Adaptive beam-forming system using hierarchical weight banks for antenna array in wireless communication system
First Claim
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1. A wireless communication system, comprising:
- an antenna array structure having a plurality of antenna elements that receive and transmit radio-frequency signals;
a plurality of radio-frequency units and frequency converters configured to transform received RF signals to receive analog base-band signals and transform analog transmit base-band signals into a transmit RF signals;
a plurality analog-to-digital converters configured to convert the receive analog base-band signals into a receive digital base-band signals and a plurality of digital-to-analog converters configured to convert transmit digital base-band signals into transmit analog base-band signals;
a multipath delay profile estimation unit configured to estimate delays of multipath signal components based on the receive digital base-band signals; and
a plurality of beam-forming units configured to process the multipath signal components, wherein each of the beam-forming units comprise;
a set of hierarchical weight banks that store pre-calculated weights in accordance with pre-specified beam look directions;
a digital processing unit configured to estimate a signal metric, select the best weights from weight banks based on the estimated signal metric, and apply the selected weights to the received digital signal to shift a beam pattern to point to the best beam look direction.
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Abstract
An adaptive beam-forming system using hierarchical weight banks for antenna arrays in wireless communication systems is disclosed. The present invention can be applied for both reception and transmission beam-forming. The hierarchical weight banks contain weights that are pre-calculated based on pre-set beam look directions. By comparing measurements of chosen signal quality metrics for pre-set look directions, the best weights, and thus the best beam look direction, can be selected from the weight banks.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A wireless communication system, comprising:
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an antenna array structure having a plurality of antenna elements that receive and transmit radio-frequency signals;
a plurality of radio-frequency units and frequency converters configured to transform received RF signals to receive analog base-band signals and transform analog transmit base-band signals into a transmit RF signals;
a plurality analog-to-digital converters configured to convert the receive analog base-band signals into a receive digital base-band signals and a plurality of digital-to-analog converters configured to convert transmit digital base-band signals into transmit analog base-band signals;
a multipath delay profile estimation unit configured to estimate delays of multipath signal components based on the receive digital base-band signals; and
a plurality of beam-forming units configured to process the multipath signal components, wherein each of the beam-forming units comprise;
a set of hierarchical weight banks that store pre-calculated weights in accordance with pre-specified beam look directions;
a digital processing unit configured to estimate a signal metric, select the best weights from weight banks based on the estimated signal metric, and apply the selected weights to the received digital signal to shift a beam pattern to point to the best beam look direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 44)
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17. A wireless communication method, comprising:
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transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals through an antenna array structure having a plurality of antenna elements;
transforming received RF signals into receive analog base-band signals;
transforming transmit analog base-band signals into a transmit RF signals;
converting the receive analog base-band signals into receive digital base-band signals;
converting transmit digital base-band signals into transmit analog base-band signals;
estimating delays of multipath signal components based on the receive digital base-band signals;
pre-specifying beam look directions and calculating the weights associated with each look direction; and
processing the multipath signal components via a plurality of beam-forming units, wherein each of the beam-forming units operate by;
referencing banks of pre-calculated weights in accordance with the pre-specified beam look directions;
estimating a signal metric from the multipath signal components, selecting the best weights from weight banks based on the estimated signal metric, and applying the selected weights to the received digital signal to shift a beam pattern to point to the best beam look direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 45, 48)
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30. A method for calculating a set of weights corresponding to a pre-determined look direction using a data independent technique.
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31. A system for calculating one or more sets weights for pre-determined look directions, and storing those sets of weights in a hierarchical weight bank structure
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32. A wireless communication system, comprising:
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an antenna array structure having a plurality of antenna elements that receive and transmit radio-frequency signals, the plurality of antenna elements including at least one active antenna element and a plurality of parasitic antenna elements, wherein each of the parasitic antenna elements are coupled to either an adjustable impedance component or electrical ground;
one or more radio-frequency units and one or more frequency converters configured to transform the receive radio-frequency signals into receive analog base-band signals and transform transmit analog base-band signals into the transmit radio-frequency signals;
one or more analog-to-digital converters configured to convert the receive analog base-band signals into receive digital base-band signals and a plurality of digital-to-analog converters configured to convert transmit digital base-band signals into the transmit analog base-band signals;
a set of hierarchical weight banks that store pre-calculated weights in accordance with pre-specified beam look directions; and
a digital processing unit configured to estimate a signal metric, select the best weights from weight banks based on the estimated signal metric, and apply the selected weights to the adjustable impedance components attached to the parasitic antenna elements. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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46. A wireless communication method, comprising:
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transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals through an antenna array structure having a plurality of antenna elements in which at least one of the antenna elements is a parasitic antenna element that is coupled to an adjustable impedance component;
transforming receive radio-frequency signals into receive analog base-band signals;
transforming transmit analog base-band signals into the transmit radio-frequency signals;
converting the receive analog base-band signals into receive digital base-band signals;
converting transmit digital base-band signals into the transmit analog base-band signals;
pre-specifying beam look directions;
calculating weights associated with each of the pre-specified look direction; and
processing the receive and transmit signals via a beam-forming unit, wherein the beam-forming unit operates by;
referencing banks of pre-calculated weights in accordance with the pre-specified beam look directions;
estimating a signal metric from receive signal components, selecting best weights from the referenced banks of pre-calculated weights based on the estimated signal metric, and applying the best weights to the adjustable impedance components in order to create a receive and a transmit beam in the desired look direction. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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Specification