Method and apparatus for phased antenna array calibration

• US 10,211,527 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C-COM Satellite Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: C-COM Satellite Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Safavi-Naeini, Safieddin, Haghtalab, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao L
• Application Number:
  US15/299,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20180115064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 342173-174, 342196, 342369, 342372
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/28 varying the amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters

Abstract

A method and apparatus for calibrating a phased antenna array. The antennas are excited using several excitation patterns, each changing the state of the antennas by a specific amplitude and phase. The phases correspond to phase values of a basis function of a two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform, and each excitation pattern corresponds to a different basis function. Using a calibration antenna, e.g. at a fixed point inside the system, the phase and amplitude of the radiated field due to each excitation patterns is measured sequentially. From this data, the phase and amplitude of the radiated field for each element at the location of the calibration antenna is obtained and used to adjust the phase shifters and amplifiers. For calibrated systems, the spectral domain representation of radiated fields can be sparse. Taking advantage of this property and a spectrally compressed sensing technique, recalibration can involve fewer measurements to mitigate service interruptions.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas in a two-dimensional arrangement, each of the antennas operatively coupled to a respective controllable phase shifter, the method comprising:

exciting the antennas according to a sequence of excitation patterns, each of the excitation patterns defining a plurality of phases to be applied by the phase shifters during concurrent excitation of the antennas, wherein the plurality of phases correspond to phase values of a basis function of a two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform, and wherein each of the excitation patterns is associated with a different basis function of the two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform;

monitoring output of a calibration antenna to provide a sequence of measurements, each measurement of the sequence of measurements indicative of response of the calibration antenna due to a superposition of radiated fields of the antennas excited according to a corresponding one of the excitation patterns;

obtaining indications of radiated fields of the antennas based on the sequence of measurements, the indications corresponding to values of an inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform applied to the measurements; and

calibrating the antenna array based on the indications of radiated fields of the antennas.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the antennas is further operatively coupled to a respective controllable variable gain amplifier, and wherein each of the excitation patterns further defines a plurality of amplitudes for use in exciting the different respective ones of the antennas via control of the variable gain amplifiers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the sequence of excitation patterns corresponds to a different two-dimensional discrete index value (k,l), and wherein, for each of the index values (k,l), the basis function associated with the excitation pattern corresponding to the index value (k,l) is a two-dimensional function over discrete variables (m,n) given by:

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of excitation patterns corresponds to a different two-dimensional discrete index value (k,l), and wherein computing the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform of the sequence of measurements comprises:

for each index value (k,l), setting a corresponding spectral domain coefficient F(k,l) equal to one of the sequence of measurements obtained due to the (k,l)^th excitation pattern; and

computing the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform of a two-dimensional function having values F(k,l).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of excitation patterns excludes one or more possible excitation patterns, and wherein the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform is approximated based on the measurements.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising excluding possible excitation patterns which are predicted to result in relatively small spectral domain coefficients.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a recalibration operation after calibrating the antenna array, the recalibration operation comprising:

exciting the antennas according to a second sequence of excitation patterns, the second sequence being a strict subset of the sequence of the excitation patterns;

monitoring output of the calibration antenna to provide a second sequence of measurements, each measurement of the second sequence of measurements indicative of response of the calibration antenna due to superposition of radiated fields of the antennas excited according to a corresponding one of the second sequence of excitation patterns;

obtaining second indications of radiated fields of the antennas based on the second sequence of measurements, the second indications corresponding to values of the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform applied to the second sequence of measurements; and

recalibrating the antenna array based on the second indications of radiated fields of the antennas.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein exciting the antennas comprises providing a common sinusoidal signal as input to each of the controllable phase shifters, and wherein at least one measurement of the sequence of measurements indicates an amplitude and a phase of a sinusoidal electrical signal provided by the calibration antenna due to the superposition of radiated fields, the phase being relative to the common sinusoidal signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein calibrating the antenna array comprises calibrating one or both of:

the controllable phase shifters; and

amplifiers operatively coupled to the antennas.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein calibrating the antenna array comprises determining errors associated with positioning of the antennas relative to one another, relative to the calibration antenna, or both, and adjusting operation of the antenna array to compensate for said errors.

11. A calibration apparatus for an antenna array having a plurality of antennas in a two-dimensional arrangement, each of the antennas operatively coupled to a respective controllable phase shifter, the calibration apparatus comprising:

a calibration antenna configured to generate an electrical signal in response to radiated fields generated by the antennas;

a calibration controller configured to;

cause excitation of the antennas according to a sequence of excitation patterns, each of the excitation patterns defining a plurality of phases to be applied by the phase shifters during concurrent excitation of the antennas, wherein the plurality of phases correspond to phase values of a basis function of a two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform, and wherein each of the excitation patterns is associated with a different basis function of the two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform;

monitor output of the calibration antenna to provide a sequence of measurements, each measurement of the sequence of measurements indicative of response of the calibration antenna due to a superposition of the radiated fields of the antennas excited according to a corresponding one of the excitation patterns;

obtain indications of radiated fields of the antennas based on the sequence of measurements, the indications corresponding to values of an inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform applied to the measurements; and

calibrate the antenna array based on the indications of radiated fields of the antennas.

12. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the antennas is further operatively coupled to a respective controllable variable gain amplifier, and wherein each of the excitation patterns further defines a plurality of amplitudes for use in exciting the different respective ones of the antennas via control of the variable gain amplifiers.

13. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of excitation patterns corresponds to a different two-dimensional discrete index value (k,l), and wherein, for each of the index values (k,l), the basis function associated with the excitation pattern corresponding to the index value (k,l) is a two-dimensional function over discrete variables (m,n) given by:

14. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of excitation patterns corresponds to a different two-dimensional discrete index value (k,l), and wherein computing the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform of the sequence of measurements comprises:

for each index value (k,l), setting a corresponding spectral domain coefficient F(k,l) equal to one of the sequence of measurements obtained due to the (k,l)^th excitation pattern; and

computing the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform of a two-dimensional function having values F(k,l).

15. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sequence of excitation patterns excludes one or more possible excitation patterns, and wherein the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform is approximated based on the measurements.

16. The calibration apparatus of claim 15, further configured to exclude possible excitation patterns which are predicted to result in relatively small spectral domain coefficients.

17. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein the calibration controller is further configured to perform a recalibration operation after calibrating the antenna array, the recalibration operation comprising:

exciting the antennas according to a second sequence of excitation patterns, the second sequence being a strict subset of the sequence of the excitation patterns;

monitoring output of the calibration antenna to provide a second sequence of measurements, each measurement of the second sequence of measurements indicative of response of the calibration antenna due to superposition of radiated fields of the antennas excited according to a corresponding one of the second sequence of excitation patterns;

obtaining second indications of radiated fields of the antennas based on the second sequence of measurements, the second indications corresponding to values of the inverse two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform applied to the second sequence of measurements; and

recalibrating the antenna array based on the second indications of radiated fields of the antennas.

18. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein exciting the antennas comprises providing a common sinusoidal signal as input to each of the controllable phase shifters, and wherein at least one measurement of the sequence of measurements indicates an amplitude and a phase of a sinusoidal electrical signal provided by the calibration antenna due to the superposition of radiated fields, the phase being relative to the common sinusoidal signal.

19. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein calibrating the antenna array comprises calibrating one or both of:

the controllable phase shifters; and

amplifiers operatively coupled to the antennas.

20. The calibration apparatus of claim 11, wherein calibrating the antenna array comprises determining errors associated with positioning of the antennas relative to one another, relative to the calibration antenna, or both, and adjusting operation of the antenna array to compensate for said errors.

21. A phased antenna array comprising the calibration apparatus of claim 11.