Phased Array Antenna Electrical Tilt Control via Signal Delay

Solution Overview

Problem

Phased array antennas in cellular mobile radio networks face challenges in efficiently adjusting the angle of electrical tilt, leading to compromises in antenna performance, increased cost, and impracticality due to the need for multiple variable phase shifters or delay devices, which also complicates antenna sharing and frequency compatibility.

Innovation Solution

A phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control using an array of antenna elements, tilt control means for splitting and delaying input signals, and corporate feed means for processing these signals to produce drive signals with linear phase and amplitude tapers, allowing for independent tilt adjustment without compromising beam shape or increasing side lobe levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple variable phase shifters or delay devices are used to adjust the angle of electrical tilt, then the tilt adjustment capability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetilt adjustment capabilityVSAvoidnumber of phase shifters or delay devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna array is divided into multiple sub-arrays, with each sub-array controlled by a shared phase shifter. This segmentation allows tilt adjustment capability to be distributed across multiple sub-arrays while reducing the total number of phase shifters needed, as each phase shifter controls multiple antenna elements through the sub-array structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each phase shifter is designed to control multiple sub-arrays simultaneously, making the phase shifter a multi-functional component. This universality allows a single phase shifter to perform the tilt adjustment function for multiple antenna elements, thereby reducing the overall number of phase shifters required in the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple variable phase shifters or delay devices are used to adjust the angle of electrical tilt, then the tilt adjustment capability is improved, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetilt adjustment capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna array is divided into multiple sub-arrays, with each sub-array controlled by a shared phase shifter. This segmentation allows tilt adjustment capability to be distributed across multiple sub-arrays while reducing the total number of phase shifters needed, as each phase shifter controls multiple antenna elements through the sub-array structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each phase shifter is designed to control multiple sub-arrays simultaneously, making the phase shifter a multi-functional component. This universality allows a single phase shifter to perform the tilt adjustment function for multiple antenna elements, thereby reducing the overall number of phase shifters required in the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple variable phase shifters or delay devices are used to adjust the angle of electrical tilt, then the tilt adjustment capability is improved, but the antenna sharing and frequency compatibility become impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetilt adjustment capabilityVSAvoidantenna sharing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna array is divided into multiple sub-arrays, with each sub-array controlled by a shared phase shifter. This segmentation allows tilt adjustment capability to be distributed across multiple sub-arrays while reducing the total number of phase shifters needed, as each phase shifter controls multiple antenna elements through the sub-array structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each phase shifter is designed to control multiple sub-arrays simultaneously, making the phase shifter a multi-functional component. This universality allows a single phase shifter to perform the tilt adjustment function for multiple antenna elements, thereby reducing the overall number of phase shifters required in the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10211529B2Phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control

Publication Date: 2019.02.19 QUINTEL CAYMAN LTD

AI summary

A phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control incorporates a tilt controller (62) for splitting an input signal into three intermediate signals, two of which are delayed by variable delays T1 and T2 relative to the third. A corporate feed (64) contains splitters S3 to S10 and hybrids H1 to H6 for processing the intermediate signals to produce drive signals for elements of an antenna array (66); the drive signals are fractions and vector combinations of the intermediate signals. The tilt controller (62) and the corporate feed (64) in combination impose relative phasing on the drive signals as appropriate for phased array beam steering in response to variable delay of two intermediate signals relative to the third intermediate signal.