Accurate range calibration architecture

Abstract

A radar system having a tactical mode and a calibration mode includes a transmitter section for providing high-power amplification of an RF pulsed waveform from an exciter during the tactical mode and the calibration mode. A circulator system has an input port connected to an output of the transmitter section and including first, second and third switchable junctions, and a high-power attenuator. The circulator system provides a transmit tactical mode signal path and a transmit calibration mode signal path of virtually identical electrical path lengths for a transmitter output signal, the tactical path passing through the first, second and third junctions in a first direction to an antenna I/O port, the calibration path passing through the first, second and third junctions in a second direction and through the high-power attenuator to an output port. A receiver section is coupled to the output port and includes a receive tactical mode signal path through a low noise amplifier (LNA), mixer, and an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier to an IF output port for down-converting a radar signal. The receiver section further includes a receive calibration mode signal path through an attenuator which bypasses the LNA and passes through the mixer and IF amplifier to the IF output port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.