Patent Application
20230379011
The present invention relates to a reconfigurable beamformer, usable particularly for 5G NR.
In the field of telecommunications, it is known that there is the need to design transceivers for indoor use in the three designated bands (n258, n257 and n260) of 5G NR.
The same need would arise if further bands are designated for 5G NR.
Furthermore, the same need exists for outdoor use.
Particularly, as regards to the frequency, it is assumed that each of the three 5G NR bands would be covered by different hardware. However, the three 5G NR bands are much wider (3 GHz) than what an individual mobile supplier would provide in a specific country (50 MHz to 400 MHz).
A traditional way to solve this problem is to design different hardware for each supplier, resulting in multiple different part numbers.
Furthermore, as regards to the antenna pattern, given the specific layout of the building, the transceivers of the known type would need to be placed along walls, in corners or on the ceiling. For each of these locations, a different antenna pattern is more appropriate (Omni-Directional versus Directional).
While mechanical brackets could be used to tilt the transceivers, the inherent antenna pattern would remain the same.
A traditional way to solve this problem is to design different hardware for each location, resulting in multiple different part numbers.
Finally, as regards to the antenna polarization, under certain conditions (coverage being an example), the optimal solution would be either linear polarized antennas or circular polarized antennas. For the case of MIMO 2×2, it is common to use cross polarized antennas.
A traditional way to solve this problem is to design different hardware for each polarization, resulting in two different part numbers.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a reconfigurable beamformer that can be software configured on site by the installer, choosing from precalibrated subbands.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a reconfigurable beamformer that can be software configured on site by the installer, choosing from precalibrated patterns.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a reconfigurable beamformer that can be software configured to be linear polarized or circular polarized, wherein the switch is programmable on the fly.
The above-mentioned objectives are achieved by the present reconfigurable beamformer according to the features of claim 1.
Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiments of a reconfigurable beamformer, usable particularly for 5G NR, illustrated by way of an indicative but non-limitating example in the accompanying Figures, in which:
With particular reference to such illustrations, globally indicated with reference 1 is a reconfigurable beamformer, usable particularly for 5G NR.
It is pointed out that the current invention can be effectively used to reach the need to design transceivers for indoor use in the three designated bands (n258, n257 and n260) of 5G NR, but it is not limited to “indoor” usage and “n258, n257, n260” frequencies.
Particularly, the proposed technique may apply also on other RF coverage where flexibility in shaping the antenna pattern is needed, so it is not limited to 5G NR/mmWave.
The reconfigurable beamformer 1 according to the invention comprises:
The digital signal processor 2 comprises:
The ADC/DAC 9 comprises:
During receiver mode, the ADC/DAC 9 is configured to convert the analog output of the analog signal processor 3 into a digital signal for input to the digital signal processor 2.
Similarly, during transmitter mode, the ADC/DAC 9 is configured to convert the digital output of the digital signal processor 2 into an analog signal for input to the analog signal processor 3.
The analogue signal processor 3 comprises:
The antenna array 4 comprises a plurality of antenna array elements 4′.
The digital matrix 5 is configured for selecting between different signal content based on the selected antenna polarization.
Particularly, as showed in the receiver mode example of
Similarly, as showed in the transmitter mode example of
Therefore, the digital matrix 5 is configured for selecting between different signal content based on the selected antenna polarization according to the following configurations:
The digital beamformer 6 is configured to modify the relative phase/amplitude of each path (path A or path B) independently.
The electronic combiner 7 is configured to combine the antenna array elements 4′ of the antenna array 4 connected to the analogue signal processor 7.
Furthermore, the analogue beamformer 8 is configured to modify the relative phase/amplitude of each of the antenna array elements 4′ independently.
The exact layout of the analogue signal processor 3 as well as the interconnections between the analogue signal processor 3 and the digital signal processor 2 result in two possible configurations, shown in
According to the first configuration, showed in
According to a second configuration, showed in
While both designs can tune the frequency, antenna pattern and antenna polarization, only the second configuration has the appropriate interconnections to utilize the different antenna polarizations.
As regards to the frequency/polarization,
Particularly, to generate the desired polarization (linear polarization or circular polarization) at the desired frequency, the phase offset between points A and B needs to be set. The effect of the feeds on the relative phase is frequency dependent, resulting in a different phase offset between points C and D in each subband.
The digital beamformer 6 and/or the analogue beamformer 8 are configured for controlling the relative phase between the two feeds of each antenna array element 4′ to provide the desired phase offset, as well as compensating for the feeds.
To utilize the different antenna polarizations, the signals at points E and F need to be connected to different paths (Paths A and B), which is only achieved in the
As regards to the frequency/pattern,
Particularly, to generate the desired pattern (omni directional pattern or directional pattern) at the desired frequency, the phase offset between points A/B and G/H needs to be set. Only the analogue beamformer 8 is configured for controlling the relative phase between the two antenna array elements 4′ to provide the desired phase offset.
Also, the digital beamformer 6 and/or the analogue beamformer 8 are/is configured for tuning the relative phase to add a tilt to the antenna pattern (similar action as a mechanical bracket).
Therefore, the gain/phase control can be used to alter the relative gain/phase of the signal paths to change the shape of the antenna pattern and/or tilt the antenna pattern.
In practice it has been found that the described invention achieves the intended aim and objects.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102020000023230 | Oct 2020 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2021/058897 | 9/29/2021 | WO |
