Diehl Munitionssysteme Gmbh & Co. Kg

Karlsruher Institut Fur Technologie

Universität Karlsruhe

Werner Wiesbeck

Volker Koch

Martin Hertel

Eberhard Gschwendtner

Karin Schuler

Denis Becker

The present invention relates to a method for angular determination and/or for increasing the angular resolution or a detectable angular range when operating antenna groups using the technique of digital beam forming (DBF), as well as a device for carrying out the method. In the method, a measurement signal with a carrier signal and a frequency-modulated signal component are received via at least one antenna group directly or after reflection on one or several objects. The angle, at which the measurement signal is received, is determined by evaluating a phase difference in the received measurement signal which occurs between adjacent antenna elements of the antenna group. The method is characterized in that for determining the phase difference the frequency-modulated signal component is also evaluated, exclusively or additionally to an evaluation of the carrier signal. As a result of the method and the device, the angular resolution and/or the angular range which is detected in an unambiguous manner may be increased in a cost-effective manner with digital beam forming.

Digital beam forming using frequency-modulated signals

The present invention relates to a method for the operation of an antenna group () having M&#x2267;2 transmitters and N&#x2267;2 receivers () for the digital beamforming. In the method, a coherent transmit signal is transmitted in a transmit-receive-cycle via each of the M transmitters () into an area to be monitored, and a coherent receive signal from the area is recorded by each of the N receivers () for each transmit signal so that M&#xb7;N receive signals are obtained. To each receive signal, a combination of the respective transmitting transmitter () and the respective receiving receiver () is allocated. The M&#xb7;N receive signals are processed by means of digital beamforming to obtain spatial information about objects in the area to be monitored. In the method, each of the M&#xb7;N receive signals is multiplied during processing by an amplitude factor which is individually allocated to the respective combination of transmitter () and receiver (), wherein the amplitude factors are selected such that an increase of the signal dynamic range at the digital beamforming is achieved. The method and the apparatus formed for the execution of the method allow a high angle resolution and, at the same time, a high signal dynamic range.

Method for the operation of an antenna group having a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers and associated apparatus

A munition article is to be provided with an antenna which, by virtue of a characteristic which is uniform all around, permits interference-free reception of items of satellite navigation information, even if in the manner of an artillery projectile it is fired with spin along an elongate ballistic trajectory, so that a tail antenna with a spherical characteristic does not allow the expectation of good reception factors in relation to navigation satellites which are as high as possible above the horizon. Therefore the tip ( ) of the fuse tip ( ) of the projectile is equipped with a dipole satellite antenna which faces in the direction of flight. Connected to the dipole ( ) which is arranged concentrically with respect to the longitudinal axis ( ) of the projectile are symmetrically disposed conductor portions ( ) which rest with a close fit in recesses ( ) in the ballistic cap ( ).

Munition article with antenna for satellite navigation

A munition article ( ) is to be provided with an antenna ( ) which, by virtue of a characteristic which is uniform all around, permits interference-free reception of items of satellite navigation information, even if in the manner of an artillery projectile ( ) it is fired with spin along an elongate ballistic trajectory, so that a tail antenna with a spherical characteristic does not allow the expectation of good reception factors in relation to navigation satellites which are as high as possible above the horizon. Therefore the fuse tip ( ) of the projectile ( ) is equipped with a hollow-frustoconical portion of electrically conductive material such as light metal, which is designed in the form of a round-slot satellite antenna ( ) and in which a coaxial annular hollow space ( ) opens to the peripheral surface ( ) of the fuse through a slot ( ) which extends around the arrangement radially with respect to the longitudinal axis ( ) of the projectile and which is in the form of an annular disc configuration. As feed cables coaxial cables ( ), distributed uniformly around the periphery, can be connected with their inner and outer conductors ( ) at the inner mouth opening ( ) of the slot ( ) towards the hollow space ( ) to the slot walls ( ).

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