RF Phase Shifter Feedback Control for Accurate Phase Setting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RF phase shifters suffer from low accuracy in phase control, resulting in phase errors and uncertainty in output phase, making precise phase adjustment difficult.
Innovation Solution
The RF phase shifter incorporates a phase detector to generate a phase difference voltage, which is processed by a control unit to adjust the phase to a set value, using either analog or digital methods, enabling highly accurate phase control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional RF phase shifter is used, then device complexity is low, but phase control accuracy deteriorates with several degrees error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the phase detector continuously monitors the output phase and compares it with the set phase, generating an error signal that is fed back to the processing unit. The processing unit adjusts the control voltage to minimize the phase error, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that automatically corrects deviations and maintains high phase control accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a phase detector as an intermediary component between the phase shifter and the control system. This phase detector acts as a mediator that converts the phase difference into a measurable voltage signal, enabling the processing unit to accurately sense and correct phase deviations without directly measuring the RF phase itself.
2Measurement precision
If fine phase shift control is implemented, then phase control accuracy improves, but reliability deteriorates due to unknown true value and difficulty in ensuring accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism continuously monitors the actual output phase through the phase detector and compares it with the intended set phase. This closed-loop control ensures reliability by automatically detecting and correcting any deviations from the desired phase, providing real-time verification and adjustment that guarantees accurate phase control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical or electrical phase adjustment mechanisms with a sensing and feedback-based control system. Instead of relying on open-loop control where accuracy depends on component precision, the system uses the phase detector to sense the actual phase and the processing unit to dynamically adjust the control, substituting passive component precision with active feedback control for more reliable accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an RF phase shifter capable of highly accurate phase control. An RF phase shifter 100 comprises: a phase shifter 110 that receives an input RF signal, generates an output RF signal in which the phase of the input RF signal is changed to a set phase in accordance with a control voltage, and outputs the output RF signal; a phase comparator 120 that generates a phase difference voltage according to a phase difference between the input RF signal and the output RF signal; and an arithmetic processing unit 130 that generates a control voltage according to a voltage difference between the phase difference voltage and a reference voltage according to the set phase.