mmWave Repeater Sidelobe Steering for Antenna Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Millimeter wave repeater systems face challenges in maintaining signal quality due to high gain values, which lead to feedback oscillations and reduced isolation between donor and coverage antennas, degrading signal reception in the mmWave spectrum.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an over-the-air millimeter wave repeater system with modular electronic components, including donor and coverage antennas, signal conditioning, and controllers, which employs hybrid sidelobe mitigation to adjust and steer sidelobes electronically, maximizing downlink and uplink signal isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If repeater systems transmit signals at very high gain levels to extend coverage area, then coverage area is improved, but feedback oscillations increase and isolation between donor and coverage antennas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic beamforming and electronic steering of antenna radiation patterns to adaptively control signal directionality. By dynamically adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals across antenna elements, the system can steer main lobes toward intended coverage areas while directing nulls toward the donor antenna, thereby extending coverage without causing feedback oscillations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements spatially selective signal processing where different regions of space receive different treatment. The coverage area receives high-gain signals for extended coverage, while the region near the donor antenna experiences signal suppression through null-steering. This local differentiation allows coverage extension without generating harmful feedback oscillations in the donor region.
2Area of stationary object
If repeater systems transmit signals at very high gain levels to extend coverage area, then coverage area is improved, but isolation between donor and coverage antennas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic beamforming control to electronically steer radiation patterns without physically moving antennas. By adjusting phase shifters and amplitude modulators in real-time, the system can create directional nulls toward the donor antenna, achieving high isolation dynamically without complex physical isolation structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical or physical isolation mechanisms with electronic signal processing methods. Instead of using physical barriers or complex antenna positioning mechanisms to achieve isolation, the system uses digital signal processing and phased array beamforming to electronically create isolation through destructive interference in the donor antenna direction.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If digital techniques are used to digitize communication signals for digital filtering, then filtering capability is improved, but group delay increases and signal quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces digital signal processing with analog signal processing techniques. By performing filtering and feedback cancellation in the analog domain using RF circuits and analog processors, the system eliminates the sampling and processing delays inherent in digital systems, thereby removing undesired feedback components without introducing significant group delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces analog signal processing circuits as intermediaries between the antenna and the baseband processing. These analog circuits perform preliminary filtering and feedback cancellation before signals are digitized, reducing the burden on digital processors and minimizing overall system delay while still effectively removing unwanted feedback components.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an over-the-air millimeter wave repeater for a communications network comprises: a donor unit including a first plurality of modular electronic components and an access point including a second plurality of modular electronic components. The donor unit communicates downlink mmWave spectrum wireless signals received from a base station to the access point and radiates uplink mmWave spectrum wireless signals received from the access point to the base station. The access point radiates the downlink mmWave spectrum wireless signals received from the donor unit into a coverage area, receives the uplink mmWave spectrum wireless signals received from the coverage area, and communicates the uplink mmWave spectrum wireless signals to the donor unit. The first and second plurality of modular electronic components includes at least one of a modular antenna component, a modular signal conditioning component, a modular signal interface component, and a modular controller.