Patent ID: 8106825
Filing Date: 2012-01-31
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A distributed receiver in signal communication with an active antenna array, the distributed receiver comprising: an exciter operable to provide an RF signal; a plurality of transmit/receive (“T/R”) modules configured to receive the RF signal from the exciter through a first transmission network, each of the T/R modules configured to phase-shift the RF signal responsive to a control signal and transmit a resulting phase-shifted RF signal through a corresponding antenna, each of the T/R modules also being configured to phase-shift a received RF signal from the corresponding antenna to provide a phase-shifted received RF signal; and a frequency source operable to provide a frequency reference signal to each of the T/R module through a second transmission network, wherein each T/R module is configured to direct down-convert its phase-shifted received RF signal responsive to the frequency reference signal to provide a down-converted phase-shifted received RF signal.