# US 12,603,443 B2 · Optimal phase condition determination method, antenna module, and communication system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,603,443 B2 - Document ID: US12603443B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/611,769 - Filed: 2024-03-21 - Published: 2024-07-11 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-11 - Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kouichi Koshino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603443B2 ## CPC - H01Q 21/245: {provided with means for varying the polarisation (polarising devices H01Q15/24; tracking by comparing linear polarisation compounds G01S3/146; reducing depolarisation effects H04B7/00; polarisation diversity H04B7/10)} - H01Q 21/06: Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart - H04B 7/0682: {using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)} - H04B 7/10: Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity - H01Q 1/24: with receiving set - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A short-axis intensity is obtained under a plurality of phase conditions including different phase conditions of a high-frequency signal supplied to a plurality of antenna devices included in an array antenna. The short-axis intensity is a maximum value of a short-axis direction component of an electric field vector of a composite wave of radio waves radiated in a first direction from the respective antenna devices. An optimal phase condition of the high-frequency signal supplied to the plurality of antenna devices is determined in a manner such that the short-axis intensity of the composite wave is maximized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of determining an optimal phase condition that is performed by an antenna device, the method comprising: obtaining a short-axis intensity under a plurality of phase conditions including different phase conditions of a high-frequency signal supplied to a plurality of antenna devices included in an array antenna, the short-axis intensity being a maximum value of a short-axis direction component of an electric field vector of a composite wave of radio waves radiated in a first direction from the respective antenna devices; and determining an optimal phase condition of the high-frequency signal supplied to the plurality of antenna devices in a manner such that the short-axis intensity of the composite wave is maximized. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the array antenna transmits and receives a circularly polarized wave. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein obtaining the short-axis intensity of the composite wave includes: acquiring intensity of a right-handed circular polarization component and intensity of a left-handed circular polarization component of the composite wave; and obtaining the short-axis intensity of the composite wave based on the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left-handed circular polarization component of the composite wave. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein acquiring the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left-handed circular polarization component of the composite wave includes: transmitting radio waves from the plurality of antenna devices; receiving, by a circularly-polarized-wave reception antenna, the right- handed circular polarization component and the left-handed circular polarization component of the composite wave of the radio waves transmitted in the first direction; and measuring the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left-handed circular polarization component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein acquiring the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left-handed circular polarization component of the composite wave includes: acquiring, for each of the plurality of antenna devices, the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left handed circular polarization component of the radio waves-transmitted from each of the plurality of antenna devices in the first-direction; and acquiring a phase-difference in the right handed circular polarization component and a phase difference in the left handed circular polarization component between the antenna devices acquiring, for each of the plurality of antenna devices, the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left-handed circular polarization component of the radio waves transmitted from each of the plurality of antenna devices in the first direction; acquiring a phase difference in the right-handed circular polarization component and a phase difference in the left-handed circular polarization component between the antenna devices; and calculating the intensity of the right-handed circular polarization component and the intensity of the left-handed circular polarization component of the composite wave based on the acquired intensities and phase differences. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the short-axis intensity of the composite wave includes: acquiring intensity of each of two polarization components of the composite wave and a phase difference between the two polarization components of the composite wave, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and obtaining the short-axis intensity of the composite wave based on the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein acquiring the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another, includes: transmitting radio waves from the plurality of antenna devices; receiving, by a reception antenna, the two polarization components of the composite wave of the radio waves transmitted in the first direction, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and measuring the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave that are linearly independent from one another and the phase difference between the two polarization components of the composite wave. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein acquiring the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another, includes: acquiring, for each of the plurality of antenna devices, the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the radio wave transmitted from each of the plurality of antenna devices in the first direction, and a phase difference between the two polarization components of the radio wave, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and acquiring a phase difference in the two polarization components between the antenna devices, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and calculating the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components of the composite wave based on the acquired intensities and phase differences, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein obtaining the short-axis intensity of the composite wave includes: acquiring intensity of each of two polarization components of the composite wave and a phase difference between the two polarization components, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and obtaining the short-axis intensity of the composite wave based on the intensity of each of the two polarization components and the phase difference between the two polarization components. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein acquiring the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another, includes: transmitting radio waves from the plurality of antenna devices; receiving, by a reception antenna, the two polarization components of the composite wave of the radio waves transmitted in the first direction, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and measuring the intensity of each of the two polarization components that are linearly independent from one another and the phase difference between the two polarization components. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein acquiring the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another, includes: acquiring, for each of the plurality of antenna devices, intensity of each of the two polarization components of the radio wave transmitted from each of the plurality of antenna devices in the first direction, and a phase difference between the two polarization components of the radio wave, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; acquiring a phase difference in the two polarization components between the antenna devices, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another; and calculating the intensity of each of the two polarization components of the composite wave and the phase difference between the two polarization components of the composite wave based on the acquired intensities and phase differences, the two polarization components being linearly independent from one another. ### Claim 12 A method of determining an optimal phase condition that is performed by an antenna device, the method comprising: obtaining a long-axis intensity under a plurality of phase conditions including different phase conditions of a high-frequency signal supplied to a plurality of antenna devices included in an array antenna, the long-axis intensity being a maximum value of a long-axis direction component of an electric field vector of a composite wave of radio waves radiated in a first direction from the respective antenna devices; and determining an optimal phase condition of the high-frequency signal supplied to the plurality of antenna devices in a manner such that the long-axis intensity of the composite wave is maximized. ### Claim 13 An antenna module comprising: an array antenna including a plurality of antenna devices configured to transmit and receive a circularly polarized wave; a high-frequency circuit configured to adjust phases between the antenna devices and supply a high-frequency signal to each of the plurality of antenna devices; and control circuitry storing an optimal phase condition list in which a phase condition of the high-frequency signal supplied to the plurality of antenna devices is associated with each of multiple directions seen from the array antenna, and configured to control, in accordance with a direction in which a radio wave is to be transmitted, the high-frequency circuit to operate under a phase condition associated with the direction, wherein the phase condition included in the optimal phase condition list is determined in a manner such that a short-axis intensity is maximized, the short-axis intensity being a maximum value of a short-axis direction component of an electric field vector of a composite wave of radio waves radiated in a direction associated with the phase condition from the plurality of antenna devices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The antenna module according to claim 13, wherein the control circuitry selects, based on a reception level of a radio wave received by a counterpart of communication, one phase condition from a plurality of said phase conditions included in the optimal phase condition list, and controls the high-frequency circuit under the selected phase condition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A communication system comprising: the antenna module of claim 13, which is a first antenna module of the communication system; and a second antenna module configured to communicate with the first antenna module by transmitting and receiving a linearly polarized wave, wherein the second antenna module includes a corresponding antenna device configured to transmit and receive a linearly polarized wave, and assuming the second antenna module receives the composite wave from the first antenna module, the second antenna module transmits a measurement value of a reception intensity to the first antenna module, and the control circuitry of the first antenna module operates the high-frequency circuit of the first antenna module under a plurality of phase conditions, determines, as an optimal phase condition, a phase condition under which the measurement value of the reception intensity, the measurement value being received from the second antenna module, becomes a highest, and operates the high-frequency circuit of the first antenna module under the optimal phase condition to communicate with the second antenna module. ### Claim 16 An antenna module comprising: an array antenna including a plurality of antenna devices configured to transmit and receive a linearly polarized wave; a high-frequency circuit configured to adjust phases between the antenna devices and supply a high-frequency signal to each of the plurality of antenna devices; and control circuitry storing an optimal phase condition list in which a phase condition of the high-frequency signal supplied to the plurality of antenna devices is associated with each of multiple directions seen from the array antenna, and configured to control, in accordance with a direction in which a radio wave is to be transmitted, the high- frequency circuit to operate under a phase condition associated with the direction, wherein the phase condition included in the optimal phase condition list is determined in a manner such that a long-axis intensity is maximized, the long-axis intensity being a maximum value of a long-axis direction component of an electric field vector of a composite wave of radio waves radiated in a direction associated with the phase condition from the plurality of antenna devices. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The antenna module according to claim 16, wherein the control circuitry selects, based on a reception level of a radio wave received by a counterpart of communication, one phase condition from a plurality of said phase conditions included in the optimal phase condition list, and controls the high-frequency circuit under the selected phase condition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A communication system comprising: a first antenna module configured to transmit and receive a circularly polarized wave; and the antenna module of claim 16, which is a second antenna module of the communication system and is configured to communicate with the first antenna module, wherein the first antenna module includes a corresponding antenna device configured to transmit and receive the circularly polarized wave, and assuming the first antenna module receives a radio wave from the second antenna module, the first antenna module transmits a measurement value of a reception intensity to the second antenna module, and the control circuitry of the second antenna module operates the high-frequency circuit of the second antenna module under a plurality of phase conditions, determines, as an optimal phase condition, a phase condition under which the measurement value of the reception intensity, the measurement value being received from the first antenna module, becomes a highest, and operates the high-frequency circuit of the second antenna module under the optimal phase condition to communicate with the first antenna module.