Compensation of beamforming errors in a communications system having widely spaced antenna elements
First Claim
1. A method for operating a communications system, said communication system comprising a plurality of antenna elements, an array control system having a plurality of beamformers for said plurality of antenna elements, and a plurality of communications links between said control system and said plurality of antenna elements, the method comprising:
- computing, by said communication system, a plurality of complex weights to be applied to a plurality of transmit signals and a plurality of receive signals by said plurality of beamformers, said plurality of complex weights generated using configuration data for said communications system;
dynamically determining an electrical length of a communication path between an antenna controller and an antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements during transmit/receive operations performed by said communications system, said electrical length determined bymeasuring a first phase of a communication signal at a first location along a first communication path of a plurality of communication paths, and a second phase of said communication signal at a second location different from said first location along said first communication path, anddetermining a first phase offset between a phase of a first reference signal and said first phase of said communication signal, and a second phase offset between a phase of a second reference signal and said second phase of said communication signal;
dynamically determining a first variable weight correction for a first plurality of weight corrections based on said first and second phase offsets;
applying said first variable weight correction to a first one of said plurality of complex weights for counteracting phasing errors occurring in said first communication path of said plurality of communication paths;
dynamically determining a second plurality of weight corrections;
applying said second plurality of weight corrections to said plurality of complex weights; and
subsequent to applying said second plurality of weight corrections to said plurality of complex weights, combining said plurality of complex weights with said plurality of transmit signals so as to improve beam formation of an antenna array;
wherein each of said plurality of communication paths exist between said control system and a respective one of said plurality of antenna elements, and the phases of the first and second reference signals are the same.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for operating a communications system. The methods involve computing one or more complex weights to be applied to transmit signals and receive signals by beamformers. The complex weights are based at least on configuration data for the communications system. The methods also involve applying a first plurality of weight corrections to the complex weights based on phasing errors occurring in a communication path inclusive of a control system and antenna elements. The methods further involve applying a second plurality of weight corrections to the complex weights based on phase differences at the antenna elements relative to a reference location for the receive signals.
47 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method for operating a communications system, said communication system comprising a plurality of antenna elements, an array control system having a plurality of beamformers for said plurality of antenna elements, and a plurality of communications links between said control system and said plurality of antenna elements, the method comprising:
-
computing, by said communication system, a plurality of complex weights to be applied to a plurality of transmit signals and a plurality of receive signals by said plurality of beamformers, said plurality of complex weights generated using configuration data for said communications system; dynamically determining an electrical length of a communication path between an antenna controller and an antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements during transmit/receive operations performed by said communications system, said electrical length determined by measuring a first phase of a communication signal at a first location along a first communication path of a plurality of communication paths, and a second phase of said communication signal at a second location different from said first location along said first communication path, and determining a first phase offset between a phase of a first reference signal and said first phase of said communication signal, and a second phase offset between a phase of a second reference signal and said second phase of said communication signal; dynamically determining a first variable weight correction for a first plurality of weight corrections based on said first and second phase offsets; applying said first variable weight correction to a first one of said plurality of complex weights for counteracting phasing errors occurring in said first communication path of said plurality of communication paths; dynamically determining a second plurality of weight corrections; applying said second plurality of weight corrections to said plurality of complex weights; and subsequent to applying said second plurality of weight corrections to said plurality of complex weights, combining said plurality of complex weights with said plurality of transmit signals so as to improve beam formation of an antenna array; wherein each of said plurality of communication paths exist between said control system and a respective one of said plurality of antenna elements, and the phases of the first and second reference signals are the same. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A communications system comprising:
-
a plurality of antenna elements, an array control system having a plurality of beamformers for said plurality of antenna elements; a processing element for computing a plurality of complex weights to be applied to a plurality of transmit signals and a plurality of receive signals by said plurality of beamformers, said plurality of complex weights based at least on configuration data for said communications system; a plurality of communications links between said array control system and said plurality of antenna elements; and at least one closed loop operator coupled to at least said plurality of antenna elements and said array control system, said closed loop operator comprising at least one comparator configured to determine a first phase offset between a phase of a first reference signal and a first phase of a communication signal, and a second phase offset between a phase of a second reference signal and a second phase of said communication signal, said first phase of said communication signal obtained at a first location along a first communication path of said plurality of communication paths, and said second phase of said communication signal obtained at a second location different from said first location along said communication path; a controller configured to determine a first variable weight correction of a first plurality of weight corrections for counteracting phasing errors occurring in a first communication path of a plurality of communication paths, each existing between said control system and a respective one of said plurality of antenna elements, said first variable weight correction determined based on said first and second phase offsets, and a beamformer configured to apply said first variable weight correction to a first one of said plurality of complex weights, and wherein said array control system is further configured to detect phase differences at said plurality of antenna elements based on said plurality of receive signals, and apply a second plurality of weight corrections to said plurality of complex weights, said second plurality of weight corrections determined based on said phase differences. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification