There is provided a self-diagnostic apparatus of a magnetic coupling type. The self-diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a signal detection line which is magnetic-coupled with an RF signal line through a magnetic coupling loop; and a signal detector configured to detect a size and a phase of an RF signal by detecting a current flowing through the signal detection line. Accordingly, the apparatus grasps and diagnoses respective operation states of channels by itself in a beamforming system, without increasing and a size of the system and degrading performance.

It is an object of the present invention a photonic system to perform beamforming of a radio signal received by a phased array antenna with N antenna elements. It provides true-time delay beamforming enabled by tunable optical delay lines (6) with a periodic frequency response.

The present invention provides four key advantages: photonic RF phase shifting; highly-sensitive coherent detection with intrinsic photonic frequency downconversion; phase noise cancellation, since a frequency-shifted optical local oscillator can be derived from a same laser source (1) used to feed electro-optic modulators (5); and the possibility of only requiring a single delay line, shared amongst all tunable optical delay lines. Such set of advantages makes the proposed system extremely attractive for high-end wireless receivers, required for demanding applications such as satellite communication systems and broadband wireless signal transmission.

It is an object of the present invention a photonic system to perform beamforming of a radio signal received by a phased array antenna with N antenna elements. It provides true-time delay beamforming enabled by tunable optical delay lines (6) with a periodic frequency response.

The present invention provides four key advantages: photonic RF phase shifting; highly-sensitive coherent detection with intrinsic photonic frequency downconversion; phase noise cancellation, since a frequency-shifted optical local oscillator can be derived from a same laser source (1) used to feed electro-optic modulators (5); and the possibility of only requiring a single delay line, shared amongst all tunable optical delay lines. Such set of advantages makes the proposed system extremely attractive for high-end wireless receivers, required for demanding applications such as satellite communication systems and broadband wireless signal transmission.

The system includes a plurality of probe antennas that receive radio signals at a plurality of measurement positions located within a measurement plane in a near field region of an antenna to be measured, a probe scanning mechanism that moves the respective probe antennas to a plurality of measurement positions while maintaining relative positions of the plurality of probe antennas, an amplitude and phase difference measurement unit that measures a phase difference between the radio signals and measures amplitudes of the radio signals, every time the respective probe antennas are moved to the measurement positions, and a phase calculation unit that calculates a phase of the radio signal at each measurement position from the phase difference measured by the amplitude and phase difference measurement unit.

The system includes a plurality of probe antennas that receive radio signals at a plurality of measurement positions located within a measurement plane in a near field region of an antenna to be measured, a probe scanning mechanism that moves the respective probe antennas to a plurality of measurement positions while maintaining relative positions of the plurality of probe antennas, an amplitude and phase difference measurement unit that measures a phase difference between the radio signals and measures amplitudes of the radio signals, every time the respective probe antennas are moved to the measurement positions, and a phase calculation unit that calculates a phase of the radio signal at each measurement position from the phase difference measured by the amplitude and phase difference measurement unit.

A passive frequency multiplexer includes a beam forming network lens including a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals; a transmission line for transmitting a signal to the beam forming lens; and a plurality of couplers arranged in series along the transmission line, each of the plurality of couplers comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, and a coupled output terminal, each of the coupled output terminals of the plurality of couplers being coupled to a respective one of the input terminals of the beam forming network lens.

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

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

A method and apparatus for managing an antenna. A current radiation pattern is identified for the antenna using initial coefficients for a modulation function for the antenna. A first constraint is applied to the current radiation pattern to form a modified radiation pattern. New coefficients for the modulation function are identified as coefficients for which a difference between a radiation pattern for the antenna generated using the coefficients and the modified radiation pattern is reduced. A second constraint is applied to a set of coefficients in the new coefficients to form modified coefficients for the modulation function. The steps of applying the first constraint, identifying the new coefficients for the modulation function, and applying the second constraint are iterated until a new radiation pattern based on the modified coefficients for the modulation function meets the first constraint.

A method and apparatus for managing an antenna. A current radiation pattern is identified for the antenna using initial coefficients for a modulation function for the antenna. A first constraint is applied to the current radiation pattern to form a modified radiation pattern. New coefficients for the modulation function are identified as coefficients for which a difference between a radiation pattern for the antenna generated using the coefficients and the modified radiation pattern is reduced. A second constraint is applied to a set of coefficients in the new coefficients to form modified coefficients for the modulation function. The steps of applying the first constraint, identifying the new coefficients for the modulation function, and applying the second constraint are iterated until a new radiation pattern based on the modified coefficients for the modulation function meets the first constraint.