The Boeing Company

Kyle A Dallabetta

Bernard J Lamberty

Kenneth G Voyce

A polarization diversity system (10) including an adaptive polarization combiner (14) is disclosed. The combiner receives input signals V.sub.i1 and V.sub.i2 of arbitrary relative phase and amplitude, produced in response to orthogonally polarized components of an incident electromagnetic field. The combiner includes a hybrid network (18) that performs the combination of the input V.sub.i1 and V.sub.i2 based on phase adjustments initiated by a feedback circuit (20). The feedback circuit includes a limit set and sensing circuit (26) that allows feedback signals V.sub.c1, V.sub.c2, V.sub.c3, and V.sub.c4 to be swept through a range suitable to phase shifters (28, 32, 36, and 38) included in the hybrid network, thus allowing different components to be more easily used in the hybrid network. Further, the combiner is constructed to function properly in the absence of one of the signals input to the combiner. More particularly, a sensing circuit (22) is employed to disable the sweep function in response to the occurrence of conditions representative of the absence of one of the input signals. As a result, the phase modulation that would otherwise have occurred is limited.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Kyle A Dallabetta