Beam Combiner for N-Port Beamforming Device Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Testing integrated circuits with phased array antenna beamformers is challenging due to the large number of high-frequency ports that need to be tested for magnitude and relative phase, making conventional methods costly and time-consuming, and the use of antenna test ranges is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A new testing concept involving an active or passive beam combiner directly connected to the multiple outputs of the device under test, allowing for single input/output testing, which reduces testing time and complexity, and enables efficient probe-based testing without the need for an antenna test range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a multi-port vector network analyzer is used to measure magnitude and phase of each beamforming output, then measurement completeness is improved, but testing time and equipment complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple beamforming output ports into a single measurement port by using a beam combiner device that receives signals from all N output ports and combines them into one composite signal. This allows the vector network analyzer to measure all beamforming outputs through a single port, dramatically reducing the number of measurements required while maintaining measurement completeness through sophisticated signal processing algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam combiner acts as an intermediary device between the beamforming outputs and the vector network analyzer. It mediates the measurement process by taking multiple output signals and presenting them as a single combined signal, enabling the analyzer to infer individual output characteristics from the combined measurement through mathematical processing.
2Measurement precision
If per-output testing is performed on a large number of beamforming outputs, then measurement completeness is improved, but testing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges N separate output measurements into a single simultaneous measurement by using the beam combiner to aggregate all output signals. This allows the testing system to characterize all beamforming outputs in parallel through one measurement channel, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining complete output characterization through advanced signal processing.
3Measurement precision
If an antenna test range is used to directly characterize beamforming performance, then measurement accuracy is improved, but equipment complexity and testing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beam combiner serves as an intermediary that enables accurate beamforming performance measurement without requiring complex antenna test ranges. By combining the output signals and using sophisticated processing algorithms, the system can infer beamforming characteristics such as beam width, side lobe levels, and steering accuracy from electrical measurements alone, eliminating the need for physical antenna testing infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical antenna test range system with an electrical measurement system. Instead of physically positioning antennas and measuring radiated fields in a test range, the system uses electrical signal combining and processing to determine beamforming performance, substituting a complex mechanical measurement system with a simpler electrical one.
Data Source
AI summary
Improved electrical testing of N-port beamforming devices is provided. For testing, an N:1 electrical network is connected to the N ports of the device under test to provide a single test port. This mode of testing can be used to determine parameters of interest (e.g., far field radiation patterns etc.) of the device under test more rapidly than with antenna range testing or with characterization of each port of the device under test. The N:1 electrical network can be passive or active. The N:1 electrical network can be integrated in a probe head to provide probe array testing of beamforming devices. Alternatively, the N:1 electrical network can be integrated with the device under test to provide onboard testing capability.