Patent ID: 6320533
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
An electronic switching interface for use in radar systems to route RF signals through a plurality of RF switches, comprising:first decoding means for receiving a plurality of control signals, said first decoding means decoding said control signals to provide a plurality of decoded output signals;a plurality of switch driving means connected to said first decoding means to receive said plurality of decoded output signals, said plurality of switch driving means, responsive to said decoded output signals, selectively turning on and turning off said plurality of RF switches;a pair of switch driving means of said plurality of switch driving means being connected to an RF switch of said plurality of RF switches, one of said pair of switch driving means turning on said RF switch connected thereto and the other of said pair of switch driving means turning off said RF switch connected thereto;a plurality of comparing means, one of said plurality of comparing means being connected to one of the pair of switch driving means of said plurality of switching driving means;each comparing means of said plurality of comparing means monitoring output signals from said pair of switch driving means connected thereto and providing a pair of logic signals having opposite states whenever one of said output signals from said pair of switch driving means is within a preset voltage range; andsecond decoding means connected to said plurality of comparing means to receive said pair of logic signals from each of said plurality of comparing, said bit decoding means decoding said pair of logic signals from each of said plurality of comparing means to provide a status signal indicating that said pair of switch driving means for each of said plurality of RF switches are operating normally.