KR101109420B1 - Transmitter and method for protecting radar transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A radar transmitter and a method for protecting a radar transmitter are provided to amplify a VHF(Very High Frequency) input signal with a duty factor value less than a specified level. CONSTITUTION: A pulse radar transmitter comprises a signal generator(20), a transmission unit(30), and a controller(10). The signal generator generates a VHF(Very High Frequency) input signal and a synchronizing signal. The transmission unit amplifies the VHF input signal while being matched with the synchronous point of the synchronizing signal and emits the VHF input signal for a transmission output signal through an antenna. The controller receives the coupling feedback of the transmission output signal emitting through the antenna and produces an average duty factor value. The controller amplifies the VHF input signal at high power and emits the VHF input signal when the average duty vector value is the same or greater than a maximum duty vector value.

Description

Radar transmitter device and radar transmitter protection method {Transmitter and method for protecting radar transmitter}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for protecting a transmitter and a transmitter in a pulse radar. The present invention relates to a method for protecting a radar transmitter and a radar transmitter that enables stable transmission while increasing the average transmission power.

The transmitter is one of the important components in modern radar. In various clutter environments and over long distances, the average transmit power of the transmitter must be large in order to detect / track a small cross section (RCS) such as a stealth machine. In order to increase the average transmit power of the transmitter, the size of the transmitter must also be large.

However, because the physical size of the radar is limited, the transmitter must deliver the highest average transmit power within the required size. Moreover, modern radars are increasingly used, and single transmitters that produce large outputs at these high frequencies are tubular, including Traveling Wave Tube (TWT), Klystron, Magnetron, and Crossed Field Amplifier (CFA).

Such tubular transmitters have a high power consumption and use a high voltage of several tens [Kv] to produce a high output. In modern pulsed radars, the average transmit power is determined by the Peak Power and Duty Factor. The duty factor is determined as a ratio of the pulse width (PW) and the pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the output signal. A signal with this pulse width and pulse repetition period is amplified at the transmitter and radiated at the antenna.

If the pulse width is increased or the pulse repetition period is reduced in order to increase the average transmission power, that is, when the duty factor is increased, the transmitter becomes abnormal and the lifetime is also reduced. Modern radars, therefore, are important not only for large transmit output power but also for reliable transmission, and require a mechanism to protect the transmitter against abnormal signals for such stable transmission.

An object of the present invention is to increase the average transmission power of the radar transmitter. In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to protect the transmitter by blocking the amplification of the abnormal signal output from the radar transmitter. In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to ensure a stable transmission as the average transmission power of the radar transmitter increases. In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to block the amplification of the abnormal signal by using the characteristics of the pulse width and the pulse repetition period.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a signal generator for generating an ultra-high frequency input signal and a synchronization signal, a transmitter for high output amplifying the ultra-high frequency input signal according to a synchronization time point of the synchronization signal, and radiating through the antenna as a transmission output signal, and the antenna Coupling feedback is provided through the transmission output signal radiated through the second output unit to calculate an average duty factor value representing a pulse width ratio in a predetermined period of the transmission output signal, and the high output amplification according to the magnitude of the calculated average duty factor value. It includes a control unit for determining whether or not.

The synchronization signal is a synchronization signal provided to the power module, and a pre-trigger signal indicating a power supply time of the high output transmission module and a trigger signal indicating amplification time of the high output transmission module as a synchronization signal provided to the modulation module. Include.

When the average duty vector value is A _s is a time in a certain period, P _wN is a pulse width of the coupled transmission output signal, and N is the number of pulses in a certain time interval, “Average duty factor value D _A = It is calculated by (P _w1 + P _w2 + P _w3 + ... + P _wN ) ÷ A _s × 100 ".

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a process of high power amplification and transmission of a transmission output signal radiated through an antenna is coupled and fed back, a process of calculating an average duty factor value representing a pulse width ratio at a predetermined interval of the transmission output signal; And determining whether to amplify the high power according to the calculated average duty factor value.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ultra-high frequency input signal having a duty factor value of a predetermined level or less may be amplified. In addition, stable amplification can be performed by amplifying only an ultra-high frequency input signal having a duty factor value of a predetermined level or less. In addition, it is possible to protect the radar transmitter by blocking amplification for an abnormal ultra-high frequency input signal.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a pulse radar transmitter device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a diagram illustrating an observation time and a pulse width according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of protecting a pulse radar transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating a trigger signal, a pretrigger signal, and an ultrahigh frequency input signal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an embodiment of the present invention in more detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various forms, and only the embodiments are intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention. It is provided to inform you. Like numbers refer to like elements in the figures.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a pulse radar transmitter device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The pulse radar transmitter may include a signal generator 20 for generating a signal waveform, a transmitter 30 for high output amplifying the generated signal waveform and radiating through an antenna, and a controller 10 for controlling each component in the transmitter and performing feedback control. ).

The signal generator 20 generates an ultrahigh frequency input signal according to the control information (eg, frequency, pulse width, pulse repetition period, waveform, etc.) of the controller 10, and transmits the generated ultrahigh frequency input signal to the transmitter 30. In addition, information about the generated microwave input signal is transmitted to the controller 10 as a response signal. In addition, the signal generator 20 transmits the synchronized signal to the transmitter 30 at the time of synchronization when amplifying the high frequency input signal. The synchronization signal includes a pre-trigger signal, which is a power control signal for high output amplification of an ultra-high frequency input signal, and a trigger signal, which is a signal for controlling the time of high output amplification.

The pre-trigger signal is provided to the power supply module 31 as information on the power supply timing when high output amplification is performed, and the trigger signal is provided to the modulation module 32 as information on the amplification time of the high output amplification.

The transmitter 30 amplifies the ultra-high frequency input signal under the control of the pre-trigger signal and trigger signal generated and transmitted by the signal generator 20 and radiates through the antenna as a transmission output signal. To this end, the transmission unit 30 includes a power module 31, a modulation module 32, a high output transmission module 33.

The power supply module 31 receives a pre-trigger signal from the signal generator 20 indicating a timing of supplying power applied to the high output transmission module 33, and supplies power to the high output transmission module 33 from the time of supply. do. The modulation module 32 receives a trigger signal indicating the amplification time of the high power transmission module 33 from the signal generator, thereby providing the amplification time to the high power transmission module.

The high output transmission module 33 receives power from the power supply module and amplifies the ultra-high frequency input signal provided from the transmission unit 20 to generate a transmission output signal and radiate it through an antenna.

The embodiment of the present invention performs feedback control so that the transmission output signal amplified and radiated through the high power transmission module 33 operates below a certain duty factor value.

Due to incorrect control information of the controller 10 or performance deterioration of the signal generator, the duty factor value may exceed the predetermined level. In this case, when a signal having a large duty factor value is input to the transmitter 30, the radar There is a risk of degrading the entire transmitter. That is, if the high power amplified and radiated without limiting the duty factor value, a high load is applied to the high power transmission module 33 to perform an abnormal operation, which may result in shortening the operating life of the entire radar transmitter.

Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention monitors the duty factor value of the radiated transmission output signal in real time, and when the average duty factor value D _A exceeds the preset maximum duty factor value D _MAX , the high output transmission module ( 33) do not amplify the microwave signal input to the control so that it does not radiate through the antenna. The maximum duty factor value D _MAX refers to a duty factor value of the maximum limit that does not deteriorate the function of the transmitter 30, and is a value preset through a plurality of experiments.

To this end, the control unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a feedback input by coupling an ultra-high frequency input signal (hereinafter, referred to as a "transmission output signal") that is amplified and output from the high output transmission module to an antenna.

The control unit calculates a duty factor value (D) for the transmission output signal subjected to the coupling feedback, wherein the control unit calculates an average duty indicating a pulse width ratio in a predetermined interval with respect to the transmission output signal input through the coupling feedback during the observation time. The factor value D _A is calculated, and whether or not the high output amplification is determined according to the calculated average duty factor value.

Hereinafter, the operation of the controller 10 will be described in detail.

The average duty factor value D _A may be calculated by the following Equation 1 as an average duty factor value for a transmission output signal that is coupled and fed back during a certain period of observation time.

[Equation 1]

Average duty factor value (D _A ) = (P _w1 + P _w2 + P _w3 + ...... + P _wN ) ÷ A _s × 100

At this time, as shown in Fig. 2, A _s is the observation time in a certain period, P _wN is the pulse width of the coupled transmission output signal, N is the number of pulses within the observation time.

The maximum duty factor value D _MAX may be defined as shown in Equation 2 below. In this case, P _w refers to the pulse width of the signal, and P _RI refers to the pulse repetition period of the signal.

[Formula 2]

Maximum Duty Factor (D _MAX ) = (P _w ÷ P _RI ) × 100

The maximum duty factor value may be determined by obtaining a pulse width and a pulse period that do not degrade the performance of the transmitter through a plurality of experiments.

For reference, [Table 1] shows the allowable pulse width (P _w ) and the pulse repetition period (P _RI ) within the normal operating range in the manufactured radar, and the maximum duty factor value (D _MAX ) accordingly. Indicated.

parameter value unit Pulse width (P _w ) 5 [us] Pulse Repetition Period (P _RI ) 100 [us] Maximum Duty Factor (D _MAX ) 5 [%]

If the average duty factor value D _A of the transmission output signal coupled to the control unit 10 is greater than the maximum duty factor value D _MAX , the radar transmitter may be in an abnormal state as a whole, thereby degrading its function.

Therefore, when the average duty factor value D _A of the transmission output signal coupled feedback is greater than the maximum duty factor value D _MAX , the controller 10 performs control to protect the transmitter 30. That is, the transmitter 30 controls the high power amplified radiation not to be made.

For example, in order to protect the transmitter 30, the signal generator 20 does not generate the synchronization signals, that is, the trigger signal and the pre-trigger signal, which are input from the transmitter 30 to the high frequency input signal. By preventing it, the transmitter can be protected.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of protecting a pulse radar transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The transmission output signal amplified by the transmitter and radiated through the antenna is coupled together with the antenna radiation and fed back to the controller (S31).

The controller calculates an average duty factor value from the transmission output signal to be fed back feedback (S32). The average duty factor value is an average duty factor value for the transmission output signal coupled feedback during the observation time, and may be calculated by Equation 1 described above.

It is determined whether the calculated average duty factor value is greater than the maximum duty factor value (S33). The maximum duty factor value is a value representing the ratio of the pulse width and the pulse repetition period under a normal signal as described in [Equation 2], and the duty vector value at the time of having the maximum transmission power without the load on the transmitter. to be.

When the average duty factor value is equal to or smaller than the maximum duty factor value, the transmitter performs high power amplification and radiation (S35). On the other hand, when the average duty factor value is larger than the maximum duty factor value, the transmitter blocks high power amplification and radiation (S34). That is, in order to protect the transmitter, the trigger signal and the pre-trigger signal used for high power amplification are blocked to prevent the microwave input signal from being amplified and radiated to the antenna. The processes S31, S32, S33, S34, and S35 are repeatedly performed until the driving of the radar transmitter is completed.

Meanwhile, when the average duty factor value exceeds the maximum duty factor value as described above, the signal generator does not send the pretrigger signal and the trigger signal to the transmitter. An example of such a signal is illustrated in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, the microwave input signal, the pretrigger signal, and the trigger signal are signals input from the signal generator to the transmitter. It can be seen that the pretrigger signal and the trigger signal are not generated from the time point A when the average duty factor value of the coupling-feedback transmitted signal output exceeds the maximum duty factor value.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the preferred embodiments described above, the invention is not limited thereto, but is defined by the claims that follow. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art may variously modify and modify the present invention without departing from the spirit of the following claims.

10: control unit 20: signal generator
30: transmitter 31: power module
32: modulation module 33: high power transmission module

Claims (9)

A signal generator for generating an ultra-high frequency input signal and a synchronization signal;
A transmitter for high output amplifying the ultra-high frequency input signal in accordance with a synchronization time point of the synchronization signal and radiating it through an antenna as a transmission output signal;
Coupling feedback is provided to the transmission output signal radiated through the antenna to calculate an average duty factor value representing a pulse width ratio at a predetermined interval of the transmission output signal, wherein the average duty vector value is a preset maximum duty vector value. A control unit configured to prevent the ultra-high frequency input signal from being amplified by the output unit when the transmission frequency is greater than that of the high frequency input signal;
Radar transmitter device comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit,
A high power transmission module for high power amplifying the ultra-high frequency input signal;
A power module for providing power to the high output transmission module;
Modulation module for providing a high power amplification time of the high power transmission module
Radar transmitter device comprising a. The method according to claim 2, wherein the synchronization signal,
A synchronization signal provided to the power module, the pre-trigger signal indicating a power supply time of the high output transmission module;
As a synchronization signal provided to the modulation module, a trigger signal for notifying the amplification time of the high power transmission module
Radar transmitter device comprising a. 2. The average duty factor value of claim 1, wherein A _s is a time in a certain period, P _wN is a pulse width of a coupled transmission output signal, and N is a number of pulses in a certain period. (D _A ) = (P _w1 + P _w2 + P _w3 + ... + P _wN ) ÷ A _s x 100 "radar transmitter device. delete The radar transmitter device according to claim 3, wherein when the average duty vector value is larger than the maximum duty vector value, the pre-trigger signal and the trigger signal are not generated so that the ultra-high frequency input signal is not amplified at high power. A step of high power amplifying the high frequency input signal and coupling and feeding back a transmission output signal emitted through the antenna;
Calculating an average duty factor value representing a pulse width ratio at a predetermined interval of the transmission output signal;
When the average duty vector value is greater than a preset maximum duty vector value, the high frequency input signal is not amplified by high output. When the average duty vector value is less than or equal to the maximum duty vector value, the high frequency input signal is high output. Amplifying and radiating;
Radar transmitter protection method comprising a. delete 8. The average duty factor value of claim 7, wherein A _s is a time in a predetermined period, P _wN is a pulse width of a coupled transmission output signal, and N is a number of pulses in a predetermined period. (D _A ) = (P _w1 + P _w2 + P _w3 + ... + P _wN ) ÷ A _s x 100 "calculated radar transmitter protection method.

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