Radio frequency analog device for low frequency radio arrays

Abstract

The application provides a radio frequency analog device for a low-frequency radio array, comprising a dipole antenna, a balun module and an active module, the dipole antenna is used for receiving a differential signal; the balun module is connected with the dipole antenna and is used for converting the differential signal into a single-port signal; the active module is connected with the balun module and is used for receiving the single-port signal output by the balun module; wherein the balun module divides each differential signal by means of a power divider and performs double-channel backup transmission. The high-reliability design of the active balun module with double-channel backup amplification can greatly reduce the failure rate of the active balun module and improve the reliability of the radio frequency analog device. The power supply system of the active balun module with the newly-added voltage stabilizing circuit can ensure the power supply stability of the balun module, the optimization scheme of the radio frequency analog device long-distance transmission cable without power supply twisted pair can simplify the system complexity, improve the convenience of long-cable outdoor protection and reduce the cost of the radio frequency analog device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of antenna technology, and more particularly to a radio frequency simulation device for low-frequency radio arrays. Background Technology

[0002] In low-frequency radio arrays, ultra-wideband low-frequency antennas typically employ inverted "V"-shaped linear / planar dipole antennas. These dipole antennas use a pair of differential port outputs, and an active balun module is used to achieve differential-to-single-ended conversion, realizing balanced-to-unbalanced switching. Because low-frequency radio antennas are usually deployed outdoors in remote, uninhabited mountainous areas, the unstable power supply voltage and outdoor lightning strikes in these areas result in a high failure rate for the active balun module.

[0003] Ultra-wideband low-frequency antenna arrays are large in size and operate outdoors. Dipole antennas require long parallel twisted-pair cables (power signals) and coaxial cables (RF signals) for long-distance transmission of power and RF signals. Active balun modules are installed in the support columns at the top of the antenna units. The power supply line is a parallel twisted-pair cable transmitted from the equipment room to the balun module, with a cable length of more than 50 meters. The output analog signal of the balun module is connected to the surge protector via a coaxial cable.

[0004] The power supply line is relatively long, resulting in a significant voltage drop across the cable. Furthermore, under outdoor conditions, external signals (such as lightning) have a greater impact on parallel twisted-pair cables, leading to larger fluctuations in the power supply voltage. Outdoor conditions present complex challenges in protecting both the power supply twisted-pair cable and the RF coaxial cable. The surge protector is installed at the base of the antenna unit support column, with the other end connected to the back-end amplification module in the equipment room. Long-distance transmission cables can conduct lightning signals to the active balun module or the back-end amplification module, potentially damaging active components. The surge protector conducts lightning signals to the ground, thereby improving the reliability of the RF analog equipment.

[0005] The high failure rate of the active balun module in the above-mentioned existing solutions is mainly due to the following two reasons:

[0006] a. The power supply line of the active balun is relatively long. Under outdoor conditions, the voltage drop and signal interference after long-distance transmission will cause voltage fluctuations. If the voltage fluctuation range exceeds the operating voltage range of the internal amplifier, it will inevitably lead to amplifier damage.

[0007] b. In lightning conditions, the lightning signal received by the antenna can be conducted to the active balun module, or the induced current from the lightning signal can burn out the active balun module. Furthermore, the active balun module uses twisted-pair cables for long-distance outdoor transmission, which not only results in unstable signals and susceptibility to interference, but also makes outdoor cable protection more difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is how to design a high-reliability radio frequency simulation device for low-frequency radio arrays. This invention proposes a radio frequency simulation device for low-frequency radio arrays.

[0009] A radio frequency analog device for a low-frequency radio array according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0010] A dipole antenna is used to receive differential signals;

[0011] A balun module, connected to the dipole antenna, is used to convert the differential signal into a single-port signal;

[0012] An active module, connected to the balun module, is used to receive the single-port signal output by the balun module;

[0013] The balun module uses a power divider to divide each differential signal and perform dual-channel backup transmission.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the balun module includes:

[0015] The first power divider is used to receive the first signal in the differential signal and divide it into the first sub-signal and the second sub-signal.

[0016] The first amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the first sub-path;

[0017] The second amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the second sub-path;

[0018] A first synthesizer is used to synthesize the amplified first sub-channel signal and the second sub-channel signal to form a first synthesized signal;

[0019] The second power divider is used to receive the second signal of the differential signal and divide it into the third sub-signal and the fourth sub-signal.

[0020] The third amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the third sub-path;

[0021] The fourth amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the fourth sub-path;

[0022] The second synthesizer is used to synthesize the amplified third sub-channel signal and the fourth sub-channel signal to form a second synthesized signal;

[0023] A transformer is used to receive the first synthesized signal and the second synthesized signal, and convert the first synthesized signal and the second synthesized signal into a single-port signal output.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the power supply signal of the balun module is stabilized by a linear regulator and then used to power the amplifier within the balun module.

[0025] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first capacitor is connected in series at the output terminal of the balun module to achieve DC blocking function.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the power supply signal and analog signal of the balun module are transmitted using a shared coaxial cable.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the coaxial cable is provided with:

[0028] Inductors are used to demodulate DC voltage signals;

[0029] A linear regulator, located downstream of the inductor, is used to stabilize and output the demodulated DC voltage signal.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the coaxial cable further comprises:

[0031] The second and third capacitors located upstream of the linear regulator are used to filter out crosstalk from radio frequency signals to the linear regulator.

[0032] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the radio frequency analog device further includes:

[0033] A lightning rod is placed above the dipole antenna and grounded via a coaxial grounding wire.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, the dipole antenna is supported by an "I"-shaped support column, and the balun module is disposed in the groove of the support column near the dipole antenna.

[0035] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the dipole antenna adopts an inverted "V" shape.

[0036] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0037] The high-reliability design of the new dual-channel backup amplification active balun module significantly reduces the failure rate of the active balun module and improves the reliability of the RF analog equipment. The power supply system scheme with added voltage regulation circuitry ensures the power stability of the balun module. The optimized scheme for long-distance transmission cables in RF analog equipment, eliminating the need for power supply twisted-pair cables, simplifies system complexity, improves the convenience of outdoor protection for long cables, and reduces the cost of RF analog equipment. The lightning protection scheme of the newly added low-frequency radio array system, with a lightning rod installed directly above the antenna, provides more reliable lightning protection for the active balun module, further improving the reliability of the RF analog equipment. The new fixing method of the active balun module and lightning rod grounding wire in the "I"-shaped support column better reduces the interference of lightning strike signals on the active balun module, further improving the reliability of the RF analog equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the original design scheme for an active balun module;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a high-reliability design scheme for a novel active balun channel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the newly added active balun module power supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of an inverted "V"-shaped plate dipole antenna + lightning rod according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a top view of an "I"-shaped support column according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 6 This is a side view of an "I"-shaped support column according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 7 The simulation results of two fixing methods according to embodiments of the present invention are shown to illustrate the effect of active balun coupling.

[0045] Figure label:

[0046] Dipole antenna 10,

[0047] Balun module 20, first power divider 210, first amplifier D3, second amplifier D4, first combiner 211, second power divider 220, third amplifier D5, fourth amplifier D6, second combiner 224, transformer 250.

[0048] Support column 30, groove 310,

[0049] Coaxial cable 40, inductor L1, linear regulator D7, first capacitor C1, second capacitor C2, third capacitor C3, fourth capacitor C4, fifth capacitor C5.

[0050] Lightning rod 50, coaxial grounding wire 510. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0052] The steps described in the specification and the flowcharts in the accompanying drawings of this invention are not necessarily to be strictly followed according to the step numbers; the execution order of the steps can be changed. Furthermore, certain steps can be omitted, multiple steps can be combined into one step, and / or one step can be broken down into multiple steps.

[0053] This invention addresses the needs of radio detection in outer space by designing a novel, highly reliable radio frequency (RF) simulation device for low-frequency radio arrays. It achieves this through a combination of methods, including a novel active balun module design, a power supply system design for the newly added active balun module, optimized long-distance transmission lines for the low-frequency RF array simulation device, and a new lightning protection scheme for the low-frequency RF array system.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown, the radio frequency simulation device for a low-frequency radio array according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a dipole antenna 10, a balun module 20, and an active module.

[0055] Specifically, the dipole antenna 10 is used to receive differential signals, and the balun module 20 is connected to the dipole antenna 10 to convert the differential signals into single-port signals. The active module is connected to the balun module 20 to receive the single-port signals output by the balun module 20.

[0056] The balun module 20 uses a power divider to divide each differential signal, enabling dual-channel backup transmission. This improves the stability of the RF analog equipment and prevents damage to any channel of the balun module 20 from affecting its normal operation.

[0057] Taking an active balun channel as an example, this paper describes a high-reliability design scheme for a novel active balun channel. The design schematic of the active balun channel is shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown.

[0058] Current active balun module design schemes are as follows: Figure 1As shown, the received signal from the dipole antenna is amplified by amplifiers D1 and D2, respectively. The amplified signal is then converted into a single-port signal by a transformer and output to the back-end active module.

[0059] The causes of amplifier damage include: a) poor amplifier stability; b) large voltage drop in the long-distance power supply twisted pair cable, or voltage fluctuations caused by outdoor interference signals exceeding the amplifier's withstand voltage range; c) in lightning conditions, large lightning signals received by the front-end antenna are conducted to the amplifier input, with signal power (current) far exceeding the amplifier's withstand power range. Furthermore, for low-frequency radio array RF simulation equipment, a failure in either amplifier D1 or D2 will interrupt one path of the dipole antenna, preventing differential-to-single-ended conversion, thus causing active balun module failure and rendering the low-frequency radio array RF simulation equipment inoperable.

[0060] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the balun module 20 includes: a first power divider 210, a first amplifier D3, a second amplifier D4, a first synthesizer 211, a second power divider 220, a third amplifier D5, a fourth amplifier D6, a second synthesizer 222, and a transformer 250.

[0061] The first power divider 210 is used to receive the first signal in the differential signal and divide it into the first sub-signal and the second sub-signal. The first amplifier D3 is used to amplify the first sub-signal. The second amplifier D4 is used to amplify the second sub-signal. The first synthesizer 211 is used to synthesize the amplified first sub-signal and the second sub-signal to form the first synthesized signal.

[0062] The second power divider 220 is used to receive the second signal of the differential signal and divide it into the third sub-signal and the fourth sub-signal. The third amplifier D5 is used to amplify the third sub-signal, and the fourth amplifier D6 is used to amplify the fourth sub-signal. The second synthesizer 222 is used to synthesize the amplified third sub-signal and the fourth sub-signal to form the second synthesized signal.

[0063] Transformer 250 is used to receive the first synthesized signal and the second synthesized signal, and convert the first synthesized signal and the second synthesized signal into a single-port signal output.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the power signal of the balun module 20 is stabilized by the linear regulator D7 and then supplies power to the amplifiers (including the first amplifier D3, the second amplifier D4, the third amplifier D5 and the fourth amplifier D6 mentioned above) inside the balun module 20.

[0065] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the output terminal of the balun module 20 is connected in series with a first capacitor C1 to achieve DC blocking function.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, the power supply signal and analog signal of the balun module 20 are transmitted using a shared coaxial cable 40.

[0067] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the coaxial cable 40 is equipped with an inductor L1 and a linear regulator D7.

[0068] Inductor L1 is used to demodulate the DC voltage signal. Linear regulator D7 is located downstream of inductor L1. The demodulated DC voltage signal is output after being stabilized by linear regulator D7.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the coaxial cable 40 is also provided with:

[0070] The second capacitor C2 and the third capacitor C3, located upstream of the linear regulator D7, along with the inductor L1, are used to filter out crosstalk from the radio frequency signal to the linear regulator D7.

[0071] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 4-6 As shown, the radio frequency simulation equipment also includes a lightning rod 50, which is located above the dipole antenna 10 and grounded through a coaxial grounding wire 510.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the dipole antenna 10 is supported by an "I"-shaped support column 30, and the balun module 20 is located in the groove 310 of the support column 30 near the dipole antenna 10.

[0073] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, the dipole antenna 10 adopts an inverted "V" shape.

[0074] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0075] 1. The high reliability design of the new dual-channel backup amplification active balun module 20 can significantly reduce the failure rate of the active balun module 20 and improve the reliability of RF analog equipment.

[0076] 2. The power supply system solution for the active balun module 20 with the addition of a voltage regulator circuit can ensure the power stability of the balun module 20. The optimized solution for eliminating the power supply twisted pair cable of the RF analog equipment for long-distance transmission can simplify the system complexity, improve the convenience of outdoor protection for long cables, and reduce the cost of the RF analog equipment.

[0077] 3. The lightning protection scheme of the newly added low-frequency radio array system, which installs a lightning rod 50 directly above the top of the antenna, can provide more reliable lightning protection for the active balun module 20 and further improve the reliability of the radio frequency analog equipment.

[0078] 4. The new fixing method of the active balun module 20 and the grounding wire of the lightning rod 50 in the "I"-shaped support column 30 can better reduce the interference of lightning strike signals on the active balun module 20 and further improve the reliability of the radio frequency analog equipment.

[0079] The radio frequency analog apparatus for low-frequency radio arrays according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the following description is merely exemplary and should not be construed as a specific limitation of the invention.

[0080] This invention employs the following methods and steps to realize a novel high-reliability radio frequency analog device for low-frequency radio arrays:

[0081] This invention employs a novel high-reliability design scheme for active balun channels, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the signal received by unit 1 → first power divider 210 → first amplifier D3 and second amplifier D4 → first combiner 211 → transformer 250; the signal received by unit 2 → second power divider 220 → third amplifier D5 and fourth amplifier D6 → second combiner 222 → transformer 250.

[0082] As can be seen from the RF link, if only one of the first amplifier D3 and the second amplifier D4 fails, or only one of the third amplifier D5 and the fourth amplifier D6 fails, or even if one amplifier (first amplifier D3 or second amplifier D4) fails in the 1st signal link and one amplifier (third amplifier D5 or fourth amplifier D6) fails in the 2nd signal link, the active balun module 20 can still work normally, and the low-frequency radio array RF simulation equipment can work normally.

[0083] This design can effectively solve the problem of active balun module 20 failure caused by poor amplifier stability. It can also partially solve the causes b and c that lead to amplifier damage (these two aspects will be further addressed by subsequent methods). This is because the probability of simultaneous failure of the first amplifier D3 and the second amplifier D4, or simultaneous failure of the third amplifier D5 and the fourth amplifier D6, is much lower than the probability of failure of only one amplifier, thereby improving the reliability of the low-frequency radio array RF simulation equipment.

[0084] Taking an active balun channel as an example, this paper describes the design method of the power supply system for the newly added active balun module 20 and the optimization of the long-distance transmission cable for the RF simulation equipment. The schematic diagram of the power supply system for the newly added active balun module 20 is shown below.Figure 3 .

[0085] The design method of the power supply system for the newly added active balun module 20 is as follows: a) The power signal of the active balun module 20 is regulated by a linear regulator D7 to supply power to the amplifier in the module, solving the amplifier failure problem caused by voltage instability; b) The power supply signal and the analog signal share a coaxial cable 40 to achieve long-distance transmission. The power supply signal transmitted by the coaxial cable 40 is not easily affected by outdoor signal interference, and the voltage stability is also better.

[0086] In addition, the transmission line of each dipole antenna has been optimized from the original parallel twisted pair (power signal) and coaxial cable (RF signal) to only coaxial cable 40. The coaxial cable 40 itself has a metal sheath layer on the outside, and the convenience of outdoor coaxial cable protection and reinforcement is far greater than the protection and reinforcement treatment of twisted pair + coaxial cable.

[0087] The output of the active balun module 20 is connected in series with a first capacitor C1 to achieve DC blocking, ensuring that the RF signal output from the transformer can pass normally, while the DC voltage signal on the coaxial cable 40 will not interfere with the main RF circuit. An inductor L1 connected in parallel on the coaxial cable 40 demodulates the DC voltage signal and sends it to the downstream linear regulator (LDO) D7. Simultaneously, inductor L1, the second capacitor C2, and the third capacitor C3 effectively filter out crosstalk from the RF signal to the linear regulator D7. The Vout voltage value output by the linear regulator D7 can be stabilized within the amplifier's operating voltage range; voltage drops introduced by long cables and voltage fluctuations introduced by outdoor signal crosstalk cannot affect the Vout voltage value.

[0088] The lightning protection scheme for the newly added low-frequency radio array system involves installing a lightning rod 50 directly above the top of the antenna, with the following design structure: Figure 4 In lightning conditions, the lightning rod 50 designed on top of the antenna can prevent direct lightning strikes within a 45-degree angle. The lightning rod 50 receives potential lightning signals and conducts them to the ground through its grounding wire. The active balun module 20, installed in the upper support column 30 of the antenna unit, receives effective lightning protection, preventing damage to the internal RF components of the active balun from lightning signals. Furthermore, the lightning rod 50 on top of the antenna effectively prevents the antenna array from receiving lightning signals, ensuring that the signals input to the active balun module 20 are all normal operating signals. This effectively prevents malfunctions of the active balun module 20 caused by the conduction of lightning signals received by the antenna, thereby improving the reliability of the RF analog equipment.

[0089] The support column 30 of the inverted "V" shaped plate antenna adopts an "I" shaped support column 30, and the new fixing method of the coaxial grounding wire 510 of the active balun module 20 and the lightning rod 50 is as follows: Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown.

[0090] The active balun module 20 is positioned near the top of the support column 30 to reduce the transmission line length between the dipole antenna and the active balun module 20, thereby reducing the noise figure introduced by the transmission line. The coaxial grounding wire 510 of the active balun module 20 and the lightning rod 50 are respectively fixed on both sides of the "I"-shaped support column 30.

[0091] If the lightning rod 50 receives a lightning strike signal, the current will be very large when it is conducted to the ground through the coaxial grounding wire 510 of the lightning rod 50. The isolation of the signal by the fiberglass support column 30 is much greater than that of air. Therefore, after the fiberglass support column 30 is used to divide the cavity, the induced current of the lightning rod 50 coaxial grounding wire 510 to the active balun module 20 will be greatly reduced, which will protect the active balun module 20 and thus improve the reliability of the low-frequency radio array simulation equipment.

[0092] The simulation results of the coupling degree between the new active balun module 20 and the coaxial grounding wire 510 of the lightning rod 50 (the grounding wire of the lightning rod 50 is located next to the active balun module 20 and fixed on the same side as the conventional same-side fixing) are as follows: Figure 7 That is, the new fixing method can reduce the induced current of the active balun module 20 by at least 27dB.

[0093] In summary, the high-reliability design of the novel dual-channel backup amplification active balun module 20 of this invention can significantly reduce the failure rate of the active balun module 20 and improve the reliability of the RF analog equipment. The power supply system scheme for the active balun module 20 with added voltage regulation circuitry can ensure the power stability of the balun module 20. The optimized scheme for eliminating the power supply twisted pair cable in the long-distance transmission cable of the RF analog equipment simplifies system complexity, improves the convenience of outdoor protection for long cables, and reduces the cost of the RF analog equipment. The lightning protection scheme of the newly added low-frequency radio array system with a lightning rod 50 installed directly above the antenna provides more reliable lightning protection for the active balun module 20, further improving the reliability of the RF analog equipment. The novel fixing method of the active balun module 20 and the lightning rod 50 grounding wire in the "I"-shaped support column 30 can better reduce the interference of lightning strike signals on the active balun module 20, further improving the reliability of the RF analog equipment.

[0094] Through the description of specific embodiments, a more in-depth and specific understanding should be gained of the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the intended purpose. However, the accompanying drawings are only provided for reference and illustration and are not intended to limit the present invention.

Claims

1. A radio frequency analog device for low-frequency radio arrays, characterized in that, include: A dipole antenna is used to receive differential signals; A balun module, connected to the dipole antenna, is used to convert the differential signal into a single-port signal; An active module, connected to the balun module, is used to receive the single-port signal output by the balun module; The balun module divides each differential signal using a power divider for dual-channel backup transmission. The balun module includes: The first power divider is used to receive the first signal in the differential signal and divide it into the first sub-signal and the second sub-signal. The first amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the first sub-path; The second amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the second sub-path; A first synthesizer is used to synthesize the amplified first sub-channel signal and the second sub-channel signal to form a first synthesized signal; The second power divider is used to receive the second signal of the differential signal and divide it into the third sub-signal and the fourth sub-signal. The third amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the third sub-path; The fourth amplifier is used to amplify the signal of the fourth sub-path; The second synthesizer is used to synthesize the amplified third sub-channel signal and the fourth sub-channel signal to form a second synthesized signal; A transformer is used to receive the first synthesized signal and the second synthesized signal, and convert the first synthesized signal and the second synthesized signal into a single-port signal output; The power supply signal and analog signal of the balun module are transmitted through a shared coaxial cable; The coaxial cable is equipped with: The first inductor is used to demodulate the DC voltage signal; A linear regulator is located downstream of the first inductor. The demodulated DC voltage signal enters the linear regulator and is stabilized before being output. The radio frequency analog device also includes: A lightning rod is installed above the dipole antenna and grounded via a coaxial grounding wire; The dipole antenna is supported by an "I"-shaped support column, and the balun module is located in the groove of the support column near the dipole antenna. The coaxial grounding wires of the balun module and the lightning rod are respectively fixed on both sides of the "I"-shaped support column.

2. The radio frequency analog device for low-frequency radio arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power signal of the balun module is stabilized by a linear regulator before it powers the amplifier inside the balun module.

3. The radio frequency analog device for low-frequency radio arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output terminal of the balun module is connected in series with a first capacitor to achieve DC blocking function.

4. The radio frequency analog device for low-frequency radio arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coaxial cable is also equipped with: The second and third capacitors located upstream of the linear regulator are used to filter out crosstalk from radio frequency signals to the linear regulator.

5. The radio frequency analog device for a low-frequency radio array according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The dipole antenna is inverted "V" shaped.

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