Apparatus and Method for Multi-Channel Equalization

The present invention is a communication system with a multi-channel array antenna that utilizes a receiver matching process that adapts the pass band frequency response of each channel to a selected reference channel. This process is implemented digitally by inserting a tapped delay line filter in each channel, selecting one of the channels as a reference, and adapting the others to match the reference in both phase and amplitude. The process is performed for each system calibration cycle, which occurs just before receive data is captured and processed. The improvements include an apparatus and an algorithm that select a reference channel in the adaptive process during each system calibration cycle, producing optimal, or near optimal, channel matching. This technology may be applied to radar, sonar, seismic, imaging, satelite, GPS, communication devices and wireless communications. Benefits Equalizing a multi-channel electronic communication system Enhanced calibration signal Maximizes the number of channels selected by sampling as many of the available channels as is practical given the limitations of the system