Adaptive transmit array for beam-steering
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a signal from a remote transmitter at an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements;
mixing the received signal with in-phase and quadrature-phase Local Oscillator (LO) signals from Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) of a coupled VCO array;
configuring each Phase Locked Loop (PLL) of a plurality of PLLs to receive an in-phase output of the mixing corresponding to a VCO of the coupled VCO array and a quadrature-phase output of the mixing corresponding to another VCO adjacent to the VCO in the coupled VCO array as inputs thereto;
feeding back an output of the each PLL to the VCO of the coupled VCO array;
driving the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the mixing from in-phase and quadrature-phase outputs of a transmit modulator instead of the each PLL being driven by the in-phase and the quadrature-phase output of the mixing;
transmitting, in a direction of the remote transmitter, a signal from the antenna array based on the driving of the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the mixing from the transmit modulator; and
sensing a servoed state related to phase relationships between the LO signals and holding the servoed state through a sample and hold circuit coupled in a feedback path between the output of the each PLL and the VCO during the transmission of the signal in the direction of the remote transmitter.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes receiving a remote transmitter signal at an antenna array including a number of antenna elements, mixing the received signal with in-phase and quadrature-phase Local Oscillator (LO) signals from Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) of a coupled VCO array, and configuring each Phase Locked Loop (PLL) of a number of PLLs to receive an in-phase output of the mixing corresponding to a VCO and a quadrature-phase output of the mixing corresponding to another VCO adjacent to the VCO as inputs thereto. The method also includes feeding back an output of the each PLL to the VCO, driving the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the mixing from a transmit modulator, and transmitting, in a direction of the remote transmitter, an antenna array signal based on the driving. Further, the method includes sensing a servoed state related to LO phase relationships and holding thereof during the transmission of the signal.
364 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a signal from a remote transmitter at an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements; mixing the received signal with in-phase and quadrature-phase Local Oscillator (LO) signals from Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) of a coupled VCO array; configuring each Phase Locked Loop (PLL) of a plurality of PLLs to receive an in-phase output of the mixing corresponding to a VCO of the coupled VCO array and a quadrature-phase output of the mixing corresponding to another VCO adjacent to the VCO in the coupled VCO array as inputs thereto; feeding back an output of the each PLL to the VCO of the coupled VCO array; driving the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the mixing from in-phase and quadrature-phase outputs of a transmit modulator instead of the each PLL being driven by the in-phase and the quadrature-phase output of the mixing; transmitting, in a direction of the remote transmitter, a signal from the antenna array based on the driving of the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the mixing from the transmit modulator; and sensing a servoed state related to phase relationships between the LO signals and holding the servoed state through a sample and hold circuit coupled in a feedback path between the output of the each PLL and the VCO during the transmission of the signal in the direction of the remote transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A beam-steering system comprising:
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an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, the antenna array being configured to receive a signal from a remote transmitter thereat; a coupled VCO array comprising a plurality of VCOs coupled to one another; a plurality of mixers, each of which is configured to mix the received signal at an antenna element with an in-phase and a quadrature-phase LO signal from a particular VCO of the coupled VCO array; a plurality of PLLs, each of which is configured to receive an in-phase output of the each mixer corresponding to the particular VCO and a quadrature-phase output of a mixer corresponding to another VCO adjacent to the particular VCO as inputs thereto, an output of the each PLL being fed back to the particular VCO, the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the plurality of mixers being configured to be driven from in-phase and quadrature-phase outputs of a transmit modulator instead of the plurality of PLLs being driven by the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the plurality of mixers, and the antenna array being configured to transmit a signal in a direction of the remote transmitter based on the driving of the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the plurality of mixers from the transmit modulator; and a plurality of sample and hold circuits, each of which is configured to sense a servoed state related to phase relationships between LO signals from VCOs of the coupled VCO array and hold the servoed state during the transmission of the signal in the direction of the remote transmitter, the each sample and hold circuit being coupled in a feedback path between the output of the each PLL and the particular VCO. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless communication system comprising:
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a remote transmitter; and a beam-steering system comprising; an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, the antenna array being configured to receive a signal from the remote transmitter thereat; a coupled VCO array comprising a plurality of VCOs coupled to one another; a plurality of mixers, each of which is configured to mix the received signal at an antenna element with an in-phase and a quadrature-phase LO signal from a particular VCO of the coupled VCO array; a plurality of PLLs, each of which is configured to receive an in-phase output of the each mixer corresponding to the particular VCO and a quadrature-phase output of a mixer corresponding to another VCO adjacent to the particular VCO as inputs thereto, an output of the each PLL being fed back to the particular VCO, the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the plurality of mixers being configured to be driven from in-phase and quadrature-phase outputs of a transmit modulator instead of the plurality of PLLs being driven by the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the plurality of mixers, and the antenna array being configured to transmit a signal in a direction of the remote transmitter based on the driving of the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the plurality of mixers from the transmit modulator; and a plurality of sample and hold circuits, each of which is configured to sense a servoed state related to phase relationships between LO signals from VCOs of the coupled VCO array and hold the servoed state during the transmission of the signal in the direction of the remote transmitter, the each sample and hold circuit being coupled in a feedback path between the output of the each PLL and the particular VCO. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification