Patent ID: 7446698
Filing Date: 2008-11-04
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method for remotely calibrating a phased array system (APA), comprising a number of transmit and/or receive modules (TRM), wherein the transmit gain (δ j Tx ) of each transmit and/or receive module can be set to one of a first collection of complex values (S n Tx , d 1 Tx ·S n Tx . . . d p Tx ·S n Tx , d i Tx ·d j Tx ·S n Tx . . . ), and/or the receive gain (δ j Rx ) of each transmit and/or receive module can be set to one of a second collection of complex values (S n Rx , d 1 Rx ·S n Rx . . . d p Rx ·S n Rx , d i Rx ·d j Rx ·S n Rx . . . ), said method comprising the steps of: i) generating a first (FCS, CS) and a second carrier signal (SCS, CS); ii) generating a first pulse train by modulating said first carrier signal (FCS, CS) and transmitting it using the phased array system (APA), wherein the transmit gain values of the transmit and/or receive modules (TRM) are set according to a pattern that changes during the transmission of said first pulse train; and/or receiving a second pulse train, generated by modulating said second carrier signal (SCS, CS), using the phased array system (APA), wherein the receive gain values of the transmit and/or receive modules (TRM) are set according to a pattern that changes during the reception of said first pulse train; iii) demodulating said first pulse train using the second carrier signal (SCS, CS) and/or said second pulse train using the first carrier signal (FCS, CS), in order to determine a first (R iv) communicating said first and/or second series of complex amplitude values to a calibration elaboration unit (GS-EU, SAT-EU); v) removing said first (e wherein step v) comprises the operations of: and reiterating operations b. to f.