Circuit module for a phased array radar

A circuit module for a phased array for digitally controlling the phase of a transmitted signal, the module including:

• digital to analog converting apparatus for converting digital phase control signals to analog phase control signals;
• a vector modulator integrated circuit for producing a digitally phase-controlled IF signal in response to input of the analog phase control signals and an IF reference signal;
• and
• a mixer for up-converting the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled RF transmitted signal.

A circuit module for a phased array for digitally controlling the phase of both transmitted and received signals in transmission and reception modes, the module including:

• digital phase-control apparatus for digitally controlling the phase of an IF reference signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled IF signal;
• a mixer for up-converting the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled RF transmission signal in the transmission mode and for down-converting an RF received signal to produce an IF received signal in the reception mode;
• and
• an IF mixer for mixing the IF received signal with the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a baseband signal with digitally controlled phase.

A method of producing a baseband received signal including the steps of:

• down-converting an RF received signal to produce an IF received signal;
• producing a digitally phase-controlled IF signal from an IF reference signal;
• and
• mixing the IF received signal with the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a baseband received signal with digitally controlled phase.

A method of producing a digitally phase-controlled IF signal including the steps of:

• converting digital phase control signals to analog phase control signals using digital to analog converting apparatus;
• inputting the analog phase control signals and an IF reference signal to a vector modulator integrated circuit to produce a digitally phase-controlled IF signal;
• and
• upconverting the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce the digitally phase-controlled RF transmitted signal.

A phased array for steerable reception of microwave beams incorporating a plurality of circuit modules for digitally controlling the phase of received signals in elements of the phased array, each module including:

• a mixer for down-converting a radio frequency (RF) received signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) received signal;
• digital phase-control apparatus for digitally controlling the phase of an IF reference signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled IF signal;
• and
• an IF mixer for mixing said IF received signal with the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a baseband signal having digitally controlled phase.

A phased array for steerable transmission of microwave beams incorporating a plurality of circuit modules for digitally controlling the phase of transmitted signals in the elements of the array, each module including:

• digital to analog converting apparatus for converting digital phase control signals to analog phase control signals;
• a vector modulator integrated circuit for producing a digitally phase-controlled IF signal in response to input of the analog phase control signals and an IF reference signal;
• and
• a mixer for up-converting the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled RF transmitted signal.

A phased array for steerable reception and transmission of microwave beams incorporating a plurality of circuit modules for digitally controlling the phase of received and transmitted signals in the elements of the phased array, each module including:

• digital phase-control apparatus for digitally controlling the phase of an IF reference signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled IF signal;
• a mixer for up-converting the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled RF transmitted signal when the module is operated for transmission and for down-converting an RF received signal to produce an IF received signal when the module is operated for reception;
• and
• an IF mixer for mixing the IF received signal with the digitally phase-controlled IF signal to produce a baseband signal having digitally controlled phase when the module is operated for reception.

A circuit module for a phased array for digitally controlling the phase of both transmitted and received signals in transmission and reception modes, the module including:

• a mixer;
• and
• digital phase-control apparatus for digitally controlling the phase of a reference signal to produce a digitally phase-controlled signal which in transmission mode is the transmitted signal and in reception mode is mixed with the received signal by the mixer to produce a signal having digitally controlled phase, wherein the digital phase control apparatus comprises:
• digital to analog converting apparatus for converting digital phase control signals to analog phase control signals;
• and
• a vector modulator integrated circuit for producing the digitally phase-controlled transmitted signal in response to input of the analog phase control signals and said reference signal.