System and method for phase calibration of an antenna array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10658751-B2
Application number	US-201715629239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2017
Priority date	Jun 21, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A system for phase calibration of an antenna array comprises at least two antenna elements. The system furthermore comprises a device under test comprising the antenna array, a plane wave converter, and a phase measuring unit. Whereas the device under test is configured to transmit or receive a test signal with spatially dependent phase, the plane wave converter is configured to convert the test signal with spatially dependent phase into a signal with constant phase. In addition to this, the device under test or the phase measuring unit is configured to derive calibration values for the phase calibration of the antenna array from the signal with constant phase.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for phase calibration of an antenna array comprising at least two antenna elements, the system comprising:
a device under test comprising the antenna array,
a plane wave converter, and
a phase measuring unit,
wherein the device under test is configured to transmit or receive a test signal with spatially dependent phase,
wherein the plane wave converter is configured to convert the test signal with spatially dependent phase into a signal with constant phase, and
wherein the device under test or the phase measuring unit is configured to derive calibration values for the phase calibration of the antenna array from the signal with constant phase.

2. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the device under test comprising the antenna array which comprises the at least two antenna elements is configured to sweep the test signal through different phases stepwise, or
wherein the phase measuring unit is configured to sweep the test signal through different phases stepwise.

3. The system according to claim 2 ,
wherein each phase-sweep step is triggering a sample in the device under test or in the phase measuring unit.

4. The system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the device under test or the phase measuring unit is configured to derive several transfer coefficients from each phase-sweep step with corresponding measured phase values.

5. The system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the several transfer coefficients form the basis for deriving calibration values with the aid of the device under test or the phase measuring unit.

6. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein a temperature difference of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees Celsius, preferably lower than 5 degrees Celsius, most preferably lower than 3 degrees Celsius.

7. The system according to claim 2 ,
wherein while stepwise sweeping the phase of the test signal, a temperature difference of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees Celsius, preferably lower than 5 degrees Celsius, most preferably lower than 3 degrees Celsius.

8. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein a temperature based phase shift of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees phase shift, preferably lower than 5 degrees phase shift, most preferably lower than 3 degrees phase shift.

9. The system according to claim 2 ,
wherein while stepwise sweeping the phase of the test signal, a temperature based phase shift of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees phase shift, preferably lower than 5 degrees phase shift, most preferably lower than 3 degrees phase shift.

10. A method for phase calibration of an antenna array of a device under test comprising at least two antenna elements, the method comprising the steps of:
transmitting or receiving a test signal with spatially dependent phase with the aid of the device under test,
converting the test signal with spatially dependent phase into a signal with constant phase with the aid of a plane wave converter, and
deriving calibration values for the phase calibration of the antenna array from the signal with constant phase with the aid of the device under test or a phase measuring unit.

11. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the method further comprises the step of sweeping the test signal through different phases stepwise with the aid of the device under test comprising the antenna array which comprises the at least two antenna elements, or
wherein the method further comprises the step of sweeping the test signal through different phases stepwise with the aid of the phase measuring unit.

12. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein each phase-sweep step is triggering a sample in the device under test or in the phase measuring unit.

13. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein the method further comprises the step of deriving several transfer coefficients from each phase-sweep step with corresponding measured phase values with the aid of the device under test or the phase measuring unit.

14. The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the several transfer coefficients form the basis for deriving calibration values with the aid of the device under test or the phase measuring unit.

15. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein a temperature difference of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees Celsius, preferably lower than 5 degrees Celsius, most preferably lower than 3 degrees Celsius.

16. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein while stepwise sweeping the phase of the test signal, a temperature difference of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees Celsius, preferably lower than 5 degrees Celsius, most preferably lower than 3 degrees Celsius.

17. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein a temperature based phase shift of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees phase shift, preferably lower than 5 degrees phase shift, most preferably lower than 3 degrees phase shift.

18. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein while stepwise sweeping the phase of the test signal, a temperature based phase shift of the at least two antenna elements against each other is lower than 7 degrees phase shift, preferably lower than 5 degrees phase shift, most preferably lower than 3 degrees phase shift.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Dourado Fabricio
• Lechner Andreas
• Bartko Hendrik
• Tankielun Adam
• Rowell Corbett

Classifications

• H04B17/0085

  using test signal generators · CPC title

• H01Q3/2605

  Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays · CPC title

• H01Q3/267 Primary

  Phased-array testing or checking devices · CPC title

• H04B17/12 Primary

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

• H01Q3/30

  varying the {relative} phase {between the radiating elements of an array (H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence)} · CPC title