Switched-Antenna Array Wireless Channel Sounder for Fast AoA Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless channel sounders are slow and inefficient in measuring wireless channel parameters, particularly angle of arrival, due to reliance on directional antennas that require incremental scanning, which limits measurement speed and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A wireless channel sounder employing a switched-antenna array with low noise amplifiers (LNAs) that activate and deactivate quickly, allowing for simultaneous measurement across multiple antenna sector units, calculating phase differences to determine angle of arrival with high accuracy and speed, and improving dynamic range and noise figure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a directional antenna is used with incremental scanning to measure angle of arrival, then the measurement can be performed with simple hardware, but the measurement speed becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is divided into multiple antenna sector units, each covering a specific angular sector. Instead of scanning a single directional antenna incrementally, the system segments the 360-degree coverage into multiple fixed directional beams, allowing parallel measurement across all sectors simultaneously, thus dramatically improving measurement speed while maintaining hardware simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different antenna sector units based on the measured signal strength. The processor activates specific LNA groups corresponding to sectors with detected signals, enabling adaptive measurement that focuses resources on relevant directions while maintaining fast switching capability
2Productivity
If multiple LNA groups are simultaneously activated for parallel measurement, then measurement speed improves, but noise figure and dynamic range may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic switching between LNA groups based on real-time signal detection. When a signal is detected in a particular sector, the corresponding LNA group is activated; other LNA groups are deactivated to minimize noise contribution. This dynamic activation ensures that only necessary amplifiers are operating, maintaining optimal noise figure while enabling fast parallel measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs periodic scanning through different LNA groups in a structured sequence. Each LNA group is activated for a specific time period to measure its corresponding sector, then deactivated. This periodic activation pattern allows the system to achieve parallel measurement效果 while controlling noise accumulation, as each LNA operates independently during its designated time window
Data Source
AI summary
An example device includes antennas to receive wireless signals from a wireless transmitter and to output radio frequency signals based upon the wireless signals that are received, low noise amplifiers coupled to the antennas to amplify the radio frequency signals, and a receiver stage to generate, based upon the radio frequency signals, digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the antennas and to determine a measure a wireless channel parameter from the digital representations of the wireless signals.