Patent ID: 11946726
Assignee: GENERAL ATOMICS
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC F  G | IPC F  G

Claim 0:
1. A system for synchronization of high power radio frequency sources comprising:
a directional photon source configured to direct a pulse of photons at a target, wherein the pulse of photons is reflected by the target;
a first high power radio frequency platform comprising:
a first synchronized clock, generating a first periodic clock signal,
a first high power radio frequency emission source, generating a first high power radio frequency emission in response to a first trigger signal,
a first photon detector configured to receive a first reflection of the pulse of photons at a first time, wherein the first time varies as a function of a first distance travelled by the first reflection, and
a first triggering system configured to measure a first time difference between the first time and a first clock pulse of the first periodic clock signal, wherein the first clock pulse is the next first periodic clock signal pulse after the first time, the first triggering system further configured to generate the first trigger signal at the first time difference after a second clock pulse of the first periodic clock signal, wherein the second clock pulse is after the first clock pulse, whereby the first high power radio frequency emission source is fired at the first time difference after the second clock pulse of the first periodic clock signal; and

a second high power radio frequency platform comprising:
a second synchronized clock, generating a second periodic clock signal, wherein the second periodic clock signal is synchronized with the first periodic clock signal,
a second high power radio frequency emission source, generating a second high power radio frequency emission in response to a second trigger signal,
a second photon detector configured to receive a second reflection of the pulse of photons at a second time, wherein the second time varies as a function of a second distance travelled by the second reflection, and
a second triggering system configured to measure a second time difference between the second time and a third clock pulse of the second periodic clock signal, wherein the third clock pulse is the next second periodic clock signal pulse after the second time, the second triggering system further configured to generate the second trigger signal at the second time difference after a fourth clock pulse of the second periodic clock signal, wherein the fourth clock pulse is after the third clock pulse and coincides with the second clock pulse of the first periodic clock signal, whereby the first high power radio frequency emission source is fired at the second time difference after the fourth clock pulse of the second periodic clock signal, wherein the second trigger signal is configured to cause the second high power radio frequency emission source to generate the second high power radio frequency emission to constructively interfere with the first high power radio frequency emission at the target.