data received at input, so as to form sub-arrays of the array of elementary antennas, the different sub-arrays thus formed being imbricated with one another and the weighting of the signals of each sub-array being chosen so that its pattern is a sectoral pattern essentially letting through only the signals coming from a restricted zone of space; and DBF processor means using the complex digital data delivered by said DBF modules of the system to prepare weighted sums of these data according to predetermined weightings to obtain, for the radiation pattern of the antenna, a plurality of distinct, simultaneous and narrow beams.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The antenna system of claim 3, wherein the weighting done by the DBF processor means is an adaptive weighting that provides for the convergence of aiming in a desired spatial direction.
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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) | 1994-07-22 | 1995-01-21 | 1995-07-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-07-22 | 1999-01-21 | 1999-07-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-07-22 | 2003-01-21 | 2003-07-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |