Patent ID: 8212716

Claim:
A system for calibration of a phased array antenna having a network of auxiliary channels internally injecting internal signals to the antenna, to be used in an environment including at least one interfering member affecting a calibration ratio of the antenna, the antenna comprising a plurality of mutually electro-magnetically coupled antenna elements, the system comprising: an RF source external to the antenna, operative to project external signals toward the antenna when disposed at a near-by distance therefrom; an RF simulation unit operative to generate simulated first electro-magnetic coupling-zero far-zone external fields projected toward the antenna from an RF source located at a far-zone distance from the antenna, assuming that first electro-magnetic coupling between the mutually electro-magnetically coupled antenna elements to be zero, and also operative to generate simulated first electro-magnetic coupling-zero near zone external fields projected toward the antenna from an RF source located at said near-by distance from the antenna were the first electro-magnetic coupling between said mutually electro-magnetically coupled antenna elements to be zero; and a electro-magnetically coupled structure-accommodating calibration ratio computer operative to compute a Modified Calibration ratio by combining an indication of said internal signals and said external signals as received by the antenna, with a correction factor based on an output of said RF simulation unit.