Synthetic array processor

A device for processing radar signals to provide synthetic array line-by-line imagery data in the form of signals produced during each processing period of recurring cycles of said periods, said device comprising:

• means for forming a plurality of subarray signals during each processing period;
• said forming means including a plurality of processor channels one of which is associated with each subarray signal, each processing channel including means for applying an incremental phase adjustment to the subarray signal of the corresponding period of the preceding processing cycle, and means for modifying the resultant phase shifted signal as a function of said radar signals to compensate for changes in the associated subarray between processing cycles;
• and
• means for combining said plurality of subarray signals formed during each processing period;
• whereby data associated with each one of a plurality of range resolution elements is formed during a corresponding period of each cycle and subsequent lines of imagery data are formed during subsequent processing cycles.

A device for processing radar signals to provide synthetic array line-by-line imagery in the form of data signals sequentially formed during each processing period of recurring cycles of said periods, said device comprising:

• means for forming a plurality of subarray signals during each processing period;
• said forming means including a plurality of processor channels at least one of which is associated with each subarray signal, and each processing channel includes means for applying an incremental amplitude and phase adjustment to the corresponding subarray signal from the corresponding period of the preceding processing cycle, and means for modifying the resultant amplitude and phase adjusted signal as a function of said radar signals to compensate for changes in the associated subarray since the preceding processing cycle;
• and
• means for combining said plurality of subarray signals formed during each processing period to form focused imagery data signals;
• whereby data corresponding to each one of a plurality of range resolution elements is formed during a corresponding process period of each cycle and subsequent lines of imagery are formed during subsequent processing cycles.

A mapping system for providing synthetic array line-by-line imagery data in the form of signals formed during each processing period of recurring cycles of said periods, said system comprising:

• a radar for transmitting and receiving energy at a preselected angle with respect to a line of motion of said radar;
• a main memory device coupled to said radar, having M x N x K data storage stages and N+1 equispaced output taps, where M is number of range elements being mapped, N is the number of subarrays forming each array, and K is the number of presummed radar sweeps forming each subarray;
• means, coupled to said main memory device, for forming a plurality of subarray signals during each processing period, said forming means including a plurality of processing channels one of which is associated with each subarray signal, and each processing channel includes means for coupling said channel between adjacent output taps on said memory, means for applying incremental amplitude and phase adjustments to the corresponding subarray signal of the preceding processing cycle, and means for modifying the resultant amplitude and phase adjusted signal to compensate for changes in the associated subarray occurring since the preceding processing cycle;
• means, coupled to said forming means, for combining said plurality of subarray signals formed during each processing period to provide focused imagery data signals;
• whereby imagery data corresponding to one of a plurality of range elements is formed during a corresponding processing period each cycle, and subsequent lines of imagery are formed during subsequent processing cycles;
• and
• means for displaying the imagery data signals as a synthetic array map.