Abstract: Phase modulated beam patterns are substituted for the constant-phase versions that have been used in prior synthetic aperture systems. Relative movement between a radar/sonar/ultrasound platform and a point target causes a sequence of echoes from the point target to be phase and amplitude modulated by the beam pattern, as well as by the usual quadratic phase variation caused by range changes. Azimuth, range rate, and azimuth rate estimation, as well as detection in clutter, are substantially improved by appropriate beam pattern phase modulation, which is applied to the transmitter and/or receiver beam patterns. Phase modulated beam patterns are synthesized with array element weighting functions that are designed for high ambiguity function peak-to-sidelobe level, reduction of unwanted ambiguity ridge lines, and adequate spatial sampling.

Abstract: A system and method for decoding by identification of the most likely phase coded signal corresponding to received data. The present invention has particular application to communication with signals that experience spurious random phase perturbations. The generalized estimator-correlator uses a maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator to generate phase estimates for correlation with incoming data samples and for correlation with mean phases indicative of unique hypothesized signals. The result is a MAP likelihood statistic for each hypothesized transmission, wherein the highest value statistic identifies the transmitted signal.

Abstract: A system and method for optimal maximum a posteriori (MAP) demodulation using a novel mean phase predictor. The mean phase predictor conducts cumulative averaging over multiple blocks of phase samples to provide accurate prior mean phases, to be input into a MAP phase estimator.

Abstract: A system and method for optimal maximum a posteriori (MAP) demodulation. The present invention incorporates neural network technology, i.e., a Hopfield network, (1) to replace the function of the traditional, suboptimal phase-locked loop in an FM receiver and/or (2) to optimally estimate a discrete phase value using an expected value (obtained from the mean of the prior probability distribution of the phase) and statistical dependence between different phase values in a block of samples (described by the covariance matrix of the prior phase distribution). The definition of the Hopfield network includes particular bias currents, feedback weights and a sigmoid function for solving the nonlinear integral equation associated with optimal demodulation. The present invention also includes a signal classifier having a plurality of angled modulators for modeling different phase modulation processes.