Baseband Beamforming Receiver for Scalable EHF Antenna Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combining extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless communication signals from multiple antenna paths without significant performance degradation and high power consumption is challenging due to parasitic capacitances and inductances in existing methods.
Innovation Solution
Performing beamforming operations, such as phase shifting and signal combination, at analog baseband after downconversion, using variable gain amplifiers and multiple phase-locked loops, and incorporating current amplifiers as signal repeaters to minimize losses and power consumption, while allowing for scalability with the number of antenna paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beamforming operations are performed at high frequencies (EHF band), then transmission distance can be achieved, but performance degradation occurs due to losses over parasitic capacitances and inductances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing downconversion to baseband before beamforming operations. This reorders the signal processing sequence so that frequency conversion happens first, transforming EHF signals to lower baseband frequencies. The beamforming operations (phase shifting and signal combination) are then performed at this lower frequency where parasitic losses are minimal, thus preserving signal quality while avoiding energy loss from operating beamforming circuitry at high EHF frequencies.
2Speed
If beamforming operations are performed at high frequencies, then transmission over longer distance is possible, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces power consumption by performing the energy-intensive beamforming operations at baseband frequency rather than at EHF. The downconversion to baseband is performed first using mixers and local oscillators, and only then are the phase shifters and signal combiners activated at this lower frequency. Since power consumption in these circuit elements is proportional to operating frequency, performing them at baseband dramatically reduces overall power consumption while still enabling long-distance transmission through the initial EHF downlink.
3Speed
If a large number of antenna paths are used to extend transmission distance, then coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the handling of multiple antenna paths by performing downconversion to baseband for each path before combining them. This preliminary frequency transformation allows all subsequent beamforming operations (phase shifting, gain control, signal addition) to be performed at the lower baseband frequency. The complexity of managing multiple high-frequency EHF paths is thus reduced to managing multiple baseband paths, which is significantly simpler and allows scalable architecture supporting many antenna elements without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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
This approach reduces performance degradation and power consumption, enhances scalability, and maintains signal quality by performing operations at lower frequencies, averaging out phase noise contributions, and overcoming bandwidth limitations caused by parasitic capacitance.
Implementation Method 1
a downconversion part for downconverting the incoming signal to baseband
Implementation Method 2
a phase shifting part for applying a controllable phase shift to the downconverted incoming signal
Implementation Method 3
signal combination circuitry connected to the antenna paths and arranged for combining the differential phase-shifted I/Q output signals to a combined differential I/Q signal
Implementation Method 4
multiple phase-locked loops (PLL) synchronized with each other, each phase-locked loop being connected to the downconversion part of at least one antenna path and being provided for generating a local oscillation signal therefor
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a EHF wireless communication receiver comprising a phased array radio arranged for receiving a beam of signals in a predetermined frequency band. The phased array radio comprises a plurality of antenna paths, each arranged for handling one of the incoming signals and forming a differential I/Q output signal, each antenna path comprises a downconversion part and a phase shifting part for applying a controllable phase shift; a signal combination circuitry is connected to the antenna paths and is arranged for combining the differential I/Q output signals; and a control circuitry is connected to the phase shifting parts of the antenna paths and is arranged for controlling the controllable phase shift. In each antenna path, the phase shifting part is a baseband part downstream from the downconversion part and the phase shifting part comprises a set of variable gain amplifiers arranged for applying controllable gains to the respective downconverted incoming signals in the I/Q branches. The control circuitry sets the controllable gains of the variable gain amplifiers to coefficients of a rotational matrix.