A channel fast correction device and method for a wideband transmit digital array
By extracting broadband correction excitation signals and sub-channel related parameters, the problem of low channel correction efficiency of broadband transmit digital arrays is solved, achieving fast and high-precision channel correction, simplifying the operation process and reducing correction time.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SOUTHWEST CHINA RES INST OF ELECTRONICS EQUIP
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing broadband transmit digital array channel calibration methods are inefficient and time-consuming, failing to meet the accuracy requirements of large operating bandwidth systems.
A broadband correction excitation signal and sub-channel correlation parameter extraction method are adopted. The correction sample signal is generated by the digital processing module and FFT transformation is performed to calculate the amplitude and phase differences between each transmission channel and generate a correction coefficient table to achieve parallel correction.
While ensuring high precision, it greatly improves calibration efficiency, reducing calibration time from tens of seconds to hundreds of milliseconds, and does not require external instruments or equipment.
Smart Images
Figure CN122394701A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of digital array technology, and more specifically, to a fast channel correction device and method for a broadband transmit digital array. Background Technology
[0002] Due to the matching characteristics of broadband RF links and the nonlinearity of devices, there are differences in amplitude and phase response between each transmission channel, which will seriously affect the pointing and shape characteristics of the broadband digital transmission array beam. Amplitude and phase consistency correction of each transmission channel is required to form the desired accurate beam.
[0003] Current digital transmit array channel calibration methods basically adopt single-frequency point calibration. First, a calibration excitation signal is generated by a calibration source and output to a transmit channel. The calibration signal is injected into the calibration receive channel through the calibration coupling circuit between the antenna and the front end. After processing and acquisition, it is digitally orthogonally down-converted with the calibration excitation signal in the digital processor to obtain the calibration amplitude and phase. Finally, the calibration table is calculated.
[0004] In actual calibration, broadband systems suffer from non-uniform delays between radio frequency links. The delay consistency between channels is not a constant value with frequency, causing the phase to change with frequency in a curve. At the same time, the amplitude within the band also fluctuates. In order to improve the calibration accuracy across the entire frequency band, a method of traversing multiple frequency points at small intervals is usually adopted. Therefore, the problem with this calibration method in large operating bandwidth systems is that it requires calibration at each frequency point, resulting in low calibration efficiency and long calibration time. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The embodiments of this application provide a fast channel correction device and method for a broadband digital transmission array to solve the problems of long correction time and complex operation of broadband digital transmission channels.
[0006] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this application.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a fast channel correction device for a broadband transmit digital array is provided, comprising: a digital processing module, N transmit channels, a correction channel, and a correction coupling network; The digital processing module is connected to the N transmission channels and the correction channel respectively, and is used to generate and output correction sample signals using broadband correction excitation signals, and to receive and process correction signals to generate a correction table. The N transmission channels are connected to the calibration coupling network and are used to receive calibration sample signals, generate N calibration signals, and input them to the calibration coupling network. The correction coupling network is connected to the correction channel and is used to select N correction signals and input them to the correction channel; Where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
[0008] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the digital processing module includes: a correction signal generation module, a correction signal processing module, and a control module; The correction signal generation module is connected to the correction signal processing module and the N transmission channels respectively, and outputs a correction sample signal; The correction signal processing module is connected to the correction channel, receives the correction signal and calculates the correction table by combining it with the correction sample signal; The control module is connected to the correction signal generation module, the correction signal processing module and the N transmission channels respectively, and is used to control the output local oscillator frequency, the selection of correction channel switches and the data processing cycle.
[0009] In some embodiments of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, each transmission channel includes: a DAC module, an intermediate frequency filter module, an up-conversion module, an RF filter module, a gain adjustment module, and an amplification module connected in sequence; The DAC is connected to the correction signal generation module. The amplification module is connected to the correction coupling network.
[0010] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the correction coupling network includes: a coupler and a radio frequency switch that are interconnected; The coupler is connected to the output of the N-channel transmit line, and the RF switch is connected to the calibration channel.
[0011] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the correction channel includes: an amplifier module, an RF filter module, a down-conversion module, an intermediate frequency filter module, and an ADC module connected in sequence; The ADC module is connected to the signal correction and processing module.
[0012] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for fast channel correction of a broadband transmit digital array is provided, applied to the apparatus as described in the first aspect, comprising: The digital processing module generates a correction sample signal and outputs it to N transmission channels via a power divider. The calibration sample signal is sequentially passed through N transmission channels, a calibration coupling network, and a calibration channel to generate a calibration signal; The digital processing module calculates the differences in signal amplitude and phase between each transmission channel based on the correction sample signal and the correction signal, and performs correction accordingly. Where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
[0013] In some embodiments of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, during the process of generating the correction sample signal, the digital processing module determines the number M of sub-frequency points according to the working bandwidth, and generates the correction sample signal by combining the M sub-frequency points, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
[0014] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the digital processing module calculates the differences in signal amplitude and phase between each transmission channel based on the correction sample signal and the correction signal, including: The digital processing module performs FFT transformation on the sample signal and the correction signal to obtain the M-path sub-correction signals of the reference sample and the correction signal, respectively. Each reference sample and correction signal is subjected to correlation processing to obtain... A correlation quantity relative to the reference sample; Using the correlation quantity of any one channel as a benchmark, calculate the amplitude difference and phase difference between the remaining channels and the arbitrary one channel, and finally obtain the correction coefficient table for the N transmission channels.
[0015] In some embodiments of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, N is 16.
[0016] In some embodiments of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, M is taken as 256.
[0017] The technical solution of this application achieves parallel correction within a large bandwidth by using a broadband correction excitation signal and a sub-channel correlation parameter extraction method based on reference samples. This greatly improves the correction efficiency while ensuring high correction accuracy and does not rely on external instruments and equipment, which has obvious advantages in practical use.
[0018] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description
[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings: Figure 1 A block diagram of a channel fast correction device for a broadband transmit digital array according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2A schematic diagram of the processing logic of a fast channel correction method for a broadband transmit digital array according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating an example of a method according to one embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation
[0020] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.
[0021] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.
[0022] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.
[0023] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.
[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.
[0025] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0026] See Figure 1 The diagram shows a block diagram of a channel fast correction device for a broadband transmit digital array according to an embodiment of this application.
[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, a fast channel calibration device for a broadband transmit digital array is illustrated. The device includes: a digital processing module, N transmit channels, a calibration channel, and a calibration coupling network. The digital processing module is connected to the N transmission channels and the correction channel respectively, and is used to generate and output correction sample signals using broadband correction excitation signals, and to receive and process correction signals to generate a correction table. The N transmission channels are connected to the calibration coupling network and are used to receive calibration sample signals, generate N calibration signals, and input them to the calibration coupling network. The correction coupling network is connected to the correction channel and is used to select N correction signals and input them to the correction channel; Where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
[0028] It should be noted that in this embodiment, N=16, that is, 16 transmission channels are used in this application; the number of sub-frequency points M within the working frequency band of the broadband correction excitation signal is 256.
[0029] In some feasible embodiments, based on the foregoing scheme, the digital processing module includes: a correction signal generation module, a correction signal processing module, and a control module; The correction signal generation module is connected to the correction signal processing module and the N transmission channels respectively, and outputs a correction sample signal; The correction signal processing module is connected to the correction channel, receives the correction signal and calculates the correction table by combining it with the correction sample signal; The control module is connected to the correction signal generation module, the correction signal processing module and the N transmission channels respectively, and is used to control the output local oscillator frequency, the selection of correction channel switches and the data processing cycle.
[0030] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the correction signal generation module generates 256 correction sub-frequency points through a broadband signal generator. After the data of the 256 correction sub-frequency points are combined, a correction sample signal is generated and distributed to 16 transmission channels. At the same time, the correction sample signal is transmitted to the correction signal processing module as a reference sample.
[0031] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the correction signal processing module receives the correction data of each transmission channel in sequence and performs digital channelization. It then extracts the amplitude and phase data of 256 sub-frequency points by correlation with the correction sample signal, thereby obtaining the correction table of N transmission channels through calculation.
[0032] In some feasible embodiments, based on the aforementioned scheme, each transmission channel includes: a DAC module, an intermediate frequency filter module, an up-conversion module, an RF filter module, a gain adjustment module, and an amplification module connected in sequence; The DAC is connected to the correction signal generation module. The amplification module is connected to the correction coupling network.
[0033] It should be noted that in this embodiment, each transmission channel sequentially performs digital-to-analog conversion, intermediate frequency filtering, up-conversion, radio frequency filtering, gain control, and signal amplification on the input signal, and finally inputs the signal to the correction coupling network.
[0034] In some feasible embodiments, based on the foregoing scheme, the correction coupling network includes: interconnected couplers and radio frequency switches; The coupler is connected to the output of the N-channel transmit line, and the RF switch is connected to the calibration channel.
[0035] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the calibration coupling network is used to select N calibration sample signals and transmit the selected calibration sample signal to the calibration channel.
[0036] In some feasible embodiments, based on the foregoing scheme, the correction channel includes: an amplifier module, an RF filter module, a downconversion module, an intermediate frequency filter module, and an ADC module connected in sequence; The ADC module is connected to the signal correction and processing module.
[0037] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the correction channel sequentially performs RF amplification and filtering, down-conversion, intermediate frequency filtering, and analog-to-digital conversion on the input signal, and finally inputs the signal to the digital processing module.
[0038] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a method for fast channel correction of a broadband transmit digital array, which is applied to the apparatus described in any of the above embodiments.
[0039] See Figure 2 The diagram shows a schematic of the processing logic for a fast channel correction method for a broadband transmit digital array.
[0040] The method specifically includes: Step S100: Use the digital processing module to generate a correction sample signal and output it to N transmission channels, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
[0041] In step S200, the calibration sample signal is sequentially passed through N transmission channels, a calibration coupling network, and a calibration channel to generate a calibration signal.
[0042] In step S300, the digital processing module calculates the differences in signal amplitude and phase between each transmission channel based on the correction sample signal and the correction signal, and performs correction.
[0043] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the digital processing module controls the switching and routing selection of the N transmission channels, thereby sequentially sending the correction sample signals output from the N transmission channels into the correction receiving channel.
[0044] In some feasible embodiments, based on the aforementioned scheme, during the process of generating the correction sample signal, the digital processing module determines the number M of sub-frequency points according to the working bandwidth, and generates the correction sample signal by combining the M sub-frequency points, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
[0045] In this embodiment, N is 16 and M is 256.
[0046] The formulas for the correction excitation signals of M correction sub-frequency points are as follows: (1) in, This represents the m-th sub-frequency point in the broadband corrected signal; In some feasible embodiments, based on the foregoing scheme, the digital processing module calculates the differences in signal amplitude and phase between each transmission channel based on the correction sample signal and the correction signal, including: The digital processing module performs FFT transformation on the sample signal and the correction signal to obtain the M-path sub-correction signals of the reference sample and the correction signal, respectively. Each reference sample and correction signal is subjected to correlation processing to obtain... A correlation quantity relative to the reference sample; Using the correlation quantity of any one channel as a benchmark, calculate the amplitude difference and phase difference between the remaining channels and the arbitrary one channel, and finally obtain the correction coefficient table for the N transmission channels.
[0047] In this embodiment, the formula for calculating the relevant quantity is as follows: (2) in, This represents the correlation quantity obtained after correlating N channels of M correction signals with a reference sample. This represents the m-th sub-frequency point in the correction signal of the n-th transmit channel. This represents the m-th sub-frequency point in the reference signal.
[0048] Below is a specific example of this method.
[0049] See Figure 3 The diagram below shows a flowchart of an example of this method.
[0050] like Figure 3 As shown, the method flow is as follows: Step S1: Enter the transmission channel calibration mode; Step S2: The correction signal generation module generates 256 sub-frequency points, combines them into a correction excitation signal, and outputs it to the 16-channel array transmission channel, while simultaneously sending it to the correction signal processing module; Step S3: The control module selects the first transmission channel and connects it to the calibration channel via the calibration coupling network; Step S4: The correction signal processing module acquires the correction signal data, performs FFT on the sample signal and the correction signal, and performs correlation processing on the sample signal sub-channel and the correction signal sub-channel through conjugate complex multiplication. After multi-point smoothing, the amplitude and phase of the signal in each sub-channel are calculated. As shown in Equations 1 and 2, the correction data of channel 1 is obtained after calculating 256 correction sub-frequency points. Stored locally for now; Step S5: Repeat steps S3 to S4, traversing the 16 RF transmission channels to obtain correction data for 256 correction sub-frequency points across the 16 channels. ; Step S6: As shown in Equation 3, after calculating the frequency point 1 correction data of Channel 2 and Channel 1, the amplitude difference and phase difference between the two channels can be obtained; (3) Step S7: Repeat step S6, using channel 1 as the reference to perform calculations, to obtain the amplitude and phase differences of other channels and their respective frequency points, and finally obtain the correction coefficient table of the system digital array transmission channels.
[0051] In summary, the fast channel calibration method for broadband digital transmission arrays proposed in this embodiment reduces the calibration time from tens of seconds to hundreds of milliseconds while ensuring high calibration accuracy, greatly improving calibration efficiency. Moreover, it can be completed online in a self-closed loop without relying on external instruments and equipment.
[0052] Other embodiments of this application will readily conceive of by those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A fast channel correction device for a broadband transmit digital array, characterized in that, include: Digital processing module, N transmission channels, correction channel and correction coupling network; The digital processing module is connected to the N transmission channels and the correction channel respectively, and is used to generate and output correction sample signals using broadband correction excitation signals, and to receive and process correction signals to generate a correction table. The N transmission channels are connected to the calibration coupling network and are used to receive calibration sample signals, generate N calibration signals, and input them to the calibration coupling network. The correction coupling network is connected to the correction channel and is used to select N correction signals and input them to the correction channel; Where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The digital processing module includes: a correction signal generation module, a correction signal processing module, and a control module; The correction signal generation module is connected to the correction signal processing module and the N transmission channels respectively, and outputs a correction sample signal; The correction signal processing module is connected to the correction channel, receives the correction signal and calculates the correction table by combining it with the correction sample signal; The control module is connected to the correction signal generation module, the correction signal processing module and the N transmission channels respectively, and is used to control the output local oscillator frequency, the selection of correction channel switches and the data processing cycle.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each transmit channel includes: a DAC module, an intermediate frequency filter module, an up-conversion module, an RF filter module, a gain adjustment module, and an amplification module connected in sequence; The DAC is connected to the correction signal generation module. The amplification module is connected to the correction coupling network.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The correction coupling network includes: interconnected couplers and radio frequency switches; The coupler is connected to the output of the N-channel transmit line, and the RF switch is connected to the calibration channel.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The correction channel includes an amplifier module, an RF filter module, a downconversion module, an intermediate frequency filter module, and an ADC module connected in sequence. The ADC module is connected to the signal correction and processing module.
6. A method for rapid channel correction of a broadband transmit digital array, applied to the apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: The digital processing module generates a correction sample signal and outputs it to N transmission channels via a power divider. The calibration sample signal is sequentially passed through N transmission channels, a calibration coupling network, and a calibration channel to generate a calibration signal; The digital processing module calculates the differences in signal amplitude and phase between each transmission channel based on the correction sample signal and the correction signal, and performs correction accordingly. Where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, During the generation of the correction sample signal, the digital processing module determines the number of sub-frequency points M based on the working bandwidth, and generates the correction sample signal by combining the M sub-frequency points, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The digital processing module calculates the differences in signal amplitude and phase between each transmission channel based on the correction sample signal and the correction signal, including: The digital processing module performs FFT transformation on the sample signal and the correction signal to obtain the M-path sub-correction signals of the reference sample and the correction signal, respectively. Each reference sample and correction signal is subjected to correlation processing to obtain... A correlation quantity relative to the reference sample; Using the correlation quantity of any one channel as a benchmark, calculate the amplitude difference and phase difference between the remaining channels and the arbitrary one channel, and finally obtain the correction coefficient table for the N transmission channels.
9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, N takes the value 16.
10. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, M takes the value 256.