Beamforming Feed Network for Wideband Beam Shape Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multibeam antenna systems face challenges in maintaining stable beam shapes and directions across a wide frequency band, leading to changes in beam widths and directions as the operating frequency increases, which complicates the design of antenna arrays and increases their size.
Innovation Solution
A beamforming method and apparatus that control the amplitude and phase difference of electrical signals shunted to antenna ports, using a power divider feeding network to adjust these parameters according to specific correspondences with the operating frequency, ensuring that beam shapes remain consistent across different frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a Butler feeding network is used for multibeam forming, then the system can provide multiple beams, but the beam shapes change at wideband frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by making the amplitude and phase of electrical signals frequency-dependent. Specifically, the amplitude decreases and phase difference increases as operating frequency increases, following specific correspondence relationships. This dynamic parameter adjustment compensates for frequency-induced beam shape changes, maintaining stable beam directions and widths across wideband frequencies while preserving multibeam capability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If antenna array size is increased to maintain beam stability, then beam shape stability improves, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing antenna array size, the patent changes the electrical signal parameters (amplitude and phase) as a function of frequency. This approach maintains beam shape stability through parameter control rather than structural expansion, avoiding increased device complexity and size while achieving the desired stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If amplitude and phase are controlled according to frequency correspondence, then beam shape stability improves, but feeding network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the feeding network that automatically adjusts amplitude and phase based on frequency correspondence relationships. This intermediary structure handles the complexity of parameter control, allowing the rest of the antenna system to remain relatively simple while achieving beam shape stability through the feeding network's frequency-dependent signal conditioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A beamforming method and apparatus are provided. A beamforming apparatus according to one embodiment comprises a beamforming module comprising a beam port configured to provide electrical signals; an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna ports; and a feeding network disposed between and coupling the beam port and the antenna ports. The feeding network is configured to shunt the electrical signals provided by the beam port to the plurality of antenna ports, the electrical signals received at the antenna ports being used to control shapes of beams formed by the antenna array. An amplitude of an electrical signal shunted to an antenna port and an operating frequency of the antenna array meet a first correspondence. A phase difference between electrical signals shunted to two different antenna ports and the operating frequency meet a second correspondence.