EXTENDING BEAMFORMING CAPABILITY OF A COUPLED VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR (VCO) ARRAY DURING LOCAL OSCILLATOR (LO) SIGNAL GENERATION THROUGH ACCOMMODATING DIFFERENTIAL COUPLING BETWEEN VCOs THEREOF
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- implementing a coupled Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array with a plurality of VCOs;
mixing Local Oscillator (LO) signals generated through the plurality of VCOs of the coupled VCO array with signals from antenna elements of an antenna array to introduce differential phase shifts in signal paths coupled to the antenna elements during performing beamforming with the antenna array; and
accommodating differential coupling between the VCOs to improve immunity to at least one of;
noise and interference during the beamforming compared to the VCOs accommodating single-ended coupling therebetween.
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Abstract
A method includes implementing a coupled Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array with a number of VCOs, and mixing Local Oscillator (LO) signals generated through the number of VCOs of the coupled VCO array with signals from antenna elements of an antenna array to introduce differential phase shifts in signal paths coupled to the antenna elements during performing beamforming with the antenna array. The method also includes accommodating differential coupling between the VCOs to improve immunity to noise and/or interference during the beamforming compared to the VCOs accommodating single-ended coupling therebetween.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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implementing a coupled Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array with a plurality of VCOs; mixing Local Oscillator (LO) signals generated through the plurality of VCOs of the coupled VCO array with signals from antenna elements of an antenna array to introduce differential phase shifts in signal paths coupled to the antenna elements during performing beamforming with the antenna array; and accommodating differential coupling between the VCOs to improve immunity to at least one of;
noise and interference during the beamforming compared to the VCOs accommodating single-ended coupling therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A beamforming system comprising:
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a coupled VCO array comprising a plurality of VCOs coupled to one another; an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements; and a plurality of mixers, each of which is configured to mix an LO signal generated through a VCO of the coupled VCO array with a signal from an antenna element of the antenna array to introduce differential phase shifts in signal paths coupled to the antenna elements during performing beamforming with the antenna array, wherein the VCOs are configured to accommodate differential coupling therebetween to improve immunity to at least one of;
noise and interference during the beamforming compared to the VCOs accommodating single-ended coupling therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless communication system comprising:
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a beamforming system comprising; a coupled VCO array comprising a plurality of VCOs coupled to one another; an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements; and a plurality of mixers, each of which is configured to mix an LO signal generated through a VCO of the coupled VCO array with a signal from an antenna element of the antenna array to introduce differential phase shifts in signal paths coupled to the antenna elements during performing beamforming with the antenna array, the VCOs being configured to accommodate differential coupling therebetween to improve immunity to at least one of;
noise and interference during the beamforming compared to the VCOs accommodating single-ended coupling therebetween; anda receiver channel configured to receive a combined output of the plurality of mixers of the beamforming system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification