Digital Signal Distribution for Beam Squint-Free Beamforming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beamforming technologies suffer from beam squint due to the use of phase-shifters, which introduce frequency-dependent time delays, leading to inaccuracies in beam steering, especially at high relative bandwidths, and are costly in terms of power consumption and chip area.
Innovation Solution
A distribution device that delays digital data and clock signals based on beam control signals, using delay locked loops to enhance delay accuracy, allowing for beam control in the digital domain, reducing the need for phase-shifters and minimizing beam squint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If phase-shifters are used to control beam direction, then configurability and cost are improved, but beam steering accuracy deteriorates due to beam squint at high relative bandwidths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating domain from analog phase-shifting to digital signal processing. By converting RF signals to digital baseband signals and performing beamforming operations in the digital domain, the system eliminates frequency-dependent phase shifts and achieves beam steering accuracy independent of relative bandwidth.
2Manufacturing precision
If time delay components are implemented to reduce beam squint, then beam steering accuracy is improved, but power consumption and chip area increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical time delay components with digital signal processing operations. Instead of using hardware delay lines that consume power and occupy chip area, the system uses digital algorithms to achieve equivalent delay effects, dramatically reducing power consumption and device area while maintaining beam steering accuracy.
3Use of energy by moving object
If digital signal processing is used for beamforming, then power consumption and chip area are reduced, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal digital beamforming architecture that can steer beams in any direction by programmatically adjusting digital signal processing parameters. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple dedicated hardware components with a single reconfigurable digital system, reducing overall complexity while maintaining flexibility.
4Area of stationary object
If analog beamforming with phase-shifters is used, then device area is reduced for low bandwidth applications, but beam squint effects increase with higher relative bandwidths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from single-dimensional analog phase-shifting to multi-dimensional digital signal processing. By operating in the digital baseband domain and using multiple processing dimensions (I and Q channels, multiple antenna elements), the system achieves accurate beam steering across wide bandwidths without the limitations of analog approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
A distribution device for distribution a digital data signal and an associated clock signal to a plurality of sub-nodes. The distribution device includes an obtaining circuit configured to obtain the digital data signal, the clock signal and a beam control signal. The beam control signal indicates a target beam direction for the digital data signal. The distribution device further includes a delaying circuit, configured to, individually for one or more of the plurality of sub-nodes, delay the digital data signal and the clock signal based on the beam control signal and thereby provide a delayed digital data signal and a delayed clock signal. The distribution device further includes a provisioning circuit, configured to provide the delayed digital data signal and the delayed clock signal to the respective one or more of the plurality of sub-nodes.