Hybrid Signal Distribution Network for Multi-Beam Antenna Feeds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna distribution networks face challenges in achieving efficient beam-forming with fewer input ports than antenna elements, particularly in supporting multiple beams while maintaining complexity, size, and power consumption considerations.
Innovation Solution
A signal distribution network comprising at least two signal splitters and two signal combiners, which split and combine baseband signals to provide direct and intermediate feeds to antenna elements, allowing for efficient distribution and beam-forming with reduced transceiver ports, leveraging analogue splitting and digital control to support multiple antenna lobes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If digital beam-forming is used to control multiple beams, then flexibility and multi-beam support are improved, but implementation complexity increases due to multiple data converters and up/down converters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam-forming function into two parts: digital phase-shifting for azimuth control and analogue phase-shifting for elevation control. This segmentation allows digital processing to handle only the azimuth dimension while analogue processing handles elevation, reducing the number of required data converters and simplifying the overall implementation while maintaining multi-beam capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dimensional separation approach by dividing the two-dimensional beam control (azimuth and elevation) into independent processing domains. Digital processing operates on one dimension (azimuth) while analogue processing operates on the other dimension (elevation), thereby reducing complexity in the digital domain while preserving full two-dimensional beam-forming capability.
2Device complexity
If analogue beam-forming is used to reduce complexity, then device complexity and power consumption are reduced, but multi-beam support becomes limited requiring multiple phase-shifter instances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges digital and analogue beam-forming approaches into a hybrid architecture. Digital phase-shifting and analogue phase-shifting are combined to achieve two-dimensional beam control, allowing the system to support multiple beams with reduced complexity by leveraging the strengths of both approaches rather than requiring multiple separate analogue phase-shifter instances.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid beam-forming architecture provides universal functionality by enabling both digital and analogue processing to work together for a single multi-beam system. This multi-functional approach allows the system to support multiple beams simultaneously without requiring multiple separate analogue phase-shifter instances, as the digital component handles the multi-beam coordination.
3Use of energy by moving object
If analogue phase-shifting is used for elevation control, then power consumption is reduced compared to digital processing, but phase-accuracy requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces digital phase-shifting as an intermediary layer that pre-processes the signals before they enter the analogue phase-shifting stage. This intermediary digital processing helps to establish coarse phase relationships, allowing the analogue phase-shifters to operate with relaxed precision requirements while still achieving accurate final beam formation, thereby reducing power consumption without sacrificing phase-accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a signal distribution network for an antenna arrangement with fewer input ports than antenna elements. The signal distribution network comprises at least two signal splitters. The signal distribution network comprises at least one signal combiner. Each signal splitter is configured to receive one input baseband signal from a unique input port and to provide one direct feed signal as input to a unique antenna element, and to provide one intermediate signal as input to at least one of said at least one signal combiner. Each signal combiner is configured to receive two intermediate signals, each intermediate signal being received from a respective signal splitter of the at least two signal splitters, and to provide one combined signal as input to a unique antenna element, wherein the one combined signal is formed by combining the received two intermediate signals.