United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Other

Stephen P Caldwell

Francis W Hopwood

Grant H Watkins

Martin J Decker

John Xavier Przybysz

Donald Lynn Miller

Ronald W Minarik

Thomas K Lisle, Jr

Kenneth M Schmidt

Benjamin F Weigand

Andrew Hostetler Miklich

John P Muhlbaier

Arnold B Siegel

Robert S Prill

James T Haynes

David S Korn

Michael S Buchalter

Demetrios J Matsakis

Wayne Weigle

Marvine Harris Jr

Matthew Martello

David R Pedersen

Robert A Jelen

Thomas D Merrell, Jr

Phase compensation for the phase non-linearities introduced by the filters, amplifiers, and other microwave devices included in waveform generators in a radar system is achieved by first measuring the phase errors over a predetermined frequency range which are then fed to a pair of digital random access memories (RAMs), whereupon phase predistortion commands for both the local oscillator signal used to generate the RF transmit signal and the phase non-linearity in the RF transmit signal itself are called up and applied by first applying a predistortion phase shift to the local oscillator signal when it is being generated and secondly by applying a second predistortion phase shift when the RF transmit signal is being generated.

Radar exciter including phase compensation of the waveform generator

A radar exciter including a direct digital synthesis (DDS) wideband waveform generator which performs the frequency synthesis function heretofore performed by a direct analog synthesizer. This is achieved by deriving the DDS frequencies, the exciter RF frequencies, the radar synchronizer clock frequency and receiver analog/digital (A/D) converter clock frequency from a common signal source generating a master frequency. The present invention eliminates the direct analog synthesizer and relies solely on the digital generation of waveforms by a DDS wideband waveform generator which performs a discrete sampling process so as to provide coherent frequency and timing relationships.

Multi-mode radar exciter

A method and apparatus for generating a low phase noise RF signal where the output from a low phase-noise stabilized local oscillator operating at relatively high frequencies in the GHz range is combined in a power combiner with a digital data stream generated by a digital waveform generator and which is representative of one or more analog signals in a predetermined frequency spectrum of relatively lower RF frequencies in the MHz range. The combined signal is applied to a Josephson junction array whose output consists of a data stream including pulses of precise constant amplitude and which is then fed to a bandpass filter circuit having a predetermined bandpass. The filter extracts the lower frequency analog signal but now consisting of a signal having low phase-noise. This low phase-noise signal is mixed with the low phase-noise output from the local oscillator, thus providing a low phase- noise RF signal which when coupled to a radar transmitter results in the generation of transmitter radar pulses that enable targets to be detected in 'clutter'. The power capability of the Josephson junction array can also be increased by adding a source of current to the input to the Josephson junction array. This current is derived from the digital data stream by means of another bandpass filter connected from the digital waveform generator to the power combiner.

High-power waveform generator

A frequency oscillator and a frequency multiplier multiplying the signals from the oscillator contain inherent phase noise. A phase noise canceller removes phase noise, due to both the oscillator and the multiplier, by inserting a delay in one path and comparing phases of the delayed signal and the undelayed signal. This comparison may be either fed back to the tuning port of the oscillator or fed forward to a phase shifter which shakes off the phase noise. The delay may include a delay line, a cavity or any other suitable device which produces a phase shift. The phase noise canceller may also be designed to remove the total phase noise of the system, including additive phase noise from sources other than the oscillator and multiplier. The canceller may be calibrated and may be designed to reduce periodic response thereof.

Method and apparatus for cancelling phase noise

A wideband RF-to-IF frequency converter providing multiple use of frequency conversion components for many different types of RF input signals. In specific examples, many different types of signals for communication, navigation, and for interrogation are processed through at least partly common frequency-conversion channels. Such RF input signals in the range from approximately 2 MHz to 2,000 MHz are converted to output IF frequencies, such as 1 MHz and 30 MHz, for further processing in the common receiver. Some narrow band signals, after conversion to IF, are subjected to off-center filtering in relatively broadband IF filters. Input RF filters are not used. Among several frequency conversion stages, only one of the local oscillator signals is tunable; but it is made tunable in relatively small, precise steps by using a double phase-locked loop arrangement in the frequency synthesizer.

Wide band radio-frequency converter having multiple use of intermediate

A large bandwidth communication system has a transmitter to transmit signals over a selectable frequency operating range and a receiver having a first mixer for mixing an LO1 signal with received transmit signals. The receiver has a first IF for processing signals received from the first mixer. A frequency synthesizer generates frequency signals for application to at least a transmit mixer in the transmitter and to at least the first mixer in the receiver. A computer system selects and applies a modified frequency value to at least one of plural frequencies used in the system that of the LO1 signal applied to the first mixer, that of a frequency signal applied to the transmit mixer, and an IF frequency of the first IF, with the modified frequency value selected as a function of the system operating frequency and stored spurious amplitude data so as to sidestep spurious signals in portions of the total system frequency operating bandwidth where spurious amplitudes are excessive and otherwise would interfere with quality reception.

Radar and other communication systems having large bandwidth and large

A linear FM waveform generator employs direct digital synthesis and includes a digital linear FM signal generator, a digital-analog converter, and a sampler means. The linear FM waveform generator includes a frequency slope register coupled to a first stage integrator which in turn is coupled to a second stage integrator, all of which operate off a system clock. The output signal from the second stage integrator represents phase as a quadratic function of time. A stored sine look-up table is referenced to generate an output digital signal representing amplitude as a function of time. The output digital signal is converted to an analog linear FM waveform which in turn is coupled to a sampler that includes a step recovery diode and a fast switch. The sampler aperture is sufficiently small that the sampler output linear FM waveform includes base and higher harmonic spectra with amplitude attenuation small enough to enable a third or higher harmonic spectra to be used for generation of the output linear FM waveform. The sampler output is filtered to pass a higher harmonic spectra which is directly coupled to output multiplication and filter circuitry.

Direct digital FM waveform generator for radar systems

An oscillator circuit is coupled to receive first and second reference signals and includes a voltage-controlled oscillator for generating an oscillating signal. A difference frequency calculation circuit is coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator to produce a count signal corresponding to a difference in frequency between the oscillating signal and the first reference signal. A feedback circuit is coupled to the difference frequency calculation circuit and coupled to receive the second reference signal which corresponds to a predetermined frequency for the oscillating signal. The feedback circuit provides a control signal as an input to the voltage-controlled oscillator to control the frequency of the oscillating signal. The method for tuning the voltage-controlled oscillator which generates the oscillating signal includes a step of calculating a difference in frequency between the oscillating signal and a first reference signal, and generating a count signal corresponding to the difference in frequency. The count signal is compared to a reference count signal corresponding to a predetermined frequency for the oscillating signal, and an error signal is generated based on the results of the comparison. The error signal and a prepositioning signal corresponding to the predetermined frequency for the oscillating signal are added to generate a control signal which is provided to the voltage-controlled oscillator to control the frequency of the oscillating signal.

Voltage-controlled oscillator with rapid tuning loop and method for

A multichannel phase noise measuring system is disclosed which is capable of measuring the phase noise of two signal source operating between 100 MH.sub.z and 24 GH.sub.z. This system has two input channels and a mixer which produces a difference frequency between the signals received in the input channels. The difference frequency containing the phase noise is frequency multiplied and amplified to raise the phase noise level 12 dB. The multiplied and amplified difference signal is phase locked to a commercially available frequency synthesizer with inferior noise characteristics to the units being tested. By amplifying the phase noise of the original signals above the phase noise levels of the commercially available frequency synthesizer, they become measurable.

Multichannel phase noise measurement system

A wide-band amplifier apparatus utilizing a low frequency and a high frequency phase lock loop to achieve low phase delay at the loop bandwidth. The bandwidth products of the low and high frequency loop paths are combined and applied to the voltage controlled oscillator to minimize phase delay and to achieve a more stable loop.

Wide-band phase locked loop amplifier apparatus

The acquisition of phase lock to a reference frequency by a signal acquisition system is accomplished using a voltage controlled oscillator, a wideband frequency discriminator, a prepositioning circuit, and a phase lock loop. The voltage controlled oscillator is prepositioned within a loop bandwidth of the reference frequency by the prepositioning circuit and the wide band frequency discriminator which provide coarse tuning. The voltage controlled oscillator achieves phase lock with the reference frequency when it receives the fine tune signal from the phase lock loop. Using both the discriminator and the phase lock loop allows fast acquisition without the need to calibrate the voltage controlled oscillator. Since the discriminator pull-in range is much larger than the phase-lock loop bandwidth, the number of bits can be much smaller than in an acquisition circuit using a digital prepositioning circuit alone.

Phase lock acquisition system having FLL for coarse tuning and PLL for

A pulse generator circuit for providing pulses having pulse widths in the order of one nanosecond. The circuitry utilizes NPN microwave transistors exclusively to achieve this result.

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Columbia, MD, United States of America

Stephen P Caldwell