ADAPTIVE ARRAY ANTENNA AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPARATUS INCLUDING ADAPTIVE ARRAY ANTENNA

• US 20120003946A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/115.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

To provide an adaptive array antenna capable of increasing resolution of a variable beam direction of the antenna without increasing a calculation amount in arithmetic processing unit for optimally controlling a variable phase shifter. A parasitic element-equipped adaptive array antenna (100) includes n (n is an integer equal to or greater than 2) parasitic antenna elements (101₁ to 101_n), (n−1) fed antenna elements (102₁ to 102_n-1) which are coupled to the parasitic antenna elements (101₁ to 101_n) by electromagnetic fields, and (n−1) variable phase shifters (104₁ to 104_n-1) which change the phases of radio frequency signals to be supplied to the respective fed antenna elements (102₁ to 102_n-1). Each of the fed antenna elements (102₁ to 102_n-1) is arranged astride at least two of the parasitic antenna elements (101₁ to 101_n).

Claims

1. An adaptive array antenna comprising:

at least one variable phase shifter which changes a phase of an electrical signal;

a plurality of parasitic antenna elements; and

a plurality of fed antenna elements each of which (i) is arranged astride at least two parasitic antenna elements out of said plurality of parasitic antenna elements, (ii) is coupled with said at least two parasitic antenna elements by an electromagnetic field, (iii) receives a supply of the electrical signal phase-changed by said at least one variable phase shifter and (iv) transmits, to said at least two parasitic antenna elements, an electric field generated based on the supplied electrical signal.

2. The adaptive array antenna according to claim 1,

wherein each of said fed antenna elements is arranged at a position that is equidistant from at least two parasitic antenna elements.

3. The adaptive array antenna according to claim 1,

wherein said parasitic antenna elements are arranged on a plane different from a plane on which said fed antenna elements are arranged.

4. The adaptive array antenna according to claim 1, comprising:

n parasitic antenna elements as said parasitic antenna elements, n being an integer equal to or greater than 2;

(n−

1) fed antenna elements as said fed antenna elements; and

(n−

1) variable phase shifters as said at least one variable phase shifter, said (n−

1) variable phase shifters being provided to correspond one-to-one to said (n−

1) fed antenna elements, and each of said (n−

1) variable phase shifters changing a phase of a radio frequency signal supplied to the corresponding one of said (n−

1) fed antenna elements,

wherein each of said (n−

1) fed antenna elements is arranged astride two adjacent parasitic antenna elements out of said n parasitic antenna elements.

5. The adaptive array antenna according to claim 1, comprising:

n×

m parasitic antenna elements as said parasitic antenna elements, n being an integer equal to or greater than 2, and m being an integer equal to or greater than 2;

(n−

1)×

(m−

1) fed antenna elements as said fed antenna elements; and

(n−

1)×

(m−

1) variable phase shifters as said at least one variable phase shifter, said (n−

1)×

(m−

1) variable phase shifters being provided to correspond one-to-one to said (n−

1)×

(m−

1) fed antenna elements, and each of said (n−

1)×

(m−

1) variable phase shifters changing a phase of a radio frequency signal supplied to the corresponding one of said (n−

1)×

(m−

1) fed antenna elements,

wherein each of said (n−

1)×

(m−

1) fed antenna elements is arranged astride four adjacent parasitic antenna elements out of said n×

m parasitic antenna elements.

6. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

said adaptive array antenna according to claim 1;

a communication quality detection unit configured to detect a wireless communication quality level;

an arithmetic processing unit configured to perform calculation for determining a phase control signal for controlling a phase to be changed by said at least one variable phase shifter included in said adaptive array antenna so that the wireless communication quality level detected by said communication quality detection unit is at a level suited for a predetermined wireless communication; and

a phase control unit configured to control the phase to be changed by said at least one variable phase shifter, based on a result of the calculation by said arithmetic processing unit.

7. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the wireless communication quality level detected by said communication quality detection unit is a received power level or a packet error rate of said wireless communication apparatus, or a received power level or a packet error rate of another wireless communication apparatus transmitted from the other wireless communication apparatus.