Multiple target telemetry tracking antenna and method based on shared aperture

Abstract

The application provides a multi-target telemetry tracking antenna and method based on a shared aperture, the antenna comprising an antenna array layer, a radio frequency link layer, a network and wave control component layer, a power supply component layer and a signal processing and control layer; the antenna array adopts a 16*16 cross dipole array and is divided into four 8*8 sub-arrays, the radio frequency link layer comprises 16*16 radio frequency R components and amplitude and phase control units, multi-beam synthesis is realized through a sub-array level and a global level power division network, and sum and difference network generates sum and difference beams; the method comprises spatial signal capture, preprocessing, amplitude and phase control and beam synthesis, sum and difference network beam generation, dynamic correction and signal demodulation; the application has the beneficial effects that: multi-target independent tracking is realized through shared aperture and multi-beam synthesis; 16*16 array division sub-arrays combined with a hierarchical power division network reduce hardware occupation; a time-varying forgetting factor balances response and noise resistance; a sum and difference network avoids link interference; and a hierarchical power division network improves integration and stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of telemetry technology, and in particular relates to a multi-target telemetry tracking antenna and method based on a shared aperture. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of modern telemetry technology, the demand for synchronous, continuous, and high-data-rate telemetry reception of multiple high-speed moving targets is becoming increasingly urgent, and traditional telemetry receiving systems face severe challenges in such application scenarios.

[0003] Traditional solutions primarily rely on two types of technologies: one is mechanically scanned parabolic antennas, whose beam switching is constrained by mechanical inertia, resulting in a significantly reduced data update rate when tracking multiple high-speed targets. These antennas also suffer from inherent drawbacks such as large size, high power consumption, and poor reliability. The other is single-beam electronically scanned phased array antennas, which, while possessing fast electronic scanning capabilities, typically employ time-division multiplexing to serve different targets sequentially. As the number of targets increases, the effective data update time and signal-to-noise ratio for each target decrease linearly, failing to meet the technical requirements for continuous high-fidelity reception of multiple targets.

[0004] To address the need for multi-target reception, the industry has previously adopted a solution of deploying multiple independent single stations. However, this has led to a significant increase in system cost, floor space, and operational complexity, making it difficult to implement in space-constrained application platforms.

[0005] In recent years, multi-beam phased array technology has become an important development direction for solving the challenges of multi-target telemetry reception. Early solutions, such as multi-beam lens antennas, suffer from limited beam pointing flexibility; purely digital beamforming schemes, on the other hand, require independent RF channels and ADCs for each array element, leading to a significant increase in system hardware complexity and cost. Against this backdrop, the "shared aperture" design concept has gradually gained attention in the industry. Its core objective is to enable a single physical aperture to simultaneously generate and support multiple independent beams by optimizing the RF network and integrating hardware design.

[0006] However, existing shared aperture solutions mostly focus on improving communication capacity, and still have significant shortcomings in deep integration with high-precision automatic angle tracking functions. They usually require additional configuration of external tracking antennas or rely on complex algorithms, making it difficult to achieve integrated functions of multi-target synchronous tracking and high-reliability reception on resource-constrained engineering platforms. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a multi-target telemetry tracking antenna and method based on a shared aperture, in order to solve the problems of low update rate of mechanical scanning data, decreased signal-to-noise ratio of single-beam electronic scanning, high cost of multiple single stations, and insufficient integration of existing shared aperture and tracking functions in multi-target tracking of traditional telemetry systems.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention proposes a multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture, characterized in that it includes an antenna array layer, a radio frequency link layer, a network and wave control component layer, a power supply component layer, and a signal processing and control layer. The antenna array layer is connected to the radio frequency link layer, the radio frequency link layer is connected to the network and beam control component layer and the power component layer, the network and beam control component layer is connected to the signal processing and control layer, and the signal processing and control layer is connected to the radio frequency link layer. The antenna array layer includes an antenna array, which is configured as a 16×16 cross dipole array. The 16×16 cross dipole array is divided into four 8×8 subarrays, and the four 8×8 subarrays are distributed in a 2×2 matrix. The radio frequency link layer includes 16×16 radio frequency R components, each of which corresponds to a cross dipole and is connected to the cross dipole. The radio frequency link layer also includes an amplitude and phase control unit, which is connected to the radio frequency R component; The radio frequency link layer also includes a sub-array level power divider network, which is connected to the amplitude phase control unit; The network and beam control component layer includes a global-level power splitting network, which is connected to the subarray-level power splitting network. The network and beam control component layer also includes a sum-difference network. The input of the sum-difference network is connected to the output of four 8×8 subarrays. The output of the sum-difference network includes a sum beam port, an azimuth difference beam port, an elevation difference beam port, a composite difference beam port, and a sum beam receiving port.

[0009] Furthermore, the cross dipole is fed by a 3dB 90° bridge and has dual polarization ports, namely a left-hand circular polarization port and a right-hand circular polarization port, both of which are connected to the radio frequency R component.

[0010] Furthermore, the RF R component includes a limiter, a bandpass filter, a low-noise amplifier, and a 1-to-6 power divider network. The limiter is connected to the bandpass filter, the bandpass filter is connected to the low-noise amplifier, the low-noise amplifier is connected to the 1-to-6 power divider network, and the 1-to-6 power divider network is connected to the amplitude phase control unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the amplitude-phase control unit includes a digitally controlled phase shifter and a digitally controlled attenuator; The digitally controlled phase shifter is used to adjust the phase to control the beam direction; the digitally controlled attenuator is used to adjust the amplitude to achieve Taylor distribution weighting, thereby optimizing the beam shape and reducing the sidelobe level.

[0012] Furthermore, the sum-difference network is based on a 3dB bridge and a 180° hybrid circulator cascade structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the signal processing and control layer includes an antenna control unit and a baseband processing unit. The antenna control unit is connected to the amplitude and phase control unit via an SPI interface, and the baseband processing unit is connected to the beam receiving port.

[0014] Furthermore, the subarray-level power distribution network has a network topology of 16 radiating elements, and the 16 radiating elements form a 4×4 subarray; The global-level power distribution network is a network topology structure of 16 4×4 subarrays, and the 16 4×4 subarrays form a 16×16 array; Both the subarray-level power divider network and the global-level power divider network are based on a four-stage 1-2 Wilkinson power divider cascade structure.

[0015] Secondly, based on the same concept, the present invention also provides a multi-target telemetry tracking method based on a shared aperture, comprising the following steps: S1. Space signal acquisition: The antenna array receives S-band radio frequency signals transmitted by multiple targets, and simultaneously receives left-hand circularly polarized and right-hand circularly polarized signals, and outputs them to the corresponding radio frequency R components. S2. Signal preprocessing: The RF R component performs amplitude limiting protection, bandpass filtering and low noise amplification on the signal. The preprocessed signal is distributed to 6 beam channels through a 1-to-6 power divider network. S3. Amplitude and phase control and beamforming: Each beam channel adjusts the signal phase through a digitally controlled phase shifter and adjusts the amplitude through an attenuator. The signals are vector-superimposed through a 256-to-1 power combining network to generate 6 independent sum signals; Subarray-level and global-level combining: Subarray-level signal combining is first completed through a 1-to-16 power divider, and then 256-unit global combining is achieved through a four-stage 1-2 Wilkinson power divider cascade. S4. The sum-difference network generates functional beams by controlling the phase relationship of subarray signals; S5. Each beam channel independently outputs beam Σ, azimuth difference beam ΔAz, and elevation difference beam ΔEl signals. The Σ signal is sent to the baseband for processing via the beam receiving port, and the ΔAz / ΔEl signals are used for angle tracking. S6. The covariance matrix is ​​updated in real time based on the array sampling signal, and the forgetting factor is adaptively adjusted. S7. Beam pointing dynamic correction: Calculate the angle deviation based on the Σ / Δ signal, feed it back to the antenna control unit through the SPI interface, and adjust the phase shifter / attenuator status in real time to correct the beam pointing. S8. Signal Demodulation and Data Extraction: The corrected signal is sent to the baseband processing module, and after down-conversion, demodulation, and decoding, multiple telemetry data are output.

[0016] Furthermore, in step 6, the covariance matrix is ​​updated in real time based on the array sampling signal, and the forgetting factor is adaptively adjusted. The expression for the covariance matrix is ​​as follows: ; In the formula, Estimate the covariance matrix at the current time. This is the current array sampling signal. A time-varying forgetting factor; The expression for the forgetting factor is as follows: ; In the formula, and These are the angle of arrival estimates for the p-th target at the previous time and the time before that, respectively, where p is the total number of targets; If the target angle changes rapidly and the maneuver is drastic, then Reduce to respond quickly to new data; if the target is moving smoothly, then Increase the size to enhance noise immunity.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the multi-target telemetry tracking antenna and method based on shared aperture described in this invention have the following advantages: By employing a shared aperture array and multi-beam combining technology, independent tracking and signal reception of multiple targets are achieved, improving target management efficiency in complex scenarios. A 16×16 cross-dipole array subarray design, combined with subarray-level and global-level power divider networks, enables parallel multi-beam processing under a single aperture, reducing hardware resource consumption. Amplitude and phase control via numerically controlled phase shifters and attenuators, combined with Taylor distribution weighting, suppresses sidelobes. An adaptive algorithm incorporating a time-varying forgetting factor dynamically balances target maneuver response speed and noise immunity. A dual-polarization port design supports simultaneous reception of left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized signals, with the sum and difference networks independently outputting sum and difference beams to avoid interference between the tracking and receiving links. A hierarchical power divider network topology, combining subarray-level pre-combination with global-level overall combination, reduces the number of ports on a single power divider, improving system integration and stability. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall logical architecture described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the subarray partitioning described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the 1-256 power distribution network topology described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the 1-16 power distribution network simulation model described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection relationship between the sum and difference network and the antenna subarray as described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, this invention provides a multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture. Based on a phased array system and the principle of monopulse angle measurement, it constructs a complete processing link of "signal reception - beamforming - angle tracking - data output". Spatial signal acquisition is achieved through a 256-element array, and independent beams are formed through a multi-level beamforming network. Combined with a sum-difference network and tracking algorithm, closed-loop control of the target angle is achieved, ultimately enabling independent tracking and signal reception of ≥6 targets. The system block diagram is shown below. Figure 1 As shown.

[0024] The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna includes an antenna array layer, a radio frequency (RF) link layer, a network and beam control component layer, a power supply component layer, and a signal processing and control layer. The antenna array layer is connected to the RF link layer, which in turn connects to the network and beam control component layer and the power supply component layer. The network and beam control component layer is connected to the signal processing and control layer, which in turn connects to the RF link layer. The antenna array layer includes an antenna array, which is configured as a 16×16 crossed dipole array. This 16×16 crossed dipole array is divided into four 8×8 subarrays, which are arranged in a 2×2 matrix. The RF link layer includes a 16×16 cross-dipole array. The system comprises six radio frequency (RF) R-components, each corresponding to a cross dipole and connected to it. The RF link layer also includes an amplitude-phase control unit connected to the RF R-components. Furthermore, the RF link layer includes a subarray-level power divider network connected to the amplitude-phase control unit. The network and beam control component layer includes a global-level power divider network connected to the subarray-level power divider network. The signal processing and control layer includes an antenna control unit and a baseband processing unit. The antenna control unit is connected to the amplitude-phase control unit via an SPI interface, and the baseband processing unit is connected to the beam receiving port.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the antenna array is a shared aperture array antenna array, employing a 16×16 (256 elements) cavity-backed metal crossed dipole array, divided into four 8×8 subarrays (A / B / C / D) according to the four quadrants. The subarray partitioning is as follows: Figure 2 As shown. The crossed dipole has dual-polarization ports, namely a left-hand circular polarization port and a right-hand circular polarization port, both of which are connected to the RF R component. In this embodiment, each crossed dipole achieves dual-polarization feeding through a 3dB 90° bridge: the orthogonal dipoles excite the horizontal (H) and vertical (V) polarization components respectively, and the H / V signals are combined into two independent output ports, left-hand circular polarization (LHCP) and right-hand circular polarization (RHCP), through the bridge.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the RF R component includes a limiter, a bandpass filter, a low-noise amplifier, and a 1-to-6 power divider network. The limiter is connected to the bandpass filter, the bandpass filter is connected to the low-noise amplifier, the low-noise amplifier is connected to the 1-to-6 power divider network, and the 1-to-6 power divider network is connected to an amplitude-phase control unit. The amplitude-phase control unit includes a digitally controlled phase shifter and a digitally controlled attenuator. The digitally controlled phase shifter is used to adjust the phase to control the beam pointing. The digitally controlled attenuator is used to adjust the amplitude to achieve Taylor distribution weighting, thereby optimizing the beam shape and reducing sidelobe levels. The sum-difference network is based on 3dB voltage. The structure comprises a bridge and a 180° hybrid circulator cascade; the signal processing and control layer includes an antenna control unit and a baseband processing unit. The antenna control unit is connected to the amplitude and phase control unit via an SPI interface, and the baseband processing unit is connected to the beam receiving port; the subarray-level power divider network is a network topology of 16 radiating elements, forming a 4×4 subarray; the global-level power divider network is a network topology of 16 4×4 subarrays, forming a 16×16 array; both the subarray-level and global-level power divider networks are based on a four-stage 1-2 Wilkinson power divider cascade structure. In this embodiment, after the received signal is output from the dual-polarization port, it enters a highly integrated beamforming network (RF link layer, network and beam control component layer, and signal processing and control layer), employing parallel feeding and hierarchical synthesis. The specific implementation process is as follows: (1) Channelized reception: The signal is preprocessed by a limiter, a bandpass filter and a low-noise amplifier to ensure that the signal quality meets the requirements of subsequent processing.

[0027] (2) Signal distribution: The pre-processed signal enters the 1-to-6 power distribution network, and the single-channel unit signal is synchronously distributed to 6 independent beam channels, providing a physical path for the parallel formation of multiple beams.

[0028] (3) Amplitude and phase control: Each beam channel is equipped with a digitally controlled phase shifter and a digitally controlled attenuator. The phase shifter is used to control the beam pointing, and the attenuator optimizes the beam shape through Taylor weighting to suppress sidelobe interference.

[0029] (4) Power combining: The 256 amplitude and phase control signals of the same beam channel are vector superimposed through a 256-in-1 power combining network. The network adopts a Wilkinson power divider multi-stage cascaded architecture (4 stages of 1-2 power dividers cascaded), and finally outputs a combined sum signal for communication reception and a difference signal for angle tracking.

[0030] Specifically, the network topology adopts a two-level architecture of subarray-level pre-combination and global-level overall combination: the 256-element array is divided into 16 16-element subarrays, and each subarray is connected by a 1-16 power divider network, i.e., a subarray-level power divider network (i.e., Figure 3The dotted lines in the diagram indicate local synthesis. Subarrays are connected via a network and the global network (1-16) of the beam control component layer, i.e., the global power distribution network (marked by blue lines), to complete the overall synthesis. The topology is as follows: Figure 3 As shown.

[0031] Specifically, the power divider network implementation is divided into two layers: First, at the radio frequency link layer, a 16-element subarray is locally synthesized through a cascade of four 1-2 Wilkinson power dividers (e.g., Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, this reduces long-distance transmission loss. Subsequently, at the network and beam control component layer, 16 subarrays are globally synthesized through cascading of 4 levels of 1-2 Wilkinson power dividers, forming a 256-element total synthesized network. This topology, while ensuring amplitude / phase consistency, reduces the number of ports per power divider (maximum 16 ports), improving engineering feasibility.

[0032] Specifically, the RF link layer adopts a "preprocessing-allocation-control-combination" processing architecture: the front-end uses RF R components to perform amplitude limiting protection, filtering, frequency selection, and low-noise amplification to ensure the signal-to-noise ratio; the back-end uses a 1-to-6 power divider network to distribute the signal to 6 beam channels, and each beam channel uses a digitally controlled phase shifter (360° phase control) and attenuator (0.5dB step amplitude adjustment) to achieve beam pointing and shape control. The 256 amplitude- and phase-adjusted signals are vector-superimposed in the combining network to form a high-gain beam pointing to a specific target.

[0033] Specifically, the sum-difference network adopts a cascaded architecture of a 3dB bridge and a 180° hybrid circulator (connection relationship as follows). Figure 5 As shown), the input terminal is connected to the combined signal output terminals of four 8×8 subarrays (A / B / C / D). The output terminal includes five functional ports (PORT1-PORT4 and PORT_R). By controlling the relative phase relationship of the four subarray signals, various beam patterns can be generated to achieve angle error extraction and signal reception functions. The beam patterns include: (1) Beam (Σ) Excitation: When the excitation signal is input to PORT1, the network controls the signals of the four subarrays A / B / C / D to be superimposed in phase, and 256 radiating elements form a high-gain, low-sidelobe pencil beam that covers the target's line-of-sight direction. This beam provides the maximum signal-to-noise ratio and is mainly used for telemetry signal reception and target communication.

[0034] (2) Azimuth difference beam (ΔAz) excitation: When the excitation signal is input to PORT2, the network makes the signals of the left subarray (A / B) and the right subarray (C / D) out of phase (phase difference 180°). A "line-of-sight zero, left and right double main lobes" pattern is formed in the azimuth plane. The spacing between the main lobes is proportional to the target azimuth angle deviation and is used for azimuth angle error detection.

[0035] (3) Pitch difference beam (ΔEl) excitation: When the excitation signal is input to PORT3, the network makes the signals of the upper subarray (A / C) and the lower subarray (B / D) out of phase (phase difference 180°). A "line-of-sight zero point, upper and lower double main lobe" pattern is formed in the pitch plane. The spacing between the main lobes is proportional to the target pitch angle deviation and is used for pitch angle error detection.

[0036] (4) Azimuth-elevation difference beam (ΔAΔE) excitation: PORT4 excites the four subarrays through cyclic phase control (such as 0° / 180° / 0° / 180° or 0° / 180° / 360° / 180°) to form a four main lobe pattern with zero points in both the azimuth and elevation planes, which is used for auxiliary tracking or system fault diagnosis in complex scenarios.

[0037] (5) PORT_R is the beam receiving port: In receiving mode, the sum signal synthesized by the four subarrays is output independently through this port, and after being amplified by low noise, it is sent to the back-end downconverter and tracking receiver to avoid interference with the tracking link and improve the reliability of telemetry data reception.

[0038] Based on a multi-target telemetry tracking antenna, the present invention also provides a multi-target telemetry tracking method based on a shared aperture, comprising the following steps: S1. Space signal acquisition: The antenna array receives S-band radio frequency signals transmitted by multiple targets, and simultaneously receives left-hand circularly polarized and right-hand circularly polarized signals, and outputs them to the corresponding radio frequency R components. S2. Signal preprocessing: The RF R component performs amplitude limiting protection, bandpass filtering and low noise amplification on the signal. The preprocessed signal is distributed to 6 beam channels through a 1-to-6 power divider network. S3. Amplitude and phase control and beamforming: Each beam channel adjusts the signal phase through a digitally controlled phase shifter and adjusts the amplitude through an attenuator. The signals are vector-superimposed through a 256-to-1 power combining network to generate 6 independent sum signals; Subarray-level and global-level combining: Subarray-level signal combining is first completed through a 1-to-16 power divider, and then 256-unit global combining is achieved through a four-stage 1-2 Wilkinson power divider cascade. S4. The sum-difference network generates functional beams by controlling the phase relationship of subarray signals; S5. Each beam channel independently outputs beam Σ, azimuth difference beam ΔAz, and elevation difference beam ΔEl signals. The Σ signal is sent to the baseband for processing via the beam receiving port, and the ΔAz / ΔEl signals are used for angle tracking. S6. The covariance matrix is ​​updated in real time based on the array sampling signal, and the forgetting factor is adaptively adjusted. S7. Beam pointing dynamic correction: Calculate the angle deviation based on the Σ / Δ signal, feed it back to the antenna control unit through the SPI interface, and adjust the phase shifter / attenuator status in real time to correct the beam pointing. S8. Signal Demodulation and Data Extraction: The corrected signal is sent to the baseband processing module, and after down-conversion, demodulation, and decoding, multiple telemetry data are output.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step S6, the angle of arrival estimation and tracking algorithm is deeply integrated into the beam control and signal processing flow. Based on the principle of single-pulse difference beam amplitude comparison, the sum signal (Σ), azimuth difference signal (ΔAz), and pitch difference signal (ΔE1) of each beam are collected in real time. The target angle deviation is calculated by the Δ / Σ amplitude ratio, and a "measurement-estimation-correction" closed loop is constructed to achieve high-precision concurrent tracking of ≥6 targets.

[0040] The algorithm employs dynamic angle-of-arrival estimation (AOA) technology, achieving continuous angle estimation by constructing an array signal model and updating the covariance matrix in real time. The core innovation lies in introducing a time-varying forgetting factor, which adaptively adjusts the weights based on the rate of change of the target angle, balancing dynamic response and noise resistance performance. The specific expression is as follows: The expression for updating the dynamic covariance matrix is ​​as follows: ; in, Estimate the covariance matrix at the current time. This is the current array sampling signal. It is a time-varying forgetting factor.

[0041] The adaptive expression for the time-varying forgetting factor is as follows: ; in, and These are the angle of arrival estimates for the p-th target at the previous time step and the time step before that, respectively, where p is the total number of targets.

[0042] This time-varying forgetting factor can adaptively adjust according to the overall angular change of the target group: when the target maneuvers violently... The smaller the value, the faster the system responds to new data; when the target is moving smoothly, The system increases the weight of historical data to suppress noise.

[0043] The algorithm dynamically balances the response speed of new data with the noise resistance of historical data through a time-varying forgetting factor: when the target is maneuvering, the forgetting factor decreases, and the system tracks quickly; when the target is stable, the forgetting factor increases, which enhances noise suppression.

[0044] Example 1: like Figure 6As shown, the overall structure of the multi-target telemetry tracking antenna includes an radome, antenna array, connectors, RF R component housing, RF R component PCBA, RF R component shielding cover, network and beam control power supply component shielding cover, network and beam control power supply component PCBA, and network and beam control power supply component housing. The antenna array is located inside the radome, the RF R components are mounted on the RF R component PCBA, and the network and beam control component layer and power supply component layer are mounted on the network and beam control power supply component PCBA. Details are as follows: Antenna array: A 16×16 cavity-backed metal cross-dipole phased array antenna is used. Each cross-dipole forms an independent left-hand circular polarization and right-hand circular polarization output port through a 3dB bridge, achieving a normal gain ≥27dBi in the 2.2-2.4GHz frequency band and a gain ≥22dBi in the ±60° electronic scan range.

[0045] RF R-component: Each cross dipole is followed by an RF R-component, which internally contains a limiter, a low-noise amplifier (noise figure <1dB), and a 1-to-6 power divider network. The six signals after power division are respectively fed into an amplitude and phase control unit composed of digitally controlled phase shifters and attenuators to achieve pointing and shape control of six independent beams.

[0046] Beamforming and combining: 256 RF signals are converged in the network and beam control component layer through a large 1-256 power divider / combiner network. This network can simultaneously generate 6 independent receive beams and output a "sum signal" for communication and an "azimuth difference signal" and "elevation difference signal" for monopulse tracking for each beam.

[0047] The signal processing procedure for achieving multi-target telemetry reception is as follows: (1) The S-band signals emitted by the six independent telemetry targets were captured by the antenna array.

[0048] (2) The antenna control unit configures the state of the phase shifters and attenuators of 256 RF R components through the SPI interface according to the preset or real-time guidance of the six target directions, forming six independent beams in space, which are respectively aligned with the six targets. The sum signal and difference signal of each beam are extracted independently.

[0049] (3) The angle of arrival estimation tracking algorithm processes the Σ, ΔAz, and ΔEl signals of each beam in real time, calculates the target angle deviation, and dynamically corrects the beam pointing to achieve high-precision closed-loop tracking.

[0050] (4) The corrected signal is sent to the corresponding baseband processing unit for demodulation and data extraction to complete the high-reliability reception of multiple telemetry data.

[0051] The beneficial effects of this invention are: By employing a shared aperture array and multi-beam combining technology, independent tracking and signal reception of multiple targets are achieved, improving target management efficiency in complex scenarios. A 16×16 cross-dipole array subarray design, combined with subarray-level and global-level power divider networks, enables parallel multi-beam processing under a single aperture, reducing hardware resource consumption. Amplitude and phase control via numerically controlled phase shifters and attenuators, combined with Taylor distribution weighting, suppresses sidelobes. An adaptive algorithm incorporating a time-varying forgetting factor dynamically balances target maneuver response speed and noise immunity. A dual-polarization port design supports simultaneous reception of left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized signals, with the sum and difference networks independently outputting sum and difference beams to avoid interference between the tracking and receiving links. A hierarchical power divider network topology, consisting of subarray-level pre-combination and global-level overall combination, reduces the number of ports on a single power divider, improving system integration and stability.

[0052] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture, characterized in that: It includes the antenna array layer, radio frequency link layer, network and beam control component layer, power supply component layer and signal processing and control layer; The antenna array layer is connected to the radio frequency link layer, the radio frequency link layer is connected to the network and beam control component layer and the power component layer, the network and beam control component layer is connected to the signal processing and control layer, and the signal processing and control layer is connected to the radio frequency link layer. The antenna array layer includes an antenna array, which is configured as a 16×16 cross dipole array. The 16×16 cross dipole array is divided into four 8×8 subarrays, and the four 8×8 subarrays are distributed in a 2×2 matrix. The radio frequency link layer includes 16×16 radio frequency R components, each of which corresponds one-to-one with a cross dipole and is connected to the cross dipole. The radio frequency link layer also includes an amplitude and phase control unit, which is connected to the radio frequency R component; The radio frequency link layer also includes a sub-array level power divider network, which is connected to the amplitude phase control unit; The network and beam control component layer includes a global-level power splitting network, which is connected to the subarray-level power splitting network. The network and beam control component layer also includes a sum-difference network. The input of the sum-difference network is connected to the output of four 8×8 subarrays. The output of the sum-difference network includes a sum beam port, an azimuth difference beam port, an elevation difference beam port, a composite difference beam port, and a sum beam receiving port.

2. The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross dipole is fed by a 3dB 90° bridge and has dual polarization ports, namely a left-hand circular polarization port and a right-hand circular polarization port, both of which are connected to the radio frequency R component.

3. The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radio frequency R component includes a limiter, a bandpass filter, a low-noise amplifier, and a 1-to-6 power divider network. The limiter is connected to the bandpass filter, the bandpass filter is connected to the low-noise amplifier, the low-noise amplifier is connected to the 1-to-6 power divider network, and the 1-to-6 power divider network is connected to the amplitude phase control unit.

4. The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The amplitude and phase control unit includes a digitally controlled phase shifter and a digitally controlled attenuator; The digitally controlled phase shifter is used to adjust the phase to control the beam pointing; the digitally controlled attenuator is used to adjust the amplitude to achieve Taylor distribution weighting, thereby optimizing the beam shape and reducing the sidelobe level.

5. The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sum-difference network is based on a 3dB bridge and a 180° hybrid circulator cascade structure.

6. The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal processing and control layer includes an antenna control unit and a baseband processing unit. The antenna control unit is connected to the amplitude and phase control unit via an SPI interface, and the baseband processing unit is connected to the beam receiving port.

7. The multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The subarray-level power distribution network has a network topology of 16 radiating elements, and the 16 radiating elements form a 4×4 subarray. The global-level power distribution network is a network topology structure of 16 4×4 subarrays, and the 16 4×4 subarrays form a 16×16 array; Both the subarray-level power divider network and the global-level power divider network are based on a four-stage 1-2 Wilkinson power divider cascade structure.

8. A multi-target telemetry tracking method based on a shared aperture, applied to the multi-target telemetry tracking antenna based on a shared aperture as described in any one of claims 1-7, comprising the following steps: S1. Space signal acquisition: The antenna array receives S-band radio frequency signals transmitted by multiple targets, and simultaneously receives left-hand circularly polarized and right-hand circularly polarized signals, and outputs them to the corresponding radio frequency R components. S2. Signal preprocessing: The RF R component performs amplitude limiting protection, bandpass filtering and low noise amplification on the signal. The preprocessed signal is distributed to 6 beam channels through a 1-to-6 power divider network. S3. Amplitude and phase control and beamforming: Each beam channel adjusts the signal phase through a digitally controlled phase shifter and adjusts the amplitude through an attenuator. The signals are vector-superimposed through a 256-to-1 power combining network to generate 6 independent sum signals; Subarray-level and global-level combining: Subarray-level signal combining is first completed through a 1-to-16 power divider, and then 256-unit global combining is achieved through a four-stage 1-2 Wilkinson power divider cascade. S4. The sum-difference network generates functional beams by controlling the phase relationship of subarray signals; S5. Each beam channel independently outputs beam Σ, azimuth difference beam ΔAz, and elevation difference beam ΔEl signals. The Σ signal is sent to the baseband for processing via the beam receiving port, and the ΔAz / ΔEl signals are used for angle tracking. S6. The covariance matrix is ​​updated in real time based on the array sampling signal, and the forgetting factor is adaptively adjusted. S7. Beam pointing dynamic correction: Calculate the angle deviation based on the Σ / Δ signal, feed it back to the antenna control unit through the SPI interface, and adjust the phase shifter / attenuator status in real time to correct the beam pointing. S8. Signal Demodulation and Data Extraction: The corrected signal is sent to the baseband processing module, and after down-conversion, demodulation, and decoding, multiple telemetry data are output.

9. The multi-target telemetry tracking method based on shared aperture according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step 6, the covariance matrix is ​​updated in real time based on the array sampling signal, and the forgetting factor is adaptively adjusted. The expression for the covariance matrix is ​​as follows: ； In the formula, Estimate the covariance matrix at the current time. This is the current array sampling signal. A time-varying forgetting factor; The expression for the forgetting factor is as follows: ； In the formula, and These are the angle of arrival estimates for the p-th target at the previous time and the time before that, respectively, where p is the total number of targets; If the target angle changes rapidly and the maneuver is drastic, then Reduce to respond quickly to new data; if the target is moving smoothly, then Increase the size to enhance noise immunity.

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