Multi-channel transmitter having an adaptive antenna array

• US 5,912,927 A
• Filed: 02/12/1998
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• 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:
  US09/022,516
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 375/260, 375/267, 375/299, 455/101, 455/103, 455/500, 455/25
• US Class Current: 375/299
• 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 multi-channel transmitter (200) in accordance with the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of applying adaptive antenna array technology to multi-channel communication systems. The multi-channel transmitter includes a channel processing element (210), a plurality of radio frequency processing elements (206), and an antenna array (102). The channel processing element includes a channel processor adapted to receive a communication signal from a communication network, a splitter (216) coupled to an output of the channel processor for producing a plurality of substantially identical processed digital communication signal outputs. A plurality of gain and phase adjusters (214) in the channel processing element are coupled to the substantially identical processed digital communication signal outputs. An output of each phase and gain adjuster (214) is coupled to a plurality of up-converters (212), which each produce a digital intermediate frequency output. The plurality of radio frequency processing elements (206) are each coupled to an output of the digital up-converters (212). The radio frequency processing elements (206) each include a digital summer (224), a digital-to-analog converter (222), and a radio frequency processor (220). The antenna array has a plurality of antenna elements (104), each coupled to an output of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements (206).

Claims

1. A multi-channel transmitter comprising:

a channel processing element comprising;

a channel processor having an input adapted to receive a communication signal from a communication network and a processed digital communication signal output;

a splitter having an input coupled to the processed digital communication signal output and a plurality of substantially identical processed digital communication signal outputs;

a plurality of gain and phase adjusters each having an input coupled to one of the substantially identical processed digital communication signal outputs and a phase adjusted signal output; and

a plurality of digital up-converters, each digital up-converter having an input coupled to one of the phase adjusted signal outputs and each having a digital intermediate frequency output; and

a plurality of radio frequency processing elements, each radio frequency processing element being coupled to one of the plurality digital intermediate frequency outputs and each radio frequency processing element comprising;

a digital summer having a plurality of inputs one of which being coupled to the digital intermediate frequency output and having a summed signal output;

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

a radio frequency processor having an input coupled to the intermediate frequency signal output and an amplified radio frequency signal output; and

an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements respectively coupled to the plurality of radio frequency processing elements.

2. The multi-channel transmitter 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 transmitter 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 transmitter of claim 1 including a plurality of channel processing elements.

5. The multi-channel transmitter of claim 1 further comprising first and second radio frequency processing shelves, the first radio frequency processing shelf comprising a first portion of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements, and the second radio frequency processing shelf comprising a second portion of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements.

6. The multi-channel transmitter of claim 5 further comprising a transmit bus coupled to each of the plurality of digital intermediate frequency outputs and each of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements for coupling a selected one of the plurality of digital intermediate frequency outputs to a selected one of the plurality of radio frequency processing elements.