Smart Antenna System for Circular Polarization and Electrical Down Tilt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing phased array antennas face challenges in achieving circular polarization and electrical down tilt, which are necessary for proper coverage and avoiding interference with other cell arrays, while existing solutions are either inefficient or require mechanical adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A smart antenna system utilizing a baseband transmitter, voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs), power amplifiers, and antennas, where phase shifted local oscillator signals are used to generate phase shifted radio frequency signals, allowing for circular polarization and programmable electrical down tilt by arranging radiating elements in specific planes and feeding them with phase shifted clocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical down tilt is used to tilt the antenna radiation plane, then the antenna can provide coverage to areas close to it, but the system complexity increases due to motors or hinges and the tilt cannot be easily programmed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical down tilt system (motors or hinges) with an electrical phase shifting system. By applying phase shifts to the signals fed to different radiating elements, the radiation plane is tilted electronically without any mechanical moving parts. This substitution achieves the same functional effect (tilting the radiation pattern) while eliminating mechanical complexity and enabling programmable control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the phase parameters of the signals fed to the radiating elements to achieve down tilt. By varying the phase shift values applied to different elements, the radiation plane can be tilted to different angles. This parameter-based control replaces mechanical adjustment with electrical signal manipulation, enabling easy reconfiguration and programming of tilt angles.
2Reliability
If linear polarization is used for signal transmission, then the system is simpler to implement, but proper coverage and interference avoidance with other cell arrays cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric phase shifting between orthogonal polarized elements to generate circular polarization. By applying different phase shifts to horizontally and vertically polarized radiating elements, the system creates the asymmetric phase relationship necessary for circular polarization. This asymmetric treatment of orthogonal components enables improved coverage and interference avoidance while managing the complexity through systematic phase control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves circular polarization and electrical down tilt, providing effective coverage to areas close to the antennas while avoiding interference with other cell arrays, with the electrical down tilt being programmable and efficient.
Implementation Method 1
a first voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) generates at least one of a plurality of phase shifted local oscillator (LO) signals which modulates the baseband signal to a plurality of phase shifted intermediate frequency (IF) signals
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of phase shifted intermediate frequency signals further modulated to a plurality of phase shifted radio frequency (RF) signals using a plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals
Implementation Method 3
The plurality of power amplifiers that amplifies the plurality of phase shifted radio frequency signals
Implementation Method 4
The plurality of antennas that radiate the plurality of phase shifted radio frequency signals for generating the phased array signals
Implementation Method 5
Phased array antennas operate on the principle that different phases of the signal obtained using phase shifters are fed to different radiating elements in the antenna array to steer the beam in the required direction
Data Source
AI summary
A smart antenna system for achieving circularly polarized and electrically down tilted phased array signal is provided. The baseband transmitter transmits a baseband signal. The first voltage controlled oscillator (a) modulates the baseband signal to a plurality of phase shifted intermediate frequency signals, and the second voltage controlled oscillator (b) modulates the plurality of phase shifted intermediate frequency signals to a plurality of phase shifted radio frequency signals. The plurality of power amplifiers amplify the plurality of phase shifted radio frequency signals. The plurality of antennas radiate the plurality of phase shifted radio frequency signals for generating the phased array signals. The phased array signals achieve (i) tilting of an antenna radiation plane of the plurality of antennas from an initial position to a tilted position and (ii) transmitting the plurality of phase shifted radio frequency signals in a circular polarization.