Digital receiving module of active phased array antenna of x-band frequency range

Abstract

FIELD: radio-electronic devices.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the design of receiving modules of active phased antenna arrays of the X-band frequency range. A digital receiving module of an active phased antenna array of the X-band frequency range comprises a protective device, first and second low-noise amplifiers, first and second band-pass filters, first and second signal mixers, a step attenuator, first, second and third low-pass filters, first, second and third matching amplifiers, a power divider, a frequency multiplier, an analogue-to-digital converter, a programmable logic integrated circuit, a control driver, an antenna input of the module and an input of a local oscillator; according to the invention, the antenna input of the module is connected via a microwave line to the input of the protective device, the output of which is connected to the input of the first low-noise amplifier, the output of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the input of the first band-pass filter, the output of the first band-pass filter is connected to the input of the first signal mixer, the output of the first signal mixer is connected to the input of the second low-noise amplifier, the output of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the input of the second band-pass filter, the output of the second band-pass filter is connected to the input of the step attenuator, the output of the step attenuator is connected to the input of the second signal mixer, the output of the second signal mixer is connected via the first low-pass filter and the first matching amplifier to the input of the analogue-to-digital converter, the outputs of which are connected to the inputs of the programmable logic integrated circuit, the input of the power divider is connected to the input of the local oscillator, the first output of the power divider is connected via a frequency multiplier, the second low-pass filter and the second matching amplifier to the second input of the first signal mixer, the second output of the power divider is connected via a third low-pass filter and the third matching amplifier to the second input of the second signal mixer, the control driver is connected via a control bus to the output of the programmable logic integrated circuit and to the inputs of the step attenuator, and each active element has a supply voltage bus.EFFECT: increased speed and accuracy of determining the angular coordinates of a target in space and an increase in the detection range of objects, with a significant reduction in weight and size characteristics, an increase in the level of integration and manufacturability, and improved maintainability and reliability of the digital receiving module.1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

[0001] The invention relates to radio-electronic devices, namely to the design of receiving modules of active phased antenna arrays of the X-band frequency range.

[0002] A known transmitting and receiving module of an active phased antenna array of the microwave range [RU Patent No. 2804330 C1 H01Q21 / 00] contains at least one receive / transmit switch with 2 positions. The receiving channel contains at least one controllable n-bit step attenuator, an additional n-bit step attenuator, at least one low-noise amplifier, a protective device and an input of the receiving channel, which is the input of the module, wherein the attenuators are connected to one control circuit, the input of one of which is connected to the output of the additional n-bit attenuator, and a microwave signal power divider.In the second receiving channel, the input of the additional n-bit step attenuator can be connected to the second output of the divider, and the output of the n-bit step attenuator to the input of the first matching amplifier, the output of which is connected to the input of the additional n-bit step phase shifter, the output of the n-bit step phase shifter is connected to the input of the second matching amplifier.

[0003] The disadvantages of this technical solution are:

[0004] - lack of control and automatic adjustment of the gain of the module’s receiving channel at low or high ambient temperatures;

[0005] - probability of self-excitation of the receiving microwave path at low ambient temperatures;

[0006] - high power consumption due to the use of two low-noise amplifiers, an additional n-bit attenuator, an n-bit phase shifter and a separate control circuit in the design of the transmitting channel.

[0007] A digital receiving module of an active phased array antenna is known, adopted as a prototype [Patent of the Russian Federation No. 2722408 H01Q 21 / 00,]. The module includes: an emitter, a low-noise amplifier, an ADC, a group of digital bandpass FIR filters for dividing a wide spectrum into narrowband spectrum sections, a group of M dividers into two directions, two groups of synchronous phase detectors (SPD), each consisting of M detectors, a digital complex coefficient generator, two groups of digital complex multipliers, each consisting of M multipliers, and two digital adders, the outputs of which are the outputs of the digital receiving module. The control inputs of the ADC and digital filters are connected to the output of the APAA clock pulse generator. The input of the digital complex coefficient generator is connected to the output of the APAA beam control system.

[0008] The disadvantages of this technical solution are:

[0009] - low integration level and complexity of building a digital receiving module;

[0010] - there is no protective device at the input of the receiving channel, which can lead to failure of the LNA when a high power level is applied to the input of the digital signal processing unit, as a result of which the reliability of the device is reduced;

[0011] - there is no possibility to adjust the dynamic range of the ADC when exposed to high-power signals;

[0012] - increased requirements for the station's central computer when processing large volumes of received information and complex signals in space.

[0013] The technical result of this invention is to increase the speed and accuracy of determining the angular coordinates of a target in space and to increase the detection range of objects, with a significant reduction in weight and size characteristics, an increase in the level of integration and manufacturability, and improvement in the maintainability and reliability of the digital receiving module.

[0014] The technical result is achieved in that the digital receiving module of an active phased antenna array of the X-band frequency range, comprising a protective device, first and second low-noise amplifiers, first and second band-pass filters, first and second signal mixers, a step attenuator, first, second and third low-pass filters, first, second and third matching amplifiers, a power divider, a frequency multiplier, an analog-to-digital converter, a programmable logic integrated circuit, a control driver, an antenna input of the module and an input of a local oscillator, characterized in that the antenna input of the module is connected via a microwave line to the input of the protective device, the output of which is connected to the input of the first low-noise amplifier, the output of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the input of the first band-pass filter, the output of the first band-pass filter is connected to the input of the first signal mixer,the output of the first signal mixer is connected to the input of the second low-noise amplifier, the output of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the input of the second band-pass filter, the output of the second band-pass filter is connected to the input of a step attenuator, the output of the step attenuator is connected to the input of the second signal mixer, the output of the second signal mixer is connected via the first low-pass filter and the first matching amplifier to the input of an analog-to-digital converter, the outputs of which are connected to the inputs of a programmable logic integrated circuit, the input of the power divider is connected to the input of the local oscillator, the first output of the power divider is connected via a frequency multiplier, the second low-pass filter and the second matching amplifier to the second input of the first signal mixer, the second output of the power divider is connected via a third low-pass filter and the third matching amplifier to the second input of the second signal mixer,the control driver is connected via a control bus to the output of the programmable logic integrated circuit and to the inputs of the step attenuator, and each active element has a supply voltage bus.

[0015] The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) converts an analog signal into a discrete code (digital signal), enabling the transmission of a data packet for further processing and, as a result, the acquisition of information about the microwave power level at the input and output of the receiving channel. The introduction of two frequency conversions of the received signal allows the use of ADCs with low cost and minimal power consumption. The use of an ADC dynamic range control system allows the input signal level at the ADC to be varied.

[0016] The programmable logic integrated circuit (FPGA) allows processing data packets coming from the ADC and, in accordance with the task, sending high-speed control signals via control buses for a step attenuator in the microwave path.

[0017] The control driver converts the serial code received via the control bus from the FPGA into a parallel code and generates control signals supplied to the attenuator control inputs.

[0018] The step attenuator attenuates the microwave signal at the input of the power mixer, which allows for the output power to be adjusted after the LNA to protect against high power levels entering the mixer input, as well as for automatic adjustment of the ADC dynamic range.

[0019] The invention is explained by a drawing.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a structural diagram of the proposed digital receiving module of an active phased antenna array of the X-band frequency range, where:

[0021] - low noise amplifier 1;

[0022] - bandpass filter 2;

[0023] - power divider 3;

[0024] - analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 4;

[0025] - antenna input of module 5;

[0026] - protective device 6;

[0027] - first signal mixer No. 7;

[0028] - second signal mixer No. 8;

[0029] - step attenuator 9;

[0030] - low pass filter 10;

[0031] - matching amplifier 11;

[0032] - programmable logic integrated circuit (FPGA) 12;

[0033] - heterodyne input 13;

[0034] - frequency multiplier 14;

[0035] - control driver 15;

[0036] - control bus No. 1 16;

[0037] - supply voltage bus 17.

[0038] Example.

[0039] The digital receiving module of the X-band active phased antenna array contains - a protective device 6 of the M44419 type with a crystal size of 1.48 × 0.96 × 0.1 mm, to the output of which a low-noise amplifier 1 of the M421390-2 type with a crystal size of 2.02 × 1.02 × 0.1 mm is connected, to its output the input of the band-pass filter 2 is connected, the output of which is connected to the input of the first signal mixer 7, type letter 3. KRPG.434842.1 YUTU, the output of which is connected to the second low-noise amplifier 1, and to the second input of the mixer 7, through a matching amplifier 11, type M421304-2 with a crystal size of 1.16 x 0.82 x 0.1 mm, the input of the second low-pass filter 10 is connected, the output of which is connected to the output of frequency multiplier 14, type M44108, and its input is connected to the output of power divider 3. The output of the second low-noise amplifier 1 is connected to the input of band-pass filter 2, and its output is connected to the input of step attenuator 9, type M44747 APNT.434820.053TU with a crystal size of 2x2x0.1 mm, the output of which is connected to the input of the second signal mixer 8, and a control driver 15, type 5548НР09Н4 manufactured by NIIME, is connected to the inputs of the attenuator 9. The output of the second power mixer 8, type NDAC09003 manufactured by NEDITEK, is connected to the input of the first low-pass filter 10, the output of which is connected via a matching amplifier 11 to the input of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 4, type K510HB04FI manufactured by JSC PKK Milandr, the outputs of which are connected to the programmable logic integrated circuit (FPGA) 12, type 5578ТС084 manufactured by JSC VZPP-S. The output of the third low-pass filter 10, the input of which is connected to the output of the power divider 3, the input of which is connected to the input of the heterodyne 13, is connected to the second input of the second signal mixer 8 through the matching amplifier 11. The control driver 15 is connected via control bus No. 1 16 to the output of the programmable logic integrated circuit 12.Each active element has a supply voltage bus 17.

[0040] The device operates as follows. When an object is within the APAA scanning range, the emitted microwave signal is reflected and transmitted to the APAA antenna sheet. From the antenna sheet, the reflected microwave signal is fed to the input of receiving module 5, and then to the input of protection device 6. If the signal power at the input of receiving channel 5 is high, protection device 6 limits this level to a safe value for the operation of subsequent elements along the microwave path. At the nominal input power at the input of receiving channel 5, protection device 6 introduces minor microwave losses into the received signal and passes it to the input of low-noise power amplifier 1.The signal is amplified by a low-noise amplifier 1 and fed to the input of a bandpass filter 2 designed to suppress the image channel and filter spurious emissions in space, then the signal is fed to the first signal mixer 7 designed to convert the carrier frequency down to 3 GHz, for this purpose the local oscillator signal 13 is fed to the second input of the signal mixer. Previously, the local oscillator signal 13 3.2 GHz is fed to a power divider 3, where it is divided into two directions, the first arm of which is connected to a frequency multiplier 14 designed to multiply the local oscillator frequency by 2 6.4 GHz, then the signal is fed to a low-pass filter 10 to suppress spurious combination components of the local oscillator frequency multiplier 14, then the local oscillator signal is fed to a matching amplifier 11, where it is amplified to the required operating amplitude of the signal mixer 7.The second arm of the power divider 3 is connected to the low-pass filter 10 for suppressing the parasitic combination components of the frequency multiplier 14, then the signal is fed to the matching amplifier 11, designed to amplify the local oscillator signal to the required operating amplitude of the signal mixer 8. The signal with a reduced frequency of 3 GHz is fed to the LNA 1, where it is amplified to a specified amplitude with a minimum noise level, while the output of the second LNA 1 is connected to the input of the second band-pass filter2, designed to suppress the parasitic combination components of the signal mixer 8, then the signal is fed to the step attenuator 9, designed to increase the dynamic range of the receiving path. The step attenuator 9 is controlled by the control driver 15, connected via control line #1 16 to the FPGA 12. In this case, the FPGA automatically selects the discharge of the step attenuator 9 when the threshold value of the ADC discharge grid is exceeded.At the next stage, the signal is fed to signal mixer 8, where the carrier frequency is downconverted to 300 MHz. The signal then enters matching amplifier 11, where it is amplified to the amplitude required for ADC 4. The signal then enters ADC 4, which is connected to FPGA 12 for subsequent signal processing. All active elements of the microwave receiving path are connected to 5V power supply bus 17.

[0041] The proposed digital receiving module allows for increased speed and accuracy in determining the angular coordinates of a target in space and increases the detection range of objects while significantly reducing weight and size characteristics, increasing the level of integration and manufacturability, improving the maintainability and reliability of the digital receiving module, which increases the reliability of the station as a whole.

Claims

A digital receiving module of an active phased antenna array of an X-band frequency range, comprising a protective device, first and second low-noise amplifiers, first and second band-pass filters, first and second signal mixers, a step attenuator, first, second and third low-pass filters, first, second and third matching amplifiers, a power divider, a frequency multiplier, an analog-to-digital converter, a programmable logic integrated circuit, a control driver, an antenna input of the module and a local oscillator input, characterized in that the antenna input of the module is connected via a microwave line to the input of the protective device, the output of which is connected to the input of the first low-noise amplifier, the output of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the input of the first band-pass filter, the output of the first band-pass filter is connected to the input of the first signal mixer, the output of the first signal mixer is connected to the input of the second low-noise amplifier,the output of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the input of the second band-pass filter, the output of the second band-pass filter is connected to the input of a step attenuator, the output of the step attenuator is connected to the input of the second signal mixer, the output of the second signal mixer is connected through the first low-pass filter and the first matching amplifier to the input of an analog-to-digital converter, the outputs of which are connected to the inputs of a programmable logic integrated circuit, the input of the power divider is connected to the input of the local oscillator, the first output of the power divider is connected through a frequency multiplier, the second low-pass filter and the second matching amplifier to the second input of the first signal mixer, the second output of the power divider is connected through a third low-pass filter and the third matching amplifier to the second input of the second signal mixer,the control driver is connected via a control bus to the output of the programmable logic integrated circuit and to the inputs of the step attenuator, and each active element has a supply voltage bus.

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