Transmitter apparatus for transmitting RF pulse signal, transmitter/receiver apparatus incorporating the transmitter apparatus, and receiver apparatus for receiving RF pulse signal

A receiver apparatus for use in conjunction with a transmitter apparatus, for receiving a RF pulse signal which is transmitted by said transmitter apparatus as electromagnetic waves in a predetermined direction, said received RF pulse signal alternating between a pulse-on condition of large amplitude and a pulse-off condition of small amplitude,

• said receiver apparatus comprising
• an array antenna, comprising a plurality of antenna elements arrayed with a fixed pitch,
• receiver circuitry configured to acquire said received RF pulse signal as a plurality of individual received signals supplied from respective ones of said plurality of antenna elements,
• phase adjustment circuitry controlled for adjusting a phase distribution of said individual received signals,
• reception direction control circuitry configured for selecting a gate interval, commencing after a predetermined adjustment start interval has elapsed following an occurrence of said pulse-on condition of said received RF pulse signal, within an inter-pulse interval which elapses between a termination of said pulse-on condition and commencement of a succeeding occurrence of said pulse-on condition, and for controlling said reception-side phase adjustment circuitry to establish a first phase distribution of said individual reception signals during said gate interval for maximizing a reception sensitivity with respect to received signals corresponding to said predetermined direction, said gate interval having a duration substantially identical to a duration of said pulse-on condition, and
• gate interval scanning circuitry configured to scan said gate interval within said inter-pulse interval;
• wherein said transmitter/receiver apparatus comprises phase alteration circuitry configured to control said phase adjustment circuitry for establishing a second phase distribution of said individual reception signals, different from said first phase distribution, other than when said reception direction control circuitry is applying control to establish said first phase distribution.