Abstract: A control system is presented for controlling operation of a phased-array antenna comprising N antenna elements each comprising H and V polarization terminals. The control system includes: an analogue circular polarization system (ACTS) and a digital polarization control system (DPCS). The ACPS comprises an array of N analogue circular polarization circuits (ACPCs) associated with said N antenna elements, respectively, such that each ACPC is connectable to the V and H polarization terminals of the respective antenna element. The ACPS is configured and operable with N analog circular polarization signal components each being either left or right circular polarization signal.

Abstract: A digital beamforming circuit that includes a plurality of channels, each having an input port configured to receive a digital input signal and an output port configured to feed an antenna element with an analog signal, wherein the plurality of channels forms an electronically steerable antenna (ESA). Each channel includes: a comparator configured to compare the digital input signal with one of a plurality of thresholds that linearly span the digital input signal; a multi-level digital-to-analog converter (DAC) connected at an output of the comparator; and a delay line circuitry configured to apply a time delay to the channel, wherein the delay line circuitry of each channel is separately controlled to apply a respective time delay, collectively enabling to steer a beam of the PPA, wherein the digital beamforming circuit further includes a threshold permutation circuitry configured to periodically permutate the plurality of thresholds between the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A beamforming circuit for receiving and/or transmitting one or more (typically a plurality of) beams. The beamforming circuit includes: an antenna I/O module having antenna ports; a data bus connection for connecting to a data bus for communication of data streams of one or more beams to be produced (received or transmitted); a beamforming module including a plurality of beam-forming channels connectable in between the data bus connection and the antenna ports for processing signals communicated between them to introduce controllable shifts (e.g. time-delays and/or phase-shifts) in order to beamform the processed signals, being received and/or transmitted. Whereby the beamforming circuit includes a cascade I/O module enabling to connect one or more additional beam-forming circuits to the beamforming circuit, in a “vertical” cascade, to thereby enable forming of one or more additional beams by the beamforming modules of the one or more additional beamforming circuits.

Abstract: A platform-mounted radome which includes: a low-profile aerodynamic canopy made of a radio frequency (RF) transparent material, wherein the canopy has a leading edge and a trailing edge and is suitable to accommodate a flat panel satellite communication (SATCOM) antenna; an air-cooling duct connecting an inlet at the leading edge of the canopy and an outlet at the trailing edge of the canopy, wherein the air-cooling duct is designed to transfer naturally cool air collected by the inlet across the canopy when flying; means for transferring heat thermally coupled to heat-generating elements of the SATCOM antenna and the air-cooling duct; and one or more heat sinks located within the air-cooling duct and thermally coupled thereto.

Abstract: An antenna topology supporting multi beamforming for a large phase array antenna is provided herein. The antenna topology includes: one or more pairs of branches, each branch comprising a plurality of digital beamforming (DBF) integrated circuits (ICs) connected in series via a bus; one or more splitter/combiner (S/C) ICs connecting together each of the branches of the pairs; and one or more layers of further S/C ICs, wherein each of the further S/C ICs connects two of the S/C ICs on one end, and a modem or a further S/C IC of a different layer, on the other end, wherein each of the DBF ICs is coupled to two or more antenna elements via one or more radio frequency (RF) ICs, and wherein each of the DBF ICs comprises phase shifting circuitries, delay circuitries, memory circuitries, and bus controlling circuitries.

Abstract: A method and system/circuit for multi-beamforming signal processing are provided. The circuit includes a plurality of basic modules associated with a plurality of transducers. Each basic module includes a first and second processing stages operative for introducing time delays of higher and lower temporal resolutions to the signals processed thereby respectively, and a path selector multiplexer module managing the signal coupling between the first and second stages. The first processing stage is connectable to one of the transducers via a first port and includes a network of first type time delay channels defining L signal paths operative at a relatively high sampling rate and adapted for providing L respectively different time delays of high temporal resolution. The second processing stage includes an array of N second type time delay channels operable for shifting signals processed thereby by any number up-to K samples of a lower sampling rate.

Abstract: A novel digital baseband beam forming system is disclosed including a plurality of digital baseband beam forming channels configured and operable for connecting via channel ports to a plurality of antenna channels associated with respective antenna elements for at least one of transmitting and receiving through the plurality of antenna elements one or more waveform signals encoding data streams. The digital baseband beam forming channels are configured and operable to apply at least one of phase and time delays of selective magnitudes to baseband signals associated with data streams encoding the waveform signals transmitted and/or received by the plurality of antenna elements, thereby beamforming said waveform signals to produce, by said waveforms, one or more data encoded beams associated with respective directions of propagation and encoding said data streams respectively. The digital baseband beam forming system may be implemented in chip (e.g.

Abstract: Method and system of calibrating antenna array communication are disclosed. A calibration process is used to obtain signatures by at least one antenna element of the antenna array under idealized operational conditions responsive to a calibration sequence transmitted by at least one other antenna element of the antenna array under, to obtain signatures by the at least one antenna element in an operational state of the array responsive to transmission of the calibration sequence by the at least one other antenna element, to compare the signatures obtained under the idealized conditions and in the operational state, and generate calibration data based thereon.

Abstract: A novel digital baseband beam forming system is disclosed including a plurality of digital baseband beam forming channels configured and operable for connecting via channel ports to a plurality of antenna channels associated with respective antenna elements for at least one of transmitting and receiving through the plurality of antenna elements one or more waveform signals encoding data streams. The digital baseband beam forming channels are configured and operable to apply at least one of phase and time delays of selective magnitudes to baseband signals associated with data streams encoding the waveform signals transmitted and/or received by the plurality of antenna elements, thereby beamforming said waveform signals to produce, by said waveforms, one or more data encoded beams associated with respective directions of propagation and encoding said data streams re spectively. The digital baseband beam forming system may be implemented in chip (e.g.

Abstract: Method and system of calibrating antenna array communication are disclosed. A calibration process is used to obtain signatures by at least one antenna element of the antenna array under idealized operational conditions responsive to a calibration sequence transmitted by at least one other antenna element of the antenna array under, to obtain signatures by the at least one antenna element in an operational state of the array responsive to transmission of the calibration sequence by the at least one other antenna element, to compare the signatures obtained under the idealized conditions and in the operational state, and generate calibration data based thereon.