US 11,982,761 B2
Method for calibrating a phased array
Lance M. Bradstreet, Clay, NY (US)
Assigned to SRC, Inc., North Syracuse, NY (US)
Filed by SRC, Inc., North Syracuse, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/354,604.
Prior Publication US 2022/0404462 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 7/40 (2006.01); G01S 13/66 (2006.01); H01Q 3/26 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/4004 (2013.01) [G01S 13/66 (2013.01); H01Q 3/267 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for calibrating a phased array including an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, comprising the steps:
measuring with a probe a first antenna element pattern of a first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements;
performing a spherical near-field to far-field transformation of the first antenna element pattern to yield a far-field first antenna element pattern;
transforming the far-field first antenna element pattern to a plane-wave spectrum to yield a plane-wave far-field first antenna element pattern;
back transforming the plane-wave far-field first antenna element pattern to a reference point within the near-field of the antenna array to yield a plane-wave near-field first antenna element pattern, wherein the reference point within the near-field is selected such that a value at a phase center of the plane-wave near-field first antenna element pattern is representative of a voltage source of the first antenna element;
normalizing the first antenna element pattern according to, at least, the value at the phase center of the plane-wave near-field first antenna element pattern to yield a normalized first antenna element pattern; and
calibrating the first antenna element based, at least in the part, on the normalized first antenna element pattern.