Phase Shifter-Relaxed and Control Voltage-Relaxed Steerable Multibeam Forming Front End

Unmet Need: Prevention of in band insertion loss during beamforming

With emerging 5G and 6G communication, the beamforming technique with steering capability attracts great interest to boost the channel capacity, support high data rate, and increase the spectrum reuse, especially for millimeter wave spectrum. The existing beam steering solution applies hybrid approach to overcome the drawbacks of both analog and digital beam steering. However, large phase tuning (360 degree) phase shifter causes in band insertion loss variation, and it requires complex control algorithm to compensate the phase and magnitude errors.

The Technology: Use of tunable phase shifter

To overcome these issues, a simplified beam steering circuit architecture is developed to achieve full beam scanning range. Instead of phase shifter with 360 degree phase tuning range, this topology applies tunable phase shifter with only 120 degree phase tuning range to realize full beam steering range and minimize the in-band insertion loss.

Applications:

• Beamforming techniques to support millimeter wave spectrum.

Advantages:

• Reduced complexity of phase and magnitude control algorithm.

• Capable of steering up to ±60 degree from boresight using two control voltages ranging from 0-16V.

Patent Information:

Provisional patent application filed.