Modified Blass Matrix Beamforming for 2D UWB Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mm-Wave beamforming technologies face challenges in achieving wideband operation and two-dimensional scanning due to the need for massive antenna arrays, which increase complexity and size, and often suffer from beam-squinting issues when trying to provide true-time delay performance.
Innovation Solution
A modified Blass matrix topology with a UWB beamforming network that includes transmission lines and directional couplers, allowing for two-dimensional scanning and true-time delay performance across a wide bandwidth, while maintaining a compact footprint and eliminating beam-squinting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital beamforming is used in mm-Wave regime, then beamforming capability is achieved, but the number of ADCs increases proportionally with the number of antennas making it non-viable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces digital beamforming with ADCs by using analog beamforming with lens-based phase shifters and switching matrices. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple ADCs while maintaining beamforming capability through analog signal processing in the RF domain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the beamforming function from the digital domain and implements it in the analog domain using lens-based phase shifters. This separation allows the beamforming operation to occur before ADC conversion, reducing the number of ADCs required to just one per antenna element.
2Ease of manufacture
If lens-based beamformers are used, then implementation simplicity and cost-effectiveness are improved, but the size grows disproportionally with the number of beams/antennas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar 2D beamforming to three-dimensional volumetric beamforming using a lens structure. This dimensional change allows multiple beams to be formed in different spatial planes simultaneously, reducing the footprint area while maintaining the number of beams through vertical stacking rather than horizontal expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a hierarchical beamforming structure where lens-based phase shifters are nested within a switching matrix architecture. This nesting allows compact integration of multiple beamforming functions in a layered configuration, reducing the overall area by sharing common components across different beam sets.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional beamforming networks are used for 2D scanning, then beam steering capability is achieved, but beam-squinting occurs and true-time delay performance is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical length parameters of transmission lines connecting antenna elements to the lens-based phase shifters to provide frequency-independent time delays. This parameter adjustment ensures that all frequency components experience the same group delay, eliminating beam-squinting while maintaining 2D scanning capability across the ultrawideband range.
4Adaptability or versatility
If full dimensional (2D) beamforming is required, then comprehensive beam coverage is achieved, but the size problem of lens-based beamformers worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves 2D beam coverage by utilizing the third dimension (vertical height) through lens-based phase shifters that can steer beams in both azimuth and elevation planes. This volumetric approach allows comprehensive angular coverage without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint, as beam diversity is achieved through vertical layering rather than horizontal spreading.
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
The solution enables simultaneous excitation of multiple beams at arbitrary directions within the operational bandwidth, providing true-time delay performance and compact, cost-effective beamforming capabilities for mm-Wave communications, addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of directional couplers respectively disposed at each intersection of TLs
Data Source
AI summary
Ultrawideband (UWB) beamforming networks are provided. A UWB beamforming network can have azimuth angle scanning and elevation angle scanning. A modified version of the Blass matrix topology can be used to achieve two-dimensional (2D) scanning behavior. The beamforming network can simultaneously excite a plurality of beams, and each of these beams can be at any chosen frequency inside the bandwidth that the beamformer covers. Each beam can be designed to point at any arbitrary direction, which can be defined by the desired elevation angle and azimuth angle, in the 2D plane.