Patent ID: 6768456
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: G01S,H01Q

Abstract:
An electronically agile antenna system comprising:a body having an exterior surface; an antenna array that is operatively connected to said body, has a plurality of elements, and is capable of providing a plurality of signals that are representative of the environment about the antenna system, each of said plurality of elements being capable of providing one of said plurality of signals; a beamformer for processing a first portion of said plurality of signals provided by said antenna array to form a first beam and for processing a second portion of said plurality of signals provided by said antenna array to form a second beam, wherein said second beam is spatially independent but overlapping with said first beam; and means for cooperatively using said first beam and said second beam to determine information relating to the environment about the antenna system; wherein said beamformer includes means for selecting which of said plurality of signals are used to form said first beam and which of said plurality of signals are used to form said second beam.