Millimeter-Wave DPD Receiver Architecture Using Beamforming Paths

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing phased array systems face challenges with external measurement components that consume space and increase hardware cost, and dedicated distortion measurement paths from transmitters to baseband processors are cumbersome, especially at millimeter-wave frequencies, leading to parasitic effects that hinder accurate distortion measurements.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating distortion measurement circuitry that uses existing beamforming components to route distortion measurements to receive beamformers, bypassing antennas and transmitters, thereby eliminating the need for external components and dedicated paths, and allowing receive beamformers to sum measurements for aggregate distortion representation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If external measurement components are used to obtain distortion measurements, then distortion measurement capability is provided, but space consumption and hardware cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistortion measurement capabilityVSAvoidspace consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes existing beamforming components serve dual purposes: their primary function for signal beamforming and an additional function for distortion measurement. The measurement paths reuse transmit amplifiers, couplers, transmission lines, and receive beamformers already present in the phased array system, eliminating the need for separate external measurement components while maintaining distortion measurement capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses its own existing infrastructure (transmit amplifiers, beamforming circuitry, receive beamformers) to perform distortion measurement without requiring external measurement equipment. The beamforming components themselves provide the measurement function, making the system self-sufficient for distortion characterization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If dedicated distortion measurement paths are implemented, then accurate distortion measurements are obtained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistortion measurement accuracyVSAvoidpath complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates dedicated separate measurement paths by making existing beamforming paths perform both beamforming and measurement functions. The same transmit amplifiers, couplers, transmission lines, and receive beamformers used for signal processing are also used for distortion measurement, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the distortion measurement function with the existing beamforming signal path. Instead of creating separate dedicated measurement paths, the measurement functionality is integrated into the conventional beamforming infrastructure, combining multiple functions into unified paths

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If measurement paths are used at millimeter-wave frequencies, then DPD processing is enabled, but parasitic effects increase measurement error

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistortion measurement accuracyVSAvoidparasitic effects

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the distortion measurement function from the conventional signal path by using couplers to obtain measurement signals. This allows measurement to be performed on a subset of the transmitted signal through dedicated measurement paths that bypass certain components, reducing the impact of parasitic effects while maintaining measurement capability at millimeter-wave frequencies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12531580B2Measurement receiver architecture for digital pre-distortion (DPD) in millimeter wave phased array environment

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 MEDIATEK INC

AI summary

Described herein are phased array and transceiver systems with distortion measurement circuitry configured to obtain distortion measurements of system transmitters and provide the distortion measurements to receive beamforming components of the system. Such systems advantageously make use of existing beamforming components of the system to additionally route distortion measurements for baseband DPD processing. Such systems may not need external components to measure signals radiated by antennas of the system or dedicated paths linking system transmitters directly to a baseband processor. In some embodiments, receive beamforming components may be configured to sum distortion measurements from each transmitter to create an aggregate distortion measurement usable as representative of the average transmitter for DPD processing.