E-systems, Inc.

Raytheon Company

Krishna K Agarwal

Donald F Shea

Richard R Harlan

Gary A Frazier

James R Toplicar

Paul E Doucette

Guillermo V Andrews

A digital phased array antenna comprises a plurality of antenna elements, each element receiving an incoming signal. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to at least one of the antenna elements to convert the incoming signal to a multi-bit digital signal. A demodulator or de-ramp circuit is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter to reduce the bandwidth of the multi-bit signal.

Method and apparatus for a digital phased array antenna

An RF antenna and an associated receiver are proximately located in an integrated antenna/receiver unit thereby eliminating the need for baluns and inter-component cabling characteristic of prior designs. Integration of the receiver with the antenna provides for improved sensitivity as the need for utilizing signal dissipating and noise introducing cables and baluns to transmit the signal received by the antenna to the receiver is eliminated. Direct coupling of the antenna and receiver on a single gallium arsenide integrated circuit maintains balanced impedance from the antenna to the receiver.

Integrated electronic warfare antenna receiver

A coaxial-to-microstrip transition compensated to reduce the impedance discontinuity and parasitic inductance of the transition. The impedance discontinuity is reduced by decreasing the inductance due to the center conductor pin of the coaxial line and the inductance due to the bond wire connecting the center conductor pin to the microstrip line. The impedance discontinuity is also reduced by increasing the capacitance from the microstrip line to ground and from the microstrip line to the center conductor pin of the coaxial line. To reduce the inductance in the signal conduction path, a small diameter center conductor pin is used. A short length of bond wire, doubled around the center conductor is used to connect the center conductor pin to the microstrip line. Also, a thin dielectric substrate is used to minimize the length of the center conductor pin that extends beyond the base of the coaxial housing. The capacitance is increased by flaring the end of the microstrip line near the connection with the center conductor pin and partially extending the dielectric substrate over the opening in the coaxial line housing around the center conductor pin.

Coax-to-microstrip transition

Monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology is advantageously used to fabricate microwave circuitry for an antenna-converter system to enable an antenna and its associated converter circuits to be integrated together into a unitary package. Small reliable radio frequency (RF) circuits, polarization switch matrix circuits, intermediate frequency (IF) circuits and power and control circuits for the converter are manufactured and integrated onto a plurality of small area microwave circuit disks using MIC/MMIC technology. The plurality of converter circuit disks are sandwiched together and directly mounted flat against the back of the antenna to form a unitary package. The disks for the converter circuits are further sized such that the circuit disks fit within an envelope volume defined by the size and shape of the antenna.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Krishna K Agarwal