US 12,088,021 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 Sep. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/368,840.
Application 18/368,840 is a continuation of application No. 17/690,761, filed on Mar. 9, 2022, granted, now 11,817,636.
Application 17/690,761 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 2024/0006765 A1, Jan. 4, 2024
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)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of transmitting radio signals from a multi-band software defined antenna array tile, the method comprising:
a. receiving, at a first beamformer, a first partial beam of a first beam of a plurality of beams via a data transport bus;
b. receiving, at a second beamformer, a second partial beam of the first beam of the plurality of beams via the data transport bus;
c. applying, by the first beamformer, a first weighting factor to the first partial beam to form first transmit digital data associated with the first partial beam;
d. applying, by the first beamformer, a second weighting factor to the second partial beam to form second transmit digital data associated with the second partial beam;
e. converting, by a first digital to analog converter operatively connected to the first beamformer, the first transmit digital data to a first analog signal having a first intermediate frequency;
f. converting, by a second digital to analog converter operatively connected to the second beamformer, the second transmit digital data to a second analog signal having the first intermediate frequency;
g. converting, by 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 digital to analog converter and the second digital to analog converter, a first modulated signal associated with the first analog signal into a second modulated signal associated with a first radio frequency;
h. converting, by a first orthogonal polarization frequency converter of the first pair of frequency converters, a third modulated signal associated with the second analog signal into a fourth modulated signal associated with the first radio frequency;
i. transmitting, from the first principal polarization frequency converter to a first principle polarization component oriented in a first direction of a respective coupled dipole array antenna element of a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements, the second modulated signal;
j. transmitting, from the first orthogonal polarization frequency converter to a first orthogonal polarization component oriented in a second direction of the respective coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements, the fourth modulated signal;
k. transmitting, by the first principle polarization component antenna element, the second modulated signal; and
l. transmitting, by the respective coupled dipole array antenna element, the fourth modulated signal.