Antenna Channel Calibration Using Self-Loopback Response Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale antenna arrays, existing channel calibration methods using coupling disks face challenges in manufacturing and ensuring consistency among transport channels, leading to inaccuracies due to inconsistencies among transmission responses.
Innovation Solution
The method involves obtaining self-loopback, transmission, and receiving responses from both a to-be-calibrated and a reference antenna, canceling transport channel responses to isolate transmit and receive channel responses, and using these to calculate compensation responses for precise calibration, thereby correcting errors caused by transport channel inconsistencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a coupling disk with many transport channels is manufactured to support large-scale antenna arrays, then the calibration system can accommodate more antennas, but manufacturing precision and consistency among transport channels deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the transport channel response from the calibration process by calculating it separately using self-loopback responses and then canceling it out from the transmission and receiving responses. This eliminates the need for high-precision transport channels in the coupling disk, as their inconsistency no longer affects the final calibration results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the transport channel response is measured through self-loopback responses and then used to correct the transmission and receiving responses. This feedback loop compensates for transport channel inconsistencies, allowing the use of less precise coupling disks while maintaining calibration accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If transport channel responses are included in calibration measurements, then calibration can be performed using existing coupling disk methods, but calibration precision deteriorates due to transport channel inconsistencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transport channel response component from the overall measurement and removes its influence through mathematical cancellation. By separating this component and eliminating it from the final calculation, the method achieves high calibration precision without requiring complex hardware modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces self-loopback responses as an intermediary measurement that enables the calculation and subsequent removal of transport channel responses. This intermediary step provides the necessary information to correct for transport channel inconsistencies without adding physical complexity to the calibration system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If coupling disks with many transport channels are used, then large-scale antenna arrays can be calibrated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses self-loopback responses as a simplified copy or representation of the transport channel characteristics. Instead of requiring physically complex multi-channel coupling disks, the method creates a mathematical model of the transport channels through self-loopback measurements and uses this model for correction purposes.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application discloses a channel calibration apparatus and method. The apparatus includes: a detection module, configured to detect self-loopback responses, transmission responses, and receiving responses of a to-be-calibrated antenna and a reference antenna; and a processing module, configured to: determine, according to the self-loopback responses, the transmission responses, and the receiving responses of the to-be-calibrated antenna and the reference antenna and according to transport channel responses, transmission responses and receive channel responses that are of the to-be-calibrated antenna and the reference antenna and obtained after processing of transmit channel responses; then determine a transmit channel compensation response and a receive channel compensation response that are of the to-be-calibrated antenna; make compensation for a transmit channel of the to-be-calibrated antenna according to the transmit channel compensation response, so that a transmit channel response that is of the to-be-calibrated antenna and obtained after compensation is consistent with a transmit channel response of the reference antenna; and make compensation for a receive channel of the to-be-calibrated antenna according to the receive channel compensation response, so that a receive channel response that is of the to-be-calibrated antenna and obtained after compensation is consistent with a receive channel response of the reference antenna.