Phased array antenna with analog beamforming—calibration techniques for angle of arrival applications
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorZohar Agon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments are presented herein of apparatuses, systems, and methods for a wireless device to calibrate a phased antenna array. The wireless device may begin a calibration process with a second wireless device. The first wireless device may receive a calibration signal from the second wireless device and may calibrate a subset (e.g., all but one) of the antennas of the array. The first wireless device may receive a subsequent signal and estimate the angle of arrival using the calibrated subset of antennas. Further, the first wireless device may calibrate a complete set of antennas using calibration signals from a plurality of directions.
Claims20
An apparatus for calibrating an antenna array of a wireless device, wherein the antenna array includes M antennas, and wherein the apparatus includes:
- a processor, configured to cause the wireless device to:
- begin a calibration process of the antenna array with a second wireless device;
- determine an expected angle-of-arrival of a calibration signal from the second wireless device;
- receive, from the second wireless device, the calibration signal from a single angle;
- calibrate, based on the calibration signal and the expected angle-of-arrival, M−1 antennas of the antenna array;
- and
- perform, using the M−1 antennas of the antenna array, an angle-of-arrival estimate of a wireless signal.
A wireless device comprising:
- an array of M antennas;
- and
- a processor operably coupled to the array of M antennas and configured to cause the wireless device to:
- determine a known angle-of-arrival associated with a calibration target;
- receive a calibration signal from the calibration target;
- calibrate M−1 antennas of the M antennas based on the calibration signal and the known angle-of-arrival;
- and
- estimate an angle-of-arrival of an incident signal using the M−1 antennas.
A method for calibrating antennas of an antenna array of a wireless device, the method comprising:
- at the wireless device:
- receiving, using an array of M antennas, M*K calibration signals from K known directions;
- determining M*K expected signals;
- calibrating, based on the M*K calibration signals, the M*K expected signals, and the K known directions, the M antennas;
- and
- estimating an angle of arrival of a second signal using the M antennas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.