Phased Array Beam Steering Using Phase Shift and Frequency Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Phased array antennas face issues with grating lobes and side lobes overlapping during beam steering, leading to reduced gain and increased beam width, limiting the size of antenna elements and affecting signal transmission and reception.
Innovation Solution
A beam steering method and device using frequency modulation and phase shift, where the control unit calculates and adjusts the rotation angle to maximize the relative distance between grating lobes, ensuring they do not overlap, by generating grating lobe charts and performing phase shifts and frequency modulation to set different directivity angles for transmission and reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the spacing between antenna elements is increased to reduce grating lobes, then the main lobe gain is improved, but grating lobes appear at undesired directions causing beam steering errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies frequency modulation dynamically during beam steering operations. The frequency of the signal is modulated based on the steering angle to compensate for grating lobe effects. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain main lobe gain while suppressing grating lobes at undesired directions, resolving the contradiction between gain improvement and grating lobe interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the transmitted signal in conjunction with beam steering angle changes. By modulating the frequency according to the steering angle, the system transforms the static antenna element spacing problem into a dynamic parameter adjustment problem, allowing optimal main lobe gain without grating lobe interference through parameter transformation.
2Area of stationary object
If beam steering angle is increased to expand coverage area, then the visible region is enlarged, but grating lobes and side lobes overlap reducing beam quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic frequency modulation that adapts to the beam steering angle. As the steering angle increases to expand coverage, the frequency modulation compensates for the degradation in beam quality by adjusting the signal characteristics. This allows the system to maintain reliable beam quality across an expanded visible region, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and beam quality.
3Strength
If antenna element size is increased to improve gain, then the main lobe gain increases, but the device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the transmitted signal to compensate for smaller antenna element sizes. By using frequency modulation and phase shifting, the system achieves the required gain performance without needing physically larger antenna elements, thus resolving the contradiction between gain improvement and device size reduction.
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 effectively prevents grating lobe overlap, minimizing their impact and allowing for longer signal transmission and reception without increased power, while maintaining antenna gain and beam directionality.
Implementation Method 1
A beam steering method and device using frequency modulation and phase shift, where the control unit calculates and adjusts the rotation angle to maximize the relative distance between grating lobes
Implementation Method 2
A beam steering method and device using frequency modulation and phase shift, where the control unit calculates and adjusts the rotation angle to maximize the relative distance between grating lobes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present invention relates to a beam steering device of a phased array antenna for reducing a grating lobe, and more particularly, to a beam steering device of a phased array antenna for reducing a grating lobe so that grating lobes generated when receiving a signal by rotating an array of a plurality of antenna elements at a predetermined angle during transmission do not overlap each other when receiving the signal through the beam steering device.