Analog Phase Shifter With Sliding PCB Lines for RF Beam Tilt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RF stage phase shifters require complex mechanical adjustments and digital stage support to achieve linear phase distribution, which is inefficient and risky for base station antenna management.
Innovation Solution
A full analog phase shifter with variable switch panels and patterned transmission lines that slide vertically to adjust phase distribution without altering the RF module design, enabling linear phase distribution with mirror symmetry by changing the physical length of transmission lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a mechanical beam tilt method is used to adjust antenna direction, then production cost is reduced, but maintenance complexity and safety risks increase due to requiring technician climbing and manual adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical beam tilt adjustment system with an electrical phase shifter system. Instead of mechanically tilting the entire antenna structure, the invention uses phase shifters to electronically control the beam direction by adjusting the phase of signals fed to different antenna elements. This substitution eliminates the need for manual mechanical adjustment while maintaining beam steering capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase shifter system enables automatic beam adjustment without requiring technician intervention. The electronic control system can autonomously adjust beam direction by changing phase settings, eliminating the need for technicians to climb towers and manually adjust mechanical components.
2Reliability
If a remote adjustment mechanical beam tilt apparatus is used, then maintenance safety is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional mechanical components and structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates complex mechanical remote adjustment mechanisms by replacing them with an electrical phase shifter system. The phase shifters control beam direction through electrical signal phase adjustment rather than mechanical movement, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to adjust beam direction remotely and safely.
3Ease of operation
If an electrical beam tilt antenna with phase shifter is used, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional phase shifter components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the phase parameter of RF signals to control beam direction. By changing the phase parameter rather than physical antenna orientation, the system achieves easy electronic beam adjustment. The phase shifter structure is integrated into the existing RF module, minimizing additional complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If phase difference is applied in RF stage, then beamforming performance is improved, but digital stage support is required which increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the phase adjustment function from the digital signal processing stage and implements it directly in the RF stage using analog phase shifters. This extraction eliminates the need for digital stage support and offset correction, reducing system architecture complexity while maintaining precise phase control for beamforming.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and safe phase adjustment in RF stages without the need for digital stage support, improving beamforming performance and reducing maintenance risks.
Implementation Method 1
when the physical length of a transmission line through which a power feed signal passes is changed, the phase of the power feed signal is changed by a physical length variation ΔL
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a full analog phase shifter, and more particularly, comprises: a variable switch panel comprising a first conductive pattern terminal and a second conductive pattern terminal; and a pattern PCB on which a plurality of array antenna elements are arranged and a transmission line at which the first conductive pattern terminal and the second conductive pattern terminal come into contact is pattern-printed, wherein, assuming that two variable switch panels are disposed in the vertical direction, the two variable switch panels are provided as a slider type that slides in the vertical direction so that, due to a phase shift caused by the contact between the first conductive pattern terminal and the second conductive pattern terminal and the transmission line, phases of the plurality of array antenna elements are linearly distributed on a same reference phase plane, thereby providing the advantage of easily implementing a mirror symmetry structure having a linear phase distribution only by a phase shift in an RF stage without phase conversion in a digital stage.