Raytheon Company

Ratheon Company

Hughes Missile Systems Company

General Dynamics Corp., Air Defense Systems Div.

Gritters, Darin M.

Brown, Andrew K.

Kenneth William Brown

Andrew Kent Brown

James R Gallivan

Darin M Gritters

Michael John Sotelo

David D Crouch

Alan Rattray

Reid F Lowell

William Earl Dolash

Travis B Feenstra

Thomas Lee Obert

Vincent Giancola

David R Sar

A-Lan V Reynolds

Thomas A Drake

Keith G Kato

Frederick A Ahrens

Russell F Berg

Samuel De La Torre

Garry N Hulderman

James Stephen Mason

Michael A Moore

John W Gerstenberg

Andrew Gamalski

Patrick J Kocurek

Byron M Niemeier

Nicholas J Kolias

Thomas A Hanft

Steven L Kaufman

Jack E White

Jeff L Vollin

Alan A Rattray

David J Canich

Domingo Cruz-Pagan

Philip D Starbuck

Wilkie M Phillips

Ricky M Nelson

Johan A Kullstam

Arlin L Pierce

James E Gallivan

Darren Himbaza

April R Sanders

George G Jones

Andrew W Chang

Thanh C Ta

Andrew David Gamalski

A modular communications array includes: an antenna card including a patch antenna array for communicating RF signals; a chip carrier card including a plurality of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), each with a power amplifier (PA) and positioned on a respective metal post of a plurality of metal posts, wherein; a phase shifter card including a plurality of phase shifter circuits for beam steering and gain control and a plurality of cavities. Each of the cavities corresponds to a location for the respective metal post on the chip carrier card; and a cooling block coupled to the chip carrier card by a thermally conductive epoxy for cooling, where the phase shifter card is replaceable without affecting the components of the antenna card and the chip carrier card.

Modular electronically scanned array (ESA)

Steerable antenna on platforms, fixed or mobile, are tracked to form an RF communication link by setting the width of the main lobe of the antenna beam pattern to be greater than the initial pointing uncertainty region and then concurrently scanning and progressively reducing the widths of the main lobes as the pointing uncertainty region is reduced to first acquire and then track the opposing antenna. The width of the main lobe is reduced such that the width of the main lobe is approximately fixed for each block. The antennas at opposite ends of the communication link may be scanned with scan patterns that are orthogonal to each other such that the demodulation of the received signal levels to signal direction of arrival at each platform is solely a function of the scan pattern of the receive antenna.

Method of tracking steerable antennas on platforms to form an RF communication link

In one aspect, a Y-splitter includes a first arm having a first port, a second arm having a second port, a third arm having a third port, a fourth arm having a fourth port and a Y-split portion having a first end coupled to the first arm, a second end coupled to the second arm, a third end coupled to the third arm and a fourth end coupled to the fourth arm. The Y-split portion splits a signal from a first signal path from the first port into a second signal on a second signal path and a third signal on a third signal path. A first angle between the second signal path and the first signal path is greater than 90 degrees and a second angle between the third signal path and the first signal path is greater than 90 degrees.

Magic-Y splitter

A communication system comprises a signal generator, polarizer, signal combiner, transmitter, positioning device, and controller. The signal generator converts first and second received data streams into respective first and second orthogonal linearly polarized signals. The polarizer is at a first rotation angle and converts first and second orthogonal linearly polarized signals into, respectively, a first right-hand-circularly polarized (RHCP) signal and first left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) signal, which are combined in signal combiner into a signal sent by transmitter to a receiver. The positioning device adjusts the first rotation angle to substantially increase isolation between third and fourth orthogonal linearly polarized signals at the receiver. The controller performs the real-time analysis of transmission loss and directs the positioning device to adjust the first rotation angle.

Real time polarization compensation for dual-polarized millimeter wave communication

A communications system having two terminals, each including two antennas, the communications system using spatial multiplexing. One antenna of a first terminal transmits a tracking tone along with a data signal. Two antennas in a second terminal receive the tracking tone. The signals from the two antennas are processed by a feed circuit. The feed circuit includes a variable delay circuit and a combiner that forms, at a first difference output, a linear combination, of a signal from the first antenna and a signal from the second antenna, in which the tracking tone is canceled. The variable delay circuit is actively adjusted to maintain this cancellation.

Point-to-point communications link

A low-loss band and polarization-selectable gender-selectable transceiver for use with a reflector-type antenna suitable for the E-band frequency allocation as well as other RF bands in which the upper and lower bands are separated by a stop band. In addition to providing the gender-selectable combination of the upper and lower bands for transmit and receive, this topology allows for the selection of transmit, and receive polarizations. A transceiver may transmit and receive on the same or on orthogonal polarizations. Paired transceivers may transmit on the same or on orthogonal polarizations. This is accomplished by integrating a rotatable polarizer (e.g. a &#xbc; wave plate) and a polarization duplexer (e.g. an orthomode transducer) in a FDD (Frequency-Domain Duplexed) system. The rotatable polarizer allows for selection of both transmit and receive bands and polarizations.

Reflective-type antenna band and polarization selectable transceiver using a rotatable quarter-wave plate

A power amplifier uses a modular architecture in which each of the one or more modules spatially combines the power from multiple amplified channels. The individual modules are configured to operate in the EHF band and above at low loss. This entails reconfiguring the input and output splitters, the end-launched transitions between the amplifier chips and the input and output splitters and the packaging of the DC power and control board. The input splitter uses a split-block technology. The output splitter maps each amplified channel into a two-dimensional aperture.

Modular spatially combined EHF power amplifier

A waveguide mechanical phase adjuster includes at least one pair of dielectric rods nominally spaced &#xbc; wavelength apart and inserted through a corresponding pair of holes in the wall of a waveguide. The holes are dimensioned so that they are in 'cutoff' at the top end of the spectral band. An adjustment mechanism sets the insertion depth of the rods, which determines the amount of dielectric loading and, in turn, the insertion phase. Changing the insertion depth changes the dielectric loading, hence the insertion phase. The &#xbc; wavelength spacing of the rods serves to cancel reflected energy. Additional pairs of dielectric rods can be similarly configured and actuated to increase the range over which the insertion phase can be adjusted. The waveguide mechanical phase adjuster is well adapted for use with power combiners to maintain tight phase coherence between channels.

Waveguide mechanical phase adjuster

A system for detecting explosive materials. The system includes radiated high power electromagnetic radiation at one or more frequencies in the millimeter wave spectrum or above to interact with a sample and be reflected therefrom. The system also includes at least one electromagnetic sensor to measure emissions at harmonic frequencies and characteristics unique to one or more explosive materials. The system also includes a processor to collate and maintain a lookup table to identify specific explosive material types.

Explosive material detection

An apparatus for conveying an electrical signal includes: a conductive pathway having a conductive material. The conductive material has a first edge and a second edge and is configured to convey the electrical signal. The apparatus also includes a resistive material in contact with at least a portion of the conductive pathway, covering an edge of the conductive pathway, and extending beyond the edge. The resistive material has a conductivity less than the conductivity of the conductive material.

Radiofrequency absorptive filter

A power combiner/divider having a waveguide, a plurality of amplifiers disposed on a supporting structure, a plurality of probes, each one having a first end electrically coupled to an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers and a second end projecting outwardly from the supporting structure and into the waveguide. The probes are disposed in a common region of the waveguide. The region has a common electric field maximum within the waveguide. A first portion of the probes proximate the sidewalls have lengths different from a second portion of the probes disposed in a region distal from the sidewalls of the waveguide. The waveguide is supported by the support structure. The power combiner is a monolithic microwave integrated circuit structure.

Multiple E-probe waveguide power combiner/divider

A universal joint comprising a pair of circular waveguide ball-joints and a slip-joint allows for simultaneous 3-axis rotation and 3-dimensional translation between an antenna and a stationary source. As such, the universal joint does not have to be physically aligned with the azimuth, and elevation, rotation axis of the antenna and mounted on the gimbal support, greatly simplifying the antenna steering mechanism. The universal joint allows the antenna to be mass-balanced in relation to the azimuth and elevation axis without adding any additional counter weights, thus reducing the size and power requirements of the azimuth and elevation rotation drive systems. Additional ball-joints may be provided to increase the allowed range of motion of the antenna.

Universal microwave waveguide joint and mechanically steerable microwave transmitter

An active infrared sensor may include an imaging infrared sensor to provide an output signal conveying time-sequential infrared images of a scene which includes a subject, a beam generator to generate a millimeter wave energy beam, and a processor. An initial infrared image of the scene may be stored in a memory. After storing the initial infrared image, the beam generator may illuminate the subject with the millimeter wave energy beam. A temperature change across the subject due to the millimeter wave energy beam may be estimated based on the output signal and the stored initial infrared image. The beam generator may stop illuminating the subject when a highest temperature change across the subject is at least equal to a predetermined temperature change limit.

Infrared concealed object detection enhanced with closed-loop control of illumination by.mmw energy

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel printed antenna that provides a low-loss transition into waveguide. The antenna is integrated with a heat spreader and the interconnection between the antenna and the output device (such as a power amplifier) is a simple conductive connection, such as (but not limited to), a wirebond. Integrating the antenna with the heat spreader in accordance with the concepts, circuits, and techniques described herein drastically shortens the distance from the output device to the waveguide, thus reducing losses and increasing bandwidth. The transition and technique described herein may be easily scaled for both higher and lower frequencies. Embodiments of the present apparatus also eliminate the complexity of the prior art circuit boards and transitions and enable the use of a wider range of substrates while greatly simplifying assembly.

High frequency, high bandwidth, low loss microstrip to waveguide transition

A transition for coupling a microwave signal between a transmission line formed on a planar dielectric substrate and a hollow waveguide may include a half-notch antenna formed on a portion of the dielectric substrate extending into an open end of the hollow waveguide.

Low loss broadband planar transmission line to waveguide transition

Growing community of inventors

Yucaipa, CA, United States of America

Kenneth William Brown