Array antenna apparatus

An array antenna apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of antenna elements having transmission and reception modules, respectively;
• wherein each of said plurality of transmission and reception modules includes:
• a transmission signal generator that outputs a transmission intermediate frequency signal;
• a local oscillation signal generator that outputs a local oscillation signal;
• a transmission mixer that mixes said transmission intermediate frequency signal and said local oscillation signal with each other thereby to carry out frequency conversion to a transmission high frequency signal;
• and
• a reception mixer that mixes said local oscillation signal and a reception high frequency signal with each other, thereby to carry out frequency conversion to a reception intermediate frequency signal;
• wherein a reference signal source is provided which inputs a reference signal to said transmission signal generators and said local oscillation signal generators;
• a signal synthesizer is provided which synthesizes said plurality of reception intermediate frequency signals outputted from the individual reception mixers in said plurality of transmission and reception modules, respectively;
• and
• wherein said transmission intermediate frequency signal and said local oscillation signal are synchronized with each other by said reference signal.

An array antenna apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of antenna elements having transmission and reception modules, respectively;
• wherein each of said plurality of transmission and reception modules includes:
• a transmission signal generator that outputs a transmission intermediate frequency signal;
• a local oscillation signal generator that outputs a local oscillation signal;
• a transmission mixer that mixes said transmission intermediate frequency signal and said local oscillation signal with each other thereby to carry out frequency conversion to a transmission high frequency signal;
• a reception local oscillation signal generator that outputs a reception local oscillation signal;
• and
• a reception mixer that mixes said reception local oscillation signal and a reception high frequency signal with each other, thereby to carry out frequency conversion to a reception intermediate frequency signal or a reception base band signal;
• wherein a reference signal source is provided which inputs a reference signal to said transmission signal generators, said local oscillation signal generators and said reception local oscillation signal generators;
• a signal synthesizer is provided which synthesizes said plurality of reception intermediate frequency signals or reception base band signals outputted from the individual reception mixers in said plurality of transmission and reception modules, respectively;
• and
• wherein said transmission intermediate frequency signal, said local oscillation signal and said reception local oscillation signal are synchronized with one another by said reference signal.