Patent US6515616B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6515616B1
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System and method for aligning signals having different phases
Assignee: Kathrein SE
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Filing: 1999-04-30
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Granted: 2003-02-04
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Expires: 2019-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for changing the phase relationship of input signals so as to generate a composite signal having the strongest possible signal. One related input vector signal is phase rotated and a phase is selected which yields the smallest value of the output composite signal. The selected phase is rotated 180 degrees. This procedure for that input signal is repeated for each input vector signal. When all inputs have thus been adjusted, the procedure can be repeated until the output composite signal is essentially free of errors.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael G. Kuplicki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:17
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/26; H01Q3/267; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/02; H04B7/04; H04B7/08; H04B7/0837; H04B7/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for aligning input signals of a composite signal where the input signals each comprise a vector having a particular phase, the method comprising the steps of determining a phase rotation of a first one of said vectors such that the composite signal is determined to be at its minimum value for such phase rotation; rotating the phase from the determined phase rotation of said first one of said vectors a specific amount; and repeating said determining and rotation steps for at least some of the other vectors.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for aligning input signals of a composite signal where the input signals each comprise a vector having a particular phase, the method comprising the steps of determining a phase rotation of a first one of said vectors such that the composite signal is determined to be at its minimum value for such phase rotation; rotating the phase from the determined phase rotation of said first one of said vectors a specific amount; and repeating said determining and rotation steps for at least some of the other vectors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said specific amount of said rotation is 180 degrees.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said determining and rotating steps are repeated for all of said vectors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said determining and rotating steps are again repeated vector by vector until a degree of error in the composite signal within a predetermined range is achieved.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 where the composite signal is generated at a location physically remote from the input signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 where the signals pass from the input signal vectors to the composite signal over different signal paths, each having different signal characteristics, and wherein the phase adjustment is made prior to the signals being applied to said signal paths.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method set forth in claim 6 where the input signals are at a base station and the composite signal is generated at an antenna array.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
75 words
A system for aligning input signals of a composite signal where the input signals comprise vectors, the system comprising: a null detector for determining a phase rotation of each phase vector of said signal vectors, one at a time, such that the composite signal is determined to be at its minimum value for each such vector phase rotation; and a phase reversal circuit for reversing the determined phase rotation of each of said phase vectors.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
75 words
A system for aligning input signals of a composite signal where the input signals comprise vectors, the system comprising: a null detector for determining a phase rotation of each phase vector of said signal vectors, one at a time, such that the composite signal is determined to be at its minimum value for each such vector phase rotation; and a phase reversal circuit for reversing the determined phase rotation of each of said phase vectors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as set forth in claim 8 where the composite signal is generated physically remote from the input signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as set forth in claim 9 where the signals pass from the input signal vectors to the composite signal over different signal paths, each having different signal characteristics.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
72 words
A system for aligning input signals of a composite signal where the input signals each comprise a vector having an adjustable phase, the system comprising means for determining a phase rotation of each of said vectors, one at a time, such that the composite signal is determined to be at its minimum value for each such vector phase rotation; and means for reversing the determined phase rotation of each of said vectors.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
72 words
A system for aligning input signals of a composite signal where the input signals each comprise a vector having an adjustable phase, the system comprising means for determining a phase rotation of each of said vectors, one at a time, such that the composite signal is determined to be at its minimum value for each such vector phase rotation; and means for reversing the determined phase rotation of each of said vectors.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
99 words
A system for providing signals to a combiner for communication of a composite signal to an antenna wherein said provided signals must have a relatively small phase differential thereinbetween and wherein said provided signals are communicated to said antenna array from a remote location over communication paths which introduce varying amounts of phase change to the respective signals, said system comprising: a phase adjuster for adjusting the phase of one of said provided signals such that the composite signal has a minimum value; and a phase rotation for changing the adjusted phase, said one provided signal by 180 degrees.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
99 words
A system for providing signals to a combiner for communication of a composite signal to an antenna wherein said provided signals must have a relatively small phase differential thereinbetween and wherein said provided signals are communicated to said antenna array from a remote location over communication paths which introduce varying amounts of phase change to the respective signals, said system comprising: a phase adjuster for adjusting the phase of one of said provided signals such that the composite signal has a minimum value; and a phase rotation for changing the adjusted phase, said one provided signal by 180 degrees.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 12 further including: a phase adjuster for adjusting the phase, in turn, of each of the other said provided signals such that the composite signal for each such adjustment has a minimum value; and a phase rotator for changing the adjusted phase of each of said provided signals by 180 degrees.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
210 words
A phased array antenna system having a plurality of individual antennas arranged to simultaneously broadcast a signal such that a phase relationship of the signal as it appears at each such individual antenna determines a coverage area of the resultant signal, wherein said phased array is adapted to provide self-contained tuning of the phase of said signal as it appears at each individual antenna to maintain said phase relationship, said system comprising: means for communicating to each such individual antenna the signal, thereby providing a communicated signal to each such individual antenna having a desired phase; means for monitoring a magnitude of the signal actually received at each such antenna; means controlled by said monitoring means for adjusting the phase of a first one of said communicated signals until the magnitude is monitored as being minimum as actually received at each said antenna; means controlled by said adjusting means for rotating said adjusted phase by 180 degrees; means controlled by said monitoring means for adjusting the phase of other ones of said communicated signals, one at a time, until the magnitude is monitored as being minimum for each such adjustment; and means controlled by said last-mentioned adjusting means for rotating, in turn, each of said adjusted phases by 180 degrees.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
210 words
A phased array antenna system having a plurality of individual antennas arranged to simultaneously broadcast a signal such that a phase relationship of the signal as it appears at each such individual antenna determines a coverage area of the resultant signal, wherein said phased array is adapted to provide self-contained tuning of the phase of said signal as it appears at each individual antenna to maintain said phase relationship, said system comprising: means for communicating to each such individual antenna the signal, thereby providing a communicated signal to each such individual antenna having a desired phase; means for monitoring a magnitude of the signal actually received at each such antenna; means controlled by said monitoring means for adjusting the phase of a first one of said communicated signals until the magnitude is monitored as being minimum as actually received at each said antenna; means controlled by said adjusting means for rotating said adjusted phase by 180 degrees; means controlled by said monitoring means for adjusting the phase of other ones of said communicated signals, one at a time, until the magnitude is monitored as being minimum for each such adjustment; and means controlled by said last-mentioned adjusting means for rotating, in turn, each of said adjusted phases by 180 degrees.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for providing signals to a combiner for communication of a composite signal to an antenna wherein said provided signals must have a relatively small phase differential thereinbetween and wherein said provided signals are communicated to said antenna array from a remote location over communication paths which introduce varying amounts of phase change to the respective signals, said method comprising the steps of: adjusting the phase of one of said provided signal s such that said composite signal has a minimum value; and changing the adjusted phase of said one provided signal by 180 degrees.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for providing signals to a combiner for communication of a composite signal to an antenna wherein said provided signals must have a relatively small phase differential thereinbetween and wherein said provided signals are communicated to said antenna array from a remote location over communication paths which introduce varying amounts of phase change to the respective signals, said method comprising the steps of: adjusting the phase of one of said provided signal s such that said composite signal has a minimum value; and changing the adjusted phase of said one provided signal by 180 degrees.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 15 further including the steps of: adjusting the phase, in turn, of each of the other said provided signals such that said composite signal for each such adjustment has a minimum value; and changing the adjusted phase of each of said provided signals by 180 degrees.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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