Detection system comprising a phased array antenna, and associated detection method
AssigneeThales
InventorsAdrien Gilliot, Vincent Corretja, Nicolas Leger, Alexandre Quinquis, Rodolphe Cottron
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Abstract
A detection system includes a phased array antenna having unitary radiating elements, the system being suitable for, in each cycle, successively directing, by way of the successive application of a first and a second determined phase law to the electrical signals for supplying power to the array antenna, the antenna radiation towards a first target area (Z1), then a second target area (Z2), which is separate from the first target area (Z1), and determining an image of each target area (Z1) on the basis of the echoes received from each of the first and second target areas.
Claims10
Detection method in a detection system comprising a phased array antenna (12) comprising unitary radiating elements, said system being suitable for, via said array antenna (12), transmitting waves and receiving echoes of said transmitted waves and for analysing the received echoes;
- said detection method comprising the following steps implemented by the detection system in each of multiple consecutive processing cycles:
- controlling the application of a first determined phase law to electrical signals for supplying power to the unitary radiating elements of the array antenna in order to direct the antenna radiation towards a first target area (Z1);
- the first controlled phase law being applied to said radiating elements in response to said control:
- at least one first wave transmission is performed, and echoes from said first wave transmission are received;
- then
- a first analysis of said received echoes is performed;
- an image of the first target area (Z1) is determined on the basis of at least said first analysis;
- said method being characterized in that it moreover comprises the following steps implemented by the detection system during each of said cycles:
- controlling the application of at least one second determined phase law to electrical signals for supplying power to said unitary radiating elements of the array antenna in order to direct the antenna radiation towards a second target area (Z2);
- the second phase law being different from the first law controlled during said same cycle, the second target area (Z2) being separate from the first target area (Z1) and the distance between the first target area (Z1) and the array antenna (12) being distinct from the distance between the second target area (Z2) and the array antenna (12);
- the second controlled phase law being applied to said radiating elements in response to said control:
- at least one second wave transmission is performed, and echoes from said second wave transmission are received;
- then
- a second analysis of said received echoes is performed;
- an image of the second target area (Z2) is determined on the basis of at least said second analysis.
Detection system comprising a phased array antenna (12) comprising unitary radiating elements, said system being suitable for, via said array antenna (12), transmitting waves and receiving echoes of said transmitted waves and for analysing the received echoes;
- the detection system being suitable for, in each of multiple consecutive processing cycles, controlling the application of a first determined phase law to electrical signals for supplying power to the unitary radiating elements of the array antenna in order to direct the antenna radiation towards a first target area (Z1);
- and the first controlled phase law being applied to said radiating elements in response to said control:
- in order to perform at least one first wave transmission and receive echoes from said first wave transmission;
- then in order to perform a first analysis of said received echoes and to determine an image of the first target area (Z1) on the basis of at least said first analysis;
- said detection system being characterized in that it is moreover suitable, during each of said cycles, for controlling the application of at least one second determined phase law to electrical signals for supplying power to said unitary radiating elements of the array antenna in order to direct the antenna radiation towards a second target area (Z2), the second phase law being different from the first controlled law during said same cycle and the second target area (Z2) being separate from the first target area (Z1) and the distance between the first target area (Z1) and the array antenna (12) being distinct from the distance between the second target area (Z2) and the array antenna (12);
- then the second controlled phase law being applied to said radiating elements in response to said control, in order to perform at least one second wave transmission and receive echoes from said second wave transmission, then in order to perform a second analysis of said received echoes and to determine an image of the second target area (Z2) on the basis of at least said second analysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.