Active antenna device and test method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10536227-B2
Application number	US-201616060263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 10, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed are an active antenna device and a test method therefor, for resolving the problem that existing large-scale active antennae cannot be tested by using a traditional test method due to no traditional antenna connectors. The active antenna device comprises: a transceiver array, a radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit, an antenna passive distribution network unit, an antenna array, and S test connectors, wherein the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit is connected to the transceiver array through N data channels and M calibration channels respectively and is connected to the test connectors, and the antenna passive distribution network unit is connected to the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit through N data channels and is connected to the antenna array through P data channels, N being a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, M being a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, P being a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, and S being a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An active antenna device, comprising:
a transceiver array, a radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit, an antenna passive distribution network unit, an antenna array, and S test connectors, wherein:
the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit is connected with the transceiver array through N data channels and M calibration channels, and connected with the test connectors;
the antenna passive distribution network unit is connected with the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit through N data channels, and connected with the antenna array through P data channels;
wherein N is a positive integer more than or equal to 1, M is a positive integer more than or equal to 1, P is a positive integer more than or equal to 1, and S is a positive integer more than or equal to 1;
the transceiver array converts a received optical radio frequency transmission test signal into N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals, amplifies and then filters the N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals respectively, and transmits the electric radio frequency transmission test signals to the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit through the N data channels based upon the filtered N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals; and
the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit receives the electric radio frequency transmission test signals transmitted by the transceiver array through the N data channels, directionally couples, integrates, and distributes the electric radio frequency transmission test signals into Q branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals, and outputs S branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals among the Q branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals to the test connectors, wherein Q is equal to a sum of M and S;
or,
the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit receives the S branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals through the test connectors, splits and directionally couples the S branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals into N branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals, and transmits the electric radio frequency reception test signals to the transceiver array through the N data channels based upon the N branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals; and
the transceiver array receives the electric radio frequency reception test signals through the N data channels, filters and then amplifies the electric radio frequency reception test signals, converts the amplified electric radio frequency reception test signals into an optical radio frequency reception test signal, and transmits the optical radio frequency reception test signal through an optic fiber.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit comprises N directional couplers, N loads, and more than one power distributor and synthesizer, and the N directional couplers and the N loads are connected through the power distributor and synthesizers.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein a quantity of power distributor and synthesizers in the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit is

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wherein K1=log 2 (N), K2=log 2 (M+S), N is a power of 2, and (M+S) is a power of 2.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver array is configured: to select one of the filtered N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals, and to transmit the selected one branch of electric radio frequency transmission test signal to the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit through corresponding one of the data channels; and
the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit is configured: to receive the electric radio frequency transmission test signals transmitted by the transceiver array through the one data channel, to directionally couple, integrate, and distribute the one branch of electric radio frequency transmission test signals into the Q branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals, and to transmit the S branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals among the Q branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals to the test connectors;
or,
the transceiver array is configured: to transmit the filtered N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals to the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit through the N data channels; and
the radio frequency calibration and test distribution network unit is configured: to receive the N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals transmitted by the transceiver array through the N data channels, to directionally couple, integrate, and distribute the N branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals into the Q branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals, and to transmit the S branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals among the Q branches of electric radio frequency transmission test signals to the test connectors.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver array is configured:
to select one of the received N branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals, to filter and then amplify the received one branch of electric radio frequency reception test signals, to convert the amplified one branch of electric radio frequency reception test signals into the optical radio frequency reception test signal, and to transmit the optical radio frequency reception test signal through the optic fiber; or
to receive the N branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals, to filter and then amplify the N branches of electric radio frequency reception test signals respectively, to convert the amplified N

Assignees

• China Academy Telecommunications Technology

Inventors

• Li Chuanjun
• Su Xin
• Song Yuexia
• Jiang Shouning

Classifications

• H04B17/12 Primary

  of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase · CPC title

• H04B17/17

  Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations (H04B17/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L5/0023 Primary

  Time-frequency-space · CPC title

• H01Q1/24

  with receiving set · CPC title

• H01Q5/50

  Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation · CPC title