Abstract: A radar system located on an antenna array mounted on a moving carrier and including plurality of antenna elements; a transmitter portion coupled to the antenna and configured to transmit a plurality of transmit beams, each including a corresponding orthogonal transmit waveform of a plurality of orthogonal transmit waveforms, each of the plurality of transmit beams having a transmit phase center spatially located at a respective point along the antenna array, the transmitter portion being configured to transmit each transmit beam during at least a portion of a pulse repetition interval, wherein the transmitter portion is configured to shift the transmit phase center of each transmit beam for each pulse repetition interval to a respective point along the antenna array in a direction opposite the movement of the carrier, such that a speed of the respective transmit phase center of each beam remains is reduced.

Abstract: A radar system located on an antenna array mounted on a moving carrier and including plurality of antenna elements; a transmitter portion coupled to the antenna and configured to transmit a plurality of transmit beams, each including a corresponding orthogonal transmit waveform of a plurality of orthogonal transmit waveforms, each of the plurality of transmit beams having a transmit phase center spatially located at a respective point along the antenna array, the transmitter portion being configured to transmit each transmit beam during at least a portion of a pulse repetition interval, wherein the transmitter portion is configured to shift the transmit phase center of each transmit beam for each pulse repetition interval to a respective point along the antenna array in a direction opposite the movement of the carrier, such that a speed of the respective transmit phase center of each beam remains is reduced.

Abstract: A transmit-receive radar system having multiple sub-apertures aligned in an offset, off-centered cross pattern that allows for searching of a sub-aperture pattern for the peak response without having to retransmit beams. The placement of the physical apertures combined with the use of MIMO operations provides a non-uniform distribution of virtual sub-apertures that suppresses ambiguous grading lobes and maintains angle resolution in a manner equivalent to that of non-MIMO approaches. As a result, target detection is enabled within a significantly larger angular area than in a non-MIMO configuration.

Abstract: A radar system and method is provided for increasing the search volume, detection range, and/or update rate of a search radar without requiring an increase of the radar transmit power or antenna aperture size. This is accomplished by using a target response calculation that uses signal energy that is thrown away by conventional systems. A probability of target presence and target behavior (Ppb) is calculated based on the retained signal energy to thus improve the radar's ability to detect the presence of a target. The invention processes multiple CPIs either coherently or incoherently via the Ppb methodology to further improve the radar's detection abilities.

Abstract: A radar system and method is provided for increasing the search volume, detection range, and/or update rate of a search radar without requiring an increase of the radar transmit power or antenna aperture size. This is accomplished by using a target response calculation that uses signal energy that is thrown away by conventional systems. A probability of target presence and target behavior (Ppb) is calculated based on the retained signal energy to thus improve the radar's ability to detect the presence of a target. The invention processes multiple CPIs either coherently or incoherently via the Ppb methodology to further improve the radar's detection abilities.

Abstract: A method for the simultaneous multi-frequency signal processing within a single receiver is presented. The pulse compression or filtering method samples the received signal at a data rate commensurate with the maximum frequency separation of waveforms at separate frequencies being received, but the compression calculations are only performed at a rate commensurate with the bandwidth of each individual transmit waveform set. The method reduces the processor requirements for extracting all available information from these signals.

Abstract: A method for the simultaneous multi-frequency signal processing within a single receiver is presented. The pulse compression or filtering method samples the received signal at a data rate commensurate with the maximum frequency separation of waveforms at separate frequencies being received, but the compression calculations are only performed at a rate commensurate with the bandwidth of each individual transmit waveform set. The method reduces the processor requirements for extracting all available information from these signals.

Abstract: An antenna architecture for hemispherically-scanning active electronically scanned arrays (AESA). The antenna architecture utilizes variable diameter disks of antenna elements configured in a conical implementation. The antenna elements are oriented such that the element boresight is normal to the surface of the conical structure. Beamforming takes place on each disk first, and them separately in combining the signals from each disk, thereby reducing complexity. The antenna optionally utilizes disks of antenna elements of the same diameter to form a cylindrical antenna, which when combined with a conical configuration create enhanced sectors while maintaining a hemispherical coverage capability. Further, use of two conical configurations can produce a fully spherical coverage capability.

Abstract: An antenna architecture for hemispherically-scanning active electronically scanned arrays (AESA). The antenna architecture utilizes variable diameter disks of antenna elements configured in a conical implementation. The antenna elements are oriented such that the element boresight is normal to the surface of the conical structure. Beamforming takes place on each disk first, and them separately in combining the signals from each disk, thereby reducing complexity. The antenna optionally utilizes disks of antenna elements of the same diameter to form a cylindrical antenna, which when combined with a conical configuration create enhanced sectors while maintaining a hemispherical coverage capability. Further, use of two conical configurations can produce a fully spherical coverage capability.

Abstract: An antenna architecture for hemispherically-scanning active electronically scanned arrays (AESA). The antenna architecture utilizes variable diameter disks of antenna elements configured in a conical implementation. The antenna elements are oriented such that the element boresight is normal to the surface of the conical structure. Beamforming takes place on each disk first, and them separately in combining the signals from each disk, thereby reducing complexity. The antenna optionally utilizes disks of antenna elements of the same diameter to form a cylindrical antenna, which when combined with a conical configuration create enhanced sectors while maintaining a hemispherical coverage capability. Further, use of two conical configurations can produce a fully spherical coverage capability.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a radar system that includes an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmit antenna phase centers. A transmitter portion is configured to transmit a plurality of transmit beams characterized by a transmit beam pattern. The transmit beam pattern has a predetermined transmit beamwidth that is a function of the number of orthogonal transmit waveforms. The number of orthogonal transmit waveforms is less than the plurality of antenna elements. A receiver portion is also coupled to the antenna array and is configured to extract a plurality of orthogonal receive signal components from a received signal provided by the antenna array. A plurality of extracted orthogonal receive signal components are digitally beam formed to implement a virtual antenna array and generate a receive signal having a receive beamwidth.

Abstract: A method for interleaved pulsed-Doppler processing. Radar energy management and associated processing techniques take advantage of spatial degrees of freedom available on modern, short range, wide angle, volume search ESA radar systems. The method creates an advantage in Doppler resolution when compared to currently utilized Doppler processing techniques. An Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) radar system includes one or more processors that may be programmed to read and execute instructional commands including transmit a plurality of synchronized, coherent pulsed transmit beams having substantially repeatable gain and phase pattern characteristics; electronically steer the plurality of transmit beams in a respective, sequential plurality of spatially diverse directions in a temporally-interleaved manner; sequentially collect a respective plurality of receive beams in a respective plurality of time vs.

Abstract: An antenna architecture for hemispherically-scanning active electronically scanned arrays (AESA). The antenna architecture utilizes variable diameter disks of antenna elements configured in a conical implementation. The antenna elements are oriented such that the element boresight is normal to the surface of the conical structure. Beamforming takes place on each disk first, and them separately in combining the signals from each disk, thereby reducing complexity. The antenna optionally utilizes disks of antenna elements of the same diameter to form a cylindrical antenna, which when combined with a conical configuration create enhanced sectors while maintaining a hemispherical coverage capability. Further, use of two conical configurations can produce a fully spherical coverage capability.

Abstract: A method for interleaved pulsed-Doppler processing. Radar energy management and associated processing techniques take advantage of spatial degrees of freedom available on modern, short range, wide angle, volume search ESA radar systems. The method creates an advantage in Doppler resolution when compared to currently utilized Doppler processing techniques. An Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) radar system includes one or more processors that may be programmed to read and execute instructional commands including transmit a plurality of synchronized, coherent pulsed transmit beams having substantially repeatable gain and phase pattern characteristics; electronically steer the plurality of transmit beams in a respective, sequential plurality of spatially diverse directions in a temporally-interleaved manner; sequentially collect a respective plurality of receive beams in a respective plurality of time vs.

Abstract: A method and system for monopulse beamforming for electronically switched antennas is presented. Inputs of selected antenna elements from a phased array antenna are summed into subsets of elements which are then combined into sum and delta beams. 2:1 switches in a shoelace arrangement allow the combination of signals from half of the selected aperture first at common phase and then at pi phase difference to from the sum and delta beams. The method allows for reduced weight, controls, and processing when compared to prior art.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a radar system that includes an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmit antenna phase centers. A transmitter portion is coupled to the antenna array. The transmitter portion is configured to transmit a plurality of transmit beams characterized by a transmit beam pattern. The transmit beam pattern has a predetermined transmit beamwidth that is a function of the number of orthogonal transmit waveforms. The predetermined transmit beamwidth substantially fills a predetermined angular volume. Each of the plurality of transmit beams includes a corresponding one of the plurality of orthogonal transmit waveforms. Each of the plurality of transmit beams is transmitted by a corresponding one of the plurality of transmit antenna phase centers. The number of orthogonal transmit waveforms is less than the plurality of antenna elements. A receiver portion is also coupled to the antenna array.