Multi-Port Antenna Pre-Distortion for Mutual Coupling Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mutual coupling between closely spaced antennas in multi-port antenna systems, such as those used in MIMO communication systems, adversely affects signal quality and channel capacity by introducing leakage and reducing isolation, bandwidth, and increasing Mean Square Error (MSE).

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where a pre-distortion signal is applied to RF signals before transmission, selected based on specific use cases and coupling coefficients, to mitigate mutual coupling by compensating for the coupling matrix, thereby reducing or eliminating the effects of mutual coupling between antenna ports.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple antennas are placed very close to each other to increase channel capacity and provide reliability in MIMO systems, then the ability to take advantage of multi-path fading and increase data rate is improved, but mutual coupling adversely impacts the radiated signal by introducing leakage and reducing isolation and bandwidth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel capacityVSAvoidmutual coupling
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies pre-distortion signals to the RF signals before transmission through the antenna system. These pre-distortion signals are specifically designed to counteract the mutual coupling effects that will occur during transmission, thereby preventing the harmful effects of mutual coupling before they can degrade the signal quality, isolation, or bandwidth performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Area of stationary object

If multiple antennas are placed very close to each other to increase bandwidth and data rate, then the ability to propagate signals along different paths is improved, but Mean Square Error (MSE) increases due to mutual coupling

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebandwidthVSAvoidMean Square Error
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-distortion technique applies corrective signals in advance that are specifically calculated to counteract the mutual coupling-induced MSE. By pre-compensating for the coupling effects between closely spaced antennas, the system maintains lower MSE values across the operating bandwidth while preserving the multi-path fading advantages

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3079282B1Mutual coupling mitigation in a multi-port antenna system
Publication Date: 2020.03.25 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP3079282B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3079282B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3079282B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, accessing a group of de-coupling data stored in a memory of a communication device where the group of de-coupling data is mapped to corresponding use cases associated with the communication device, selecting de-coupling data from among the group of de-coupling data according to a determined use case of the communication device, generating a pre-distortion signal according to the selected de-coupling data, combining the pre-distortion signal with RF signals to generate pre-distorted RF signals, and transmitting the pre-distorted RF signals via a multi-port antenna of the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.