US 12,034,228 B2
System and method for a digitally beamformed phased array feed
Michael Thomas Pace, Albuquerque, NM (US); David Gregory Baur, Sandia Park, NM (US); Theodore Lyman Schuler-Sandy, Albuquerque, NM (US); William Kennedy, Quincy, MA (US); Jeffrey Gerard Micono, Albuquerque, NM (US); William Louis Walker, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Garrett James Newell, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to BlueHalo, LLC, Huntsville, AL (US)
Filed by BlueHalo, LLC, Huntsville, AL (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/229,900.
Application 18/229,900 is a continuation of application No. 17/690,824, filed on Mar. 9, 2022, granted, now 11,784,412.
Application 17/690,824 is a continuation of application No. 17/679,817, filed on Feb. 24, 2022, granted, now 11,670,855, issued on Jun. 6, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/262,124, filed on Oct. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/188,959, filed on May 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/200,260, filed on Feb. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0387593 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. H01Q 21/00 (2006.01); G01S 3/04 (2006.01); G01S 3/38 (2006.01); G01S 3/40 (2006.01); G01S 3/42 (2006.01); H01Q 1/02 (2006.01); H01Q 3/08 (2006.01); H01Q 3/20 (2006.01); H01Q 3/22 (2006.01); H01Q 3/26 (2006.01); H01Q 3/34 (2006.01); H01Q 3/38 (2006.01); H01Q 5/28 (2015.01); H01Q 5/48 (2015.01); H01Q 15/16 (2006.01); H01Q 19/10 (2006.01); H01Q 19/13 (2006.01); H01Q 21/06 (2006.01); H04B 7/0408 (2017.01); H04B 7/06 (2006.01); H04B 7/08 (2006.01); H04B 17/23 (2015.01)
CPC H01Q 5/48 (2015.01) [G01S 3/043 (2013.01); G01S 3/046 (2013.01); G01S 3/38 (2013.01); G01S 3/40 (2013.01); G01S 3/42 (2013.01); H01Q 1/02 (2013.01); H01Q 3/08 (2013.01); H01Q 3/20 (2013.01); H01Q 3/22 (2013.01); H01Q 3/2682 (2013.01); H01Q 3/34 (2013.01); H01Q 3/38 (2013.01); H01Q 5/28 (2015.01); H01Q 15/16 (2013.01); H01Q 19/108 (2013.01); H01Q 19/13 (2013.01); H01Q 21/0068 (2013.01); H01Q 21/062 (2013.01); H04B 7/0408 (2013.01); H04B 7/0639 (2013.01); H04B 7/0695 (2013.01); H04B 7/086 (2013.01); H04B 7/0865 (2013.01); H04B 17/23 (2015.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A large form-factor phased array system comprising a plurality of multi-band software defined antenna array tiles, wherein each multi-band software defined antenna array tile comprises:
(a) a digital software system interface operably connected to a data transport bus:
(b) a first digital beamformer of a plurality of digital beamformers operably connected to the digital software system interface to receive a first partial beam of a first beam of a plurality of beams via the data transport bus,
wherein the first digital beamformer applies a first weighting factor to first transmit digital data associated with the first partial beam of the first beam of the plurality of beams;
(c) a first digital to analog converter operably connected to the first digital beamformer and operable to convert the first transmit digital data to an analog signal having a first intermediate frequency;
(d) a first principal polarization frequency converter of a first pair of frequency converters of a plurality of pairs of frequency converters operably connected to the first principal polarization frequency converter and receiving respective first modulated signals associated with the first intermediate frequency,
wherein each pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters comprises a respective principal polarization converter corresponding to a respective principal polarization component and a respective orthogonal polarization converter corresponding to a respective orthogonal polarization component,
wherein the plurality of digital beamformers are operatively connected to the plurality of pairs of frequency converters,
wherein each digital beamformer is operatively connected to one of the respective principal polarization converters and the respective orthogonal polarization converter, and
wherein the first principal polarization frequency converter of the first pair of frequency converters converts the respective first modulated signals associated with the first intermediate frequency into respective second modulated signals associated with a respective radio frequency; and
(e) a respective coupled dipole array antenna element of a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements receiving, from the first principal polarization frequency converter of the first pair of frequency converters, the respective second modulated signals associated with the respective radio frequency and transmitting them to a respective coupled dipole array antenna element of a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements,
wherein each pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters is operatively connected to a respective coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements, and
wherein each coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements includes a respective principal polarization component oriented in a first direction and a respective orthogonal polarization component oriented in a second direction; and
wherein the respective coupled dipole array antenna element transmits the respective second modulated signals associated with the respective radio frequency.