MIMO Antenna Arrays for Millimeter Wave Bandwidth Expansion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in expanding bandwidth to meet growing data traffic demands, particularly as more users engage in data-intensive activities like video streaming and virtual/augmented reality, due to limitations in existing frequency bands below 6 GHz.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a wireless transmitter and receiver system that generates and processes spatial streams, applies frequency shifts, and uses millimeter wave frequency bands greater than 20 GHz, combined with horizontally and vertically polarized MIMO antenna arrays to expand bandwidth and enhance frequency scaling, allowing for efficient transmission and reception of signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If higher frequency bands (millimeter waves) are used to expand bandwidth, then data capacity and transmission rate are improved, but signal attenuation and propagation loss increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata capacityVSAvoidsignal attenuation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines horizontally polarized and vertically polarized MIMO antenna arrays to transmit multiple spatial streams simultaneously. This merging of polarization dimensions allows the system to multiply available bandwidth by the number of spatial streams, effectively compensating for millimeter wave attenuation through increased data capacity per transmission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If multiple spatial streams are transmitted to expand bandwidth, then data rate is improved, but interference between frequency streams increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidfrequency stream interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transmitted signal into multiple orthogonal spatial streams using MIMO technology. Each spatial stream is modulated onto a separate polarization channel (horizontal or vertical), ensuring orthogonality and eliminating interference between streams. This segmentation allows independent transmission of multiple data streams without mutual interference

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different frequency shifts to spatial streams transmitted on different polarizations, creating asymmetric frequency positioning for each stream. This asymmetric frequency allocation, combined with polarization diversity, ensures that streams occupy distinct frequency-polarization spaces, preventing interference while maximizing spectral efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Productivity

If frequency shifting is applied to multiple spatial streams, then bandwidth expansion is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth expansionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a single mixer that performs multiple functions: it applies frequency shifts to multiple spatial streams simultaneously and performs up-conversion to millimeter wave frequencies. This multi-functional approach achieves bandwidth expansion through frequency shifting without requiring separate frequency translation circuits for each spatial stream, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This solution effectively expands bandwidth by up to 8 times, enabling higher data rates and supporting a greater number of users while avoiding interference between different frequency streams, thus addressing the capacity challenges in wireless communication networks.

Implementation Method 1

a mixer configured to up-convert the frequency shifted first and second spatial streams signals to first and second millimeter wave frequency band signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFrequency mixing:

Implementation Method 2

a plurality of power amplifiers configured to amplify the first and second millimeter wave frequency band signals prior to transmission

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSignal amplification:

Implementation Method 3

a plurality of phase shifters configured to apply phase shifts to the up-converted millimeter wave frequency band signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase shifting:

Implementation Method 4

a horizontally polarized multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna array configured to transmit the first millimeter wave frequency band signals and a vertically polarized multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna array configured to transmit the second millimeter wave frequency band signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation:

Data Source

PatentUS10784935B2Systems and methods for bandwidth expansion and frequency scaling

Publication Date: 2020.09.22 PHAZR INC

AI summary

A wireless transmitter includes a signal processing circuit configured to generate a plurality of first and second spatial streams signals. The transmitter includes a frequency shift circuit configured to selectively apply different frequency shifts to the first and second spatial streams signals. A wireless receiver includes a frequency shift circuit configured to selectively apply different frequency shifts to the received first and second spatial streams signals. The receiver also includes a signal processing circuit configured to process the first and second frequency shifted signals.