Packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system, comprising a radiation pattern measurement device and a computing unit. The radiation pattern measurement device measures N (>3) measured electric field amplitudes G generated in sequence by the 1st to Nth sub-antennas at a jth sampling point. i＝1～N , and N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N The computing unit converts each measured electric field phase θ i Phase shift Δθ with an input i After adding, we get an updated phase θ′ i , and each of the measured electric field amplitudes G i With an amplitude proportionality coefficient S i After multiplication, we get a weighted adjustment amplitude G′ i , and calculate an evaluation array gain G of the package antenna array , G′ i =S i ×G i ,θ′ i =θ i +Δθ i , #imgabs0#Through calculation, the phased array radiation pattern of the packaged antenna can be evaluated, avoiding the problem of errors introduced by traditional technology measurement equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a measurement system, in particular to a system for rapidly evaluating the radiation pattern of a packaged antenna phased array. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, 5G has been commercialized in FR1, followed by the application of higher-frequency mmWave bands in FR2. In order to solve the attenuation of high-frequency signals and consider the limitation of short propagation distance, the industry adopts packaged antenna AiP (Antenna in Package) in mobile terminals (such as smartphones). In addition, with the widespread introduction of 5G millimeter wave AiP in smartphones and the high demand for millimeter wave radar for vehicles driven by smart driving, it is foreseeable that the demand for AiP will show explosive growth in the next 3 to 5 years.

[0003] Although the upstream, midstream and downstream market opportunities of AiP are foreseeably huge, it is an emerging business opportunity with high technical barriers and still lacks a set of rapid and accurate evaluation systems for evaluating the radiation field patterns of AiP with different amplitudes and phases when it adopts phased array technology.

[0004] See also Figure 1 A complete packaged antenna AiP includes an antenna element radiation layer L1, a conductive line layer L2, and a radio frequency chip RFIC. The radio frequency chip RFIC gives the antenna elements corresponding amplitude and phase weights through the conductive line layer L2, so that the radiation field pattern of the antenna element radiation layer L1 changes corresponding to these amplitude and phase weights.

[0005] See also Figure 2 In the current AiP development stage, a test system of an AiP phased array is used, which includes a power amplifier unit PA, a plurality of phase shifters PS, and a plurality of coaxial transmission lines 1. The power amplifier unit PA determines the amplitude of the output signal of each antenna patch, and the phase shifters PS change the phase of the output signal of the antenna patches. Such conventional technology has the following disadvantages:

[0006] (1) Each phase shifter PS is connected to the antenna patch 13 by a coaxial transmission line 1 of equal length. In theory, coaxial transmission lines 1 of the same model and length should have the same path loss and no phase difference. However, in practice, each coaxial transmission line 1 needs to be measured with a network analyzer to fine-tune the length in order to reduce the phase difference between them.

[0007] (2) The electrical length of each coaxial transmission line 1 is a value that changes with frequency. For example, even if the phase differences of these transmission lines at 28 GHz are finally similar after adjustment, the characteristics of the coaxial transmission lines at different frequencies will change with the frequency, and the corresponding relationship between the change trend of the phase difference and the frequency is irregular. Therefore, some coaxial transmission lines 1 that are electrically longer at 28 GHz and should be shortened may be electrically shorter at 39 GHz and should be lengthened. These coaxial transmission lines 1 introduced due to test requirements will introduce measurement errors.

[0008] (3) In addition, the joints 11 and welding points 12 of the coaxial transmission lines 1 will also cause different amplitude and phase effects, and even the phase shifters PS are different from each other.

[0009] In summary, using an external physical measuring device 10 to adjust the amplitude and phase of the antenna patches 13 and then directly measuring the radiation pattern after beamforming will introduce errors due to the measuring device 10 itself, resulting in the measured results being different from the performance of the actual product operation. Summary of the invention

[0010] In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention proposes a packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system that combines measurement and calculation.

[0011] The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system of the present invention is applied to a packaged antenna. The packaged antenna includes N sub-antennas, which are sequentially numbered as No. 1 to No. N sub-antennas. The evaluation system includes a radiation pattern measurement device and a computing unit.

[0012] The radiation field measurement device measures the N measured electric field amplitudes G generated by the 1st to Nth sub-antennas in sequence at the jth sampling point. i＝1～N , and N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N .

[0013] The calculation unit converts each measured electric field phase θ i Phase shift Δθ with an input i After adding, we get an updated phase θ′ i , and each measured electric field amplitude G i With an amplitude proportionality factor S i After multiplication, we get a weighted adjustment amplitude G′ i , and calculate the evaluation array gain G of the package antenna array ,as follows:

[0014] G′ i =S i ×G i ,θ′ i =θ i +Δθi ,

[0015] Preferably, the radiation field pattern measurement device comprises a probe and a field pattern measurement unit which are electrically connected, and the probe touches and measures the sub-antennas in sequence, and measures the N measured electric field amplitudes G i＝1～N , and the N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N .

[0016] Preferably, when the size ratios of the N signals inputted by the 1st to the Nth sub-antennas are A1 to A N When the amplitude proportionality coefficient S i as follows:

[0017]

[0018] Preferably, N=4, A1=1, A2=2, A3=2, A4=1, and the four amplitude proportional coefficients are as follows:

[0019]

[0020] Preferably, N=4, A1=1, A2=1, A3=1, A4=1, and the four amplitude proportional coefficients are as follows:

[0021]

[0022] Preferably, the parameter j=1-K, and the K sampling points are spaced apart from each other and are located on a preset spatial sphere.

[0023] Preferably, the computing unit further compares the coordinate position of the j-th sampling point with the corresponding evaluation array gain G array Plot a beamforming radiation pattern.

[0024] Preferably, the radiation field measurement equipment uses Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) technology to measure the packaged antenna.

[0025] Preferably, the radiation field measurement equipment uses direct far field (DFF) technology to measure the package antenna.

[0026] Preferably, the radiation field measurement equipment uses a near field to far field transformation (NFTF) technology to measure the package antenna.

[0027] The effects of the present invention are:

[0028] (1) Combining measurement and calculation, the measured electric field amplitude and measured electric field phase obtained from each independent sub-antenna can be combined with the amplitude proportional coefficients and the input phase shifts of arbitrary proportions given by numerical calculation, so that the numerical calculation can be used to avoid additional measurement equipment and components, such as traditional coaxial transmission lines, thereby avoiding measurement errors introduced by inconsistencies in additional measurement equipment and components.

[0029] (2) Shorten the measurement time and eliminate the need for external physical measurement equipment (see Figure 2 )The time required.

[0030] (3) Cost saving: Existing OTA antenna measurement equipment already has the function of measuring the electric field amplitude and phase of the sub-antenna. Therefore, by further combining it with a computing unit, it is possible to evaluate how to control the amplitude and phase of the receiving and transmitting signals of these sub-antennas to achieve the purpose of phased array radiation field evaluation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the complete packaged antenna.

[0032] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the phased array test system.

[0033] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the packaged antenna.

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the distribution of spherical coordinate sampling points.

[0036] Figure 6 It is the beamforming radiation pattern in the XZ plane.

[0037] Figure 7 It is the beamforming radiation pattern in the YZ plane.

[0038] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention using direct far-field or near-field conversion to far-field technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] See also Figure 3 A preferred embodiment of the packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system of the present invention includes a radiation pattern measurement device 20 and a computing unit 30.

[0040] The preferred embodiment is applied to the packaged antenna 2, which includes N sub-antennas 21, where the parameter N is an integer greater than 3, and the sub-antennas 21 are numbered sequentially from 1 to N. The preferred embodiment can comprehensively measure and calculate the evaluation array gain and radiation field pattern of the sub-antennas 21 after being given different amplitude ratios and input phase shifts.

[0041] The radiation field measurement device 20 measures N measured electric field amplitudes G generated in sequence by the 1st to Nth sub-antennas 21 at a jth sampling point. i＝1～N , and N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N The radiation field measurement device 20 may be a device such as Figure 3 The compact antenna test range (CATR) technology is used to measure the packaged antenna 2.

[0042] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 The operation unit 30 converts each measured electric field phase θ i Phase shift Δθ with input i After adding, we get the updated phase θ′ i , and each measured electric field amplitude G i The amplitude proportionality coefficient S i After multiplication, we get the weighted adjustment amplitude G′ i , and calculate the evaluation array gain G of package antenna 2 array ,as follows:

[0043] G′ i =S i ×G i ,θ′ i =θ i +Δθ i ,

[0044] The radiation pattern measurement device 20 includes a probe 3 and a pattern measurement unit 4 which are electrically connected. The probe 3 sequentially touches and measures the sub-antennas 21, and measures the N measured electric field amplitudes G i＝1～N , and the N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N .

[0045] When the N signals inputted from the 1st to the Nth sub-antennas 21 have a magnitude ratio of A1 to A N When the amplitude proportionality coefficient S i as follows:

[0046]

[0047] For example, the number of the sub-antennas 21 is 4, and the power allocation is 1:2:2:1, then A1=1, A2=2, A3=2, A4=1, and the four amplitude proportional coefficients are as follows:

[0048]

[0049] If the sub-antennas 21 are equally powered in the ratio of 1:1:1:1, then A1=1, A2=1, A3=1, A4=1, and the four amplitude proportional coefficients are as follows:

[0050]

[0051] See also Figure 5 , parameter j = 1 ~ K, the K sampling points are spaced from each other and are located on a preset space sphere, the operation unit 30 further compares the coordinate position of the j-th sampling point 01 with the corresponding evaluation array gain G array Plot the beamforming radiation pattern.

[0052] See also Figure 6 , the upper figure (a) is a curve diagram obtained by measuring the coordinate position changes of the sampling points 01 at different positions corresponding to the measured electric field amplitudes G1, G2, G3, and G4 measured for each sub-antenna 21, and the horizontal axis is the angle change with the Z axis from -180 degrees to 180 degrees, and the 1st to Kth sampling points 01 are distributed in the XZ plane; the middle figure (b) is a curve diagram obtained by measuring the coordinate position changes of the sampling points 01 at different positions corresponding to the measured electric field phases θ1, θ2, θ3, and θ4, and the horizontal axis is also the angle change with the Z axis from -180 degrees to 180 degrees. Further explanation, the measured electric field amplitude G will be measured at the position of the jth sampling point 01. i The measured electric field phase θ i , and since j is a variable from 1 to K, if K = 360, then the 1st to 360th sampling points 01 can be evenly distributed in the XZ plane, and the interval between two adjacent sampling points 01 is 1 degree (corresponding to spherical coordinates); the following figure (c) shows that the calculation unit uses the above formula to convert the coordinate position of the jth sampling point into the corresponding evaluation array gain G array Plot the beamforming radiation pattern.

[0053] See also Figure 7 ,and Figure 6 The difference is that the 1st to Kth sampling points 01 are distributed in the YZ plane.

[0054] It should be further explained that, in addition to the above, Figure 3The package antenna 2 can be measured by using the Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) technology shown in FIG. Figure 8 The direct far field (DFF) and near field to far field transformation (NFTF) techniques are shown to measure the package antenna 2.

[0055] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0056] (1) By combining measurement and calculation, the measured electric field amplitude G can be obtained from each independent sub-antenna 21. i＝1～N The phase θ of the measured electric field i＝1～N , combined with numerical calculations to give the amplitude proportionality coefficients S of any given ratio i＝1～N Phase shift Δθ with these inputs i＝1～N , numerical calculation is used to avoid additional measurement equipment and components, such as coaxial transmission line 1, thereby avoiding measurement errors introduced by inconsistencies in additional measurement equipment and components.

[0057] (2) Shorten the measurement time and eliminate the need for external physical measurement equipment 10 (see Figure 2 )The time required.

[0058] (3) Cost saving. The existing OTA antenna measurement equipment already has the function of measuring the electric field amplitude and the electric field phase of the sub-antenna 21. Therefore, by further combining with the operation unit 30, it is possible to evaluate how to control the phased array radiation pattern after the sub-antennas 21 transmit and receive arbitrary signal amplitudes and phases.

[0059] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention.

[0060] Reference numerals

[0061] AiP Antenna

[0062] RFIC Radio Frequency Chip

[0063] L1 Antenna component radiating layer

[0064] L2 Conductive Line Layer

[0065] PA Power Amplifier Unit

[0066] PS Multiple Phase Shifters

[0067] 1 Coaxial transmission line

[0068] 11 Connectors

[0069] 12 Welding points

[0070] 10. Measuring equipment

[0071] 13 Antenna patch

[0072] 2 Package Antenna

[0073] 21 Sub-antenna

[0074] 20 Radiation field measurement equipment

[0075] 30 Arithmetic Units

[0076] 3 Probe

[0077] 4 Field measurement unit

[0078] 01 Sampling point

Claims

1. A packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system, applied to a packaged antenna, the packaged antenna includes N sub-antennas, parameter N is an integer greater than 3, the sub-antennas are numbered sequentially as No. 1 to No. N sub-antennas, the evaluation system includes: A radiation field measurement device measures N measured electric field amplitudes G generated in sequence by the 1st to Nth sub-antennas at a jth sampling point. i＝1～N , and N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N ;and A computing unit converts each measured electric field phase θ i Phase shift Δθ with an input i After adding, we get an updated phase θ′ i , and each of the measured electric field amplitudes G i With an amplitude proportionality coefficient S i After multiplication, we get a weighted adjustment amplitude G′ i , and calculate an evaluation array gain G of the package antenna array ,as follows: G′ i =S i ×G i ,θ′ i =θ i +Δθ i , 2. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radiation field measurement equipment includes: A probe and a field measurement unit are electrically connected, and the probe sequentially touches and measures the sub-antennas to obtain the N measured electric field amplitudes G i＝1～N , and the N measured electric field phases θ i＝1～N .

3. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the N signals input from the 1st to the Nth sub-antenna have a size ratio of A1 to A N When the amplitude proportionality coefficient S i as follows:

4. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 3, characterized in that: N=4, A1=1, A2=2, A3=2, A4=1, the four amplitude proportional coefficients are as follows:

5. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 3, characterized in that: N=4, A1=1, A2=1, A3=1, A4=1, the four amplitude proportional coefficients are as follows:

6. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The parameter j=1-K, and the K sampling points are spaced apart from each other and are located on a preset space sphere.

7. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The computing unit further compares the coordinate position of the jth sampling point with the corresponding evaluation array gain G array Plot a beamforming radiation pattern.

8. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radiation field measurement equipment uses a compact antenna test range (CATR) technology to measure the packaged antenna.

9. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radiation field measurement equipment uses direct far field (DFF) technology to measure the package antenna.

10. The packaged antenna phased array radiation pattern evaluation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radiation field measurement equipment uses the Near Field to Far Field Transformation (NFTF) technology to measure the package antenna.

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