Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Scott A Hyer

John W Taylor, Jr

Herman J Blinchikoff

Micheal J Martineau

A method and apparatus for hybrid analog-digital pulse compression, as well as, a method of use and manufacture includes an analog intermediate frequency filter, a converter, and a digital correlator. The analog intermediate frequency filter filters and weights returned echo signals, and the digital correlator compresses the filtered and weighted echo signals. The frequency or impulse response of the digital correlator is set based on the frequency or impulse response of the analog intermediate frequency filter to obtain a pulse compressor with minimal mismatch loss and improved sidelobe suppression. The invention provides for the lowest possible sampling rate of analog-to-digital convertors used with the apparatus; thus, minimizing the cost of this device and all subsequent digital processing.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, MD, United States of America

Scott A Hyer