CALIBRATION AND TESTING DEVICE FOR AN ACTIVE ANTENNA, PARTICULARLY A NOSE-CONE ANTENNA OF AN AIRBORNE RADAR,申请号US201214234359-传众专利搜索

CALIBRATION AND TESTING DEVICE FOR AN ACTIVE ANTENNA, PARTICULARLY A NOSE-CONE ANTENNA OF AN AIRBORNE RADAR

申请公布号：US2014300519(A1)

申请号：US201214234359

申请日期：2012.07.19

申请公布日期：2014.10.09

申请人：

Estebe Eric;Levy Pierre;Bouedo Alain

发明人：Estebe Eric;Levy Pierre;Bouedo Alain

分类号：G01R29/10

主分类号：G01R29/10

地址：Paris FR

摘要：A device includes a test enclosure defining a cavity forming an anechoic chamber, having a test probe placed inside the cavity. The cavity comprises an aperture against which the radiating surface of antenna is positioned. The device includes a microwave-frequency test signal generator and a receiver for microwave-frequency signal emitted by the antenna under test and for measuring its amplitude and its phase in relation to a reference. Depending on the depth of the cavity and the dimensions of the radiation pattern of a test probe, the device comprises one or more test probes placed in fixed positions in the cavity or a mobile probe that can be positioned in various locations of the cavity, the probe or probes being configured and arranged to illuminate the whole active surface of the antenna and that the radiation pattern of each radiating element illuminates at least one test probe.

主权项：1. A test system intended to carry out actions for testing and calibrating an active antenna (19) in a zone where the antenna pattern is not yet formed comprising a radar equipped with an active antenna (19), the test system comprising said active antenna (19), said antenna consisting of a plurality of active emission-reception elements arranged so as to form a radiating surface (14), said test system comprising: a measurement enclosure (11) configured to be mounted in front of the radiating surface (14) of the antenna on the structure (111) supporting the antenna and in which is positioned at least one test probe (16) able to collect and to radiate microwave-frequency electromagnetic signals, means (71) for generating a microwave-frequency radioelectric test signal as well as means (72) for performing the reception of a microwave-frequency radioelectric signal and for performing a vector measurement of the signal received;wherein the measurement enclosure (11) comprises: a wall (12) forming a cavity (13) provided with an aperture, the aperture being configured in such a way that the cavity is closed by the radiating surface (14) of the antenna when the enclosure (11) is mounted on the structure (111) supporting the antenna; means making it possible to position the test probe inside the cavity in a given position; fixing means (23) making it possible to carry out the mounting of the measurement enclosure (11) on the structure (111) supporting the antenna, these means being configured so as to ensure, after mounting, a known axial positioning of the measurement enclosure (11) with respect to the radiating surface (14) of the antenna; the wall (12) forming the cavity (13) being covered on its internal face with elements (15) absorbing the radioelectric waves, its external face being configured to form an electrical shielding the device further comprising a plurality of probes wherein, having regard to the depth D2 of the cavity (13) defined by the measurement enclosure (11) and of the dimensions of the pattern of the test probe used, the measurement enclosure comprises a plurality of test probes (41, 42), each probe being mounted on a means (43) making it possible to position it inside the cavity (13) in a known position, the number of test probes and the position of each of these probes being defined in such a way that the union of their radiation patterns covers the entirety of the active surface (14) of the antenna (19) and that each of the probes (41, 42) is illuminated by the main lobe of the radiation pattern of one or more active elements, or active sub-arrays, constituting the antenna (19), or, the device comprising a single probe, wherein, having regard to the depth D2 of the cavity (13) defined by the measurement enclosure (11) and of the dimensions of the pattern of the test probe used (51), said test probe is mounted on positioning means (61-64) configured so as to allow the positioning of the test probe (51) at a plurality of positions inside the cavity (13), these positions being determined in such a way that, for each position, the test probe (51) is illuminated by the main lobe of the radiation pattern of one or more active elements, or active sub-arrays, constituting the antenna (19) and that the whole set of positions allows the probe (51) to cover the set of active elements, or active sub-arrays, constituting the antenna (19); the dimensions of the measurement enclosure (11) being determined in such a way that, having regard to the at least one position of each probe (16) in the cavity (11), the distance of the probe from each of the active elements or sub-array of active elements constituting the antenna is greater than d2/2·λ, d representing the size of the equivalent radiating aperture of an active element of the antenna (19) or of a sub-array consisting of active elements.