Control device, method, antenna system and computing control device for an antenna

Abstract

A kind of control device, method, antenna system and computing control device of antenna, antenna includes multiple antenna array elements and multiple phase shifters for phase calibration to multiple antenna array elements, control device includes temperature sensor, positioning unit and computing control unit, wherein: temperature sensor is configured to obtain the temperature information of antenna, and output to computing control unit;Positioning unit is configured to obtain the position information of antenna, and output to computing control unit;Computing control unit is configured to receive the position information and temperature information of antenna, determine the position information of satellite, according to the position information and temperature information of antenna, the position information of satellite and the calibration data stored in advance, control phase shifter adjusts the phase of multiple antenna array elements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to, but is not limited to, the field of display technology, and particularly to an antenna control device, method, antenna system, and computing control device. Background Technology

[0002] A phased array antenna is an antenna that changes its radiation pattern shape by controlling the feed phase of the radiating elements in the array. Controlling the phase can change the direction of the maximum radiation value of the antenna pattern to achieve beam scanning. Phased array antennas have a wide range of applications, such as communication between vehicles and satellites, array radar for unmanned vehicles, and array radar for security protection.

[0003] Traditional phased array antennas suffer from high cost, large profile, and difficult heat dissipation. To overcome these problems, liquid crystal phased array antennas have been introduced. Liquid crystal phased array antennas offer advantages such as high operating frequency, good heat dissipation, thinness, small size, breakdown resistance, and low cost. However, liquid crystal phased array antenna systems also suffer from severe losses, poor vibration resistance, and poor low-temperature adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following is an overview of the subject matter described in detail herein. This overview is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0005] This disclosure provides a control device for an antenna, the antenna including multiple antenna elements and multiple phase shifters for phase calibration of the multiple antenna elements. The control device includes a temperature sensor, a positioning unit, and a calculation control unit, wherein: the temperature sensor is configured to acquire temperature information of the antenna and output it to the calculation control unit; the positioning unit is configured to acquire position information of the antenna and output it to the calculation control unit; the calculation control unit is configured to receive the position information and temperature information of the antenna, determine the position information of a satellite, and control the phase shifters to adjust the phase of the multiple antenna elements based on the position information and temperature information of the antenna, the position information of the satellite, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the control device further includes a coupler and a signal processing unit; the coupler is configured to output the signal received by the antenna to the signal processing unit; the signal processing unit is configured to perform signal processing on the signal received by the antenna to obtain an intermediate signal; the calculation control unit is further configured to calculate the gain of the intermediate signal, determine whether the gain of the intermediate signal is less than or equal to a first gain threshold, and if it is less than or equal to the first gain threshold, control the phase shifter to fine-tune the phase of the plurality of antenna elements.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the coupler is a power divider or a microstrip line coupled to a receiving link, the receiving link connecting the antenna to an external receiving terminal, one end of the microstrip line being connected to a ground resistor, and the other end of the microstrip line being connected to the signal processing unit.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the microstrip line is a periodic cosine or sine curve structure.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the signal processing unit includes a filter, a mixer, and an analog-to-digital converter; the filter is configured to filter the signal received by the antenna; the mixer is configured to mix the output signal of the filter with a signal provided by a local oscillator; and the analog-to-digital converter is configured to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the output signal of the mixer to generate the intermediate signal.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the control device further includes at least one of a heating module and a cooling module; the computing control unit is further configured to determine a calibration temperature of the antenna based on the temperature of the antenna, and when the temperature of the antenna is not the determined calibration temperature, control at least one of the heating module and the cooling module to adjust the temperature of the antenna to the determined calibration temperature; the heating module is configured to heat the antenna under the control of the computing control unit; the cooling module is configured to cool the antenna under the control of the computing control unit.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the pre-stored calibration data includes: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the location of the transmitter, the temperature of the antenna, and the phase calibration value of the antenna.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, controlling the phase shifter to adjust the phase of the plurality of antenna elements based on the antenna's position information and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data includes: determining the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information; determining a corresponding set of test data based on the corresponding transmitter position and the antenna's temperature information; and controlling the phase shifter to adjust the phase of the plurality of antenna elements based on the corresponding test data.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the satellite is located at position C, and the antenna is located at position B2. Determining the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information includes: drawing a first vertical straight line segment from position C, and a second horizontal straight line segment from position B2, the first and second straight line segments intersecting at position A2; determining position A1 on straight line CA2 at a distance from position C equal to the height of the calibration plane, where the calibration plane height is equal to the distance between the plane containing the multiple transmitter positions during calibration and the antenna position; drawing a third horizontal straight line segment from position A1, the third straight line segment intersecting with straight line CB2 at position B1, then position B1 is the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the computing control unit is a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chip.

[0015] This disclosure also provides an antenna system, including an antenna and an antenna control device as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0016] This disclosure also provides a method for controlling an antenna, the antenna including multiple antenna elements and multiple phase shifters for calibrating the phase of the multiple antenna elements, the control method including: receiving antenna position information and temperature information, determining satellite position information; and adjusting the phase of the multiple antenna elements according to the antenna position information and temperature information, the satellite position information and pre-stored calibration data.

[0017] This disclosure also provides a computing control device, including a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions and calibration data. The processor is configured to call the program instructions stored in the memory and execute the following steps according to the obtained program: receiving antenna position information and temperature information to determine satellite position information; and adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements according to the antenna position information and temperature information, the satellite position information, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0018] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions and calibration data. When the program instructions are executed, the following steps can be achieved: receiving antenna position information and temperature information to determine satellite position information; adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements according to the antenna position information and temperature information, the satellite position information, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0019] After reading and understanding the accompanying diagrams and detailed descriptions, other aspects can be understood. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the technical solutions of this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of this disclosure. The shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings do not reflect actual proportions and are only intended to illustrate the content of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1a , Figure 1b and Figure 1c This is a schematic diagram of the control device for three types of antennas according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for another antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a coupler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a microstrip line according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a signal processing flow according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the temperature control principle of an antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an antenna calibration process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the calibration principle of an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the receiving direction of the antenna when the ground receiving station moves according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0030] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the ground receiving station mapping method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna phase control process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for mapping a set of calibration data to multiple satellites according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the implementation can be carried out in many different forms. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the methods and content can be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Without conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

[0035] In this specification, for convenience, terms such as "middle," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" are used to indicate orientation or positional relationships in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. This is solely for the purpose of facilitating the description and simplification, and does not imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. The positional relationships of the constituent elements may be appropriately varied depending on the orientation of each constituent element being described. Therefore, the use of terms not limited to those described in the specification may be appropriately replaced as needed.

[0036] In this specification, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or joint; a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate component, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of these terms in this disclosure based on the specific circumstances.

[0037] like Figure 1a As shown, this disclosure provides a control device for an antenna. The antenna includes multiple antenna elements and multiple phase shifters for phase calibration of the multiple antenna elements. The control device includes a temperature sensor 101, a positioning unit 102, and a calculation and control unit 103, wherein:

[0038] Temperature sensor 101 is configured to acquire temperature information of the antenna and output it to calculation and control unit 103;

[0039] The positioning unit 102 is configured to acquire the antenna's position information and output it to the calculation and control unit 103;

[0040] The calculation control unit 103 is configured to receive antenna position information and temperature information, determine satellite position information, and control the phase shifter to adjust the phase of multiple antenna array elements based on antenna position information, temperature information, satellite position information, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0041] Current antennas generally use external receiving terminals as control systems. However, most antenna manufacturers do not produce external receiving terminals at the same time as manufacturing antennas. For antenna manufacturers, it is necessary to use an external receiving terminal to control the phase of the antenna. Moreover, when the external receiving terminal controls the phase of the antenna, it is generally necessary to first modulate and demodulate satellite data. Therefore, this phase control scheme is inconvenient to use and requires the resources of the external receiving terminal.

[0042] The control device provided in this disclosure not only solves the phase alignment problem of liquid crystal phased array antennas with geostationary satellites, enabling phased array antennas to be in phase, greatly increasing the receiving gain, improving the signal-to-noise ratio, and thus improving signal quality, but also allows the liquid crystal to move directionally after being energized, providing better vibration resistance. Furthermore, the antenna control device of this disclosure can form a negative feedback subsystem, allowing antenna manufacturers to control the antenna phase independently without using an external receiving terminal.

[0043] In some exemplary embodiments, such as Figure 1b As shown, the control device may also include a coupler 104 and a signal processing unit 105;

[0044] Coupler 104 is configured to output the signal received by the antenna to signal processing unit 105;

[0045] Signal processing unit 105 is configured to process the received signal to obtain an intermediate signal;

[0046] The calculation control unit 103 is also configured to calculate the gain of the intermediate signal, determine whether the gain of the intermediate signal is less than or equal to a first gain threshold, and if it is less than or equal to the first gain threshold, fine-tune the phase of the multiple antenna array elements.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the calculation control unit 103 can calculate the gain of the intermediate signal by calculating the measurement integral.

[0048] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 1b or Figure 1c As shown, coupler 104 is also configured to output the signal received by the antenna to an external receiving terminal. The external receiving terminal may include a transmitting subsystem, a receiving subsystem, and an information processing module; this disclosure does not limit this and the configuration can be arbitrary.

[0049] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 1cAs shown, the positioning unit 102 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS), an accelerometer, and a gyroscope. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a high-precision radio navigation positioning system based on artificial Earth satellites. It can provide accurate geographical location, speed, and precise time information anywhere in the world and in near-Earth space. The accelerometer and gyroscope can capture the antenna's motion direction and acceleration data in real time based on the antenna's position information.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the computing control unit 103 can determine the satellite's position information based on the antenna's position information or pre-stored satellite position information.

[0051] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, a signal amplifier can be installed between the antenna and the receiving link. The signal amplifier is configured to amplify and output the signal received by the antenna.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the signal amplifier can be a low-noise amplifier (LNA) or a low-noise block (LNB). A low-noise amplifier is a high-sensitivity preamplifier, typically connected to the feed horn of a ground station antenna to reduce the noise temperature of the receiving system and increase its overall gain. The function of the low-noise block is to amplify and down-convert the satellite signal transmitted from the feed horn, converting the Ku / KA or C-band signal into an L-band signal, which is then transmitted to the satellite receiver via a coaxial cable.

[0053] The KA band (Ka-band) is a satellite communication band typically used for downlink transmission from 17.7 to 20.2 GHz and uplink transmission from 27.5 to 30.0 GHz, often referred to as the 20 / 30 GHz band. The Ku band (Ku-band) is a satellite communication band typically used for downlink transmission from 10.7 to 13.25 GHz and uplink transmission from 14.0 to 14.5 GHz, often referred to as the 12 / 14 GHz band. The C band is a frequency band from 4.0 to 8.0 GHz used for downlink transmission signals from communication satellites. L-band signals refer to the satellite signals output after downlink processing (Ku / KA or C-band signals) by a low-noise block downconverter (LNB). These signals have a frequency range of 950 MHz to 2150 MHz and are characterized by high frequency and wide bandwidth.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the coupler 104 can be a 3dB coupler, and the amplitudes of the output signals at the two output ports of the 3dB coupler are equal. In other exemplary embodiments, the amplitudes of the signals at the two output ports of the coupler may also be unequal.

[0055] In one exemplary embodiment, coupler 104 can be a power divider. A power divider is a device that splits the energy of one input signal into two or more outputs of equal or unequal energy. The function of a power divider is to equally divide a satellite intermediate frequency signal into several outputs, typically two-way, four-way, six-way, etc.

[0056] In another exemplary embodiment, the coupler 104 may be a microstrip line coupled to a receiving link, the receiving link connecting an antenna (or signal amplifier) ​​to an external receiving terminal, one end of the microstrip line being connected to a ground resistor (exemplarily, the resistance value of the ground resistor may be 50 ohms), and the other end of the microstrip line being connected to a signal processing unit.

[0057] In this embodiment, the directional coupler is a common microwave / millimeter-wave component in microwave measurements and other microwave systems. It can be used for signal isolation, separation, and mixing, such as power monitoring, source output power stabilization, signal source isolation, and frequency sweep testing of transmission and reflection. It is a directional microwave power divider and an indispensable component in modern frequency sweep reflectometers. Common types include waveguides, coaxial lines, striplines, and microstrip lines. Figure 3 As shown, a directional coupler typically has four ports and two transmission lines. The four ports are: an input port, a through port, a coupling port, and an isolation port. The two transmission lines include a main transmission line 1-2 and a secondary transmission line 3-4. When a signal is input from the input port, part of the signal is transmitted along the main transmission line 1-2 to the through port, and part is coupled to the secondary transmission line 3-4 through a small hole, gap, or other means. Coupling includes electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling. The current coupled to the secondary transmission line by the electric field is transmitted to both the coupling port and the isolation port, while the current coupled to the secondary transmission line by the magnetic field is transmitted only to the coupling port.

[0058] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 4 As shown, the microstrip line can be a periodic cosine or sine curve structure.

[0059] In this embodiment, the microstrip line is a microwave transmission line consisting of a single conductor strip supported on a dielectric substrate. A grounded metal plate is fabricated on the other side of the substrate. The microstrip line and the receiving link are placed close enough so that the signal on the receiving link can be coupled to the microstrip line. One end of the microstrip line can be connected to a 50-ohm resistor to ground, and the other end can be connected to a filter.

[0060] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, the signal processing unit 105 may include a filter, a mixer, and an analog-to-digital converter;

[0061] The filter is configured to filter the signal received by the antenna.

[0062] A mixer configured to mix the output signal of a filter with a signal provided by a local oscillator;

[0063] An analog-to-digital converter is configured to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the output signal of a mixer to generate an intermediate signal.

[0064] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 5 As shown, the antenna receives the radio frequency signal, which is coupled through a coupler and then enters the filters in the receiving terminal and signal processing unit, respectively. The signal processing at the receiving terminal is beyond the scope of this disclosure. The filters suppress signals outside the KA or KU bands, sending the KA or KU band signals to the mixer. Under the action of the local oscillator, the signal is downgraded to a suitable intermediate frequency and output to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC, including the zero-IF receiving system, converts the analog signal into a digital signal, and then outputs the digital signal to the computational control unit. The computational control unit performs a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the digital signal, converting it into a frequency domain signal. Then, it calculates the power spectral density (PSD) of the frequency domain signal to obtain the power of the received signal. The power spectral density of a signal refers to the power carried per unit frequency of the wave, obtained by multiplying the power spectral density of the wave by an appropriate coefficient.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the computing control unit 103 can be a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip. FPGA devices are a type of semi-custom circuit within the field of Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). They are programmable logic arrays that effectively address the problem of limited gate counts in traditional devices. FPGAs, emerging as a semi-custom circuit in the ASIC field, not only solve the shortcomings of custom circuits but also overcome the limitation of limited gate counts in traditional programmable devices.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, the antenna can be a liquid crystal phased array antenna, which includes a plurality of antenna elements and a liquid crystal phase shifter for calibrating the phase of each antenna element.

[0067] Liquid crystal is a material whose dielectric constant can be controlled by applying voltage. With different applied bias voltages, the dielectric constant can be continuously changed, thereby enabling continuous phase shift adjustment. Liquid crystal phase shifters are a new type of phase shifter that scholars at home and abroad are currently researching, and they have broad application prospects in the microwave and millimeter-wave bands.

[0068] In this embodiment, the antenna array elements are used to receive / transmit radio frequency (RF) signals. Each antenna array element may include a radiating element and a receiving element, wherein the radiating element transmits RF signals and the receiving element receives RF signals. The liquid crystal phased array antenna also includes a liquid crystal phase shifter for phase calibration of each antenna array element. The liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter are anisotropic and exhibit different dielectric constants in the long axis and short axis directions. When the RF signal propagates along the transmission line in the liquid crystal layer with the altered dielectric constant, the RF signal undergoes a phase shift to a certain extent. Therefore, the phase shift of the RF signal can be achieved by controlling the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, and this deflection can be further achieved by controlling the modulation voltage applied to the electrode structure.

[0069] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, the control device may also include at least one of a heating module and a cooling module;

[0070] The calculation control unit 103 can also be configured to determine the calibration temperature of the antenna based on the antenna temperature, and when the antenna temperature is not the determined calibration temperature, control the heating module or cooling module to adjust the antenna temperature to the determined calibration temperature.

[0071] The heating module is configured to heat the antenna under the control of the computing control unit;

[0072] The cooling module is configured to cool the antenna under the control of the computing control unit.

[0073] Because liquid crystals are sensitive to temperature and can freeze at low temperatures, in some exemplary embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the control device in this embodiment may further include a heating module, configured to heat the liquid crystal when the liquid crystal temperature is too low, raising the liquid crystal to a high temperature suitable for normal use. In other exemplary embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the control device may also include a cooling module, which is configured to reduce the heating power to stabilize the liquid crystal to a suitable temperature when the liquid crystal temperature is too high.

[0074] The control device of this embodiment, through a heating module and a cooling module, can keep the entire antenna in a constant temperature environment, effectively avoiding the influence of temperature on the liquid crystal state, thus solving the problem of poor low-temperature adaptability of liquid crystal phased array antenna systems. In this embodiment, the fluidity of the liquid crystal is affected by thermal and electrical stresses, resulting in more accurate phase control, achieving a standard of 1 degree, which plays an important role in the phase alignment of the antenna.

[0075] For example, the number of antenna elements can be 64 or any other arbitrary number.

[0076] In an exemplary embodiment, the pre-stored calibration data may include: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the transmitter location, the antenna temperature and the antenna phase calibration value.

[0077] In an exemplary implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, the pre-stored calibration data can be obtained in the following ways:

[0078] During the calibration phase, in a microwave anechoic chamber, the ambient temperature around the antenna is lowered to below -20 degrees Celsius, and the antenna is heated to a suitable temperature based on the ambient temperature. The antenna temperature is recorded as T1, for example, -20 degrees Celsius. Then, normal antenna calibration begins. No voltage is applied to any of the liquid crystal phase shifters. The transmitter is placed at position A1 and transmits a signal. The phase corresponding to all antenna elements is measured and recorded as C11. Assuming the antenna has 64 antenna elements, then C11 = (C111, C112, ..., C1164), where C111, C112, ..., C1164 correspond to the measured phases of the 64 antenna elements at temperature T1 and the transmitter at position A1. Then, the transmitter is placed sequentially at preset positions A2 to An in n-1 different directions, and the phase of all antenna elements is tested using the same method and recorded as C12 to C1n, where C12 = (C121, C122, ..., C1264), where C121, C122, ..., C1264 correspond to the phases of the 64 antenna elements when the temperature is T1 and the transmitter is at position A2, ..., C1n = (C1n1, C1n2, ..., C1n64), where C1n1, C1n2, ..., C1n64 correspond to the phases of the 64 antenna elements when the temperature is T1 and the transmitter is at position An, where n is a natural number.

[0079] Perform the following operations on C11 to C1n respectively: with a certain phase value as a reference (for example, C1i can be based on C1i1, or any other arbitrary phase value, such as 0, where i is a natural number between 1 and n), perform a difference operation on all the tested phases, and store the difference results as calibration data.

[0080] For example, assuming 0 as the baseline, the recorded calibration data can be (A1, T1, -C11), (A1, T1, -C12), ..., (A1, T1, -C1n), where -C11 = (-C111, -C112, ..., -C1164), -C12 = (-C121, -C122, ..., -C1264), ..., -C1n = (-C1n1, -C1n2, ..., -C1n) 64) Since the original phase is C11, C12, ... or C1n, the phase of the signal entering RX_in will be C11-C11, C12-C12, ... or C1n-C1n, which is 0, thus achieving the phase alignment effect. That is, (A1, T1, -C11), (A1, T1, -C12), ..., (A1, T1, -C1n) constitute a set of calibration data, which can be called by the calculation control unit when in use.

[0081] Then, using the same method, the calibration data corresponding to different emission source positions at temperatures T2 to Tm are obtained and stored, where m is a natural number. For example, the values ​​of T1 to Tm can range from -20 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius, with increments of 10 degrees Celsius. During the calibration phase, a sufficient number of emission source positions and temperature values ​​can be set.

[0082] In an exemplary embodiment, the phase shifter is controlled to adjust the phase of multiple antenna elements based on antenna position information and temperature information, satellite position information, and pre-stored calibration data, including:

[0083] Based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information, determine the corresponding transmitter location in the calibration data;

[0084] Based on the determined location of the transmitting source and the temperature information of the antenna, a set of corresponding test data is determined;

[0085] Based on the corresponding test data, the phase shifter is controlled to adjust the phase of multiple antenna array elements.

[0086] Because receiving and transmitting are reciprocal, changes in the relative positions of the receiver and transmitter will not cause changes in the signal phase. Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the calibrated transmitter can be considered as a ground receiving station, and the ground receiving station can be considered as a satellite. When the ground receiving station moves, the satellite remains stationary. The position of the ground receiving station is obtained through the positioning unit. The position of the geostationary satellite is fixed, so the azimuth maps of the ground receiving station and the geostationary satellite are also fixed, and there is a one-to-one correspondence with the position of the near-field calibration. When the position and temperature of the antenna are constant, there is a set of calibration data Cji, where j is a natural number between 1 and m, and i is a natural number between 1 and n. This set of calibration data Cji will make the phase of the phased array antenna aligned.

[0087] The method for determining the corresponding emission source location in the calibration data is as follows: Figure 10 As shown, since the satellite is a ground-synchronous receiving satellite, the satellite's position C is fixed. The antenna's position B2 is determined by the positioning unit. Since CA2 is perpendicular to B2A2, the position of A2 can be determined accordingly. The length of CA1 is equal to the distance from the antenna to the calibration plane (i.e., the plane containing the preset positions A1 to An in different orientations) during calibration. A ray perpendicular to CA2 is drawn from point A1 and then connected to CB2. It can be seen that CB2 intersects the ray drawn from point A1 at point B1. Point B1 is the corresponding transmitter position in the determined calibration data. By calling the calibration data corresponding to the temperature of the current antenna at point B1, the phase alignment of multiple antenna elements can be achieved.

[0088] The control device in this embodiment is designed to control the antenna phase under m temperature modes, with the aim of reducing unnecessary heat loss. In the exemplary embodiment, the antenna of this disclosure can operate in an environment ranging from -50 degrees Celsius to 105 degrees Celsius. Since the condensation temperature of liquid crystal is generally -20 degrees Celsius, the liquid crystal will not work below this temperature. When the temperature sensor reads that the antenna temperature is below -20 degrees Celsius, the heating module can heat the antenna to -20 degrees Celsius, which means that the temperature of the antenna temperature sensor is set to -20 degrees Celsius. Since the ambient temperature is constantly changing, the temperature sensor continuously reads the temperature of the liquid crystal and continuously changes the heating power of the heating module to stabilize the temperature at -20 degrees Celsius. The positioning unit locates the position of the antenna, and based on the antenna position and temperature, a set of calibration data is retrieved to control the antenna phase and maximize the antenna gain.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, when the antenna temperature is below -20 degrees Celsius, the liquid crystal temperature can be raised to -20 degrees Celsius; when the antenna temperature is above -20 degrees Celsius and below -10 degrees Celsius, the liquid crystal temperature can be raised to -10 degrees Celsius; when the antenna temperature is above -10 degrees Celsius and below 0 degrees Celsius, the liquid crystal temperature can be raised to 0 degrees Celsius; when the antenna temperature is between 0 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius, the liquid crystal temperature can be controlled to the nearest whole number of ten between 10 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius; when the antenna temperature is above 60 degrees Celsius, the cooling module lowers the antenna temperature to 60 degrees Celsius, thus preventing overheating and damage to the phase control circuit system.

[0090] When using the control device of this embodiment, the antenna is placed in a plane, and no alignment and satellite-finding operation is required, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the antenna temperature is obtained through a temperature sensor, and it is determined whether the antenna temperature is the calibration temperature. If not, the antenna temperature is adjusted through a heating or cooling module. The antenna position is obtained through a positioning unit, and then a set of calibration data is determined based on the antenna position information, temperature information, and satellite position information. Based on the corresponding calibration data, the antenna phase is adjusted. The signal processing unit processes the signal received by the antenna to obtain an intermediate signal. The control device calculates the gain of the intermediate signal and determines whether the gain of the intermediate signal is greater than or equal to a first gain threshold. If not, the antenna phase is dynamically fine-tuned, for example, adjusting the phase of multiple antenna elements one or two degrees up or down until the gain of the intermediate signal is greater than or equal to the first gain threshold. The control device in this embodiment can automatically adjust the antenna phase according to the antenna position and temperature, so that the antenna main lobe azimuth angle is aligned with the satellite, maximizing the gain.

[0091] like Figure 12 As shown, when there are multiple satellites, the antenna can call the calibration data corresponding to the position of the currently used satellite based on the positions of the multiple satellites, so that the phase of the multiple antenna array elements can be made consistent.

[0092] like Figure 13As shown, the control device in this embodiment can also use an open-loop mode to control the antenna. When using an open-loop mode to control the antenna, the control device first reads the antenna's position and temperature. The antenna's position can be located by GPS, the antenna's temperature can be read by a temperature sensor, the current acceleration can be read by an accelerometer, and the azimuth, horizontal position, velocity, and acceleration can be read by a gyroscope. By comparing the data from the gyroscope and the accelerometer, a more accurate value is obtained. The control unit calculates and determines the position and direction, and adjusts the antenna's phase in an open-loop manner. This allows for faster phase tracking of the antenna. However, since no fine-tuning is performed, the antenna gain may not be the maximum gain.

[0093] This disclosure also provides an antenna system, including an antenna and a control device for the antenna as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0094] This disclosure also provides an antenna control method, including:

[0095] The location and temperature information of the receiving antenna are used to determine the satellite's location.

[0096] The phases of multiple antenna elements are adjusted based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0097] In an exemplary embodiment, the control method further includes:

[0098] Calculate the gain of the intermediate signal, determine whether the gain of the intermediate signal is less than or equal to a first gain threshold, and if it is less than or equal to the first gain threshold, fine-tune the phase of the plurality of antenna elements.

[0099] In an exemplary embodiment, the pre-stored calibration data includes: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the location of the transmitter, the temperature of the antenna, and the phase calibration value of the antenna.

[0100] The step of adjusting the phase of the plurality of antenna elements based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data includes:

[0101] Based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information, determine the corresponding transmitter location in the calibration data;

[0102] Based on the corresponding source location and antenna temperature information, a set of test data is determined.

[0103] Based on the corresponding test data, the phases of the multiple antenna array elements are adjusted.

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment, the satellite is located at position C, and the antenna is located at position B2. The step of determining the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information includes:

[0105] Draw a vertical first straight line segment from position C, and a horizontal second straight line segment from position B2. The first and second straight line segments intersect at position A2.

[0106] On the straight line CA2, determine position A1, which is a distance from position C equal to the height of the calibration plane. The height of the calibration plane is equal to the distance between the plane where the multiple transmitters are located and the antenna position during calibration.

[0107] Draw a third horizontal straight line segment from position A1. This third straight line segment intersects with line CB2 at position B1. Position B1 is the corresponding emission source position in the calibration data.

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment, the computing control unit is a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chip.

[0109] All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the above functional modules, and will not be repeated here.

[0110] This disclosure also provides a computing control device, including a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions and calibration data. The processor is configured to call the program instructions stored in the memory and execute the following steps according to the obtained program: receiving antenna position information and temperature information, determining satellite position information; and adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements according to the antenna position information and temperature information, the satellite position information, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0111] Memory can store computer programs and data, and may include high-speed random access memory, non-volatile memory such as disk storage devices, flash memory devices, read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, one-time programmable memory (OTP), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. Memory can exist independently and be connected to the processor via communication lines. Memory can also be integrated with the processor.

[0112] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions and calibration data. When the program instructions are executed, the following steps can be achieved: receiving antenna position information and temperature information to determine satellite position information; and adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements according to the antenna position information and temperature information, the satellite position information, and pre-stored calibration data.

[0113] For example, the aforementioned computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, or magnetic tapes), optical discs (e.g., CDs (Compact Disks), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), cards, sticks, or key drives, etc.). The various computer-readable storage media described in this disclosure may represent one or more devices for storing information and / or other machine-readable storage media. The term "machine-readable storage media" may include, but is not limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and / or carrying instructions and / or data.

[0114] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer program product. This computer program product includes computer program instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more steps in the antenna control method described in the above embodiments.

[0115] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer program. When executed on a computer, the computer program causes the computer to perform one or more steps in the antenna control method described in the above embodiments.

[0116] The beneficial effects of the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium, computer program product, and computer program are the same as the beneficial effects of the antenna control method described in some of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0117] The accompanying drawings in this disclosure only illustrate the structures relevant to this disclosure; other structures can be referenced to common designs. Unless otherwise specified, embodiments of this disclosure, i.e., features within the embodiments, can be combined with each other to obtain new embodiments.

[0118] Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions disclosed herein, and all such modifications and substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A control device for an antenna, the antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of liquid crystal phase shifters for performing phase calibration on the plurality of antenna elements, the control device comprising a temperature sensor, a positioning unit, and a calculation control unit, wherein: The temperature sensor is configured to acquire the temperature information of the antenna and output it to the calculation and control unit; The positioning unit is configured to acquire the position information of the antenna and output it to the calculation and control unit; The computing control unit is configured to receive the position information and temperature information of the antenna, determine the position information of the satellite, and control the liquid crystal phase shifter to adjust the phase of the plurality of antenna array elements based on the position information and temperature information of the antenna, the position information of the satellite, and pre-stored calibration data. The control device uses a heating module and / or a cooling module to keep the entire antenna in a constant temperature environment to avoid the influence of temperature on the liquid crystal state of the liquid crystal phase shifter. The pre-stored calibration data includes: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the transmitter location, the antenna temperature and the antenna phase calibration value; The pre-stored calibration data is obtained as follows: In a microwave anechoic chamber, with the antenna temperature at a first temperature, all liquid crystal phase shifters are unloaded. The transmitter is placed at the first position of the near-field test point and transmits a signal, testing the phase corresponding to all antenna elements. Then, the transmitter is placed sequentially at the second and other positions of the near-field test point, and the phase corresponding to all antenna elements is tested in the same way. Using a predetermined phase value as a reference, the phases tested at the same temperature and position are interpolated, and the interpolation results are stored as calibration data. The same method is used to obtain and store the calibration data corresponding to multiple transmitter positions at multiple temperatures. The step of controlling the liquid crystal phase shifter to adjust the phase of the plurality of antenna array elements based on the antenna's position information and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data includes: determining the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information; determining a corresponding set of test data based on the corresponding transmitter position and the antenna's temperature information; and controlling the liquid crystal phase shifter to adjust the phase of the plurality of antenna array elements based on the corresponding test data.

2. The control device according to claim 1 further includes a coupler and a signal processing unit; The coupler is configured to output the signal received by the antenna to the signal processing unit; The signal processing unit is configured to process the signal received by the antenna to obtain an intermediate signal. The calculation control unit is further configured to calculate the gain of the intermediate signal, determine whether the gain of the intermediate signal is less than or equal to a first gain threshold, and if it is less than or equal to the first gain threshold, control the liquid crystal phase shifter to fine-tune the phase of the plurality of antenna array elements so that the azimuth angle of the antenna main lobe is aligned with the satellite and the gain is maximized.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein, The coupler is a power divider or a microstrip line coupled to a receiving link. The receiving link connects the antenna to an external receiving terminal. One end of the microstrip line is connected to a ground resistor, and the other end of the microstrip line is connected to the signal processing unit.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein, The microstrip line has a periodic cosine or sine curve structure.

5. The control device according to claim 2, wherein, The signal processing unit includes a filter, a mixer, and an analog-to-digital converter; The filter is configured to filter the signal received by the antenna; The mixer is configured to mix the output signal of the filter with a signal provided by a local oscillator. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the output signal of the mixer to generate the intermediate signal.

6. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of the heating module and the cooling module; The calculation control unit is further configured to determine the calibration temperature of the antenna based on the temperature of the antenna, and when the temperature of the antenna is not the determined calibration temperature, to control at least one of the heating module and the cooling module to adjust the temperature of the antenna to the determined calibration temperature; The heating module is configured to heat the antenna under the control of the computing control unit; The cooling module is configured to cool the antenna under the control of the computing control unit.

7. The control device according to claim 1, wherein, The satellite is located at position C, and the antenna is located at position B2. The step of determining the corresponding transmitter location in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information includes: Draw a first vertical straight line segment from position C, and a second horizontal straight line segment from position B2. The first straight line segment and the second straight line segment intersect at position A2, where position A2 is the second position. On the straight line CA2, determine position A1, which is a distance from position C equal to the height of the calibration plane. Position A1 is the first position, and the height of the calibration plane is equal to the distance between the plane where the multiple transmitting sources are located and the antenna position during calibration. Draw a third horizontal straight line segment from position A1. This third straight line segment intersects with line CB2 at position B1. Position B1 is the corresponding emission source position in the calibration data.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein, The computing control unit is a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chip.

9. An antenna system comprising an antenna and a control device for the antenna as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A method for controlling an antenna, the antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of liquid crystal phase shifters for performing phase calibration on the plurality of antenna elements, the control method comprising: The location and temperature information of the receiving antenna are used to determine the satellite's location. The phases of multiple antenna elements are adjusted based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data. The antenna is set in a constant temperature environment to avoid the influence of temperature on the liquid crystal state of the liquid crystal phase shifter; The pre-stored calibration data includes: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the transmitter location, the antenna temperature and the antenna phase calibration value; The pre-stored calibration data is obtained as follows: In a microwave anechoic chamber, with the antenna temperature at a first temperature, all liquid crystal phase shifters are unloaded. The transmitter is placed at the first position of the near-field test point and transmits a signal, testing the phase corresponding to all antenna elements. Then, the transmitter is placed sequentially at the second and other positions of the near-field test point, and the phase corresponding to all antenna elements is tested in the same way. Using a predetermined phase value as a reference, the phases tested at the same temperature and position are interpolated, and the interpolation results are stored as calibration data. The same method is used to obtain and store the calibration data corresponding to multiple transmitter positions at multiple temperatures. The step of adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data includes: determining the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information; determining a corresponding set of test data based on the corresponding transmitter position and the antenna's temperature information; and controlling the liquid crystal phase shifter to adjust the phase of the multiple antenna array elements based on the corresponding test data.

11. A computing control device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store program instructions and calibration data; the processor is configured to call the program instructions stored in the memory and execute the following steps according to the obtained program: receiving antenna position information and temperature information, and determining satellite position information; The phases of multiple antenna elements are adjusted based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data. in, The antenna is set in a constant temperature environment to avoid the influence of temperature on the liquid crystal state of the liquid crystal phase shifter; The pre-stored calibration data includes: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the transmitter location, the antenna temperature and the antenna phase calibration value; The pre-stored calibration data is obtained as follows: In a microwave anechoic chamber, with the antenna temperature at a first temperature, all liquid crystal phase shifters are unloaded. The transmitter is placed at the first position of the near-field test point and transmits a signal, testing the phase corresponding to all antenna elements. Then, the transmitter is placed sequentially at the second and other positions of the near-field test point, and the phase corresponding to all antenna elements is tested in the same way. Using a predetermined phase value as a reference, the phases tested at the same temperature and position are interpolated, and the interpolation results are stored as calibration data. The same method is used to obtain and store the calibration data corresponding to multiple transmitter positions at multiple temperatures. The processor is configured to perform the step of adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements based on the antenna's position information and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data as follows: determining the corresponding transmitter position in the calibration data based on the antenna's position information and the satellite's position information; determining a corresponding set of test data based on the corresponding transmitter position and the antenna's temperature information; and controlling the liquid crystal phase shifter to adjust the phase of the multiple antenna array elements based on the corresponding test data.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions and calibration data, wherein when the program instructions are executed, the following steps are performed: receiving antenna position information and temperature information, and determining satellite position information; The phases of multiple antenna elements are adjusted based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data. in, The antenna is set in a constant temperature environment to avoid the influence of temperature on the liquid crystal state of the liquid crystal phase shifter; The pre-stored calibration data includes: multiple sets of test data, each set of test data including a correspondence between the transmitter location, the antenna temperature and the antenna phase calibration value; The pre-stored calibration data is obtained as follows: In a microwave anechoic chamber, with the antenna temperature at a first temperature, all liquid crystal phase shifters are unloaded. The transmitter is placed at the first position of the near-field test point and transmits a signal, testing the phase corresponding to all antenna elements. Then, the transmitter is placed sequentially at the second and other positions of the near-field test point, and the phase corresponding to all antenna elements is tested in the same way. Using a predetermined phase value as a reference, the phases tested at the same temperature and position are interpolated, and the interpolation results are stored as calibration data. The same method is used to obtain and store the calibration data corresponding to multiple transmitter positions at multiple temperatures. The step of adjusting the phase of multiple antenna array elements based on the antenna's position and temperature information, the satellite's position information, and pre-stored calibration data is performed as follows: The position of the corresponding transmitter in the calibration data is determined based on the antenna's position and the satellite's position information; a set of corresponding test data is determined based on the corresponding transmitter position and the antenna's temperature information; and the phase of the multiple antenna array elements is adjusted by controlling the liquid crystal phase shifter based on the corresponding test data.

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