Abstract: The invention is related to a communication terminal, including means for determining possible antenna weight factor combinations, an antenna weight factor combination comprising an antenna weight factor for both power and phase; means for selecting primary antenna weight factors on the basis of bisectors of angles between a minimum phase offset and a maximum phase offset of the possible weight factor combinations; means for determining an optimum antenna weight factor by using the primary antenna weight factors; and means for signalling the optimum antenna weight factor to a network element.

Abstract: An adaptive array terminal (2000) includes a reception adaptive array unit (2030) extracting a reception signal from a base station by multiplying signals from respective antennas (#AN 1–#AN 2) of an array antenna by respective reception weights, a transmission adaptive array unit (2090) applying to respective antennas of the array antenna a plurality of signals generated by multiplying by a transmission signal by transmission weights to form transmission directivity, and a transmission weight calculator (2070) calculating transmission weights added with a specified constraint in accordance with designation in a reception signal.

Abstract: A method of forming an antenna beam with a phased array antenna having an array of antenna elements includes selecting angular directions at which nulls are to be located in an antenna radiation pattern of the phased array antenna, computing a radiation shaping transformation as a function of the selected angular directions, and determining from the radiation shaping transformation an amplitude and phase distribution over the array of antenna elements that forms the antenna beam with nulls of the antenna radiation pattern at the selected angular directions. Computing of the radiation shaping transformation involves constructing a set of vectors corresponding to the selected antenna radiation pattern nulls, and computing a matrix whose product with each of the vectors is zero. The amplitude and phase distribution is determined from the matrix.

Abstract: There is provided an antenna array apparatus using a GPS signal in a base station and a beamforming method thereof. In the antenna array apparatus, a GPS signal processor receives GPS position information from a mobile station and calculates the position information of the mobile station. A signal processor calculates a weight vector using the position information to form a transmission/reception beam. A transmission/reception beamformer forms the transmission/reception beam according to the weight vector.

Abstract: To realize an adaptive antenna array system which improves reception quality of desired signals by properly suppressing interference signals. The system includes: a signal detection section which detects base station signals from signals received by antenna elements; a control section which selects desired signals and interference signals to be cancelled from among the detected base station signals; a spatial signature detection section which detects spatial signatures of the desired signals and the interference signals to be cancelled; a virtual-signal generation section which generates virtual-signals for the interference signals to be cancelled using the spatial signatures thereof; an array weight generation section which generates array weights for the antenna elements by multiplying the inverse matrix of a correlation matrix of the virtual-signals by the spatial signatures of the desired signals; and a signal combining section which combines the received signals using the array weights.

Abstract: A DOA estimation unit is provided with at least one of two DOA estimation techniques to determine the DOA of signals wireless transmitted. A first technique includes determination of the DOA based at least in part on a relationship between a received signal vector and a number of signal directional vectors. The second technique includes determination of the DOAs of the L multipaths of a signal by searching in a direction range centered on a determined DOA of the signal.

Abstract: Techniques for simultaneous measurement of multiple array elements of an array antenna. The array is illuminated with a coherent signal source, and each array element phase shifter is cycled through a range of phase shifter settings at a unique rate. The phase shifted signals from each array element are combined to provide a composite signal. The composite signal is processed to extract the phase of the coherent source signal as received at each element. The phase information is used to determine the location of the elements relative to each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide intermodulation reduction techniques for multiple beam phased array antennas. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an optimization approach is employed to determine array element excitations that reduce IM interference.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for high resolution tracking via mono-pulse beam-forming in a communication system in which the capacity and range of mobile or fixed wireless communication base stations are improved by implementing a single or multiple antenna beam per signal path. Adaptive beam-forming based on up-link direction-of arrival estimation can be performed without using the above-mentioned computationally intensive techniques.

Abstract: In a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, a method and apparatus for multi-antenna transmission. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention a reduced number of transmit weight matrices are fed back to the transmitter. Each transmit weight matrix is then applied to a plurality of subcarriers. Because each transmit weight matrix is applied to more than one subcarrier, the amount of weight matrixs being fed back to the transmitter is greatly reduced.

Abstract: Delay profile creation sections 7 and 8 create a delay profile for each of fixed directivity reception signals combined using a plurality of fixed weight patterns. A path search section 11 detects a delay profile in which the maximum peak has appeared. An initial value weight selection section 12 selects the fixed weight corresponding to the delay profile in which the maximum peak has appeared as an initial value weight. An adaptive array antenna reception control section 13 uses this initial value weight as the initial value of an optimization algorithm to calculate the optimal weight of the adaptive array antenna. Thus, it is possible to reduce the time required to calculate the optimal weight by means of the optimization algorithm.

Abstract: Filter coefficients of a beamformer are computed based on a segment of input samples. The segment of input samples is divided into a plurality of blocks of input samples wherein the plurality of blocks of input samples are received by a shared memory at a first rate. The first block of the plurality of blocks is received in the shared memory at a first time. The plurality of blocks of input samples from the shared memory are read out at a second rate wherein the first block of the plurality of blocks is read from the shared memory at a second time. A plurality of partial covariance matrices for the plurality of blocks read from the shared memory are computed and added together to determine a covariance matrices used to compute the filter coefficients.

Abstract: An adaptive antenna array system includes an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements, the antenna array synthesizing received signals received by each of the antenna elements by weighting them according to a weighting coefficient and outputting a synthesized signal, a weighting coefficient calculation unit for calculating the weighting coefficient of received signals by adaptive control, an evaluation unit for evaluating the convergence status of adaptive control by the weighting coefficient calculation unit, and a control unit for controlling the operation of adaptive control by the weighting coefficient calculation unit corresponding to the results of evaluation of convergence status by the evaluation unit.

Abstract: Provided is a normalizing apparatus for adaptive beamforming by performing a normalizing process which uses a normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm that produces a weight vector for adaptive beamforming, in a smart antenna receiver. For the normalizing process, the normalizing apparatus includes a multiplication operation means that performs a multiplication operation, and a division operation means that performs a division operation using mathematic calculations based on binary logarithm principles, and using addition and subtraction operations.

Abstract: A wireless fading-channel demodulator using adaptive sub-array group antennas to combine beamforming and diversity gain, a signal receiving system and method for mobile communications using the wireless fading-channel demodulator. The wireless fading-channel demodulator eliminates interference signals arriving at different directions-of-arrival (DOAs) from undesired mobile stations (users) and provides strong immunity to fading. A high signal and interference-to-noise ratio SINR can be achieved even when the number of antennas is smaller than the number of mobile stations (users). The wireless fading channel modulator can be applied to any system receiving mobile communication information, such as a base station, a mobile station, etc.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for processing a signal being emitted from a target signal source 20 into a noisy environment, wherein said target signal source 20 is located in a target signal source direction &phgr;s with regard to the position of a transducer array 10, the method comprising the following steps: receiving, transforming and filtering said signal according to filter coefficients of a beamformer 30I, 30II in order to generate at least one beamformer output signal y′i(n), i=1 . . . N, the filter coefficients defining a desired predetermined filter characteristic of the beamformer; and generating a control signal t(n) representing said target signal source direction &phgr;s. It is the object of the invention to improve such a system and method in the way that clear signal reception is achieved for any target signal source direction &phgr;s with only a minimum of computational effort and memory capacity.

Abstract: A main control unit in a radio reception apparatus selects from an adaptive array reception mode and a single route reception mode, in accordance with a prescribed condition. When the adaptive array reception mode is selected, the main control unit performs first control to operate a plurality of radio reception units and an adaptive array operational processing unit. When the single route reception mode is selected, the main control unit performs second control, so that one radio reception unit is selected as a first radio reception unit to operate and an operation of a radio reception unit other than the first radio reception unit and the adaptive array operational processing unit is stopped.

Abstract: An antenna array (e.g., microstrip patch antenna) operates in a manner that exploits the particular susceptibility of the mutual coupling effects between radiating elements in the array. Various differential-mode excitation schemes are provided for determining optimal differential-mode voltages or optimal differential-mode currents that are applied to the radiating elements (e.g., microstrip patches) to thereby achieve certain desirable radiation characteristics including, for example, aiming a radiated beam in a prescribed direction, steering the beam, shaping the radiated beam, and/or optimizing the gain of the antenna in a specified direction.

Abstract: A weight computation unit finds a weight used in a maximum ratio combining carried out on data sub-carrier signals for each user terminal. A direction vector computation unit finds direction vectors on the basis of the weight. A user separation weight computation unit finds a user separation vector on the basis of the direction vectors. A user separation combining unit uses the user separation vector to well separate a data sub-carrier signal transmitted by a predetermined terminal from data sub-carrier signals received from all terminals.

Abstract: The present invention describes a space-time adaptive processing (STAP) system and method combining adaptive processing with automatic phase calibration providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio of a received signal. The adaptive processing is accomplished by calculating a reduced rank approximation of a factorization of a covariance matrix via a partial singular value decomposition of the data matrix. According to the present invention, the calculation of a white noise gain constraint does not require knowledge or estimation of the noise floor. Automatic phase calibration using the signal data as the calibration source combined with the adaptive processing according to the present invention provides and enhance signal-to-noise ratio and clutter suppression.

Abstract: An adaptive antenna array system includes an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements, the antenna array synthesizing received signals received by each of the antenna elements by weighting them according to a weighting coefficient and outputting a synthesized signal, a weighting coefficient calculation unit for calculating the weighting coefficient of received signals by adaptive control, an evaluation unit for evaluating the convergence status of adaptive control by the weighting coefficient calculation unit, and a control unit for controlling the operation of adaptive control by the weighting coefficient calculation unit corresponding to the results of evaluation of convergence status by the evaluation unit.

Abstract: In an adaptive array antenna reception apparatus, radio reception sections (102a, 102b, . . . , 102n) convert RF signals from antenna elements (101a to 101n) into baseband signals (118a, 118b, . . . , 118n) and output them. In response to the converted baseband signals, a searcher section (103) detects the position (timing) of a path for each of the beams based on the antenna elements (101a to 101n). A Finger section (104) performs despreading at the timing detected by the searcher section (103), forms beams by using an adaptive algorithm, and maximum-ratio combines the beams. In this manner, when paths coincide with each other on the time axis, such paths can be discriminated in accordance with the positions (timings) of the paths. Therefore, there is no need to re-allocate the paths when a delay information difference is detected. This improves the follow-up characteristics of beams and communication quality.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system operative to broadcast multiple beams that each include coded data for specific users located within the coverage area of the corresponding beam. An appropriate receiver then receives and decodes a particular beam to extract the specific data for a corresponding user. Multiple users may be assigned to each beam using frequency division or orthogonal code multiplexing, and the user data may be encoded into the beams using frequency shift key or phase shift key encoding. For each coding technique, the encoded antenna control signals are combined into a total gain and total phase shift control signal, which drives a single phase and gain control device for each antenna element. In addition, a single data modulator generates the coding parameters for the entire communication system.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system that is operative to simultaneously form multiple beams without requiring an undue amount of hardware. The system collects propagating energy with a number of antenna elements to form multiple beams, encodes the beams as the energy is collected, combines the encoded beams, and then decodes the combined signal to separate the beams. In this way, the beams can be formed with a single set of antenna hardware instead of requiring a multiplicity of antenna hardware, one for each beam. Frequency coding may be implemented by repeatedly applying a Doppler phase shift to each beam, and then using a Doppler filter to separate the beams. Alternatively, a code division multiplexing technique may be implemented by using a CDMA code generator to apply a code to each beam, and then using a CDMA filter to separate the beams.

Abstract: The apparatus/method according to the present invention accomplishes a reduction in the total number of direct digital synthesizers (DDSs) needed for use in electronically scanned antenna array to generate multiple simultaneous radio frequency (RF) beams. The apparatus includes, inter alia, a multi-beam forming synthesizer, a plurality of DDSs, a corresponding plurality of amplifiers all operatively connected to a plurality of radiating elements of the antenna array. This arrangement uses a single DDS per radiating element. Each DDS uses a composite amplitude, phase and frequency information computed by the multi-beam forming synthesizer to create the proper waveform for driving the antenna array, and accordingly, generating the desired multiple simultaneous RF beams, i.e. 1-M (e.g. 1 through M) RF beams each of which can have a different frequency and separate modulation.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a phased array antenna and the calibrated phased array antenna are described herein. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method for calibrating a phased array antenna containing a plurality of electronically tunable phase shifters each of which is coupled to a column of radiating elements includes the steps of: (a) characterizing each of the electronically tunable phase shifters; (b) calculating phase offsets for each column of radiating elements using a nearfield antenna range and the characterized data for each of the electronically tunable phase shifters; and (c) using the calculated phase offsets in a calibration table to adjust the tuning voltage of each of the electronically tunable phase shifters to cause the columns of radiating elements to yield a uniform beam.

Abstract: An adaptive array antenna controller is disclosed that adaptively controls weighting coefficients of multiple antenna elements of an array antenna based on a digital signal outputted from an analog-to-digital converter receiving a weighted analog signal received from the array antenna. The controller includes an impulse response measuring device for obtaining impulse responses, based on correlation calculation of the digital signal and a known signal having a predetermined pattern; an impulse response generator for extracting path components existing within a predetermined time duration from among plural path components included in the impulse responses and generating desired impulse responses; a reference signal generator for forming a reference signal having a desired pattern, based on convolution calculation of the desired impulse responses and the known signal; and an adaptive controller for adjusting the weighting coefficients, based on the digital signal and the reference signal.

Abstract: An adaptive array antenna controller is disclosed that adaptively controls weighting coefficients of multiple antenna elements of an array antenna based on a digital signal outputted from an analog-to-digital converter receiving a weighted analog received signal from the array antenna. The controller includes an extractor for extracting a signal component for each sub-carrier contained in the analog received signal by Fourier transforming the digital signal. The controller adjusts the weighting coefficients so as to suppress a predetermined sub-carrier among plural sub-carriers.

Abstract: A system is provided for assisting in the detection and tracking of narrowband signals arriving at an antenna array operating over a wide detection bandwidth and in a crowded RF environment. Since the nature of the detection mission is constrained to be a general search, the system does not attempt to detect signals of interest via matched filtering mechanisms (i.e. training sets), but exploits general properties such as power, frequency, time and angle of arrival. For the purposes of providing sufficient Frequency/Time resolution as well as to avoid array overloading in the detection process, the digitized wideband streaming data is frequency channelized using a sufficiently high revisit rate for the signal set of interest, constrained by the required feature detection accuracy or environment adaption rates. Within each frequency subchannel, efficient array signal subspace tracking techniques are used to separate and track spatially separated cochannel signals.

Abstract: A method and associated system for effectively increasing the number of antenna elements within a multi-element antenna system through computation of a response of “virtual” antenna elements located along an antenna array. The physical elements of the array are positioned sufficiently near each other to enable synthesis of a polynomial or other mathematical expression characterizing the response of the array to receipt of an incident waveform. Values of the responses associated with the virtual antenna elements of the array may then be determined through evaluation of the synthesized polynomial or other expression. The resultant array response values associated with the virtual and physical elements of the array are then provided to an associated receiver for processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reconstructing the amplitude/phase diagram of a transmit/receive module for a phased-array antenna. This method includes measurement of amplitude and phase of the amplitude/phase states (a, i), where i=imin . . . imax of an individual amplitude state a; and the measurement of amplitude and phase of the amplitude/phase states (j, b), where j=jmin . . . jmax of an individual phase state b. Reconstruction of the amplitude values of an amplitude state x is accomplished by shifting the measured amplitude values of the amplitude state a by the difference &Dgr;A of the measured amplitude values of both amplitude/phase states (x, b), (a, b), which within the phase state b belong simultaneously to the amplitude state x or the amplitude state a.

Abstract: Provided is a normalizing apparatus for adaptive beamforming by performing a normalizing process which uses a normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm that produces a weight vector for adaptive beamforming, in a smart antenna receiver. For the normalizing process, the normalizing apparatus includes a multiplication operation means that performs a multiplication operation, and a division operation means that performs a division operation using mathematic calculations based on binary logarithm principles, and using addition and subtraction operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that allows system calibration to be incorporated into a single function that also derives transmit parameters from receive parameters in a spatial diversity system. In one embodiment, the invention includes receiving signals at an antenna array from a plurality of different locations, deriving characterizations of the spatial parameters of the received signals, receiving measurements of a plurality of different signals transmitted from the antenna array to a plurality of different locations, deriving characterizations of the spatial parameters of the transmitted signals from the received measurements, and generating a transformation function for producing transmit spatial parameters based on measurements of received signals using the receive spatial parameter characterizations and the transmit spatial parameter characterizations.

Abstract: A signal processing system is disclosed. The signal processing system comprises an antenna receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal. The signal processing system also comprises radio frequency circuitry coupled to the RF antenna, an analog to digital converter coupled to the RF circuitry and converting an analog signal from the RF circuitry to a digital signal. The signal processing further comprises a processing device generating a fast Fourier transform including N bins and an adaptive weight calculator calculating no more than (N/2)+1 weights based on information from at least (N/2)−1 bins, the no more than (N/2)+1 weights being applied to the output of the N bins in a weighted summation. Further, the signal processing system comprises an inverse fast Fourier transform calculator producing an inverse fast Fourier transform using the weighted summation.

Abstract: A digital phased array antenna comprises a plurality of antenna elements, each element receiving an incoming signal. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to at least one of the antenna elements to convert the incoming signal to a multi-bit digital signal. A demodulator or de-ramp circuit is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter to reduce the bandwidth of the multi-bit signal.

Abstract: A phased array antenna may include a substrate and a plurality of phased array antenna elements carried by the substrate. The phased array antenna may also include a plurality of antenna element controllers for the phased array antenna elements and a central controller for providing beam steering commands and edge trigger synchronization signals for the antenna element controllers. Furthermore, each of the antenna element controllers may store a respective next beam steering command and implement the respective next beam steering command as a respective active beam steering command responsive to the edge trigger synchronization signal from the central controller. The edge trigger synchronization signal may be delivered substantially simultaneously to all of the antenna element controllers, and each antenna element controller may detect the edge trigger synchronization pulse only during a predetermined time window, for example.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of repainting a reflector array antenna comprising a plurality of radiating elements and being of the type that forms beams by computation, in which method each signal received by said antenna is sampled. The method comprises the following operations: estimating the depointing of the radiation pattern of the antenna to obtain a phase shift matrix, computing the discrete inverse Fourier transform of the signal samples supplied by the radiating elements, multiplying the phase shift matrix by the inverse Fourier transform of the sampled signal, and computing the discrete direct Fourier transform of the product of the phase shift matrix and the inverse Fourier transform of the sampled signal.

Abstract: An antenna apparatus that can increase capacity in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The antenna operates in conjunction with a station and comprises a plurality of antenna elements, each coupled to a respective weight control component to provide a weight to the signal transmitted from (or received by) each element. The weight for each antenna element is adjusted to achieve optimum reception during, for example, an idle mode when a pilot signal is received. The antenna array creates a beam former for signals to be transmitted from the mobile station, and a directional receiving array to more optimally detect and receive signals transmitted from the base station. By directionally receiving and transmitting signals, multipath fading and intercell interference are greatly reduced. The weights are adjusted in a coarse and a fine mode.

Abstract: A phased array antenna may include a substrate and a plurality of phased array antenna elements carried thereby, and an element control module for at least one of the phased array antenna elements. The element control module may include an amplifier coupled to the at least one phased array antenna element and having a controllable bias, and a controllable device coupled to the amplifier and having at least one of a controllable phase, delay, and attenuation. The element control module may also include a control application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for controlling the controllable phase, delay, and/or attenuation of the controllable device and the controllable bias of the amplifier.

Abstract: A pulse-type beamforming apparatus, such as a radar array system, is used for receiving, detecting, localizing, and/or imaging desired signals. The apparatus is used to receive wideband chirp signals. The apparatus contains a receive aperture that is partitioned into multiple channels. The received signal at each channel is mixed with a replica chirp. The replica chirp is effectively delayed in a way that partially removes range-dependent distortion of desired signals. The mixer outputs are then sampled and filtered. The filters on each channel incorporate a time delay that completely removes the remaining range-dependent distortion for all signals in a desired direction. Signals are also compressed and integrated by a digital beamformer.

Abstract: The present invention describes a space-time adaptive processing (STAP) system and method combining adaptive processing with automatic phase calibration providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio of a received signal. The adaptive processing is accomplished by calculating a reduced rank approximation of a factorization of a covariance matrix via a partial singular value decomposition of the data matrix. According to the present invention, the calculation of a white noise gain constraint does not require knowledge or estimation of the noise floor. Automatic phase calibration using the signal data as the calibration source combined with the adaptive processing according to the present invention provides and enhance signal-to-noise ratio and clutter suppression.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system that is operative to simultaneously form multiple beams without requiring an undue amount of hardware. The system collects propagating energy with a number of antenna elements to form multiple beams, encodes the beams as the energy is collected, combines the encoded beams, and then decodes the combined signal to separate the beams. In this way, the beams can be formed with a single set of antenna hardware instead of requiring a multiplicity of antenna hardware, one for each beam. Frequency coding may be implemented by repeatedly applying a Doppler phase shift to each beam, and then using a Doppler filter to separate the beams. Alternatively, a code division multiplexing technique may be implemented by using a CDMA code generator to apply a code to each beam, and then using a CDMA filter to separate the beams.

Abstract: The apparatus/method according to the present invention accomplishes a reduction in the total number of direct digital synthesizers (DDSs) needed for use in electronically scanned antenna array to generate multiple simultaneous radio frequency (RF) beams. The apparatus includes, inter alia, a multi-beam forming synthesizer, a plurality of DDSs, a corresponding plurality of amplifiers all operatively connected to a plurality of radiating elements of the antenna array. This arrangement uses a single DDS per radiating element. Each DDS uses a composite amplitude, phase and frequency information computed by the multi-beam forming synthesizer to create the proper waveform for driving the antenna array, and accordingly, generating the desired multiple simultaneous RF beams.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system operative to broadcast multiple beams that each include coded data for specific users located within the coverage area of the corresponding beam. An appropriate receiver then receives and decodes a particular beam to extract the specific data for a corresponding user. Multiple users may be assigned to each beam using frequency division or orthogonal code multiplexing, and the user data may be encoded into the beams using frequency shift key or phase shift key encoding. For each coding technique, the encoded antenna control signals are combined into a total gain and total phase shift control signal, which drives a single phase and gain control device for each antenna element. In addition, a single data modulator generates the coding parameters for the entire communication system.

Abstract: The recording section 114 records a highly reliable amount of correction for phase rotation, which is obtained in advance by a sufficient number of samples before commencement of communications. The measurement section 112 measures the amount of phase rotation of the known signals, and the comparison section 113 compares the measured amount of phase rotation with the amount of correction and renews the amount of correction from time to time during communications on the basis of the results of the comparison.

Abstract: A method for beamforming signals for an array of receiving or transmitting elements includes the steps of selecting a beam elevation and azimuth and grouping elements of an antenna array into element ensembles that are substantially aligned with a wavefront projection on the antenna array corresponding to the selected beam elevation and azimuth.

Abstract: An approach to antenna design optimizes gain, beam pattern, polarization response, and other qualities through self-replicating patterns based upon iterative transformations and candidate geometric shapes. In the preferred embodiment Hausdorff structures are used to realize &lgr;n-arbitrary different radiation patterns, including patterns optimized for multiple frequencies. The most preferred approach applies a sequence of different Hutchinson operators to different geometric subsets, thereby achieving patterns which are not only arbitrary in terms of wavelength/frequency, but also permit variable radiation patterns and variable polarization other desirable criteria. In addition to the use of variable scaling, geometric patterns, and the like, multiple structures may be placed within the same spatial footprint to permit reception over more bands.

Abstract: On an element-by-element basis, measure phases between signals at Port A to Port B of the antenna feed network to get a phase measurement angle that corresponds to an angular difference between outgoing radar signals and target echo return signals; apply a least squares fit equation to the angular distance to get a correction phase slope across the array, &dgr;0, and applying a phase slope correction of &dgr; to the phases of the transmitted signal.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a phased array antenna and the calibrated phased array antenna are described herein. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method for calibrating a phased array antenna containing a plurality of electronically tunable phase shifters each of which is coupled to a column of radiating elements includes the steps of: (a) characterizing each of the electronically tunable phase shifters; (b) calculating phase offsets for each column of radiating elements using a nearfield antenna range and the characterized data for each of the electronically tunable phase shifters; and (c) using the calculated phase offsets in a calibration table to adjust the tuning voltage of each of the electronically tunable phase shifters to cause the columns of radiating elements to yield a uniform beam.

Abstract: A cascadable beamformer with the capability to cooperate with one or more cascadable beamformers to build a customized beamforming apparatus. The architecture supports a cascadable beamformer with a covariance estimate logic that supports cascading multiple devices together to support different numbers of input channels, a weighted sum logic that supports cascading multiple devices together to support different numbers of input channels, and a weighted sum logic that supports cascading multiple devices together to support different numbers of output beams.