| CPC H01Q 3/40 (2013.01) [H01Q 25/00 (2013.01)] | 6 Claims |
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1. A circuit for use in simultaneously generating multiple beams using an antenna array having multiple antenna array elements, the circuit comprising:
a matrix circuit comprising a plurality of hybrid couplers and delay lines, said matrix circuit being coupled between a plurality of loads and said antenna array; and
a plurality of phase shifters coupled between said matrix circuit and said antenna array,
wherein
each row of said matrix circuit comprises a plurality of hybrid couplers coupled in series row-wise, with each row-wise pair of hybrid couplers being joined by at least one delay line;
each column of said matrix circuit comprises a plurality of hybrid couplers coupled in series column-wise;
a top row of said matrix circuit is coupled to antenna elements of said antenna array such that each hybrid coupler of said top row is coupled to an antenna element of said antenna array by way of a phase shifter of said plurality of phase shifters, each hybrid coupler of said top row being coupled column-wise between a phase shifter of said plurality of phase shifters and a hybrid coupler of a preceding row of said matrix circuit;
a bottom row of said matrix circuit is coupled to a plurality of matching loads such that each hybrid coupler of said bottom row is coupled column-wise between a matching load of said plurality of matching loads and a hybrid coupler of an immediately succeeding row of said matrix circuit; and
said phase shifters are used to generate linearly increased phase differences between adjacent antenna array elements for signals from said matrix circuit.
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