Array antenna system and spread spectrum beamformer method

Abstract

A method for receiving direct-sequence spread spectrum signals containing a plurality of codes with digital beamforming in a receive array apparatus composed of a plurality of spaced antenna elements coupled to at least one receiver with at least one low noise amplifier, at least one frequency down-converter and at least one analog-to-digital converter and at least one digital signal processing computer or device for said plurality of spaced antenna elements, the method comprising the steps of: receiving said direct-sequence spread spectrum signals in said receive array apparatus, the signals emanating from a plurality of positions or from one or multiple transmitters; multiplying said received signals at each element by a reflecting code to produce reflected signals hereinafter referred to as Element Reflected Signals; combining said Element Reflected Signals forming a common signal for the array; converting said common signal to a convenient intermediary frequency signal; sampling said intermediary frequency-converted signal using said analog-to-digital converter; correlating resulting samples against codes or variations of said codes included in said Element Reflected Signals; demultiplexing said Element Reflected Signals to corresponding signals as received by each of said different array antenna elements using said correlated samples.