Direct digital synthesizer driven phased array antenna

Abstract

A digitally beam formed phased array antenna capable of both transmitting and receiving signals is constructed from a series of digitally controlled antenna elements. To transmit signals, a series of direct digital synthesizers is used to drive the antenna elements forming the phased array. Each direct digital synthesizer is programmed from a common digital processor with specific time and phase delay information such that the signals from the array combine to form a desired antenna pattern. To receive signals, signals from each antenna element in the phased array are processed by analog to digital converter. The digitized signals are then pre-processed in a time and phase delay preprocessor which receives time and phase delay information from a corresponding direct digital synthesizer prior to signal combining in a common digital processor. The digitally beam formed antenna, thus formed, allows for remote reconfiguration, flexible partitioning, and generation of multiple and independent beams from a single phased array.