Phased Array Beamforming Modulation Without Separate RF Hardware
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna systems require separate hardware for data modulation and beamforming, leading to complexity and inefficiency in beamforming processes.
Innovation Solution
A phased array antenna system with integrated beamforming and data modulation using a modulation controller and element adjustment circuits that combine beam and data codes, eliminating the need for additional hardware for data modulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate hardware is used for data modulation and beamforming, then data transmission and beam direction control can be performed independently, but system complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate data modulation and beamforming hardware into a single integrated system. The modulation controller generates both data codes and beam codes, and the element adjustment circuits perform both modulation and beamforming functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate hardware components while maintaining independent control of data transmission and beam direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The element adjustment circuits are designed to perform multiple functions: they modulate data codes onto element signals and simultaneously apply beamforming phase/amplitude adjustments. This multi-functional design allows a single hardware component to replace what would traditionally require separate dedicated circuits for modulation and beamforming.
2Device complexity
If integrated beamforming and data modulation is implemented, then system complexity is reduced, but ensuring both beam direction control and data transmission performance becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated system segments the control process into distinct code generation stages: the modulation controller separately generates data codes for information transmission and beam codes for directional control, then combines them through logical operations. This segmentation within the integrated architecture maintains operational clarity while reducing hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary code generation and combination before the actual modulation process. The modulation controller pre-generates both data and beam codes and combines them through logical operations in advance, so that the element adjustment circuits receive ready-to-modulate combined codes, simplifying the real-time operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
One example includes a phased array antenna system. The system includes a beamforming network to receive a beam signal to generate a plurality of element signals, each being provided to a respective one of a plurality of antenna elements. The system also includes a plurality of modulation controllers, each associated with a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements. Each of the modulation controllers can generate a beam code in response to a beamforming signal and a data code in response to a data signal. The system further includes a plurality of element adjustment circuits, each associated with a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements. Each of the plurality of element adjustment circuits can modulate the beam code and the data code onto a respective one of the plurality of element signals to generate a respective adjusted element signal that is provided to a respective radiating element.