Harris Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

James K Conn

Sharadchandra D Patel

Marcus L Foster

Michael G Guler

Michael James Lynch

Coleman J Miller

Larry T Holak

A remote sensing apparatus for conducting (spaceborne) measurements of ocean geophysical parameters integrates a radar altimeter subsystem with a radiometer subsystem through the use of a shared antenna feed horn that permits each subsystem to have the same viewing aperture, so that each subsystem sees the same location on the ocean. The horn is a multiport, multifrequency horn having a throat and a tapered sidewall portion extending from the throat to the outer edge of the horn. A first sidewall port is coupled to the transmit/receive channel of the radar altimeter. A second sidewall port is coupled to a first receive channel of the radiometer, and a third sidewall port is coupled to a second receive channel of the radiometer. A throat port is coupled to a third receive channel of the radiometer. The tapered sidewall portion has a first, generally linear shape adjacent to the throat, a second, conic (elliptical) shape at its outer edge, and a third, blending shape disposed between and joining together the generally linear shape and the conic shape at the outer edge. The blending shape is preferably a sinusoidal function and serves to blend the first shape into the second shape in such a manner that the horn presents, over the entirely of the surface of the sidewall portion, an effectively continuous surface to the E plane of an electromagnetic wave emitted or received by the horn. The distance over which the sidewall portion is tapered to effect the blending function is preferably no greater than two wavelengths of the lowest frequency of electromagnetic waves emitted or received by the horn.

Combined radar altimeter, radiometer sensor employing multiport feed

An antenna fabrication scheme for shaped reflector analyzes the geometry of the shaped reflector to be fabricated. On the basis of this analysis, a surface of revolution which closely approximates the shaped reflector is defined. The axis of revolution of the generated surface can then be employed by a single reflector shaping tool to describe the surface of revolution a portion of which approximates that of the desired shaped reflector. The shaped reflector is then effectively removed from the described surface by defining the perimeter of the shaped reflector on the surface of revolution.

Offset shaped antenna reflector

An antenna fabrication scheme for shaped reflectors analyzes the geometry of the shaped reflector to be fabricated. On the basis of this analysis, a surface of revolution which closely approximates the shaped reflector is defined. The axis of revolution of the generated surface can then be employed by a single reflector shaping tool to describe the surface of revolution a portion of which approximates that of the desired shaped reflector. The shaped reflector is then effectively removed from the described surface by defining the perimeter of the shaped reflector on the surface of revolution.

Technique for fabricating offset, shaped antenna reflectors

Modular-configured beam waveguide for transmitting microwave energy is formed of a plurality of cascaded modules each module containing a pair of reflecting surfaces, e.g. mirrors with the mirrors prealigned with one another and mounted in a supporting conduit or tube. Each tube or conduit module has a pair of orthogonal axes about which its joints with adjacent modules may rotate, so that with a plurality of such modules interconnected with one another, the overall configuration of serially connected modules may follow substantially any desired path. If desired, a module may be configured of a single L-shaped tube or cylinder at the bend of the L of which there is interiorly disposed an aligned mirror, either flat or curved, e.g. substantially elliptically configured for focussing purposes. The tubular construction may be conductive or nonconductive, its prime purpose being to provide support, rigidity and strength, as well as impermeability to external environmental conditions. Each open end of the tubular subsection of a module is of preferably circular cross-section with a rotationally mounted fitting for coupling to one of the legs of another L-shaped module subsection.

Modular beam waveguide

A rotary coupler for coupling a microwave signal to a rotating antenna is disclosed. The preferred embodiment comprises a section of waveguides formed into a circle and split into two pieces along the long wall of the waveguide. The two sections of waveguide are positioned to rotate with respect to each other with energy coupled into one portion of the waveguide along its narrow wall and coupled out of the second portion along its narrow wall. An isolation element is utilized at both the input and output ports to assure directional coupling into the split wall waveguide. More than one of the coupling devices can be monitored around a ship's mast, for example, to couple a plurality of microwave systems to a single multiple bandwidth rotating antenna.

Growing community of inventors

Indialantic, FL, United States of America

James K Conn