Parasitic element control method and apparatus for single radio frequency (rf) chain-based antenna array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017338555-A1
Application number	US-201715593454-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2017
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Nov 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Parasitic element control apparatus and method for a single radio frequency (RF) chain-based antenna array. The apparatus includes an arranger configured to arrange antenna elements, each including a single active element and a plurality of parasitic elements, and generate an antenna structure, a designer configured to design a control parameter for controlling the parasitic elements based on the antenna structure, and an adjuster configured to adjust the parasitic elements based on the control parameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A parasitic element control apparatus for a single radio frequency (RF) chain-based antenna array, the parasitic element control apparatus comprising:
an arranger configured to arrange antenna elements, each including a single active element and a plurality of parasitic elements, and generate an antenna structure; a designer configured to design a control parameter for controlling the parasitic elements based on the antenna structure; and an adjuster configured to adjust the parasitic elements based on the control parameter.

2 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when a radiation pattern of each of the antenna elements is identified, the designer is configured to design the control parameter based on the identified radiation pattern.

3 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an identifier configured to add a beam pattern formed by a current flowing in the active element and a beam pattern formed by an induced current flowing in the parasitic elements due to a mutual coupling and an impedance load, and identify the radiation pattern of each of the antenna elements, wherein the adjuster is configured to adjust the parasitic element based on the identified radiation pattern.

4 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the designer is configured to evaluate a performance for an impedance load occurring in the parasitic elements, extract an optimal combination of impedance loads satisfying a reference, and design the control parameter including information on the extracted optimal combination.

5 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the designer is configured to set a phase or an amplitude based on the impedance load as the reference when the control parameter is designed to be associated with a multiplexing gain, and the designer is configured to set at least one of a back-lobe, a beam width, a beam gain, and a beamforming direction based on the impedance load as the reference when the control parameter is designed to be associated with beamforming.

6 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arranger is configured to arrange the parasitic elements by arranging a pair of parasitic elements based on the active element.

7 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the control parameter is associated with a change in arranged position, the adjuster is configured to adjust the parasitic elements by switching parasitic elements facing each other based on the active element.

8 . The parasitic element control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when a parasitic element is added to the antenna structure, the adjuster is configured to adjust the parasitic elements by determining a position at which the parasitic element is to be disposed in the antenna structure or changing a position of one of the parasitic elements included in the antenna structure, based on the control parameter.

9 . A method of controlling a parasitic element for a single radio frequency (RF) chain-based antenna array, the method comprising:
arranging antenna elements, each including a single active element and a plurality of parasitic elements, and generating an antenna structure; designing a control parameter for controlling the parasitic elements based on the antenna structure; and adjusting the parasitic elements based on the control parameter.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
designing, when a radiation pattern of each of the antenna elements is identified, the control parameter based on the identified radiation pattern.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
adding a beam pattern formed by a current flowing in the active element and a beam pattern formed by an induced current flowing in the parasitic elements due to a mutual coupling and an impedance load, and identifying the radiation pattern of each of the antenna elements; and adjusting the parasitic element based on the identified radiation pattern.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the designing includes:
evaluating a performance for an impedance load occurring in the parasitic elements and extracting an optimal combination of impedance loads satisfying a reference; and designing the control parameter including information on the extracted optimal combination.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the designing further includes:
setting a phase or an amplitude based on the impedance load as the reference when the control parameter is designed to be associated with a multiplexing gain; and setting at least one of a back-lobe, a beam width, a beam gain, and a beamforming direction based on the impedance load as the reference when the control parameter is designed to be associated with beamforming.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the arranging includes arranging the parasitic elements by arrange a pair of parasitic elements based on the active element.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the adjusting includes adjusting the parasitic elements by switching parasitic elements facing each other based on the active element.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein when a parasitic element is added to the antenna structure, the adjusting further includes:
adjusting the parasitic elements by determining a position at which the parasitic element is to be disposed in the antenna structure based on the control parameter; or changing a position of one of the parasitic elements included in the antenna structure, based on the control parameter.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Lee Yong Ho
• Oh Jung Hoon
• Lee Jung Nam

Classifications

• H01Q21/22

  Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array · CPC title

• H01Q5/385

  Two or more parasitic elements · CPC title

• H01Q3/01 Primary

  varying the shape of the antenna or antenna system · CPC title

• H01Q3/34

  by electrical means (active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46) · CPC title

• H01Q3/24

  varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching · CPC title