Ems Technologies, Inc.

Wyman L Williams

John Daniel Voss

Roger G Roberts

John L Beafore

Jeff M Alexander

Theresa Brunasso

Christopher Lee Burton

David Elton Finch

A compact system can use modular components to enhance the isolation or quality of signals that an antenna array produces. The system can comprise an array of input coupler modules and an array of output coupler modules respectively on the input and output sides of a signal routing device. Each input coupler module can receive a signal from a specific element in the antenna array and can divide or split that received signal into a multiple signal components, such as seven. The signal routing device can route each of those signal components to a different output coupler module in the array of output coupler modules. Thus, each output coupler module can receive and combine multiple signal components, such as seven, from different input coupler modules. The signal routing device can include a readily manufacturable phase trimming section to compensate for phase mismatches.

Beam forming system

A ferrite scanning line source is formed of a ferrite toroid and one or more dielectric slabs mounted to a side of the toroid. A signal propagating through the waveguide is phase shifted by the magnetization of the toroid. The further down the toroid the signal propagates the greater the phase shift that is applied to the signal. Radiators or coupling ports are formed by slots cut in a wall of the waveguide. The phase of the signal radiating from each slot in the line source is shifted from the signals emanating from the preceding and following slot in the line source. By properly locating the slots along the line source, a composite beam formed by the energy radiating from each slot may be titled (scanned) to a desired direction. In addition, the amount of phase shift applied to the signal by the waveguide depends on the magnetic state of the phase shifter. By changing the magnetic state of the phase shifter, by using a latch wire, the direction of the beam emanating from the line source can be scanned, such as by .+-.20.degree.. Phased array antenna systems are formed of groups of radiating elevation line sources that are fed signals by a group of azimuth line sources coupled by microstrips to the elevation line sources.

Electronically scanned ferrite line source

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Duluth, GA, United States of America

Wyman L Williams