Phased array antenna applications for universal frequency translation

• US 20010038318A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Martin R., Cook, Robert W., Bultman, Michael J., Sorrells, David F., Short, Robert T., Moses, Charley D. Jr., Looke, Richard C., Young, Jamison L., Jensen, Jonathan S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 331/135
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/00 Transference of modulation from one carrier to another, e.g. frequency-changing H03D9/00, H03D11/00 take precedence; dielectric amplifiers, magnetic amplifiers, parametric amplifiers used as a frequency-changers H03F

Abstract

A universal frequency translation module (UFT) frequency translates an electromagnetic (EM) input signal by sampling the EM input signal according to a periodic control signal (also called an aliasing signal). By controlling the relative sampling time, the UFT module implements a relative phase shift during frequency translation. In other words, a relative phase shift can be introduced in the output signal by sampling the input signal at one point in time relative to another point in time. As such, the UFT module can be configured as an integrated frequency translator and phase-shifter. This includes the UFT module as an integrated down-converter and phase shifter, and the UFT module as an integrated up-converter and phase shifter. Applications of universal frequency translation and phase shifting include phased array antennas that utilize integrated frequency translation and phase shifting technology to steer the one or more main beams of the phased array antenna.

Claims

1. A method of steering an antenna beam and frequency translating an electromagnetic (EM) signal that corresponds to said antenna beam, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving a first EM signal and a second EM signal; and

(2) sampling said first EM signal according to a first control signal to generate a first down-converted signal, and sampling said second EM signal according to a second control signal to generate a second down-converted signal, wherein said second control signal is phase shifted with respect to said first control signal, and thereby said second down-converted signal is phase-shifted with respect to said first down-converted signal.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said first control signal includes a first plurality of pulses having pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer non-negligible amounts of energy from said first EM signal to said first down-converted signal.

3. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said second control signal includes a second plurality of pulses having pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer non-negligible amounts of energy from said second EM signal to said second down-converted signal.

4. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said second plurality of pulses are phase shifted relative to said first plurality of pulses.

5. The method

claim 1

, further comprising the step of:

(3) adding said first down-converted signal and said second down-converted signal to generate a combined down-converted signal.

6. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of:

(3) generating a local oscillator signal.

7. The method of

claim 6

, further comprising the step of:

(4) generating said first control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) level shifting said local oscillator signal by a first voltage resulting in a first biased LO signal; and

(b) triggering a first pulse generator based on said first biased LO signal, to generate said first control signal.

8. The method of

claim 7

, wherein said first pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said first control signal when said first biased LO signal exceeds a threshold of said first pulse generator.

9. The method of

claim 7

, further comprising the step of:

(5) generating said second control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) level shifting said local oscillator signal by a second voltage resulting in a second biased LO signal; and

(b) triggering a second pulse generator based on said second biased LO signal, to generate said second control signal.

10. The method of

claim 9

, wherein said second pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said second control signal when said second biased LO signal exceeds a threshold of said second pulse generator.

11. The method of

claim 9

, wherein said second voltage is different from said first voltage.

12. The method of

claim 6

, further comprising the steps of:

(4) generating said first control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) delaying said local oscillator signal by a first delay resulting in a first delayed LO signal; and

(b) triggering a first pulse generator based on said first delayed LO signal, to generate said first control signal.

13. The method of

claim 12

, wherein said first pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said first control signal when said first delayed LO signal exceeds a threshold of said first pulse generator.

14. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising the step of:

(5) generating said second control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) delaying said local oscillator signal by a second delay resulting in a second delayed LO signal; and

(b) triggering a second pulse generator based on said second delayed LO signal, to generate said second control signal.

15. The method of

claim 14

, wherein said second delay is different from said first delay.

79. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of:

(3) adjusting said phase shift between said first control signal and said second control, and thereby steering the antenna beam of the antenna system.

80. The method of

claim 9

, further comprising the step of:

(6) adjusting said second voltage relative to said first voltage, and thereby steering the antenna beam of the antenna system.

81. The method of

claim 14

, further comprising the step of:

(6) adjusting said second delay relative to said first delay, and thereby steering the antenna beam of the antenna system.

16. A phased array antenna, comprising:

a first signal path, including

a first antenna element;

a first switch module coupled to said first antenna element; and

a first pulse generator coupled to said first switch module, wherein said first pulse generator generates a first plurality of pulses that control sampling by said first switch module;

a second signal path, including

a second antenna element;

a second switch module coupled to said second antenna element; and

a second pulse generator coupled to said second switch module, wherein said second pulse generator generates a second plurality of pulses that control sampling by said second switch module; and

means for adjusting a trigger time of said second pulse generator relative to a trigger time of said first pulse generator.

17. The phased array antenna of

claim 16

, further comprising:

an adder coupled to an output of said first switch module and an output of said second switch module.

18. The phased array antenna of

claim 17

, wherein said adder adds a frequency translated output of said first switch module and a frequency translated output of said second switch module.

19. The phased array antenna of

claim 16

, further comprising a local oscillator that is coupled to an input to said first pulse generator, wherein said local oscillator generates a local oscillator signal that determines a frequency of said first plurality of pulses that are generated by said first plurality of pulses.

20. The phased array antenna of

claim 19

, wherein said local oscillator is also coupled to an input to said second pulse generator, wherein said local oscillator signal also determines a frequency of said second plurality of pulses.

21. The phased array antenna of

claim 19

, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a means for level shifting said local oscillator signal.

22. The phased array antenna of

claim 21

, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a first bias voltage coupled to an input of said first pulse generator, wherein said first bias voltage level shifts said local oscillator signal and thereby adjusts a trigger time of said first pulse generator.

23. The phased array antenna of

claim 22

, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a second bias voltage coupled to an input of said second pulse generator, wherein said second bias voltage level shifts said local oscillator signal and thereby adjusts a trigger time of said second pulse generator.

24. The phased array of antenna of

claim 23

, wherein said second bias voltage is different from said first bias voltage, and thereby said second plurality of pulses is phase-shifted relative to said first plurality of pulses.

25. The phased array antenna of

claim 23

, further comprising a controller coupled to said first bias voltage and said second bias voltage, wherein said controller determines said first bias voltage and second bias voltage to steer an antenna beam of said phased array antenna to a desired angle.

26. The phased array antenna of

claim 19

, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a means for delaying said local oscillator signal.

27. The phased array antenna of

claim 26

, wherein said means for delaying comprises a first delay coupled between said local oscillator and said first pulse generator.

28. The phased array antenna of

claim 27

, wherein said means for delaying comprises a second delay coupled between said local oscillator and said second pulse generator.

29. The phased array antenna of

claim 28

, wherein said second delay is different from said first delay.

30. The phased array antenna of

claim 29

, further comprising a controller coupled to said first delay and said second delay, wherein said controller determines said first delay and said second delay to steer an antenna beam of said phased array antenna to a desired angle.

31. The phased array antenna of

claim 19

, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a means for changing a shape of said local oscillator signal.

32. The phased array antenna of

claim 31

, wherein said means for changing a shape comprises a means for selecting between multiple local oscillator signals having corresponding one or more signal shapes.

33. The phased array antenna of

claim 16

, wherein said first plurality of pulses have pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer non-negligible amounts of energy from a first EM signal that is received at said first antenna element, and wherein said second plurality of pulses have pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer non-negligible amounts of energy from a second EM signal that is received at said second antenna element.

34. The phased array antenna of

claim 33

, further comprising a first storage module coupled to said first switch module, and wherein said first storage module receives said non-negligible amounts of energy from said first EM signal.

35. The phased array antenna of

claim 33

, further comprising a second storage module coupled to said second switch module, and wherein said second storage module receives said non-negligible amounts of energy from said first EM signal.

36. A phased array antenna, comprising:

a first signal path, including

a first antenna element that received a first input signal;

a first switch module coupled to said first antenna element;

a first pulse generator that receives a first biased local oscillator signal and generates a first plurality of pulses that control sampling of said first input signal by said first switch module, wherein said first plurality of pulses have pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer energy from said first input signal during sampling by said first switch module; and

a first bias voltage that is used with a local oscillator signal to generate said first biased local oscillator signal;

a second signal path, including

a second antenna element that receives a second input signal;

a second switch module coupled to said second antenna element;

a second pulse generator that receives a second biased local oscillator signal and generates a second plurality of pulses that control sampling of said second input signal by said second switch module, and wherein said second plurality of pulses have pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer energy from said second input signal during sampling by said second switch module; and

a second bias voltage that is used with said local oscillator signal to generate said second biased local oscillator signal; and

a controller that adjusts said first bias voltage and said second bias voltage to steer an antenna beam of said phased array antenna to a desired angle.

39. The phased array antenna of

claim 36

, wherein said first bias voltage is different from said second bias voltage, and thereby said first plurality of pulses are phase shifted relative to said second plurality of pulses.

40. The phased array antenna of

claim 36

, further comprising a summer that is coupled to an output of said first switch module and an output of said second switch module.

41. The phased array antenna of

claim 36

, further comprising a power splitter that coupled to an input of said first switch module and an input of said second switch module.

42. The phased array antenna of

claim 36

, wherein an output of said first switch module is a down-converted image of said first input signal, and wherein an output of said second switch module is a down-converted image of said second input signal.

43. The phased array antenna of

claim 42

, further comprising a summer that sums said first down-converted image and said second down-converted image, resulting in a down-converted output signal.

44. The phased array antenna of

claim 36

, wherein an output of said first switch module is an up-converted image of said first input signal, and wherein an output of said second switch module is an up-converted image of said second input signal.

45. The phased array antenna of

claim 44

, wherein said up-converted image of said first input signal is transmitted by said first antenna element, and said up-converted image of said second input is transmitted by said second antenna element.

46. The phased array antenna of

claim 44

, further comprising a power divider that receives a baseband signal and generates said first input signal and said second input signal.

47. The phased array antenna of

claim 36

, further comprising:

a first storage module coupled to said first switch module, wherein said first storage module receives said non-negligible amounts of energy from said first switch module; and

a second storage module coupled to said second switch module, wherein said second storage module receives said non-negligible amounts of energy from said second switch module.

37. The phased array antenna of 36, wherein said first pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said plurality of pulses when said first biased LO signal exceeds a threshold of said first pulse generator.

38. The phased array antenna of 36, wherein said second pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said plurality of pules when said second biased LO signal exceeds a threshold of said second pulse generator.

48. A phased array antenna, comprising:

a first signal path, including

a first antenna element;

a first switch module coupled to said first antenna element;

a first pulse generator that receives a first delayed local oscillator signal and generates a first plurality of pulses that control sampling of a first input signal by said switch module, wherein said first plurality of pulses have pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer energy from said first input signal during sampling by said first switch module; and

a first delay that delays a local oscillator signal to generate said first delayed local oscillator signal;

a second signal path, including

a second antenna element;

a second switch module coupled said second antenna element;

a second pulse generator that receives a second delayed local oscillator signal and generates a second plurality of pulses that control sampling of a second input signal by said second switch module, and wherein said second plurality of pulses have pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer energy from said second input signal during sampling by said second switch module; and

a second delay that delays said local oscillator signal to generate said second delayed local oscillator signal;

a controller that adjusts said first delay and said second delay to steer an antenna beam of said phased array antenna to a desired angle.

51. The phased array antenna of

claim 48

, wherein said first delay is different from said second delay, and thereby said first plurality of pulses are phase shifted relative to said second plurality of pulses.

52. The phased array antenna of

claim 48

, further comprising a summer that is coupled to an output of said first switch module and an output of said second switch module.

53. The phased array antenna of

claim 48

, further comprising a power splitter that coupled to an input of said first switch module and an input of said second switch module.

54. The phased array antenna of

claim 48

, wherein an output of said first switch module is a down-converted image of said first input signal, and wherein an output of said second switch module is a down-converted image of said second input signal.

55. The phased array antenna of

claim 54

, further comprising a summer that sums said first down-converted image and said second down-converted image, resulting in a down-converted output signal.

56. The phased array antenna of

claim 48

, wherein an output of said first switch module is an up-converted image of said first input signal, and wherein an output of said second switch module is an up-converted image of said second input signal.

57. The phased array antenna of

claim 56

, wherein said up-converted image of said first input signal is transmitted by said first antenna element, and said up-converted image of said second input is transmitted by said second antenna element.

58. The phased array antenna of

claim 56

, further comprising a power divider that receives a baseband signal and generates said first input signal and said second input signal.

59. The phased array antenna of

claim 48

, further comprising:

a first storage module coupled to said first switch module, wherein said first storage module receives said non-negligible amounts of energy from said first switch module; and

a second storage module coupled to said second switch module, wherein said second storage module receives said non-negligible amounts of energy from said second switch module.

49. The phased array antenna of 48, wherein said first pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse when said first delayed LO signal exceeds a threshold of said first pulse generator.

50. The phased array antenna of 48, wherein said second pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse when said second delayed LO signal exceeds a threshold of said second pulse generator.

60. A method of steering an antenna beam and frequency translating a baseband signal that is transmitted by the antenna system, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving the baseband signal;

(2) splitting the baseband signal into at least two component signals, including a first baseband component and a second baseband component;

(3) sampling the first baseband component according to a first control signal to generate a first harmonically rich signal, and sampling a second baseband component according to a second control signal to generate a second harmonically rich signal, wherein said second control signal is phase shifted with respect to said first control signal, and thereby said second harmonically rich signal is phase-shifted with respect to said first harmonically rich signal; and

(4) transmitting a desired harmonic image from said first harmonically rich signal using a first antenna element, and transmitting a desired harmonic image from said second harmonically rich signal using a second antenna element.

61. The method of

claim 60

, wherein said first harmonically rich signal includes a first plurality of harmonic images that are each representative of the baseband signal, and wherein said second harmonically rich signal includes a second plurality of harmonic images that are each representative of the baseband signal, wherein second plurality of harmonic images is phase shifted with respect to said first plurality of harmonic images.

62. The method of

claim 61

, wherein said first control signal includes a first plurality of pulses having pulse widths that improve energy transfer to said desired harmonic image of said first plurality of harmonic images, and wherein said second control signal includes a second plurality of pulses having pulse widths that improve energy transfer to said desired harmonic image of said second plurality of harmonic images.

63. The method of

claim 60

, wherein step (4) comprises the steps of:

(a) filtering said desired harmonic image from said first plurality of harmonic images; and

(b) filtering said desired harmonic image from said second plurality of harmonic images.

64. The method of

claim 60

, wherein said pulse widths of said first control signal and said second control signal are a non-zero fraction of a period of said desired harmonic of interest.

65. The method of

claim 60

, wherein said pulse widths of said first control signal and said second control signal are approximately one-half of a period of said desired harmonic, and thereby improve energy transfer to said desired harmonic of interest.

66. The method of

claim 60

, further comprising the step of:

(5) generating a local oscillator signal.

67. The method of

claim 66

, further comprising the steps of:

(6) generating said first control signal based on said local oscillator signal, including the steps of

(a) level shifting said local oscillator signal by a first voltage, resulting in a first biased LO signal, and

(b) triggering a first pulse generator based on said first biased LO signal to generate said first control signal.

68. The method of

claim 67

, wherein said first pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said first control signal when said first biased LO signal exceeds a threshold of said first pulse generator.

69. The method of

claim 67

, further comprising the step of:

(7) generating said second control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) level shifting said local oscillator signal by a second voltage resulting in a second biased LO signal; and

(b) triggering a second pulse generator based on said second biased LO signal, to generate said second control signal.

70. The method of

claim 69

, wherein said second pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said second control signal when said second biased LO signal exceeds a threshold of said second pulse generator.

71. The method of

claim 69

, wherein said second voltage is different from said first voltage.

72. The method of

claim 69

, further comprising the step of adjusting said second bias voltage relative to said first bias voltage, and thereby adjusting said phase shift between said first and second control signals, and thereby steering the antenna beam of said phased array antenna.

73. The method of

claim 66

, further comprising the steps of:

(6) generating said first control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) delaying said local oscillator signal by a first delay resulting in a first delayed LO signal; and

(b) triggering a first pulse generator based on said first delayed LO signal, to generate said first control signal.

74. The method of

claim 73

, wherein said first pulse generator triggers and generates a pulse of said first control signal when said first delayed LO signal exceeds a threshold of said first pulse generator.

75. The method of

claim 73

, further comprising the step of:

(7) generating said second control signal based on said local oscillator signal, comprising the steps of

(a) delaying said local oscillator signal by a second delay resulting in a second delayed LO signal; and

(b) triggering a second pulse generator based on said second delayed LO signal, to generate said second control signal.

76. The method of

claim 75

, wherein said second delay is different from said first delay.

77. The method of

claim 75

, further comprising the step of adjusting said second delay relative to said first delay, and thereby adjusting said phase shift between said first and second control signals, and thereby steering the antenna beam of the phased array antenna.

78. The method of

claim 60

, further comprising the step of:

(5) adjusting said phase shift between said first control signal and said second control, and thereby steering the antenna beam of the antenna system.

82. A method of steering an antenna beam and frequency translating an EM signal that corresponds to said antenna beam, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving a first EM signal and a second EM signal;

(2) generating a first control signal and a second control signal;

(3) phase shifting said second control signal relative to said first control signal;

(4) sampling said first EM signal according to said first control signal to generate a first down-converted signal, and sampling said second EM signal according to said second control signal to generate a second down-converted signal;

(5) combining said first down-converted signal and said second down-converted signal, resulting in a combined down-converted signal; and

(6) adjusting said phase shift between said first control signal and said second control signal and thereby steering the antenna beam.

83. The method of

claim 82

, wherein said first control signal includes a first plurality of pulses having pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer non-negligible amounts of energy from said first EM signal to said first down-converted signal.

84. The method of

claim 82

, wherein said second control signal includes a second plurality of pulses having pulse widths that are sufficient to transfer non-negligible amounts of energy from said second EM signal to said second down-converted signal.

85. The method of

claim 84

, wherein said second plurality of pulses are phase shifted relative to said first plurality of pulses.