Matrix Power Amplifier for TDMA Beam Routing Without RF Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communication platform architectures face challenges in providing cost-effective high throughput and efficient bandwidth utilization due to high power amplifiers, complex switching networks, and thermal dissipation issues, which are impractical and expensive, especially in satellite communications where power, volume, and mass are limited.

Innovation Solution

A communication system utilizing a matrix power amplifier with an input hybrid matrix, output hybrid matrix, bank of high power amplifiers, and adjusters, where a driver circuit modifies communication signals at time division multiple access rates, allowing selective routing of RF signals to individual antenna beams without additional switching, maximizing power sharing in the time domain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional FDMA architecture with multiple high power amplifiers and complex switching networks is used, then high throughput and frequency reuse are achieved, but power consumption, mass, volume, and thermal dissipation requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements beam hopping TDMA where a single high power amplifier periodically switches between multiple antenna beams in time-division manner. Each beam receives full power during its allocated time slot, achieving frequency reuse and high throughput without requiring multiple simultaneous amplifiers, thus dramatically reducing power consumption and thermal load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

A single high power amplifier is designed to serve multiple antenna beams through time-division multiplexing. The amplifier dynamically reconfigures its output to different beams based on TDMA scheduling, making one component perform the function of multiple amplifiers would otherwise be needed in FDMA architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If conventional beam hopping PS-TDMA architecture with high power amplifiers dedicated to single antenna beams is used, then each beam receives adequate power, but power supply burden increases and amplifiers cannot switch at TDMA rates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam power allocationVSAvoidpower supply switching capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple beam power amplification functions are merged into a single high power amplifier through TDMA-based time-division switching. The amplifier sequentially serves multiple beams by switching its output coupling, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated amplifiers and their associated power supplies, while maintaining adequate power allocation to each beam during its active slot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If high power switch networks are used to route RF power between amplifiers and antenna beams, then beam hopping is enabled, but mass, volume, and thermal dissipation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam routing flexibilityVSAvoidmass

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the complex high power switch network from the system by using a simpler TDMA-based time-division switching approach. Instead of using sophisticated RF switches to route power spatially, the system uses temporal switching with a single amplifier, removing the mass and volume burden of complex switching hardware while maintaining beam routing flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If conventional FDMA architecture with large numbers of antenna beams is used, then frequency reuse and total throughput are maximized, but mass and volume requirements become impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetotal throughputVSAvoidmass

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of maintaining multiple simultaneous antenna beams as in FDMA, the system uses periodic beam hopping where a single antenna beam is sequentially activated for different frequency channels in TDMA fashion. This achieves frequency reuse and high total throughput while requiring only one physical antenna structure, dramatically reducing mass and volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS9954632B2TDMA rate reconfigurable matrix power amplifier and method of communication in a FDMA/TDMA architecture

Publication Date: 2018.04.24 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A communication system including a communication platform, and a downlink communication module connected to the communication platform and having a matrix power amplifier, the matrix power amplifier including an input hybrid matrix, an output hybrid matrix, a bank of high power amplifiers disposed between and in communication with at least the input hybrid matrix and the output hybrid matrix, and a bank of adjusters disposed between and in communication with at least the input hybrid matrix and the output hybrid matrix. The communication system further includes a driver circuit connected to each adjuster in the bank of adjusters, the driver circuit being configured to command each adjuster to modify communication signals, passing through the matrix power amplifier, at time division multiple access rates.