Method and apparatus for calibrating antenna arrays
AssigneeArrayComm, Inc.
InventorsRichard H. Roy, III, David M. Parish, Craig H. Barratt, Chinping Q. Yang, John T. Orchard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for calibrating antenna array systems comprising of a portable transponder (118) and a calibration processor (124). Calibration processor (124) generates calibration transmit signals which it transmits using transmit signal processor (104) and antenna array (111). Transponder (118) echoes these signals back and they are acquired by calibration processor (124) through antenna array (111) and receive signal processor (106). Calibration processor (124) processes the received signals to calculate antenna calibration vector (102).
Claims29
A calibration system for an RF signal transceiving system including an antenna array comprising
- an antenna array including a plurality of antennas for transmitting a first plurality of signals including individually identifiable signals and for receiving a second plurality of signals from a transponder signal,
- signal processing means for generating said first plurality of signals and for processing said second plurality of signals,
- means for applying said first plurality of signals to said antenna array,
- transponder means for receiving said first plurality of signals and in response thereto retransmitting said transponder signal to said antenna array,
- means for applying said second plurality of signals received from said antenna array to said signal processing means, said signal processing means comparing said second plurality of signals to determine receive calibration vectors,
- said signal processing means determining transmit calibration vectors by comparing said first plurality of signals and said second plurality of signals.
A calibration system for determining transmit calibration vectors for an antenna array in an RF transceiving system comprising
- an antenna array including a plurality of antennas for transmitting a first plurality of signals,
- signal generator means for generating said first plurality of signals including individually identifiable signals,
- means for applying said first plurality of signals to said antenna array,
- transponder means for receiving said plurality of signals and in response thereto retransmitting a transponder signal,
- antenna means for receiving said transponder signal, and
- signal processing means for processing said transponder signal, said signal processing means determining a transmit calibration vector by comparing said first plurality of signals and said transponder signal.
A calibration system for determining receive calibration vectors for an antenna array in an RF receiver system comprising
- signal transmission means for generating and transmitting a transmission signal,
- transponder means for receiving said transmission signal and in response thereto retransmitting a transponder signal,
- an antenna array for receiving said transponder signal and producing a plurality of received signals, and
- signal processing means for comparing said plurality of received signals and producing receive calibration vectors for said antenna array.
A method of calibrating an RF transceiver system including an antenna array comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a first plurality of signals from said antenna array,
- receiving said first plurality of signals with transponder means and retransmitting a transponder signal back to said antenna array,
- generating a receive calibration vector using said transponder signal as received by individual antenna elements, and
- generating transmit calibration vectors by comparing said first plurality of signals and said transponder signal as received by said individual antenna elements.
A method of determining transmit calibration vectors for an antenna array in an RF transmission system comprising
- transmitting a first plurality of signals from said antenna array, said first plurality of signals including individual identifiable signals transmitted from individual antenna elements in said antenna array,
- receiving said first plurality of signals with transponder means and in response thereto retransmitting a transponder signal,
- receiving said transponder signal, and
- generating transmit calibration vectors by comparing said transponder signal and said first plurality of signals.
A method of determining receive calibration vectors for an antenna array in an RF receiver system comprising
- transmitting a first RF signal,
- receiving said first RF signal with transponder means and in response thereto retransmitting a transponder signal,
- receiving said transponder signal with said antenna array and producing a plurality of received signals, and
- comparing said plurality of received signals and producing receiver calibration vectors for said antenna array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.