Antenna Phase Shifter Control for Circular Polarization Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna apparatuses face challenges in efficiently controlling phase shift amounts of phase shifters to align polarization planes for effective communication, leading to power loss and suboptimal cross-polarization discrimination (XPD).
Innovation Solution
The antenna apparatus includes a first and second phase shifter for left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized waves, respectively, with a control circuit determining phase shift amounts to maintain equivalent insertion losses, allowing for precise control of polarization angles and improved XPD by shifting phases based on insertion losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If phase shift amounts of phase shifters are controlled to align polarization planes, then communication effectiveness is improved, but power loss occurs and cross-polarization discrimination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of phase shifters by determining phase shift amounts based on insertion loss characteristics. The control circuit adjusts phase shift amounts dynamically, considering the relationship between phase shift amount and insertion loss, to achieve polarization alignment while minimizing power loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit implements feedback control by determining phase shift amounts based on insertion loss characteristics. The system continuously monitors and adjusts phase shift amounts to maintain optimal performance, using the insertion loss information as feedback to resolve the contradiction between communication effectiveness and power loss.
2Reliability
If phase shift amounts of phase shifters are controlled to align polarization planes, then communication effectiveness is improved, but cross-polarization discrimination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent determines phase shift amounts based on insertion loss characteristics, changing the operational parameters of phase shifters to achieve polarization alignment. This parameter-based control method improves communication effectiveness while maintaining cross-polarization discrimination by avoiding excessive phase shift amounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit uses insertion loss characteristics as feedback to determine appropriate phase shift amounts. This feedback mechanism ensures that phase shift amounts are optimized for both communication effectiveness and cross-polarization discrimination, preventing deterioration of XPD.
3Ease of operation
If phase shift amounts are increased to change polarization angles, then polarization alignment is improved, but insertion loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the phase shift amounts based on insertion loss characteristics rather than using fixed or maximum phase shift values. The control circuit determines optimal phase shift amounts that achieve polarization alignment while minimizing insertion loss, directly resolving this contradiction.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an antenna apparatus includes a first phase shifter to shift a phase of a left-hand circularly polarized signal representing a left-hand circularly polarized wave; a second phase shifter to shift a phase of a right-hand circularly polarized signal representing a right-hand circularly polarized wave; a control circuit determining a first phase shift amount of the first phase shifter and a second phase shift amount of the second phase shifter based on a difference between a phase shift amount of the first phase shifter and a phase shift amount of the second phase shifter; and a radiating element radiating the left-hand circularly polarized wave and the right-hand circularly polarized wave based on the left-hand circularly polarized signal of which the phase is shifted by the first phase shift amount and the right-hand circularly polarized signal of which the phase is shifted by the second phase shift amount.