Arrays with nulls steered independently of main beam

Claim 2

Apparatus which comprises an array of signal converting elements, each element comprising a plurality of transducers with selectively different sensitivity patterns, said array possessing a sensitivity pattern containing both a main beam and nulls, means for controlling the direction and strength of said main beam of said array, and means for varying, substantially independently of the direction and strength of said main beam, the direction of selected nulls in the sensitivity pattern of said array.

Claim 3

Apparatus comprising: an array of signal converting elements, each element including a first transducer and a second transducer with mutually perpendicular ''''Figure 8'''' sensitivity patterns, and a third transducer with an omnidirectional sensitivity pattern; and means for selectively interconnecting said elements to develop a sensitivity pattern with maximum sensitivity in a selected direction and independently rotatable nulls in other directions.

Claim 4

Apparatus comprising: an array of signal converting elements, each element including a first transducer and a second transducer with mutually perpendicular ''''Figure 8'''' sensitivity patterns, and a third transducer with an omnidirectional sensitivity pattern; and means for selectively interconnecting said elements to develop a sensitivity pattern with maximum sensitivity in a selected direction and independently rotatable nulls in other directions.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 2 further including means for weighting the signal associated with said first transducer by an amount cos Phi o, where Phi o is the desired direction of maximum sensitivity of said array, means for weighting the signal associated with said second transducer by an amount sin Phi o, and means for weighting the signal associated with said third transducer by an amount K, where K is proportional to the direction in which it is desired to rotate said nulls, thereby to give each of said elements in said array a hypercardioid sensitivity pattern with nulls steerable independently of the direction of said maximum sensitivity.

Claim 6

Apparatus which comprises an array of receiving elements, each element containing a first and a second transducer with mutually perpendicular ''''Figure 8'''' sensitivity patterns and a third transducer with an omnidirectional sensitivity pattern, means for weighting the output signals from said first transducers by the amount cos Phi o and the output signals from said second transducers by the amount sin Phi o, thereby to rotate the direction of maximum sensitivity of said elements to the angle Phi o, means for differentiating the output signals from said third transducer, and for weighting said differentiated output signals by the amount K, a plurality of means, corresponding on a one-to-one basis to said receiving elements, for combining the weighted output signals from the first, second, and third transducers in each of said receiving elements, thereby to give each of said receiving elements a hypercardioid sensitivity pattern with nulls in directions determined by the magnitude of K, means for adjusting in phase and amplitude each of the combined output signals from said elements, and means for summing said phase and amplitude adjusted combined output signals to produce an array sensitivity pattern with nulls which can be controlled substantially independently of the strength and direction of its main beam.

Claim 7

Apparatus which comprises an array of receiving elements, each element containing a first and a second transducer with mutually perpendicular ''''Figure 8'''' sensitivity patterns and a third transducer with an omnidirectional sensitivity pattern, means for weighting the output signals from said first transducers by the amount cos Phi o and the output signals from said second transducers by the amount sin Phi o, thereby to rotate the direction of maximum sensitivity of said elements to the angle Phi o, means for differentiating the output signals from said third transducer, and for weighting said differentiated output signals by the amount K, a plurality of means, corresponding on a one-to-one basis to said receiving elements, for combining the weighted output signals from the first, second, and third transducers in each of said receiving elements, thereby to give each of said receiving elements a hypercardioid sensitivity pattern with nulls in directions determined by the magnitude of K, means for adjusting in phase and amplitude each of the combined output signals from said elements, and means for summing said phase and amplitude adjusted combined output signals to produce an array sensitivity pattern with nulls which can be controlled substantially independently of the strength and direction of its main beam.

Claim 8

Apparatus which comprises a signal receiving element comprising first and second mutually perpendicular dipole transducers and an omnidirectional transducer, means for weighting the signal received by said first dipole transducer by an amount cos Phi o, means for weighting the signal received by said second dipole transducer by an amount sin Phi o, means for differentiating, and weighting by the amount K, the signal received by said omnidirectional transducer, and means for combining said weighted signals, thereby to give said signal receiving element a sensitivity pattern with a main beam in the direction Phi o, and nulls in selected directions determined by the magnitude of K.

Claim 9

Apparatus which comprises a signal receiving element comprising first and second mutually perpendicular dipole transducers and an omnidirectional transducer, means for weighting the signal received by said first dipole transducer by an amount cos Phi o, means for weighting the signal received by said second dipole transducer by an amount sin Phi o, means for differentiating, and weighting by the amount K, the signal received by said omnidirectional transducer, and means for combining said weighted signals, thereby to give said signal receiving element a sensitivity pattern with a main beam in the direction Phi o, and nulls in selected directions determined by the magnitude of K.

Claim 10

Apparatus which comprises a signal transmitting element comprising first and second mutually perpendicular dipole transducers and an omnidirectional transducer, means for sending a signal to be transmitted by said transmitting element along first, second, and third paths connected to said first and second dipole transducers and said omnidirectional transduCer, respectively, means for weighting the signal on said first path by an amount cos Phi o, means for weighting the signal on said second path by an amount sin Phi o, and means for differentiating, and weighting by the amount K, the signal on said third path, thereby to give said transmitting element a power radiation pattern with a main beam in the direction Phi o, and nulls in selected directions determined by the magnitude of K.

Claim 11

Apparatus which comprises a signal transmitting element comprising first and second mutually perpendicular dipole transducers and an omnidirectional transducer, means for sending a signal to be transmitted by said transmitting element along first, second, and third paths connected to said first and second dipole transducers and said omnidirectional transduCer, respectively, means for weighting the signal on said first path by an amount cos Phi o, means for weighting the signal on said second path by an amount sin Phi o, and means for differentiating, and weighting by the amount K, the signal on said third path, thereby to give said transmitting element a power radiation pattern with a main beam in the direction Phi o, and nulls in selected directions determined by the magnitude of K.