Multi-channel transceiver having an adaptive antenna array and method

• US 5,748,683 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harrison, Robert Mark, Smith, Paul Fielding
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US08/509,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 375/260, 375/267, 375/316, 375/322, 375/324, 375/329, 375/332, 375/347, 455/132, 455/137, 455/139, 455/272, 455/273, 455/276.1
• US Class Current: 375/347
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• 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: H03B 28/00 Generation of oscillations by methods not covered by groups H03B5/00 - H03B27/00, including modification of the waveform to produce sinusoidal oscillations analogue function generators for performing computing operations G06G7/26; use of transformers for conversion of waveform in ac-ac converters H02M5/18
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/00 Amplitude modulation H03C5/00, H03C7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/00 Angle modulation H03C5/00, H03C7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/165 at least two frequency changers being located in different paths, e.g. in two paths with carriers in quadrature combined with amplitude demodulation H03D1/2245, combined with angle demodulation H03D3/007; N-path filters H03H19/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0007 wherein the AD/DA conversion occurs at radiofrequency or intermediate frequency stage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/001 Channel filtering, i.e. selecting a frequency channel within the SDR system multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals being represented by different frequencies H04L5/06; multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals H04L5/023
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0017 Digital filtering H04B1/001 takes precedence; digital filters per se H03H17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0021 Decimation, i.e. data rate reduction techniques H04B1/0025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/126 having multiple inputs, e.g. auxiliary antenna for receiving interfering signal aerials in general H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/26 for superheterodyne receivers multiple frequency-changing H03D7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/28 the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/06 at the transmitting station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 : using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 : using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 : using subgroups of receive antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 : Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 : for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/06 : using space diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 : using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A receiver (100), transmitter (200) and transceiver (400) in accordance with the present invention overcome the disadvantages of applying adaptive antenna array technology to multi-channel communication systems. Multi-channel radio frequency (RF) signals received via an adaptive antenna array (102) are converted from an analog form to a digital form prior to splitting and processing to recover communication channels contained therein. A number of digital communication signals are digitally combined into a multi-channel digital signal and converted from the digital form to an analog radio frequency form prior to transmission from the adaptive antenna array.

Claims

1. A multi-channel receiver comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency processing elements, each radio frequency processing element comprising;

a radio frequency down converter having an input coupled to radio frequency signals received at one of a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array and having an intermediate frequency signal output;

an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled to the intermediate frequency signal output and a digital intermediate frequency signal output;

a digital splitter having an input coupled to the digital intermediate frequency output and a plurality of outputs;

a plurality of digital down-converters, each digital down-converter having an input coupled to one of the digital splitter outputs and a digital baseband frequency signal output;

and

a channel processing element comprising;

a plurality of phase selectors, each phase selector having an input coupled to one of the digital baseband frequency signal outputs and a phase selected output;

a summer having a plurality of inputs each coupled to the phase selected output of the phase selectors and a summed signal output; and

a channel processor, the channel processor having an input coupled to the summed signal output and a communication signal output.

2. The multi-channel receiver of claim 1 wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of faces and a plurality of antenna elements associated with each face.

3. The multi-channel receiver of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of antenna elements associated with each face is coupled to one of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements.

4. The multi-channel receiver of claim 1 further comprising first and second radio frequency processing shelves the first radio frequency processing shelve comprising a first portion of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements and the second radio frequency processing shelve comprising a second portion of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements.

5. The multi-channel receiver of claim 1 wherein each channel processing element comprises a plurality of channel processors.

6. An apparatus for receiving radio frequency communications comprising:

an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements each for receiving radio frequency signals;

radio frequency processor means associated with each antenna element;

for converting each of the radio frequency signals to a digital intermediate frequency signal;

for digitally down converting the digital intermediate frequency signal to a baseband intermediate frequency signal; and

for splitting the baseband intermediate frequency signal into a plurality of substantially identical baseband intermediate frequency signals;

and

channel processing means, coupled to receive for each antenna element one of the substantially identical baseband intermediate frequency signals;

for phase selecting each of the baseband intermediate frequency signals;

for summing the phase selected baseband intermediate frequency signals; and

for processing the summed signal to recover a communication signal contained therein.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the antenna array has a plurality of faces and a plurality of antenna elements associated with each face.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of antenna elements associated with the faces is selectively coupled to the channel processing means.

9. A method of receiving radio frequency communications comprising:

receiving radio frequency signals at a plurality of elements of an antenna array;

for each element of the antenna array;

converting each of the radio frequency signals to a digital intermediate frequency signal;

digitally down converting the digital intermediate frequency signal to a baseband intermediate frequency signal; and

splitting the baseband intermediate frequency signal into a plurality of substantially identical baseband intermediate frequency signals;

and one of the substantially identical baseband intermediate frequency signals of each of the antenna elements;

phase selecting the baseband intermediate frequency signals;

summing the phase selected baseband intermediate frequency signals; and

processing the summed signal to recover a communication signal contained therein.