Array antenna receiving apparatus

• US 6,448,939 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Maruta, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Clinger, James
• Application Number:
  US09/797,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20010020919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 342/378, 342/371, 342/380, 342/373, 342/357, 375/130, 370/330, 343/853, 343/893
• US Class Current: 343/853
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices

Abstract

Calibration signals which were generated in a signal generator 107 for calibration and to which frequency conversion was applied in a radio transmitting section 108 for calibration are made to be power levels in power level variable circuits 109-1 to 109-N so that power levels of calibration signals extracted in a signal processing section 106 for calibration become constant, and are multiplied by signals received at antenna elements 102-1 to 102-N in multiplex circuits 103-1 to 103-N.

Claims

1. An array antenna receiving apparatus comprising:

an array antenna consisting of N antenna elements,

N radio receiving sections for conducting reception processing of signals received at said antenna elements,

calibration means for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements, extracting said calibration signals from signals output from said radio receiving sections, and detecting amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and

M user signal processing sections for correcting the signals output from said radio receiving sections based on the amplitude and phase information detected at said calibration means, and outputting them as demodulation signals;

wherein said calibration means multiplies said calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements at power levels determined based on power levels of the signals output from said radio receiving sections.

2. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said calibration means comprises:

N multiplex circuits for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal generator for calibration, which generates said calibration signals;

a signal radio transmitting section for calibration, which applies frequency conversion to the calibration signals generated at said signal generator for calibration and outputs the calibration signals having a frequency band same as a frequency of the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal processing section for calibration, which extracts said calibration signals from the signals output from said radio receiving sections, detects amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and outputs control signals for controlling power levels of said calibration signals based on power levels of the signals output from said radio receiving sections; and

N power level variable circuits for outputting the calibration signals output from said signal radio transmitting section for calibration at power levels based on the control signals output from said signal processing section for calibration, and

the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits are multiplied by the signals received at said antenna elements in said multiplex circuits.

3. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for outputting the control signals such that the power levels of the calibration signals extracted from the signals output from said radio receiving sections becomes to be constant.

4. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for recognizing a ratio of the signals output from said radio receiving sections and the calibration signals extracted from said signals using a bit error rate of the calibration signals extracted from the signals output from said radio receiving sections.

5. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said calibration means comprises:

N multiplex circuits for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal generator for calibration, which generates said calibration signals;

a signal radio transmitting section for calibration, which applies frequency conversion to the calibration signals generated at said signal generator for calibration and outputs the calibration signals having a frequency band same as a frequency of the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal processing section for calibration, which extracts said calibration signals from the signals output from said radio receiving sections, detects amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and outputs control signals for controlling power levels of said calibration signals based on power levels of the signals output from said radio receiving sections;

K power level variable circuits for outputting the calibration signals output from said signal radio transmitting section for calibration at power levels based on the control signals output from said signal processing section for calibration; and

a selection and branch circuit for selecting the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits, and distributing and outputting them to said N multiplex circuits, and

the calibration signals output from said selection and branch circuits are multiplied by the signals received at said antenna elements in said multiplex circuits.

6. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for outputting the control signals such that the power levels of the calibration signals extracted from the signals output from said radio receiving sections becomes to be constant.

7. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 6, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for recognizing a ratio of the signals output from said radio receiving sections and the calibration signals extracted from said signals using a bit error rate of the calibration signals extracted from the signals output from said radio receiving sections.

8. An array antenna receiving apparatus comprising:

an array antenna consisting of N antenna elements,

N radio receiving sections for conducting reception processing of signals received at said antenna elements,

calibration means for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements, extracting said calibration signals from signals output from said radio receiving sections, and detecting amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and

M user signal processing sections for correcting the signals output from said radio receiving sections based on the amplitude and phase information detected at said calibration means, and outputting them as demodulation signals;

wherein said calibration means multiplies said calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements at power levels determined based on power levels of the signals received at said antenna elements.

9. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein said calibration means comprises:

N multiplex circuits for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal generator for calibration, which generates said calibration signals;

a signal radio transmitting section for calibration, which applies frequency conversion to the calibration signals generated at said signal generator for calibration and outputs the calibration signals having a frequency band same as a frequency of the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal processing section for calibration, which extracts said calibration signals from the signals output from said radio receiving sections, detects amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and outputs control signals for controlling power levels of said calibration signals based on power levels of the signals received at said antenna elements; and

N power level variable circuits for outputting the calibration signals output from said signal radio transmitting section for calibration at power levels based on the control signals output from said signal processing section for calibration, and

the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits are multiplied by the signals received at said antenna elements in said multiplex circuits.

10. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for outputting the control signals such that a ratio of the power levels of the signals received at said antenna elements and the power levels of the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits becomes to be constant.

11. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein said calibration means comprises:

N multiplex circuits for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal generator for calibration, which generates said calibration signals;

a signal radio transmitting section for calibration, which applies frequency conversion to the calibration signals generated at said signal generator for calibration and outputs the calibration signals having a frequency band same as a frequency of the signals received at said antenna elements;

a signal processing section for calibration, which extracts said calibration signals from the signals output from said radio receiving sections, detects amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and outputs control signals for controlling power levels of said calibration signals based on power levels of the signals received at said antenna elements;

K power level variable circuits for outputting the calibration signals output from said signal radio transmitting section for calibration at power levels based on the control signals output from said signal processing section for calibration; and

a selection and branch circuit for selecting the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits, and distributing and outputting them to said N multiplex circuits, and

the calibration signals output from said selection and branch circuits are multiplied by the signals received at said antenna elements in said multiplex circuits.

12. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for outputting the control signals such that a ratio of the power levels of the signals received at said antenna elements and the power levels of the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits becomes to be constant.

13. An array antenna receiving apparatus comprising:

an array antenna consisting of N antenna elements,

N radio receiving sections for conducting reception processing of signals received at said antenna elements,

calibration means for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements, extracting said calibration signals from signals output from said radio receiving sections, and detecting amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and

M user signal processing sections for correcting the signals output from said radio receiving sections based on the amplitude and phase information detected at said calibration means, and outputting them as demodulation signals;

Wherein said calibration means comprises;

N multiplex circuits for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements,

a signal generator for calibration, which generates said calibration signals,

a signal radio transmitting section for calibration, which applies frequency conversion to the calibration signals generated at said signal generator for calibration and outputs the calibration signals having a frequency band same as a frequency of the signals received at said antenna elements,

a signal processing section for calibration, which extracts said calibration signals from the signals output from said radio receiving sections, detects amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and outputs control signals for controlling power levels of said calibration signals based on power levels of the signals output from said multiplex circuits, and

N power level variable circuits for outputting the calibration signals output from said signal radio transmitting section for calibration at power levels based on the control signals output from said signal processing section for calibration, and

wherein the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits are multiplied by the signals received at said antenna elements in said multiplex circuits.

14. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for outputting the control signals such that a ratio of the power levels of the signals output from said multiplex circuits and the power levels of the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits becomes to be constant.

15. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein said radio receiving section comprises automatic gain controlling means for keeping power levels of output signals constant independent of power levels of input signals, and said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for recognizing the power levels of the signals output from said multiplex circuits based on gain information in said automatic gain controlling means.

16. An array antenna receiving apparatus comprising:

an array antenna consisting of N antenna elements,

N radio receiving sections for conducting reception processing of signals received at said antenna elements,

calibration means for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements, extracting said calibration signals from signals output from said radio receiving sections, and detecting amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and

M user signal processing sections for correcting the signals output from said radio receiving sections based on the amplitude and phase information detected at said calibration means, and outputting them as demodulation signals;

wherein said calibration means comprises;

N multiplex circuits for multiplying calibration signals by the signals received at said antenna elements,

a signal generator for calibration, which generates said calibration signals,

a signal radio transmitting section for calibration, which applies frequency conversion to the calibration signals generated at said signal generator for calibration and outputs the calibration signals having a frequency band same as a frequency of the signals received at said antenna elements,

a signal processing section for calibration, which extracts said calibration signals from the signals output from said radio receiving sections, detects amplitude and phase information of the signals received at said antenna elements based on the extracted calibration signals, and outputs control signals for controlling power levels of said calibration signals based on power levels of the signals output from said multiplex circuits,

K power level variable circuits for outputting the calibration signals output from said signal radio transmitting section for calibration at power levels based on the control signals output from said signal processing section for calibration; and

a selection and branch circuit for selecting the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits, and distributing and outputting them to said N multiplex circuits, and

the calibration signals output from said selection and branch circuits are multiplied by the signals received at said antenna elements in said multiplex circuits.

17. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein said signal processing section for calibration comprises means f or outputting the control signals such that a ratio of the power levels of the signals output from said multiplex circuits and the power levels of the calibration signals output from said power level variable circuits becomes to be constant.

18. An array antenna receiving apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein said radio receiving section comprises automatic gain controlling means f or keeping power levels of output signals constant independent of power levels of input signals, and

said signal processing section for calibration comprises means for recognizing the power levels of the signals output from said multiplex circuits based on gain information in said automatic gain controlling means.