US 12,044,773 B2
Multimode electronically steerable monopulse radar
Walter S. Wall, Calabasas, CA (US); Jonathan J. Lynch, Oxnard, CA (US); and James D. Krieger, Woodland Hills, CA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/569,536.
Prior Publication US 2023/0213644 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 13/66 (2006.01); G01S 7/282 (2006.01); G01S 7/285 (2006.01); G01S 7/35 (2006.01); G01S 13/87 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 13/872 (2013.01) [G01S 7/282 (2013.01); G01S 7/285 (2013.01); G01S 7/352 (2013.01); G01S 13/66 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for retrofitting an electronically steerable frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radar system, the method comprising:
(a) disconnecting an antenna from an FMCW radar transceiver;
(b) connecting a retrofit transmit/receive module comprising a plurality of single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switches and a plurality of beamforming integrated circuits (BFICs) to the FMCW radar transceiver, each BFIC being connected in series with a corresponding SPDT switch; and
(c) connecting the antenna to the retrofit transmit/receive module,
wherein step (b) comprises connecting one port of each SPDT switch to a transmitter and another port of each SPDT switch to a receiver of the FMCW radar transceiver; and
wherein step (c) comprises connecting each BFIC to a respective set of antenna elements of the antenna.