US-12627051-B2 - System and method for a digitally beamformed phased array feed

US12627051B2US 12627051 B2US12627051 B2US 12627051B2US-12627051-B2

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a digital beamformed phased array feed. The system may include a radome configured to allow electromagnetic waves to propagate; a multi-band software defined antenna array tile; a power and clock management subsystem configured to manage power and time of operation; a thermal management subsystem configured to dissipate heat generated by the multi-band software defined antenna array tile; and an enclosure assembly. The multi-band software defined antenna array tile may include a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements; a plurality of frequency converters; and a plurality of digital beamformers.

Inventors

Michael Thomas Pace
David Gregory Baur
Theodore Lyman Schuler-Sandy
William Kennedy
Jeffrey Gerard Micono
William Louis Walker
Garrett James Newell

Assignees

BLUEHALO, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241030

Claims (13)

1 . A method comprising: (a) receiving, from a digital software system interface via a system controller by memory of a multi-band software defined antenna array tile, for each coupled dipole array antenna element of a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile: i. a respective mission center radio frequency; ii. a respective mission intermediate frequency; wherein each coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements includes a respective principal polarization component oriented in a first direction and a respective orthogonal polarization component oriented in a second direction; (b) receiving, from the digital software system interface via the system controller by the memory of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, for each principal polarization component and each respective orthogonal polarization component of the respective coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements: i. a respective channel selection; ii. a respective weighting factor as part of an array of weighting factors; iii. a respective oscillating signal frequency; (c) storing, by the memory operatively connected to the system controller: i. the respective mission center radio frequency for each coupled dipole antenna array element; ii. the respective mission intermediate frequency for each coupled dipole array antenna element; iii. the respective channel selection for each principal polarization component and each orthogonal polarization component of the respective coupled dipole array antenna element; iv. each respective weighting factor of the array of weighting factors for each principal polarization component and each orthogonal polarization component of the respective coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements; and v. the respective oscillating signal frequency for each principal polarization component and each orthogonal polarization component of the coupled dipole array antenna element; wherein the memory includes: (i) a first mission center radio frequency associated with a first coupled dipole array antenna element; (ii) a second mission center radio frequency associated with a second coupled dipole array antenna element; (iii) a first mission intermediate frequency associated with the first coupled dipole array antenna element; (iv) a second mission intermediate frequency associated with the second coupled dipole array antenna element; (v) a first channel selection associated with a first principal polarization component and a first orthogonal polarization component on the first coupled dipole array antenna element; (vi) a second channel selection associated with a second principal polarization component and a second orthogonal polarization component on the second coupled dipole array antenna element; (vii) a first weighting factor associated with the first principal polarization component and the first orthogonal polarization component on the first coupled dipole array antenna element; (viii) a second weighting factor associated with the second principal polarization component and the second orthogonal polarization component on the second coupled dipole array antenna element; (ix) a first oscillating signal frequency associated with the first principal polarization component and the first orthogonal polarization component on the first coupled dipole array antenna element; (x) a second oscillating signal frequency associated with the second principal polarization component and the second orthogonal polarization component on the second coupled dipole array antenna element; (d) transporting, from the memory to a first principal polarization frequency converter and a first orthogonal polarization frequency converter: i. the first mission center radio frequency for the first coupled dipole array antenna element; ii. the first mission intermediate frequency for the first coupled dipole array antenna element; wherein the first principal polarization frequency converter and the first orthogonal polarization frequency converter are a part of a first pair of frequency converters of a plurality of pairs of frequency converters of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile; (e) transporting, from the memory to a second principal polarization frequency converter and a second orthogonal polarization frequency converter: i. the second mission center radio frequency for the second coupled dipole array antenna element; ii. the second mission intermediate frequency for the second coupled dipole array antenna element; wherein the second principal polarization frequency converter and the second orthogonal polarization frequency converter are a part of a second pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile; wherein each pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters is operatively connected to a respective coupled dipole array antenna element, and wherein each pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters comprises the respective principal polarization converter corresponding to a respective principal polarization component and the respective orthogonal polarization converter corresponding to a respective orthogonal polarization component; (f) transporting, from the memory to a first digital beamformer of a plurality of digital beamformers: i. the first channel selection for the first principal polarization component and the first orthogonal polarization component of the first coupled dipole array antenna element; ii. the first weighting factor of the array of weighting factors for the first principal polarization component and the first orthogonal polarization component of the first coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of respective coupled dipole array antenna elements; iii. the first oscillating signal frequency for the first principal polarization component and the first orthogonal polarization component of the coupled dipole array antenna element wherein the plurality of digital beamformers are operatively connected to the plurality of pairs of frequency converters, and wherein each digital beamformer is operatively connected to one of the respective principal polarization frequency converter and the respective orthogonal polarization frequency converter; (g) transporting, from the memory to a second digital beamformer of the plurality of digital beamformers: i. the second channel selection for the second principal polarization component and the second orthogonal polarization component of the second coupled dipole array antenna element; ii. the second weighting factor of the array of weighting factors for the second principal polarization component and the second orthogonal polarization component of the second coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements; iii. the second oscillating signal frequency for the first principal polarization component and the first orthogonal polarization component of the respective coupled dipole array antenna element (h) receiving, by the first coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality coupled dipole array antenna elements of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, a first plurality of modulated signals associated with a first plurality of radio frequencies of a plurality of radio frequencies, wherein the first plurality of radio frequencies is associated with the first mission center radio frequency, (i) receiving, by the second coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, a second plurality of modulated signals associated with a second plurality of radio frequencies of the plurality of radio frequencies, wherein the second plurality of radio frequencies is associated with the second mission center radio frequency, (j) receiving, by the first principal polarization frequency converter of the first pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, from the first principal polarization component of the first coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements, first modulated signals associated with the first plurality of radio frequencies of the plurality of radio frequencies, (k) receiving, by the second principal polarization frequency converter of the second pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, from the second principal polarization component of the second coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements, second modulated signals associated with the second plurality of radio frequencies of the plurality of radio frequencies, (l) converting, by the first principal polarization frequency converter of the first pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters, the first modulated signals associated with the first plurality of radio frequencies of the plurality of radio frequencies into second modulated signals having a first intermediate frequency, wherein the first intermediate frequency is associated with the first mission intermediate frequency; (m) converting, by the second principal polarization frequency converter of the second pair of frequency converters of the plurality of pairs of frequency converters, the second modulated signals associated with the second plurality of radio frequencies of the plurality of radio frequencies into third modulated signals having a second intermediate frequency, wherein the second intermediate frequency is associated with the second mission intermediate frequency; (n) receiving, by the first digital beamformer of the plurality of digital beamformers of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, from the first principal polarization frequency converter, the second modulated signals associated with the first intermediate frequency, (o) receiving, by the second digital beamformer of the plurality of digital beamformers of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, from the second principal polarization frequency converter, the third modulated signals associated with the second intermediate frequency, (p) converting, by the first digital beamformer, the second modulated signals from analog signals to a digital data format; (q) converting, by the second digital beamformer, the third modulated signals from analog signals to a digital data format; (r) generating, by the first digital beamformer, a first plurality of channels of first digital data by decimating first digital data using a first polyphase channelizer and filtering using a first plurality of cascaded halfband filters; (s) generating, by the second digital beamformer, a second plurality of channels of digital data by decimating second digital data using a second polyphase channelizer and filtering using a second plurality of cascaded halfband filters; (t) selecting, by the first digital beamformer, a first channel of the first plurality of channels, wherein the first channel is associated with the first channel selection; (u) selecting, by the second digital beamformer, a second channel of the second plurality of channels, wherein the second channel is associated with the second channel selection; (v) applying, by the first digital beamformer, a first weighting factor to the first digital data associated with the first channel to generate a first intermediate partial beamformed data stream, wherein the first weighting factor is associated with the array of weighting factors; (w) applying, by the second digital beamformer, a second weighting factor to the second digital data associated with the second channel to generate a second intermediate partial beamformed data stream, wherein the second weighting factor is associated with the array of weighting factors; (x) combining, by the first digital beamformer, the first intermediate partial beamformed data stream with a first plurality of other intermediate partial beamformed data streams to generate a first partial beamformed data stream; (y) combining, by the second digital beamformer, the second intermediate partial beamformed data stream with a second plurality of other intermediate partial beamformed data streams to generate a second partial beamformed data stream; (z) applying, by the first digital beamformer, a first oscillating signal to the first partial beamformed data stream to generate a first oscillating partial beamformed data stream, wherein the first oscillating signal is associated with the first oscillating signal frequency; (aa) applying, by the second digital beamformer, a second oscillating signal to the second partial beamformed data stream to generate a second oscillating partial beamformed data stream, wherein the second oscillating signal is associated with the second oscillating signal frequency; (bb) applying, by the first digital beamformer, a first three-stage halfband filter to the first oscillating partial beamformed data stream to generate a first filtered partial beamformed data stream; (cc) applying, by the second digital beamformer, a second three-stage halfband filter to the second oscillating partial beamformed data stream to generate a second filtered partial beamformed data stream; (dd) applying, by the first digital beamformer, a first time delay to the first filtered partial beamformed data stream to generate a first partial beam; (ee) applying, by the second digital beamformer, a second time delay to the second filtered partial beamformed data stream to generate a second partial beam; (ff) transmitting, by the first digital beamformer via a data transport bus to the digital software system interface, the first partial beam of a first beam, which is transmitted via the data transport bus along with a first set of a plurality of other partial beams of the first beam; and (gg) transmitting, by the second digital beamformer via the data transport bus to the digital software system interface, the second partial beam of a second beam, which is transmitted via the data transport bus along with a second set of a plurality of other partial beams of the second beam.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, prior to step (g), the steps of: reflecting, from a surface of a parabolic reflector mounted on a support pedestal, the first plurality of modulated signals and the second plurality of modulated signals and transmitting the reflected plurality of respective modulated signals through a radome to the first coupled dipole array antenna element and the second coupled dipole array antenna element.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements are tightly coupled relative to a wavelength of operation.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements are spaced at less than half a wavelength.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pairs of frequency converters further comprise thermoelectric coolers configured to actively manage thermally a system noise temperature and increase a system gain over temperature.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of pairs of frequency converters further comprise a plurality of spatially distributed high power amplifiers so as to increase an effective isotropic radiated power.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first intermediate frequency is between 50 MHz and 1250 MHz.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of radio frequencies are between 900 MHz and 6000 MHz.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of radio frequencies are between 2000 MHz and 12000 MHz.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of radio frequencies are between 10000 MHZ and 50000 MHz.
11 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprises converting, by the first digital beamformer the first plurality of modulated signals and the second plurality of modulated signals from analog signals to a digital data format by performing First-Nyquist sampling.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises selecting, by the first digital beamformer, the first channel of the first plurality of channels using a first multiplexer.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting, by the first digital beamformer via the data transport bus to the digital software system interface, the first partial beam of the first beam, which is transmitted via the data transport bus along with the second set of the plurality of the other partial beams of the second beam.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/381,031, filed on Oct. 17, 2023, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DIGITALLY BEAMFORMED PHASED ARRAY FEED”, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/117,180, filed on Mar. 3, 2023, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DIGITALLY BEAMFORMED PHASED ARRAY FEED”, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/679,817, filed Feb. 24, 2022, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DIGITALLY BEAMFORMED PHASED ARRAY FEED”, which claims the benefit and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/200,260, filed on Feb. 24, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DIGITALLY BEAMFORMED PHASED ARRAY FEED”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/188,959, filed on May 14, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DIGITALLY BEAMFORMED PHASED ARRAY FEED” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/262,124, filed on Oct. 5, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DIGITALLY BEAMFORMED PHASED ARRAY FEED”, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for a digitally beamformed phased array feed. In embodiments, the digitally beamformed phased array feed may be used in conjunction with a parabolic reflector. In embodiments, the present invention generally relates to systems and methods for a large form-factor phased array utilizing a plurality of multi-band software defined antenna array tiles. BACKGROUND Satellite communications are made between communications satellites and parabolic reflector antennas of ground stations on Earth. Most traditional satellite communications require satellites to maintain geostationary orbit 22,236 miles above the equator so that the parabolic reflector antennas can be aimed permanently at that spot and the parabolic surfaces and/or reflectors do not have to move in order to track the flight object. In this existing system, wherever the parabolic reflector antenna is mechanically pointing is where the antenna beam is pointing and therefore the target flight object must be located within the beam in order for the antenna to track or communicate with the object. The current state of satellite communication has a number of problems. For example, existing parabolic reflector antennas are fitted for single band signals and because of traditional beamforming techniques, a parabolic reflector antenna may only communicate with one flight object at a time. The existing state of the art is a static technology, where one antenna is designed specifically for one reflector. Further, the application of existing satellite antennas fixed to moving objects such as ships and fast-moving aircraft remains difficult due to the significant design challenges involved in stabilizing the reflector such that the antenna beam remains fixed on the desired target. It would therefore be beneficial to implement a digital beamforming technique which includes digital sampling and processing of antenna element data to steer the direction of the antenna beam to allow for simultaneous tracking of multiple flight objects with a single antenna array. It would be further beneficial to permit rapid configuration and multi-band operations from a single antenna array. SUMMARY In view of the above, it is the object of the present disclosure to provide a technological solution to address the long felt need and technological challenges faced in conventional satellite communication systems in which traditional antennas are designed for receiving and transmitting single band signals to and from one flight object at time. The present disclosure provides for a system of a digitally beamformed phased array feed that allows for receiving and transmitting signals within multiple bandwidths for multiple flight objects simultaneously. In embodiments, a method for digital beamforming may include: (a) receiving, by a first coupled dipole array antenna element of a plurality coupled dipole array antenna elements of a multi-band software defined antenna array tile, a plurality of respective modulated signals associated with a plurality of respective radio frequencies, wherein each coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements includes a respective principal polarization component oriented in a first direction and a respective orthogonal polarization component oriented in a second direction; (b) receiving, by a first principal polarization frequency converter of a first pair of frequency converters of a plurality of pairs of frequency converters of the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, from a first principal polarization component of the first coupled dipole array antenna element of the plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements, respective first modulated signals associated with the respective radio frequencies