Patent ID: 6288673
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: G01S,H01Q

Abstract:
Transmit and/or receive antenna comprising:an array of radiating elements, said radiating elements numbering N+Q;a control device which activates N radiating elements of said array and includes means for controlling amplitude and/or phase of signals transmitted or received by each active radiating element so that the antenna transmits or receives according to a specified pattern;a plurality of detectors, each detector of said plurality of detector being associated with a respective radiating element of said array, and detecting whether a respective active radiating element is malfunctioning,wherein N active radiating elements are a minimum number of elements necessary to meet the requirements of transmitting or receiving said specified pattern at a desired amplitude,wherein the Q excess radiating elements are inactive and kept in reserve, andwherein said control device activates at least one of the reserve radiating elements when a detector of said plurality of detectors detects failure of a respective active element.