RF radiation pattern synthesis using existing linear amplifiers

• US 6,522,897 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kathrein SE
• Original Assignee: Metawave Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Reudink, Douglas O., Martek, Gary Allen, Feuerstein, Martin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Application Number:
  US09/357,417
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 455/561, 455/562, 455/101, 455/103, 455/126, 455/91, 455/114, 455/115, 455/116, 330/124.R, 330/295, 342/372, 342/373, 342/374
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/293 one unit or more being an array of identical aerial elements adaptive arrays H01Q3/2605
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0615 of weighted versions of same signal

Abstract

There is disclosed an RF synthesis system for allowing a phase signal to be created from a plurality of antennas while using a single LPA for each panel of the array. Provision is made to control the power levels between the antennas of each panel by a series of phase adjustments used in conjunction with RF hybrid circuits. Provision is made for changing the sector alignment by using cross panels and also by rearranging the signals from the various RF inputs.

Claims

1. A system for delivering an RF signal to a plurality of antennas, said system comprising:

a source of RF signals;

a linear power amplifier (LPA) for accepting said RF signals and for boosting the power level of said accepted RF signals;

a splitter for separating said boosted RF signals into substantially equal components;

a hybrid circuit for accepting as inputs the split RF signal components and for apportioning the power level output of said hybrid among a plurality of RF signal output components equal in number to the number of input components, whereby the power level of each said output component is in proportion to the phase relationship between each of said RF input signal components such that substantially all of the power delivered by said LPA is delivered to the sum of said hybrid outputs; and

circuitry for delivering the RF output from each of said hybrid outputs to a first set of antennas.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned circuit includes a circuit for adjusting the phase of each signal delivered to an antenna.

3. The circuit set forth in claim 2 further including:

additional splitters connected to each output of said hybrid, each such additional splitter for separating said hybrid output into substantially equal additional splitter output components; and

a hybrid circuit for accepting as inputs each said additional split RF signal output components and for apportioning the power level output of said hybrid among a plurality of RF signal output components equal in number to the number of input components, whereby the power level of each said output component is in proportion to the phase relationship between each of said RF input signal components such that substantially all of the power delivered by said LPA is delivered to the sum of said hybrid outputs; and

circuitry for delivering the RF output from each of said hybrid outputs to at least one antenna.

4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein said last-mentioned circuit includes a circuit for adjusting the phase of each signal delivered to an antenna.

5. The system of claim 1 further including:

at least a second input for receiving RF signals;

a second linear power amplifier (LPA) for accepting received RF signals and for boosting the power level of said received RF signals;

a splitter for separating said boosted RF signals into substantially equal components;

a hybrid circuit for accepting as inputs the split RF signal components and for apportioning the power level output of said hybrid between two RF signal output components equal in number of input components, whereby the power level of each said output component is in proportion to the phase relationship between each of said RF input signal components such that substantially all of the power delivered by said LPA is delivered to the sum of said hybrid outputs; and

circuitry for delivering the RF output from each of said hybrid outputs to a second set of antennas.

6. The system of claim 5 further including means for shifting the RF inputs among said antenna sets.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said shifting means includes means for shifting said received RF signals between said LPAs.

8. A system for delivering an RF signal to a plurality of antennas, said system comprising:

a source of RF signals;

a linear power amplifier (LPA) for accepting said RF signals and for boosting the power level of said accepted RF signals;

a splitter for separating said boosted RF signals into two substantially equal components;

a hybrid circuit for accepting as inputs the split RF signal components and for apportioning the power level output of said hybrid between two RF signal output components, whereby the power level of each said output component is in proportion to the phase relationship between each of said RF input signal components such that substantially all of the power delivered by said LPA is delivered to the sum of said hybrid outputs;

first and second additional splitters each connected to a respective one of said outputs of said hybrid, each such additional splitter for separating said hybrid output into substantially equal additional splitter output components, thereby creating four RF components;

additional hybrid circuits each for accepting as inputs two of said additional split RF signal output components and each for apportioning the power level output of each said hybrid between two RF signal output components to create four RF outputs, whereby the power level of each said outputs is in proportion to the phase relationship between each of said RF input signal components such that substantially all of the power delivered by said LPA is delivered to the sum of the four additional hybrid outputs; and

circuitry for delivering the RF output from each of said additional hybrid outputs to four antenna.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said circuitry includes phase adjusters for adjusting the phase of each signal delivered to an antenna.