Self-Steering Antenna Arrays

• US 20160036125A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Buckwalter, James, Gupta, Arpit K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,929,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2652 Self-phasing arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/42 using frequency-mixing H01Q3/2676 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products are provided for self-steering antennas. In one aspect, there is a method. The method may include receiving, at a plurality of antennas, phase shifted versions of a signal. The method may further include determining a phase relationship between the phase shifted versions of the signal. Based on the determined phase relationship, the method may include adjusting a phase of a first local oscillator to remove a phase difference between the phase shifted versions of the signal to change the phase shifted versions of the signal to being in-phase versions of the signal. The method may further include combining the in-phase versions of the signal to steer a beam to a transmitter.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a plurality of antennas, phase shifted versions of a signal;

determining a phase relationship between the phase shifted versions of the signal;

adjusting, based on the determined phase relationship, a phase of a first local oscillator to remove a phase difference between the phase shifted versions of the signal to change the phase shifted versions of the signal to being in-phase versions of the signal; and

combining the in-phase versions of the signal to steer a beam to a transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas includes at least two antennas, wherein each of the antennas is coupled to a different local oscillator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the different local oscillators are configured as a coupled oscillator array, and wherein the phases of the different local oscillators in the coupled oscillator array are adjustable via tuning inputs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the adjusting is performed via the tuning inputs, and wherein signals carried to the tuning input are provided by phase locked loops.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are elements of a phased array antenna.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase relationship is determined at an intermediate frequency that is lower than a radio frequency of the signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed by a phase locked loop.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises a coupled phase locked loop, wherein the coupled phase locked loop compares a down-converted and in-phase signal associated with one of the plurality of antennas to the down-converted quadrature phase signal from another of the plurality of antennas.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive phase shifted versions of a signal;

a determiner configured to determine a phase relationship between the phase shifted versions of the signal;

an adjuster configured to adjust, based on the determined phase relationship, a phase of a first local oscillator to remove a phase difference between the phase shifted versions of the signal to change the phase shifted versions of the signal to being in-phase versions of the signal; and

a combiner configured to combine the in-phase versions of the signal to steer a beam to a transmitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the receiver comprises a plurality of antennas.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the determiner comprises a phase detector.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the adjuster comprises a phase adjustment signal from a phase detector applied to a phase adjustment input to the first local oscillator.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the combiner comprises at least one of a radio frequency power combiner or a digital combiner.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of antennas includes at least two antennas, wherein each of the antennas is coupled to a different local oscillator.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the different local oscillators are configured as a coupled oscillator array, and wherein phases of the different local oscillators in the coupled oscillator array are adjustable via tuning inputs.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the adjuster adjusts the phases of the different local oscillators via the tuning inputs, and wherein signals carried to the tuning input are provided by phase locked loops.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of antennas are elements of a phased array antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the phase relationship is determined at an intermediate frequency that is lower than a radio frequency of the signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the determiner comprises a phase locked loop.

20. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the determiner comprises a coupled phase locked loop, wherein the coupled phase locked loop compares a down-converted and in-phase signal associated with one of the plurality of antennas to the down-converted quadrature phase signal from another of the plurality of antennas.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a plurality of antennas, phase shifted versions of a signal;

determining a phase relationship between the phase shifted versions of the signal;

adjusting, based on the determined phase relationship, a phase of a first local oscillator to remove a phase difference between the phase shifted versions of the signal to change the phase shifted versions of the signal to being in-phase versions of the signal; and

combining the in-phase versions of the signal to steer a beam to a transmitter.

22. (canceled)