A Self-Steering Array Repeater

Abstract

A scheme is disclosed whereby an antenna array is automatically directed by a simple intermodulation of signal components. In reception, each array element feeds a pilot signal and the modulated signal to a third‐order mixer wherein the phase associated with the signal in that element is automatically cancelled. This allows in‐phase addition of the contributions from the many elements irrespective of the array shape or the direction of the incoming signal. For transmission, a pilot signal received from the distant receiver location provides by intermodulation a phase compensation to the signal radiated from each transmitting element so as to automatically direct the radiated signal to the distant receiver. There are no significant restrictions as to the shape of the array or the frequencies used. The scheme lends itself to multiple‐element, low‐power circuitry and may be used in either space or terrestrial systems to give a high repeater directivity without requiring stabilized platforms or control of antenna orientation. An experimental verification of the basic principle is described.

Self-directional Microwave Communication System

“…The system input x (r) is assumed to be a stationary random process applied at t = 0. Under these conditions the output autocorrelation function for all t 1 and t z greater than zero is given by Setting t 1 = t + 7 and t z = t, (A5) gives Ru(t + 7, r) = R (7) when t and t + 7 are greater than zero, and is zero otherwise.…”

Fast Threat Detection and Localization using Super-Regenerative Transceiver in Random Noise Radar

“…As a very simple architecture, the SRG receiver does not need coherent signal reference and fast delay lines. Moreover, the SRG architecture has a potential advantage of ultrafast detection and, if used in an array formation, has "self-steering" capability [12,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24], which can act as a "reflector" and steer the array beams automatically toward the target without the use of phase shifters.…”

Self-phased re-transmitting integrated mixer antenna array

“…Retrodirective arrays are used primarily when the incident wavefront is not completely known, but a transmission path is available. This phenomenon has found applications ranging from self-steering receiving antennas to radar transponders and non-contact identi® cation systems (Cutler et al 1963, Hewitt 1994. For retro-direction to occur, each element inthe array must re-radiate a received signal, with the phase of the transmitted signal acting as the conjugate of the received signal.…”