Device with high linearity for limitation of a characteristic of a signal, and use of the device in a radar reception system

摘要

Disclosed is device with high linearity for limitation of a characteristic of a signal to a maximum value Smax, and notably the amplitude of a radar signal in a reception system with high linearity. The device comprises a limiter having a limitation threshold Slim that can be switched over to two possible values Sh and Sb chosen so as to be respectively higher and lower than Smax and means to activate the switching over of the limitation threshold Slim to either one of the foregoing values, depending on whether a measurement representing a characteristic of the signal such as the amplitude delivered by measurement means is higher or lower than a given comparison threshold VH. A device such as this is very useful in a radar reception system with high linearity carrying out an analog-digital encoding of the radar signal, for it protects the encoder used from saturation with a minimum lowering of performance characteristics in terms of dynamic range and linearity.