Electrically Tunable Phase Shifter for Fast Standing Wave Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current phase shifters in multi-band antennas require lengthy standing wave tuning processes due to manual adjustments, which increase the risk of faulty passive inter modulation (PIM) and necessitate retesting, thereby increasing tuning time.
Innovation Solution
An electrically tunable phase shifter with a tuning accessory that includes a movable tuning portion capable of adjusting input impedance by changing capacitance or inductance, allowing for precise tuning of port standing waves without affecting PIM, thereby eliminating the need for retesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual adjustment of solder amount is used to tune port standing wave, then port standing wave can be tuned, but tuning time increases geometrically and PIM retesting is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual soldering process with an electrical tuning mechanism. A tuning component (variable capacitor or inductor) is introduced to electrically adjust the input impedance at each port, substituting the mechanical act of adding or removing solder. This electrical adjustment method allows for precise control of standing wave without the time-consuming and imprecise manual soldering process, eliminating the need for PIM retesting.
2Ease of operation
If manual solder adjustment is used for tuning, then port standing wave can be adjusted, but surface precision decreases and surface defects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical soldering process with an electrical tuning component. The tuning component (variable capacitor or inductor) provides precise electrical adjustment of input impedance without requiring manual solder manipulation. This eliminates surface defects associated with manual soldering while maintaining tuning flexibility through electrical control mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If manual solder adjustment is used, then port standing wave tuning can be performed, but PIM is affected and retesting is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual soldering with an electrical tuning component that adjusts input impedance without physically altering the circuit board surface. The tuning component (variable capacitor or inductor) allows for precise standing wave adjustment while maintaining intact solder joints and circuit board surface quality, thereby preserving PIM performance and eliminating the need for retesting.
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 solution significantly reduces standing wave tuning time by enabling precise and efficient adjustment of port standing waves without affecting PIM, improving the integration of base station antennas into complex environments.
Implementation Method 1
one additional capacitance or inductance can be added to the phase shifter by using the tuning portion
Implementation Method 2
one additional capacitance or inductance can be added to the phase shifter by using the tuning portion
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a phase shifter and an electrically tunable antenna including the phase shifter, where the phase shifter includes a tuning accessory, and the tuning accessory includes a tuning portion for tuning input impedance of the phase shifter. One additional capacitance or inductance parameter is added in the phase shifter by using the tuning portion, to affect input impedance of a port, to further affect a port standing wave, thereby tuning the port standing wave by using the tuning accessory. In addition, the tuning accessory in this application is a molded part with a fixed structure. Compared with a manner of manually increasing or decreasing a solder amount in the related art, the tuning accessory has higher surface precision and has fewer surface defects, and therefore PIM is not affected, so that after the tuning of the port standing wave is completed, the PIM does not need to be retested, thereby reducing a standing wave tuning time.