Digital beam-forming network having a reduced complexity and array antenna comprising the same
First Claim
1. A digital beam-forming network (DBF) for an array antenna having N>
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
1 beam ports, corresponding to respective antenna beams, the digital beam-forming network comprising;
a plurality of complex weighting elements interconnected through summing nodes;
wherein at least one of the complex weighting elements is connected to either two antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry axis to provide first symmetries, or two beam ports corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis to provide second symmetries, or both;
the digital beam-forming network being configured to exploit said first or second symmetries, or configured to exploit first and second symmetries.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital beam-forming network for an array antenna having N>1 antenna ports, to be associated to respective antenna elements, and M≧1 beam ports (BP), corresponding to respective antenna beams. The digital beam-forming network comprises a plurality of complex weighting elements interconnected through summing nodes. At least one of the complex weighting elements is connected to either two antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis, or two beam ports corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to the symmetry axis, or both. The digital beam forming network can be a part of an array antenna comprising N antenna elements, NS of which are arranged according to an array pattern having a symmetry axis, NS being an even integer different from zero.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A digital beam-forming network (DBF) for an array antenna having N>
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
1 beam ports, corresponding to respective antenna beams, the digital beam-forming network comprising;a plurality of complex weighting elements interconnected through summing nodes;
wherein at least one of the complex weighting elements is connected to either two antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry axis to provide first symmetries, or two beam ports corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis to provide second symmetries, or both;the digital beam-forming network being configured to exploit said first or second symmetries, or configured to exploit first and second symmetries. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
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11. A digital beam-forming network (DBF) for an array antenna having N>
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
1 beam ports, corresponding to respective antenna beams, the digital beam-forming network comprising;a plurality of complex weighting elements interconnected through summing nodes;
wherein at least one of the complex weighting elements is connected to either two antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry axis, or two beam ports corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis, or both,wherein each antenna port and each beam port comprises an in-phase and a quadrature channel, and wherein each complex weighting element comprises four real weighting elements. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
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15. A digital beam-forming network (DBF) for an array antenna having N>
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
1 beam ports, corresponding to respective antenna beams, the digital beam-forming network comprising;a plurality of complex weighting elements interconnected through summing nodes;
wherein at least one of the complex weighting elements is connected to either two antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry axis, or two beam ports corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis, or both; anda first set of MA·
NA complex weighting elements interconnecting a single antenna port with a single beam port;a second set of (MS/2)·
NA complex weighting elements interconnecting a single antenna port with two beam ports, corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to the symmetry axis;a third set of MA·
(NS/2) complex weighting elements interconnecting a single beam port with two antenna ports, to be associated to respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis; anda fourth set of (MS/2)·
(NS/2) complex weighting elements interconnecting two antenna ports, to be associated to respective antenna elements which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis, with two beam ports, corresponding to respective antenna beams pointing toward directions which are symmetrical with respect to the symmetry axis;
wherein MS, MA, NS and NA are even integers and wherein NS+NA=N and MS+MA=M.
- 1 antenna ports, to be associated with respective antenna elements, and M≧
Specification