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US 8,577,308 B2Granted
Beamformer and beamforming method
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsSung-Tae Choi, Jung-Han Choi, Young-Hwan Kim, Dong-Hyun Lee, Hong-Yi Kim, Ki-Chan Eun, Chul-Soon Park
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Abstract
Disclosed are a beamformer and a beamforming method. The beamformer includes a plurality of dividers, each of which divides an input signal along a plurality of paths, an input switch which selects one of the dividers such that the input signal is input to the selected divider, a phase shifter which shifts phases of respective output signals from the divider, and an output switch which transmits the output signals from the phase shifter to an antenna.
Claims21
A beamformer, comprising:
- a plurality of dividers, each of which is configured to receive and divide an input signal having a same frequency into a plurality of output signals output along a plurality of paths, respectively;
- an input switch which selects one of the dividers such that the input signal is input to a selected divider;
- a phase shifter which shifts phases of the output signals from the selected divider according to which divider is selected among the dividers;
- and
- an output switch which transmits the phase-shifted output signals from the phase shifter to an antenna,
- wherein the phase shifter comprises a plurality of phase shifting units each of which is configured to receive the output signals from the selected divider and shift phases of the output signals, and
- wherein the plurality of phase shifting units are different from one another in configuration so that patterns of beams formed by the output signals phase-shifted at the phase shifting units are different from one another based on which of the plurality of dividers is selected by the input switch.
4 more elements
A beamformer, comprising:
- a plurality of dividers, each of which is configured to receive and divide an input signal having a same frequency into a plurality of output signals along a plurality of paths, respectively;
- a phase shifter which has a plurality of substrates stacked on one another, each substrate having transmission lines formed thereon for output signals from at least one of the plurality of dividers to flow therethrough, changing a phase of each of the output signals from the at least one of the plurality of dividers according to a length of each transmission line;
- and
- an input switch which selects one of the plurality of dividers,
- wherein each of the plurality of phase substrates is configured to receive output signals from the selected divider and shift phases of the received output signals, and
- wherein the plurality of substrates are different from one another in configuration so that patterns of beams formed by the output signals phase-shifted at the plurality of substrates are different from one another based on which of the plurality of dividers is selected by the input switch.
3 more elements
A beamformer, comprising:
- a plurality of substrates;
- a divider unit which is disposed on each of the substrates, and which is configured to receive and divide an input signal having a same frequency into a plurality of output signals output along a plurality of paths, respectively;
- a phase shifting unit disposed on each of the substrates, the phase shifting unit being connected to the divider unit, and changing a phase of the output signals from the divider unit;
- and
- a switch unit which selects one of the substrates,
- wherein each of the substrates is configured to receive the output signals from a divider unit disposed on the selected substrate and shift phases of the output signals, and
- wherein the substrates are different from one another in configuration so that patterns of beams formed by the output signals phase-changed at the phase shifting unit are different from one another based on which of the substrates is selected by the switch unit.
4 more elements
A beamforming method, comprising:
- selecting one of a plurality of dividers, each of which is configured to receive and divide an input signal having a same frequency into a plurality of output signals output along a plurality of paths;
- outputting the output signals from the selected one of the plurality of dividers;
- and
- changing phases of the output signals,
- wherein the changing of the phases includes transmitting the output signals, of which the phases have been changed, to a transmitting/receiving antenna, and the transmitted output signals having at least one of different phases and an equal phase interval.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.