The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 14, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 28, 1996
Hughes Electronics, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An optical heterodyne system provides the radiation source and beam scan control of a millimeter wave (MMW) array antenna. The heterodyne system is an optical feed system to produce the MMW by mixing the optical outputs from two lasers, distribute the signal source to an array of radiating elements through a Rotman lens and optical fibers, generate the differential phase shift for beam scan in the optical domain, change the beam direction by switching the input laser being used to illuminate the Rotman lens or by varying the frequency of one of the laser sources. The feed system includes a plurality n-1 lasers spaced along the transmit side of the lens, and a center laser disposed on the center axis of the transmit side. A l:n switch receives a command input to determine which of the n-1 lasers will operate. The beat frequency between the center laser operating frequency and that of the n-1 lasers is the MMW frequency. N optical receive elements are spaced along the output side of the Rotman lens and are connected to a corresponding photodetector by equal length optical fibers. The output of each photodetector is amplified and fed to a corresponding radiating element. The system also operates in a corresponding receive mode.