Blended step scan beam signal from fixed beam components
AssigneeTull Aviation Corporation
InventorDonald J. Toman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Radio frequency energy is rapidly switched from a transmitter in a repeating sequence of bursts of radio frequency energy to the different ones of a plurality of radiation beam ports, and the individual bursts of radio frequency energy are modulated in a predetermined program to provide a composite beam energy profile which is a synthesized directional beam which moves at a predetermined desired scanning rate.
Claims27
A method of synthesizing a continuous scanning beam of radio energy from an array of fixed antenna elements having radiation beam ports aimed radially outwardly to different angles in the arc over which the scanning beam is to be scanned, comprising
- rapidly switching the radio frequency energy from a transmitter in a repeating sequence of bursts of radio frequency energy to illuminate the different ones of the radiation beam ports at a switching frequency which is substantially greater than the rate of successive interception of the scanning beam to be synthesized with the individual radiation beam port positions,
- and modulating the energy levels of the individual bursts of radio frequency energy in a predetermined program to provide a composite beam energy profile which is a synthesized directional beam which is moving at a predetermined desired scanning rate.
Apparatus for synthesizing a continuous scanning beam of radio energy comprising
- an array of fixed antenna elements providing radiation beam ports aimed radially outwardly to different angles in an arc over which the scanning beam is to be scanned,
- a source of microwave radio frequency energy,
- switching means connected between said energy source and said antenna elements and operable for rapidly switching the radio frequency energy in a repeating sequence of bursts of energy to illuminate the different ones of the radiation beam ports at a switching frequency which is substantially greater than the rate of successive interception of the scanning beam to be synthesized with the individual radiation beam port positions,
- and means connected for modulating the energy levels of the individual bursts of radio frequency energy in a predetermined program to provide a composite beam energy profile which is a synthesized directional beam which is moving at a predetermined desired scanning rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.