In-situ active impedance characterization of scanned array antennas
| DWPI Title: System for characterizing mutual coupling, has first signal transmission adjusted to compensate mutual coupling between first/second antenna elements which enables first/second signals to be steered with defined radiation pattern |
| Abstract: Various embodiments presented herein relate to determining mutual coupling between a pair of antennas in an array antenna. Various operations presented herein enable comparison between a magnitude and phase of a signal transmitted from a first feed network (via a first antenna) and a magnitude and phase of a portion of the signal received at a second feed network (via a second antenna). Electrical effects engendered by any of the first feed network, a first switch, a first local circuit, the second feed network, a second switch, and a second local circuit can also be determined and their effects mathematically removed. Based upon the foregoing, a mutual coupling between the pair of antenna is determined. |
| Use: System for characterizing mutual coupling between pairs of antenna elements in array antenna e.g. phased array antenna. |
| Advantage: The antenna elements are subsequently attached to the local circuits and the individual pairs of antenna elements are subsequently characterized while all other antenna elements are switched through termination impedance to ground. The channel network analyzer is connected to respective positions of the first and second network to enable characterization of different portions of the first and second networks, to further enable determination of mutual coupling effects engendered between a pair of antennas. The information stored in the LUT is utilized by the controller to facilitate adjustment of values of the beam steering algorithm and to compensate for any mutual coupling effects. |
| Novelty: The system (800) has a phased array antenna (810) with a first antenna element and a second antenna element. A control component determines a mutual coupling occurring between the first antenna element and the second antenna element during operation of the phased array antenna. The first antenna element transmits a first signal and the second antenna element transmits a second signal. The first signal and second signal are coherently transmitted. The transmission of the first signal at the first antenna element is adjusted to compensate for the mutual coupling determined between the first antenna element and the second antenna element. The compensation of the mutual coupling enables the first signal and the second signal to be steered in accordance with a defined radiation pattern. |
| Filed: 10/29/2015 |
| Application Number: US14927018A |
| Tech ID: SD 12590.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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