Method for Multi-Mode, Multi-Load, and Multi-Domain Optimization of a Multi-Channel Near-Field RF Transmitter

Method for optimization of a performance of a multi-channel transmitter comprising several transmit elements, wherein the method comprises:

• a) exciting the transmit elements of the multi-channel transmitter by electric excitation signals comprising a specific power, wherein the power of the excitation signals is partially reflected by the transmit elements of the multi-channel transmitter;
• b) determining a reflected power which is reflected by the multi-channel transmitter during excitation of the transmit elements;
• c) determining reflection coefficients Sxx of the multi-channel transmitter, wherein said reflection coefficients Sxx represent a signal ratio between an incident wave applied to the x-th transmit element of the multi-channel transmitter and a resulting wave reflected from the x-th transmit element of the multi-channel-transmitter;
• d) determining reflection coefficients Sxy of the multi-channel transmitter, wherein said reflection coefficients Sxy represent a signal ratio between an incident wave applied to the x-th transmit element of the multi-channel transmitter and a resulting wave reflected from the y-th transmit element of the multi-channel-transmitter;
• e) calculating a performance criterion representing the performance of the multi-channel transmitter, wherein the performance criterion is based on
• e1) the reflected power,
• e2) the reflection coefficients Sxx, and
• e3) the reflection coefficients Sxy;
• and
• f) tuning the multi-channel transmitter so that the performance criterion is optimized.