Array antenna calibration

US6462704B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ) · SE

Inventors

• Leonard Rexberg · Lindenstraße, SE
• Bernt Johansson · Mala, SE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 31, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 8, 2002
• Expiry date: Jan 31, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S7/4017
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and a system for an array antenna calibration are disclosed. The method and system provide a sensor system presenting a sensor device at each antenna element, which sensor devices include digital receivers. Each digital receiver produces a complex base-band I/Q-signal. The outputs of the digital receivers are fed to a Digital Signal Processing device for adding them up to obtain a resulting signal which when converted to a DC signal presents a maximum if all individual signals have the same phase. The search for a maximum of this DC voltage is then used by the Digital Signal Processor for creating source signal phase control signals. By adjusting source signal phases for obtaining maximum added DC voltage derived from the sensor system the phases at the antenna elements will be calibrated. In this manner an adaptive array antenna is simply calibrated even during operation by compensating the base-band I/Q-signals for the intentional phase settings used for achieving a specific channel adaptive array antenna direction.