Improving the Structure of a Signal Used for Real-Time Calibrating of the Receiving Channels of Digital Transceiver Modules in Digital Phased Antenna Arrays

Introduction. Modern digital phased array antenna (DPAA) systems incorporate a large number of identical transceiver modules (TMs). These modules require real-time calibration with a high level of accuracy. In a previous work, we proposed a real-time calibration method for all receiver channels, which is based on the use of a calibration signal (CalSig) of the same frequency spectrum as the reflected signal and modulated in phase and amplitude by BPSK and OOK codes, respectively. This method was found to have a number of advantages over conventional approaches. However, the use of the same CalSig sample for all receiving channels increases the noise power gain at the output of a digital beam-forming unit (DBU). To overcome this limitation, we set out to improve the structure of CalSigs by making them pseudo-orthogonal. As a result, the noise power gain at the DBU output can be significantly reduced compared to that obtained in our previous work.Aim. To propose an improved design of a controlled amplitude modulation code OOK generator, which allows creation of pseudo-orthogonal CalSigs. As a result, the noise power gain at the output will increase insignificantly, thus having no negative effect on the quality of digital beam forming, signal processing and calibration.Materials and methods. Theory of system engineering and technology; theory of digital signal processing; system analysis; mathematical modeling.Results. An improved CalSig for calibrating the receiving channels of TMs was obtained. A structural diagram allowing the formation of pseudo-orthogonal CalSigs was synthesized.Conclusions. We proposed a new approach to improving the structure of signals used for real-time calibrating the DPAA receiving channels. A structural diagram of an amplitude-modulated OOK code generator for pseudo-orthogonal CalSigs was developed.Introduction. Modern digital phased array antenna (DPAA) systems incorporate a large number of identical transceiver modules (TMs). These modules require real-time calibration with a high level of accuracy. In a previous work, we proposed a real-time calibration method for all receiver channels, which is based on the use of a calibration signal (CalSig) of the same frequency spectrum as the reflected signal and modulated in phase and amplitude by BPSK and OOK codes, respectively. This method was found to have a number of advantages over conventional approaches. However, the use of the same CalSig sample for all receiving channels increases the noise power gain at the output of a digital beam-forming unit (DBU). To overcome this limitation, we set out to improve the structure of CalSigs by making them pseudo-orthogonal. As a result, the noise power gain at the DBU output can be significantly reduced compared to that obtained in our previous work.Aim. To propose an improved design of a controlled amplitude modulation code OOK generator, which allows creation of pseudo-orthogonal CalSigs. As a result, the noise power gain at the output will increase insignificantly, thus having no negative effect on the quality of digital beam forming, signal processing and calibration.Materials and methods. Theory of system engineering and technology; theory of digital signal processing; system analysis; mathematical modeling.Results. An improved CalSig for calibrating the receiving channels of TMs was obtained. A structural diagram allowing the formation of pseudo-orthogonal CalSigs was synthesized.Conclusions. We proposed a new approach to improving the structure of signals used for real-time calibrating the DPAA receiving channels. A structural diagram of an amplitude-modulated OOK code generator for pseudo-orthogonal CalSigs was developed

Robust approaches to remote calibration of a transmitting array

We consider the problem of estimating the gains and phases of the RF channels of a M-element transmitting array, based on a calibration procedure where M orthogonal signals are sent through M orthogonal beams and received on a single antenna. The received data vector obeys a linear model of the type y ¼ AFg þ n where A is an unknown complex scalar accounting for propagation loss and g is the vector of unknown complex gains. In order to improve the performance of the least-squares (LS) estimator at low signal to noise ratio (SNR), we propose to exploit knowledge of the nominal value of g, viz g. Towards this end, two approaches are presented. First, a Bayesian approach is advocated where A and g are considered as random variables, with a non-informative prior distribution for A and a Gaussian prior distribution for g. The posterior distributions of the unknown random variables are derived and a Gibbs sampling strategy is presented that enables one to generate samples distributed according to these posterior distributions, leading to the minimum mean-square error (MMSE) estimator. A second approach consists in solving a constrained least-squares problem in which h ¼ Ag is constrained to be close to a scaled version of g. This second approach yields a closed-form solution, which amounts to a linear combination of g and the LS estimator. Numerical simulations show that the two new estimators significantly outperform the conventional LS estimator, especially at low SNR

Individual T/R Module Characterisation of the TerraSAR-X Active Phased Array Antenna by Calibration Pulse Sequences with Orthogonal Codes

The PN Gating mode allows operating all individual T/R modules under most realistic conditions with the advantage that all modules can be characterised simultaneously. For the first time ever, this innovative method is performed by inflight PN Gating measurements during the TerraSAR-X commissioning phase. In this paper, the latest results from the in-orbit calibration of TerraSAR-X after its launch in February 2007 are shown and compared to on-ground measurements of prelaunch characterisations