Active Antenna Array With Shared Transceiver Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current active antenna arrays in mobile communications networks are costly and lack flexibility in dynamically adjusting beam patterns and tilt, especially for communications standards like LTE MIMO, which require the same antenna elements for both transmission and reception, and struggle to maximize side lobe suppression without increasing antenna size or cost.
Innovation Solution
An active antenna array configuration with subsets of antenna elements, where at least one element is common to both subsets, allowing for dynamic beam pattern adjustments and power distribution to enhance side lobe suppression, while reducing the number of transceiver modules and maintaining flexibility in beam forming and tilt ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional active antenna arrays are used with separate transceiver modules for each antenna element, then beam steering and tilt control are achieved, but the cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple antenna elements into sub-arrays, where each sub-array shares common transceiver modules. Specifically, adjacent antenna elements are grouped such that transceiver modules serve multiple elements simultaneously, reducing the total number of transceiver modules while maintaining beam steering functionality through coordinated phase and amplitude control of the shared modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The transceiver modules are designed to serve multiple functions by being shared across different antenna elements and sub-arrays. The same transceiver module can control multiple antenna elements through dynamic beam forming networks, enabling a single module to perform what would traditionally require multiple dedicated modules, thus reducing overall system complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If more antenna elements are added to improve side lobe suppression, then antenna performance increases, but antenna size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is segmented into multiple sub-arrays, where each sub-array consists of a specific number of antenna elements configured to achieve optimal side lobe suppression independently. By dividing the total array into manageable segments with shared transceiver modules, the patent achieves improved side lobe control without requiring a uniformly large increase in overall antenna size, as each segment can be optimized separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of beam forming parameters (phase shifts, amplitude weights) across the antenna elements and sub-arrays to suppress side lobes. By changing these parameters dynamically rather than increasing physical antenna size, the system achieves improved side lobe suppression while maintaining a compact antenna structure with controlled size and cost.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed beam forming weights are used in passive antenna arrays, then manufacturing is simpler, but dynamic beam pattern adjustment is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static passive feed networks with fixed beam forming weights to dynamic active feed networks where transceiver modules can dynamically adjust phase and amplitude parameters in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt beam patterns, tilt angles, and steering directions programmatically, enabling versatile beam control while keeping the physical feed network structure relatively simple through software-defined parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to an active antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements comprising: at least one first subset of the plurality of antenna elements, the at least one first subset relaying a first radio signal having a first antenna beam pattern; and at least one second subset of the plurality of antenna elements, the at least one second subset relaying a second radio signal having a second antenna beam pattern, wherein at least one of the plurality of antenna elements is a common antenna element belonging to both the first subset and the second subset. A method for operating the active antenna array is also disclosed.