Multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of electronic countermeasure multi-beam direction finding. The invention provides a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method. The method comprises the following steps: dividing all beams at the front end of an antenna into m beam sets according to a beam classification selection network; according to the scanning angle control command, respectively extracting one extraction wave beam covered in the current scanning angle from the m wave beam sets to obtain an extraction wave beam set; and carrying out logic arrangement on all the extraction beams in the extraction beam set according to a beam scanning sequence by utilizing a beam sorting network. According to the embodiment of the invention, the coverage beams in the electronic scanning angle are extracted from the antenna and are sent to the receiver through logic sorting, so that a multi-beam direction finding function is realized. The method is simple in equipment installation requirement, wide in working temperature range and rapid in beam scanning, and has the advantages of low economic cost, small structural size, light equipment weight and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to the technical field of multi-beam direction finding for electronic countermeasures, and in particular to a method for designing a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network. Background Art

[0002] In the field of multi-beam direction finding for electronic countermeasures, the direction finding accuracy is improved by increasing the number of direction finding units within the coverage angle, but adding more hardware channels brings about unfavorable factors such as increased production costs and increased equipment volume and weight. If the coverage angle is scanned by rotating the servo motor, although a large number of direction finding receiving channels can be saved, the servo motor itself has a large weight and volume, the servo track and the motor axis require strict equipment installation conditions, the gears become brittle when working at low temperatures, and the mechanical rotation speed is slow.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to improve one or more problems existing in the above-mentioned related technical solutions.

[0004] It should be noted that this section is intended to provide background or context for the technical solutions of the present disclosure stated in the claims. The description herein is not admitted to be prior art by virtue of being included in this section. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method, thereby overcoming one or more problems caused by the limitations and defects of related technologies at least to a certain extent.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method is provided, the method comprising: All beams at the front end of the antenna are divided into m beam sets according to the beam classification selection network; Extracting one of the extracted beams from each of the m beam sets to obtain an extracted beam set; A beam sorting network is used to logically arrange all the extraction beams in the extraction beam set according to a beam scanning order.

[0007] Furthermore, the step of dividing all beams of the antenna front end into m beam sets according to the beam classification selection network includes: Assume that the total number of the beams is x, the m beam sets are numbered from set 1 to set m, and the number of elements in each beam set is n; When x=m×n, all the beams are equally divided into m beam sets.

[0008] Furthermore, the step of equally dividing all beams at the front end of the antenna into m beam sets according to the beam classification selection network also includes: When x<m×n, the beam cannot be equally divided and is supplemented by supplementary beams 1~k; Beam x+1 is replaced by supplementary beam 1, beam x+2 is replaced by supplementary beam 2, and so on, beam nm is replaced by supplementary beam k, so as to equally divide all the beams into m beam sets.

[0009] Further, the step of extracting one of the extracted beams from the m beam sets respectively to obtain an extracted beam set includes: According to the corresponding scanning angle, each of the beam sets selects the extraction beam within the scanning angle through a single-pole n-throw switch to obtain the extraction beams S1~S m .

[0010] Furthermore, the method further comprises: A power divider is provided at the output ports 1 to k of the beam classification and selection network; The signal is equally powered and divided into two beam sets corresponding to the same beam and the supplementary beam, and the power of beams (k+1)~x is matched to be consistent with that of supplementary beams 1~k by using an attenuation circuit.

[0011] Furthermore, the step of logically arranging all the extracted beams in the extracted beam set according to the beam scanning order by using a beam sorting network includes: Design an m×m beam sorting network; The extracted beams S1~S m The beams in are reordered according to the scanning angle to obtain the target beam set C1~C m .

[0012] Furthermore, the beam sorting network includes m single-pole m-throw switches IN and m single-pole m-throw switches OUT, and the throw ends of each single-pole m-throw switch IN and each single-pole m-throw switch OUT are connected to each other, so that any switch IN can be output from any switch OUT.

[0013] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may have the following beneficial effects: In the embodiment of the present disclosure, through the above multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method, on the one hand, by extracting the coverage beam within the electronic scanning angle from the antenna, and sending it to the receiver after logical sorting, the multi-beam direction finding function is realized. On the other hand, the method solves the existing equipment installation requirements of simple, wide operating temperature range and rapid beam scanning, and also has the advantages of low economic cost, compact structure size and light equipment weight. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the specification are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without creative work.

[0015] Figure 1 A diagram showing the steps of a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 A specific flow chart showing a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 A circuit schematic block diagram of a beam classification selection network in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A circuit schematic block diagram of a beam sorting network in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete and to fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0017] In addition, the accompanying drawings are only schematic illustrations of the embodiments of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar parts, and their repeated descriptions will be omitted. Some of the block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities.

[0018] This example embodiment provides a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method. Figure 1 As shown in , the multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method may include: step S101 to step S103.

[0019] Step S101: All beams at the front end of the antenna are divided into m beam sets according to a beam classification selection network; Step S102: extracting one of the extracted beams from the m beam sets respectively to obtain an extracted beam set; Step S103: using a beam sorting network to logically arrange all the extracted beams in the extracted beam set according to a beam scanning order.

[0020] Through the above multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method, on the one hand, by extracting the coverage beam within the electronic scanning angle from the antenna and sending it to the receiver after logical sequencing, the multi-beam direction finding function is realized. On the other hand, the method solves the equipment installation requirements of simple, wide operating temperature range and rapid beam scanning, and also has the advantages of low economic cost, compact structure size and light equipment weight.

[0021] Next, we will refer to Figures 1 to 4 Each step of the multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method in this example implementation is described in more detail.

[0022] In step S101 and step S102, all beams at the front end of the antenna are divided into m beam sets according to a beam classification selection network; one extracted beam is respectively extracted from the m beam sets to obtain an extracted beam set.

[0023] In one embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, a multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network solution is proposed, which includes two parts: a beam classification selection network and a beam sorting network.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, the beam classification selection network: a) Since it is necessary to implement an antenna front end with an arbitrary number of beams (x) and perform omnidirectional scanning at a certain scanning angle (covering m continuous beams), all beams are divided into m sets.

[0025] b) Because the scanning angle beam covers m beams continuously, the beams with the same modulus can be divided into the same set according to the number m. Beams with the same modulus cannot appear in the same scanning angle. The number of elements in the m sets (i.e., the number of beams n) is determined by the relationship between the total number of front-end beams x and the scanning angle m. .

[0026] c) When x=m×n, it means that the total number of beams can be divided into m sets with n beams. The corresponding beams in the sets are extracted from set 1 to set m according to the beam sequence number: Set 1 = {1, m+1, ..., (n-1)m+1}; Set 2 = {2, m+2, ..., (n-1)m+2}; … Set m={m, 2m,…,nm}.

[0027] For the extraction of each set of beams, according to the corresponding scanning angle code, each set selects the beams S1~S within the scanning angle through a single-pole n-throw switch m .

[0028] d) When x < m × n, it means that the total number of beams is divided into m sets with n beams, and k beams are missing, k = m × ni. At this time, beams 1 to k need to be used to supplement the total number of beams to achieve a total number of beams nm. The supplementation logic is: beam x+1 is replaced by beam 1, beam x+2 is replaced by beam 2, ..., beam nm is replaced by beam k.

[0029] From set 1 to set m, extract the corresponding beams in the set according to the beam sequence number: Set 1 = {1, m+1, ..., (n-1)m+1}; … Set i={i, m+i,…,x}; Set i+1={i+1, m+ (i+1), …, x+1}; (beam x+1 is beam 1) … Set m = {m, 2m, …, nm}. (Beam nm is beam k) For the extraction of each set of beams, according to the corresponding scanning angle code, each set selects the beams S1~S within the scanning angle through a single-pole n-throw switch m .

[0030] e) Since beams 1 to k appear twice in m sets of n, a power divider can be designed at the 1 to k input ports of the beam classification selection network to divide the signal into the two sets with equal power. For beams (k+1) to x, an attenuation circuit is used to match the power size to that of beams 1 to k.

[0031] In step S103, all the extracted beams in the extracted beam set are logically arranged according to a beam scanning order using a beam sorting network.

[0032] Specifically, the beam sorting network includes m single-pole m-throw switches IN (with a common end being IN) and m single-pole m-throw switches OUT (with a common end being OUT), and the throw ends of each single-pole m-throw switch IN and each single-pole m-throw switch OUT are connected to each other, so that any switch IN can be output from any switch OUT.

[0033] In one embodiment, Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the beam sorting network scheme: As any beam runs with the progressive scanning angle, it will appear in the beams C1~C covered by the scanning angle. m Any position, and the beams S1~S selected by the beam classification selection network m , any selected beam a can only appear at the port of the corresponding set channel, so it is necessary to design an m×m switch network to switch the selected beams S1~S m According to the scanning angle C1~Cm Reorder.

[0034] In a specific embodiment, the beam classification selection network: by selectively dividing the antenna front end of the x-beam into m sets, each of the m sets has n beams, and extracting a S1~S covered by the current scanning angle from the m sets through a control command. m m beams.

[0035] Beam sorting network: S1~S selected by the beam classification selection network m The m beams are logically arranged according to the beam scanning order.

[0036] In a specific embodiment, n=8, that is, each set has 8 elements, and m=6, that is, 6 consecutive beams are finally extracted for direction finding.

[0037] When x=m×n=48 beams, then: Set 1 = {1, 7, …, 43}; Set 2 = {2, 8, …, 44}; … Set m={6, 12, …, 48}.

[0038] For example, if we randomly select 6 beams, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, then: Set 1, using a single-pole n (n=6) throw switch, extracts beam 7; Set 2, using a single-pole n (n=6) throw switch, extracts beam 8; Set 3, using a single-pole n (n=6) throw switch, extracts beam 9; Set 4, using a single-pole n (n=6) throw switch, extracts beam 10; Set 5, using a single-pole n (n=6) throw switch, extract beam 5; Set 6, using a single-pole n (n=6) throw switch, extract beam 6.

[0039] The extracted order is 7, 8, 9, 10, 5, 6, and they are reordered to 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

[0040] When 42<x≤48, for example, when x=45 beams, then: Set 1 = {1, 7, ..., 37, 43}; Set 2 = {2, 8, ..., 38, 44}; Set 3 = {3, 9, ..., 39, 45}; Set 4 = {4, 10, ..., 40, 1}; Set 5 = {5, 11, …, 41, 2}; Set 6 = {6, 12, …, 42, 3}.

[0041] If we randomly select the six beams 42, 43, 44, 45, 1, and 2, then: A power divider is designed at the input ports 1 to 3 of the beam classification selection network to divide the signal into two sets with equal power. For beams 4 to 45, an attenuation circuit is used to match the power size to that of beams 1 to 3.

[0042] Compared with the multi-beam full array arrangement method, this application solves the problem of multiple channel hardware and high equipment cost; compared with the multi-beam mechanical scanning method, it solves the problems of heavy equipment weight, complex installation requirements, high temperature working adaptability and slow beam scanning. This application has the advantages of low economic cost, compact structure size, light equipment weight, simple installation requirements, wide operating temperature range and fast beam scanning.

[0043] Through the above multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method, on the one hand, by extracting the coverage beam within the electronic scanning angle from the antenna and sending it to the receiver after logical sequencing, the multi-beam direction finding function is realized. On the other hand, the method solves the equipment installation requirements of simple, wide operating temperature range and rapid beam scanning, and also has the advantages of low economic cost, compact structure size and light equipment weight.

[0044] It should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc. in the above description indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0045] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0047] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0048] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any modification, use or adaptation of the present disclosure, which follows the general principles of the present disclosure and includes common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method, characterized in that: The method includes: All beams at the front end of the antenna are divided into m beam sets according to the beam classification selection network; According to the scanning angle control command, one of the extracted beams covered within the current scanning angle is respectively extracted from the m beam sets to obtain an extracted beam set; A beam sorting network is used to logically arrange all the extraction beams in the extraction beam set according to a beam scanning order.

2. The multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of dividing all beams at the front end of the antenna into m beam sets according to a beam classification selection network includes: Assume that the total number of the beams is x, the m beam sets are numbered from set 1 to set m, and the number of elements in each beam set is n; When x=m×n, all the beams are equally divided into m beam sets.

3. The multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of equally dividing all beams at the front end of the antenna into m beam sets according to a beam classification selection network also includes: When x<m×n, the beam cannot be equally divided and is supplemented by supplementary beams 1~k; Beam x+1 is replaced by supplementary beam 1, beam x+2 is replaced by supplementary beam 2, and so on, beam nm is replaced by supplementary beam k, so as to equally divide all the beams into m beam sets.

4. The multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The step of respectively extracting one of the extracted beams from the m beam sets to obtain an extracted beam set comprises: According to the corresponding scanning angle, each of the beam sets selects the extraction beam within the scanning angle through a single-pole n-throw switch to obtain the extraction beams S1~S m .

5. The multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The method further includes: A power divider is provided at the output ports 1 to k of the beam classification and selection network; The signal is equally powered and divided into two beam sets corresponding to the same beam and the supplementary beam, and the power of beams (k+1)~x is matched to be consistent with that of supplementary beams 1~k by using an attenuation circuit.

6. The multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The step of logically arranging all the extraction beams in the extraction beam set according to the beam scanning order by using a beam sorting network comprises: Design an m×m beam sorting network; The extracted beams S1~S m The beams in are reordered according to the scanning angle to obtain the target beam set C1~C m .

7. The multi-beam electronic scanning front-end network design method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The beam sorting network includes m single-pole m-throw switches IN and m single-pole m-throw switches OUT, and the throw ends of each single-pole m-throw switch IN and each single-pole m-throw switch OUT are connected to each other, so that any switch IN can output from any switch OUT.

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