Multi-channel coherent microwave and millimeter wave agile signal generation device

Abstract

The invention provides a multi-channel coherent microwave and millimeter wave agile signal generation device, which is used for generating stable coherent agile signals with controllable time sequence relation, and comprises a first agile signal generation link, a second agile signal generation link and a signal processing unit, the first agile signal generation link comprises a reference and clock module, a first agile baseband module, an agile local oscillator module and a first agile channel; the second agile signal generation link comprises a reference and clock module, a second agile baseband module, an agile local oscillator module and a second agile channel; the reference and clock module is used for generating a reference signal and a clock signal; the first and second agile baseband modules are used for receiving clock signals to generate first and second baseband signals; the agile local oscillator module is used for receiving a reference signal to generate a local oscillator signal; the first agile channel is used for receiving the first baseband signal and the local oscillator signal to generate a first agile signal; and the second agility channel is used for receiving the second baseband signal and the local oscillator signal to generate a second agility signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of microwave millimeter wave signal generators, and in particular to a multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device. Background Art

[0002] Coherent signals refer to signals with a fixed phase relationship between them. With the development of electronic information technologies such as signal generation technology, high-power transmission technology, antenna technology, and information processing technology, modern radars generally use coherent signals to complete information processing such as energy accumulation, beam forming, and information fusion. They are developing in the direction of distributed networked collaborative detection, from the initial intelligence-level collaboration to the signal-level collaboration, from the collaboration between manned platforms to the collaboration between manned and unmanned platforms and the collaboration between unmanned autonomous platforms in the future, from the collaboration between sensors of the same type and frequency band to the collaboration between heterogeneous sensors. The use of multi-level information joint processing such as data fusion, signal fusion, and aperture synthesis will greatly improve the battlefield situation perception and confrontation capabilities such as detection distance, measurement accuracy, target identification, and electronic confrontation. In addition, agile signals can achieve rapid changes in parameters such as frequency, phase, and power. They have outstanding characteristics such as being difficult to track and capture, strong confidentiality, strong anti-interference performance, and flexible application. They have been widely used in advanced equipment such as radar, communication, and electronic confrontation.

[0003] However, in the process of radar-related testing, coherent signals are often obtained by using multiple signal generators to share the same frequency reference to form a multi-channel coherent signal source system. The coherent signals obtained by this method have many deficiencies in coherent performance such as phase accuracy and phase stability, and cannot meet the testing requirements of the new generation of coherent radar systems.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a high-performance multi-channel coherent agile signal source to effectively eliminate system errors and achieve accurate and stable coherence of signals between channels, providing effective guarantee for the performance testing of a new generation of advanced equipment such as radar, communication, precision guidance, and electronic countermeasures. Summary of the invention

[0005] The embodiment of the present application provides a multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device to generate a stable coherent agile signal with a precisely controllable timing relationship, thereby solving problems such as large phase drift and large synchronization error between multi-channel coherent agile signals.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generation device, the device comprising: a first agile signal generation link and a second agile signal generation link, wherein the first agile signal generation link comprises a reference and clock module, a first agile baseband module, an agile local oscillator module, and a first agile channel, and the second agile signal generation link comprises a reference and clock module, a second agile baseband module, an agile local oscillator module, and a second agile channel;

[0008] Reference and clock modules for generating low phase noise reference and clock signals;

[0009] The first agile baseband module and the second agile baseband module are both used to receive the clock signal from the reference and clock module, and generate a first baseband signal and a second baseband signal respectively based on the clock signal;

[0010] An agile local oscillator module, used for receiving a reference signal from a reference and clock module, and generating a high-frequency local oscillator signal based on the reference signal;

[0011] A first agile channel, configured to receive a first baseband signal from a first agile baseband module and a local oscillator signal from an agile local oscillator module, and generate a first agile signal based on the first baseband signal and the local oscillator signal;

[0012] A second agile channel, used to receive a second baseband signal from a second agile baseband module and a local oscillator signal from an agile local oscillator module, and generate a second agile signal based on the second baseband signal and the local oscillator signal;

[0013] The first agile signal and the second agile signal are coherent signals.

[0014] In a possible design scheme, the device of the first aspect also includes that the modules of the first agile signal generating link and the modules of the second agile signal generating link are connected by cables for signal transmission.

[0015] In a possible design scheme, the device of the first aspect also includes a reference and clock module, which uses a phase-locked frequency synthesis method to generate a low phase noise reference signal and a clock signal.

[0016] A possible design scheme, the device of the first aspect also includes that a high-speed digital backplane is arranged between the first agile baseband module and the second agile baseband module, which is used to transmit synchronization signals and trigger signals to the first agile baseband module and the second agile baseband module, so that the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal are generated simultaneously.

[0017] In a possible design solution, the apparatus of the first aspect further includes: the first agile baseband module includes: a field programmable gate array and a digital-to-analog converter;

[0018] A first baseband signal is generated by direct frequency synthesis using a field programmable gate array and a digital-to-analog converter.

[0019] In a possible design scheme, the device of the first aspect also includes an agile local oscillator module, which generates a high-frequency local oscillator signal by using a direct frequency synthesis method of harmonic filtering.

[0020] In a possible design scheme, the apparatus of the first aspect further includes that the first agile channel includes a mixer for mixing the first baseband signal with the local oscillator signal to generate a first agile signal.

[0021] In a possible design scheme, the apparatus of the first aspect further includes that the first agile channel further includes a digitally controlled attenuator for controlling a power dynamic range of the first agile signal.

[0022] In a possible design scheme, the apparatus of the first aspect further includes that the first agile channel further includes a pulse modulator for pulse modulating the first agile signal.

[0023] In a possible design scheme, the apparatus of the first aspect further includes that a frequency range of the first agile signal is 10 MHz to 40 GHz.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present application, a method of sharing a sampling clock by a first agile signal generating link and a second agile signal generating link is adopted for clock synchronization, so that the baseband modulation envelope of the coherent signal is completely synchronized, which significantly improves the consistency of the coherent signal; a high-speed digital backplane based on FPGA is used to generate a synchronization trigger signal to achieve precise control of the timing of the coherent signal between channels, and the time error is controlled at about 10ps, which effectively solves the problem of time delay difference in the coherent signal; DDS technology based on FPGA+high-speed DAC is adopted to accurately realize digital control of the initial phase of the baseband signal, and the phase resolution can reach 0.01°, which effectively solves the phase offset problem between the coherent signals, so as to generate agile signals with stable coherence and precise and controllable timing relationship, and solve the problems of large phase drift and large synchronization error between multi-channel coherent agile signals.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the present application will be described in detail in the subsequent detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0027] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first agile baseband module and a second agile baseband module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of an agile local oscillator module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first agile channel and a second agile channel provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1. First agile baseband module, 2. First agile channel, 3. Reference and clock module, 4. Agile local oscillator module, 5. Second agile baseband module, 6. Second agile channel, 7. Field programmable gate array, 8. Digital-to-analog converter, 9. Harmonic generator, 10. Power divider, 11. Switch filter group 1, 12. Electronic switch 1, 13. Switch filter group 2, 14. Electronic switch 2, 15. Mixer 1, 16. Switch filter group 3, 17. Mixer 2, 18. Switch filter group 4, 19. Pulse modulator, 20. Switch filter group 5, 21. Digitally controlled attenuator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of this specification more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this specification, not all of the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this specification described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0033] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present specification provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the present specification to be protected, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present specification. Based on the embodiments in the present specification, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present specification.

[0034] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of this specification, it should be noted that if the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or position relationship in which the product of the application is usually placed when in use. It is only for the convenience of describing this specification and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this specification. In addition, if the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. appear, they are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0036] In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "overhanging" and the like do not mean that the components must be absolutely horizontal or overhanging, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this specification, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal connection of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this specification can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0038] The following is a detailed introduction to a multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device of the present application, which is designed to generate agile signals with stable coherence and precisely controllable timing relationships, and to solve problems such as large phase drift and large synchronization errors between multi-channel coherent agile signals.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device mainly includes: a first agile signal generating link and a second agile signal generating link, wherein the first agile signal generating link includes a reference and clock module 3, a first agile baseband module 1, an agile local oscillator module 4, and a first agile channel 2, and the second agile signal generating link includes a reference and clock module 3, a second agile baseband module 5, an agile local oscillator module 4, and a second agile channel 6;

[0041] A reference and clock module 3, for generating a low phase noise reference signal and a clock signal;

[0042] The first agile baseband module 1 and the second agile baseband module 5 are both used to receive the clock signal from the reference and clock module 3, and generate a first baseband signal and a second baseband signal respectively based on the clock signal;

[0043] The agile local oscillator module 4 is used to receive the reference signal from the reference and clock module 3 and generate a high-frequency local oscillator signal based on the reference signal;

[0044] A first agile channel 2 is used to receive a first baseband signal from the first agile baseband module 1 and a local oscillator signal from the agile local oscillator module 4, and generate a first agile signal based on the first baseband signal and the local oscillator signal;

[0045] The second agile channel 6 is used to receive the second baseband signal from the second agile baseband module 5 and the local oscillator signal of the agile local oscillator module 4, and generate a second agile signal based on the second baseband signal and the local oscillator signal;

[0046] The first agile signal and the second agile signal are coherent signals.

[0047] It should be noted that the modules of the first agile signal generation link and the second agile signal generation link are connected via cables for signal transmission.

[0048] It should also be noted that the reference and clock module 3 and the agile local oscillator module 4 are shared by the above-mentioned first agile signal generating link and the second agile signal generating link, so as to ensure that the output signals of the two agile signal generating links have good signal carrier coherence and baseband envelope synchronization.

[0049] The reference and clock module 3 uses a phase-locked frequency synthesis method to generate a low phase noise reference signal and a clock signal.

[0050] Among them, a high-speed digital backplane is arranged between the first agile baseband module 1 and the second agile baseband module 5, which is used to transmit synchronization signals and trigger signals to the first agile baseband module 1 and the second agile baseband module 5, so that the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal are generated at the same time, ensuring the precise timing relationship between the signals.

[0051] In addition, if Figure 2As shown, the first agile baseband module 1 includes: a field programmable gate array (FPGA) 7 and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 8; the first baseband signal is generated by direct frequency synthesis of the field programmable gate array 7 and the digital-to-analog converter 8. The direct digital frequency synthesis (DDS) technology based on FPGA+high-speed DAC realizes precise control of parameters such as frequency, phase, power, and narrow-band small dynamic high-speed jumps, and adopts digital I / Q modulation technology to realize broadband vector signal generation. Compared with analog I / Q modulation technology, digital I / Q modulation technology can eliminate various signal damages caused by analog I / Q modulators, and has an excellent dynamic range, which is particularly suitable for generating broadband signals, and has outstanding advantages such as high technical indicators and strong flexibility.

[0052] Correspondingly, the second agile baseband module 5 includes: a field programmable gate array 7 and a digital-to-analog converter 8; and generates a second baseband signal by direct frequency synthesis of the field programmable gate array 7 and the digital-to-analog converter 8.

[0053] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown, the above-mentioned agile local oscillator module 4 generates a high-frequency local oscillator signal by using a direct frequency synthesis method of harmonic filtering, which has the outstanding feature of fast agility and avoids the limitations of high-speed chips such as DAC and DDS noise suppression technology.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown, the first agile channel 2 includes a mixer for mixing the first baseband signal with the local oscillator signal to generate a first agile signal. Figure 4 The first agile channel 2 also includes a plurality of electronic switches for selecting different mixing frequencies and mixing modes. In addition, the first agile channel 2 also includes a digitally controlled attenuator 21 for controlling the power dynamic range of the first agile signal. The first agile channel 2 also includes a pulse modulator 19 for pulse modulating the first agile signal.

[0055] Correspondingly, the second agile channel 6 includes a mixer for mixing the second baseband signal with the local oscillator signal to generate a second agile signal. Figure 4 The second agile channel 6 also includes a plurality of electronic switches for selecting different mixing frequencies and mixing modes. In addition, the second agile channel 6 also includes a digitally controlled attenuator 21 for controlling the power dynamic range of the second agile signal. The second agile channel 6 also includes a pulse modulator 19 for pulse modulating the second agile signal.

[0056] In practical applications, the multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter-wave agile signal generating device according to the present application can realize the generation of dual-channel coherent microwave millimeter-wave agile signals, the frequency range covers 10MHz~40GHz, the agility time of signal phase, frequency, power and other parameters is less than 100ns, the phase difference of the 10GHz output signal is less than 2° within 1 hour, the delay error of the signal between channels is less than 10ps, and the phase deviation can reach 0.01°.

[0057] In summary, the multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter-wave agile signal generating device provided in the embodiment of the present application adopts a method of sharing a sampling clock by the first agile signal generating link and the second agile signal generating link to perform clock synchronization, so that the baseband modulation envelope of the coherent signal is completely synchronized, which significantly improves the consistency of the coherent signal; a high-speed digital backplane based on FPGA is used to generate a synchronization trigger signal to achieve precise control of the timing of the coherent signal between channels, and the time error is controlled at about 10ps, which effectively solves the problem of time delay difference in the coherent signal; the DDS technology based on FPGA+high-speed DAC is used to accurately realize the digital control of the initial phase of the baseband signal, and the phase resolution can reach 0.01°, which effectively solves the phase offset problem between the coherent signals, so as to generate agile signals with stable coherence and precise and controllable timing relationship, and solve the problems of large phase drift and large synchronization error between multi-channel coherent agile signals.

[0058] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely illustrative and is not intended to imply that the scope of the present disclosure (including the claims) is limited to these examples. In line with the concept of the present application, the technical features in the above embodiments or different embodiments may be combined, the steps may be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of the different aspects of the present application as above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of simplicity.

[0059] The embodiments of the present application are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications and variations that fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device, characterized in that: The device comprises: a first agile signal generation link and a second agile signal generation link, wherein the first agile signal generation link comprises a reference and clock module, a first agile baseband module, an agile local oscillator module, and a first agile channel, and the second agile signal generation link comprises the reference and clock module, the second agile baseband module, the agile local oscillator module, and a second agile channel; The reference and clock module is used to generate a low phase noise reference signal and a clock signal; The first agile baseband module and the second agile baseband module are both used to receive a clock signal from the reference and clock module, and generate a first baseband signal and a second baseband signal respectively based on the clock signal; The agile local oscillator module is used to receive the reference signal from the reference and clock module, and generate a high-frequency local oscillator signal based on the reference signal; The first agile channel is used to receive a first baseband signal from the first agile baseband module and a local oscillator signal from the agile local oscillator module, and generate a first agile signal based on the first baseband signal and the local oscillator signal; The second agile channel is used to receive a second baseband signal from the second agile baseband module and a local oscillator signal from the agile local oscillator module, and generate a second agile signal based on the second baseband signal and the local oscillator signal; The first agile signal and the second agile signal are coherent signals.

2. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The modules of the first agile signal generation link and the modules of the second agile signal generation link are connected via cables for signal transmission.

3. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reference and clock module generates a low phase noise reference signal and a clock signal by means of phase-locked frequency synthesis.

4. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A high-speed digital backplane is arranged between the first agile baseband module and the second agile baseband module for transmitting a synchronization signal and a trigger signal to the first agile baseband module and the second agile baseband module, so that the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal are generated simultaneously.

5. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first agile baseband module includes: a field programmable gate array and a digital-to-analog converter; The first baseband signal is generated by direct frequency synthesis using a field programmable gate array and a digital-to-analog converter.

6. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The agile local oscillator module generates a high-frequency local oscillator signal by adopting a direct frequency synthesis method of harmonic filtering.

7. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first agile channel includes a mixer, which is used to mix the first baseband signal with the local oscillator signal to generate a first agile signal.

8. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first agile channel further includes a digitally controlled attenuator for controlling a power dynamic range of the first agile signal.

9. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first agile channel further includes a pulse modulator for performing pulse modulation on the first agile signal.

10. The multi-channel coherent microwave millimeter wave agile signal generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frequency range of the first agile signal is 10 MHz to 40 GHz.

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