Hybrid Analog Digital Beamforming Antenna Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication and radar systems face challenges in achieving high angular resolution and rapid beam steering while maintaining low power consumption, especially in dynamic environments such as autonomous vehicles, due to limitations in existing analog and digital beamforming techniques.
Innovation Solution
The integration of analog and digital beamforming capabilities using an array of antennas with designated subarrays, where each subarray employs analog beamforming for high resolution and the super array operates as a digital beamforming antenna, optimizing phase control and signal processing to enhance beam steering and resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If digital beamforming is used, then flexibility and angular resolution are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is divided into multiple subarrays, where each subarray performs analog beamforming independently. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high angular resolution through digital processing of subarray signals while reducing overall power consumption by limiting full digital processing to only the subarray level rather than individual element level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges analog beamforming at the subarray level with digital beamforming at the superarray level. This hybrid approach combines the low power consumption advantage of analog beamforming with the high flexibility and angular resolution advantage of digital beamforming, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
2Use of energy by moving object
If analog beamforming is used, then power consumption is reduced, but flexibility and angular resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the antenna array into subarrays and applying analog beamforming at this intermediate level rather than at the full array level, the system achieves sufficient angular resolution for practical applications while dramatically reducing the computational burden and power consumption compared to full digital beamforming.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid architecture merges analog beamforming operations at the subarray level with digital beamforming at the superarray level, combining the power efficiency of analog processing with the measurement precision of digital processing to resolve this contradiction.
3Measurement precision
If more antenna elements are used, then angular resolution and beam steering accuracy are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The large antenna array is segmented into multiple smaller subarrays, each with its own analog beamforming circuitry. This segmentation reduces the complexity of individual processing units while maintaining the high angular resolution and beam steering accuracy of the overall large array through coordinated digital processing of subarray outputs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the processing power of multiple subarrays into a unified superarray digital beamforming structure, achieving high beam steering accuracy equivalent to a fully digital large array while keeping individual subarray complexity manageable through analog processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A radar system having an array of radiating elements configured for both analog beamforming and digital beamforming as analog parameters of the individual radiating elements are controlled, while digital control expands the field of view of the system. The radar system can include an array of radiating elements and a reactance control module coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to adjust a reactance in one or more radiating elements of the array of radiating elements. The radar system also includes a digital control mechanism coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to adjust a field of view of the array of radiating elements. A hybrid beamforming system and a method for a beamforming antenna are also provided herein.