JP2005311780A - Array antenna communication device and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that adaptive processing should be accelerated while the characteristics of phase and amplitude of each reception circuit are calculated, a calibration coefficient is obtained, and the characteristics are each multiplied to compensate the difference in characteristics between reception circuits. <P>SOLUTION: A reception signal (RX) is weighted for each of amplitude and phase in a weighting circuit 5, a signal of each of unit antennas is added in a distribution synthesizer 6 and is supplied to a baseband processor 9 through a receiver 8. To control the weighting by the weighting circuit 5 to an optimum value, an adaptive array control unit 10 is provided, and the reception signal (RX) from the receiver 8 and a unit antenna monitor signal (monitor RX) from an amplitude phase correcting unit 13 are supplied to this unit 10, and a desired weighting setting value obtained by this is supplied to the weighting circuit 5 for each unit antenna via a correcting table 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an array antenna communication apparatus, and more particularly to a communication apparatus that controls a transmission / reception antenna pattern using a plurality of unit antennas.

  Reception with a beam in the direction of arrival of the desired wave and a null in the direction of arrival of the interference wave by appropriately adding and synthesizing the signals received by a plurality of unit antennas arranged spatially separated from each other A communication apparatus having an adaptive array antenna that forms an antenna pattern and selectively receives a desired signal is known.

  FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a conventional adaptive array communication apparatus. In a conventional adaptive array antenna, in order to obtain a desired transmission / reception antenna pattern, an appropriate weighting process is applied to the amplitude and phase of the transmission / reception signal. However, in such a control, in a receiving circuit corresponding to each antenna element, a temporal variation occurs due to aging deterioration of the analog elements of the coupler, the distributor, and the amplifier. Therefore, the phase and amplitude characteristic differences between the received signal (RX) and the monitor signal (monitor RX) are caused by variations in the phase and amplitude characteristics independently of each other. The sex pattern is formed differently than desired. Such a characteristic difference between the reception circuits causes a decrease in reception gain, leading to deterioration in communication quality.

  Therefore, a technique as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is disclosed, and the adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus calculates the characteristics of the phase and amplitude of each receiving circuit to obtain a calibration coefficient, and calculates the received communication signal. A characteristic difference between the receiving circuits is compensated by multiplying the phase component and amplitude component of the calculated calibration coefficient by the phase component and amplitude component, respectively.

  Further, the applicant of the present application has applied for an improved array antenna device as Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2003-49556 and 2003-96091. According to the prior invention, the amplitude and phase adjustment between the transmission side and the reception side can be easily performed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-300086 "Adaptive signal processing by array antenna", first edition, Science and Technology Publishing Co., Ltd., November 1998

  However, although it is possible to compensate for the characteristic difference between the receiving circuits using the calibration coefficient described above, there is another problem in speeding up the adaptive processing.

  In the above-mentioned prior application, the phase difference between the received signal (RX) from the receiving unit and the unit monitor signal (monitor RX) from the unit antenna monitor receiving unit is adjusted by the bidirectional vector modulator. When the amplitude and phase difference between the signal (RX) and the monitor signal (monitor RX) are large, there is a problem that the convergence time for obtaining an appropriate antenna pattern becomes long.

  In the conventional method, the mutual phase difference between the received signal (RX) from the receiver and the monitor signal (monitor RX) from the unit antenna monitor receiver is set to ± 90 degrees or less when the phase shift amount of the weighting circuit is zero. This is the condition for correctly converging the weight values for obtaining the optimum antenna pattern, and the smaller the phase difference and amplitude difference, the shorter the time required for convergence. It is carried out.

  However, the correction is limited to the case where the phase amount of the weighting circuit is zero, and the weighting circuit is ideally handled. That is, the difference between the amplitude and phase change amount represented by the weighted set value output from the adaptive array control unit and the amplitude and phase change amount that is actually input to the weighting circuit and received by the received signal (RX) is considered. It has not been.

  On the other hand, since the weighting circuit is an analog circuit that handles RF signals, if the difference between the amplitude and phase change amount to be set and the actual amplitude and phase change amount is to be kept small, an extremely complicated and highly accurate circuit is required. There was a problem of becoming expensive.

  At the expense of accuracy and cost, the difference between the desired amplitude and phase change and the actual amplitude and phase change received by the received signal cannot be ignored. There was a problem of increasing time.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the present invention provides an improved array antenna communication capable of converging to an optimum weighting value in a short time while making the weighting circuit and its peripheral circuits and the like relatively simple and inexpensive. To provide an apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, an array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention is an array antenna communication apparatus that uses an adaptive array antenna including a plurality of unit antennas, and an RF transmission amplification unit provided for each unit antenna; An RF reception amplification unit provided in parallel with the RF transmission amplification unit for each unit antenna, a weighting circuit commonly connected via a switcher for switching between the RF transmission amplification unit and the RF reception unit, and a plurality of weightings A distribution combining unit that is connected to a circuit, distributes a transmission signal, and combines a reception signal, a transmission unit (TX) and a reception unit (RX) connected to the distribution combination unit, and a weighting setting value corrected to a weighting circuit And a plurality of unit antennas in an adaptive array by controlling the weighting circuit according to the corrected weighting setting value. An adaptive array control unit that functions as an antenna, a monitor reception unit (monitor RX) that monitors a reception signal branched from the RF reception amplification unit, an output of the reception unit (RX), and a monitor reception unit (monitor RX) An amplitude phase correction unit that compares the output with each other and supplies an amplitude difference and a phase difference for each unit antenna to the adaptive array control unit, and corrects a weighting value desired by the adaptive array control unit with a correction table. And operating an adaptive array antenna.

  In the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, the amplitude / phase correction unit detects an amplitude difference and a phase difference between a reception signal of the reception unit (RX) and a monitor reception signal of the monitor reception unit (monitor RX). Then, a calibration value is supplied to the adaptive array control unit for each unit antenna so that the difference becomes zero or a constant value.

  Furthermore, in the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, the weighting circuit includes amplitude adjusting means for adjusting amplitude based on a weighted set value, and phase adjusting means for adjusting phase based on the weighted set value. The array control unit sends a desired weighting value to the amplitude adjustment unit and the phase adjustment unit based on the calibration value of the amplitude phase correction unit, and receives the received signal and the monitor reception signal of the amplitude phase correction unit for the desired weighting value. Error detection means for detecting an amplitude difference and a phase difference between the correction array and a correction table update means for storing and updating a correction value that provides an amplitude and a phase to be controlled by the adaptive array control unit in the correction table. .

  Furthermore, in the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, the adaptive array control unit further includes a blank in a correction table in which an amplitude phase to be controlled cannot be obtained by a combination of weighting setting values of the amplitude adjusting unit and the phase adjusting unit. It is characterized by having a table complementing means for approximately complementing.

  The control method according to the present invention includes an amplitude phase correction step of correcting the amplitude phase of monitor reception signals received by a plurality of unit antennas, and the adaptive array control unit applies each received signal based on the corrected amplitude and phase signals. An array antenna communication apparatus for selectively receiving a desired wave having a beam in the arrival direction of the desired wave by adding and synthesizing the weighted received signals by weighting the weight adjusting step by the amplitude adjusting unit and the phase adjusting unit. In this control method, the adaptive array control unit sends a desired weighting value to the amplitude adjustment unit and the phase adjustment unit via a correction table based on the calibration value of the amplitude phase correction unit, and receives the received signal and amplitude phase correction. An error detection step for detecting an amplitude difference and a phase difference from the monitor reception signal of the monitor, and an amplitude phase to be controlled by the adaptive array control unit Wherein the handle and a correction table updating step of storing and updating the correction table weighting correction value that results.

  Further, in the array antenna communication apparatus control method according to the present invention, the adaptive array control unit further corrects the amplitude phase to be controlled by a combination of the weight setting values of the amplitude adjustment step and the phase adjustment step. A table complementing step for approximating the blank of the table is performed.

  Furthermore, in the control method of the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, in the correction table complementing method, the table complementing step sets the coordinates with respect to the original values of the weighting setting values developed on the polar coordinate plane. It is characterized in that the blank of the correction table is approximated by a Euclidean distance that is a distance connected by a straight line.

  As described above, in the present invention, the desired weighting value output from the adaptive array control unit is input to the correction table, and the amplitude and phase change indicated by the desired weighting value, the amplitude received by the weighting circuit and the actual received signal A correction table that outputs the weighting set value corrected so as to minimize the difference from the phase change amount is added.

  Further, when the correction table is created, the already provided amplitude phase correction function is used. That is, paying attention to the fact that the change amount of the amplitude phase correction value obtained by changing the weighting setting value of the weighting circuit is equivalent to the change amount of the amplitude and phase of the weighting circuit, the amplitude phase for all weighting setting values A correction value is obtained by measurement, and quantized to obtain a weighted set value. Next, mapping is performed in which the obtained weighting value is used as an input and the weighting setting value that provides it is used as an output. A weighting set value for which there is no corresponding weighting value is complemented by selecting a weighting setting value having the smallest error from weighting values having corresponding weighting setting values.

  Further, in order to shorten the calculation time, a method is adopted in which the weighting value having the corresponding weighting setting value takes in the weighting value not having the corresponding weighting setting value in the vicinity in the complementing process.

  At that time, the quantization unit of the weighting value expressed in the polar coordinate format and the quantization unit of the coordinate axis are combined into an integer to facilitate calculation by a numerical processor or the like.

  In addition, when a weighting value having a corresponding weighting setting value is taken in a weighting value that does not have a neighboring weighting setting value, the order and coordinates to be taken in are determined in advance and are taken in one by one in order. The calculation of the boundary is omitted, and the calculation time is shortened.

  Using the correction table thus obtained, the weighting set value is corrected by the desired weighting value output from the adaptive array control unit, so that the amplitude represented by the desired weighting value can be obtained even if an inexpensive weighting circuit with low accuracy is used. In addition, the difference between the amount of change in phase and the amount of change in amplitude and phase actually received by the received signal can always be kept small, and convergence to an optimum weighting value can be achieved in a short time. Further, the present invention is characterized in that a newly generated cost can be suppressed by using an existing amplitude phase correction function as means for creating a correction table.

  By using the present invention, the weighting setting value is corrected by the desired weighting value of the adaptive array control unit using the correction table, so that the desired weighting value is represented even if an inexpensive weighting circuit with low accuracy is used. The difference between the amount of change in amplitude and phase and the amount of change in amplitude and phase actually received by the received signal can always be kept small, and it becomes possible to converge to an optimum weighting value in a short time compared to the conventional method. .

  Furthermore, there is an effect that it is possible to reduce newly generated costs by using an existing amplitude phase correction function as means for creating a correction table.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an adaptive array communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, an example in which an adaptive array antenna is configured with four antennas will be described.

  The adaptive array antenna includes four unit antennas, and a signal input to each antenna 1 passes through a low noise amplifier 3 (LNA) in a state where the signal is connected to the receiving side by the duplexer 4. Input to the weighting circuit 5. Here, between the transmission / reception switch 4, the transmission system and the reception system have separate and independent circuits (that is, the RF transmission system circuit and the RF reception system circuit), and the RF transmission system circuit includes transmission power. An amplifier 2 (PA) is provided.

  The received signal is weighted with respect to the amplitude and phase in the weighting circuit 5, and the signal of each unit antenna is added in the distribution / combination unit 6 and supplied to the baseband processing unit 9 through the receiver 8.

  On the other hand, the transmission signal is sent from the baseband processing unit 9 via the transmitter 7 to the distribution / combination unit from the transmission / reception switching unit 18. In order to control the weighting by the weighting circuit 5 to an optimum value, an adaptive array control unit 10 is provided. The adaptive array control unit 10 includes a received signal from the receiver 8 and amplitude / phase correction described later. A unit antenna monitor signal from the unit 13 is supplied, and a desired weight value obtained thereby is supplied to the weighting circuit 5 for each unit antenna via the correction table 11. The control unit 12 processes the update of the table contents of the correction table 11.

  A received signal is input from the antenna end in order to use it as a reference signal when the amplitude phase correction value is obtained by measurement. This may be a genuine received signal, or a pseudo received signal for measurement according to it. The introduction form may be input wirelessly from the outside of the antenna, or may be input by wire using a coaxial cable or the like from the antenna end. Moreover, you may provide the apparatus which inserts a reference signal in RF receiving system circuit.

  The reference signal input from the antenna end in this way is sent to the distribution / combination unit 6 as a received signal via each weighting circuit 5 and also sent to the monitor receiver 14 which is a monitor signal receiver. Then, the received signal (RX) from the receiver 8 and the monitor received signal (monitor RX) from the monitor receiver 14 are compared in the amplitude / phase correction unit and corrected so that the difference in amplitude or phase between them is zero. A signal is supplied to the adaptive array control unit 10.

1 Description of Mathematical Model FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a mathematical model of a weighting circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of the present invention has the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and the meaning of the correction table will be described using the mathematical model shown in FIG. All symbols shown in the figure are complex numbers, and represent changes in amplitude and phase.

In the figure, r (t) is a complex number representing the received signal from the antenna, and is a function that varies with time. _Wi is a desired weighting value obtained as a result of the adaptive array control unit 10 performing an operation for optimizing the weighting, and is a complex number representing the amplitude and phase change amount. Since _Wi is quantized and has a specific resolution, it is an element (element) of a finite set. V _i is an output value (weighting setting value) of the correction table 11 when W _i (desired weighting value) is input to the correction table, and is an element (element) of a finite set, similarly to W _i . V _i is supplied to the weighting circuit 5 as a weighting setting value.

Z _i is a complex number representing the amount of change in amplitude and phase actually received by the received signal when V _i (weighting set value) is input to the weighting circuit 5, and is a non-linear error factor (quantization error due to resolution) Etc.) to add an error to the amplitude and phase represented by V _i . This error is not constant and varies nonlinearly with V _i . Here, Z _i is an element (element) of a set obtained by quantizing an actual amplitude phase value (an amplitude phase value that the received signal receives from the weighting circuit 5).

X ₀ is a complex number that represents the amount of change in amplitude and phase that the received signal receives from the receiver 8 and is treated as a constant. Y is a complex number representing the amount of change in amplitude and phase that the monitor signal from the antenna receives from the monitor receiver 14, and is treated as a constant.

C _f and C _i are complex numbers representing the amount of change in amplitude and phase that the amplitude / phase correction unit applies to the monitor reception signal. C _f is particularly referred to as a reference correction value, and is different from the amplitude phase correction value C _i that changes each time measurement is repeated at the time of creating a correction table, which will be described later, and defines a reference point for the amplitude and phase change obtained by measurement. It is a correction value.

In FIG. 2, for simplification of explanation, only one of the four monitor reception signal systems is written, and the same model can be applied to the remaining three systems. amplitude and phase variation Y of the phase change amount X ₀ and the monitor receiver are different values. When the amount of change in the amplitude and phase of each part is defined as described above, the received signal is expressed as Z _i X ₀ r (t), and the monitor received signal is expressed as YC _f C _i r (t).

  FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of creating a correction table according to the embodiment of the present invention. The arrow to the right in FIG. 3 is the direction obtained by measurement, and the arrow to the left indicates the index direction of the correction table 11.

A set of V _i (weighted set values) on the left side of FIG. 3 is a set of set values of amplitude and phase input to the weighting circuit 5. The set of Z _i (W _i ) (weighting values) is obtained by quantizing the amount of change in amplitude and phase received by the received signal from the weighting circuit 5 with a specific resolution, and generating a finite number of weighting values as the elements (elements). (1) In a direction obtained by measurement, Z ₀ (W ₀ ) is a measurement value obtained by measuring a received signal with V ₀ (weighting setting value) set in the weighting circuit 5.

Further, (2) a set of W _i (desired weight values) output from the adaptive array control unit 10 to the correction table 11 in the index direction of the correction table is also an element (element) of Z _i (W _i ) (weight value) ) And Z ₀ (W ₀ ) (weighting value) is a value corrected by the correction table 11 to be V ₀ (weighting setting value).

Here, the correction table 11 is V _i (weight setting value) with W _i (desired weight value) as an input, but the two sets are different in size due to a quantization error or the like described later, and the measurement result Is more accurately reflected in the set of weight values V _i than W _i . For this reason, Z _i (W _i ) (weighting value) obtained by measurement is not correlated one-to-one with the corresponding V _i (weighting setting value). (3) In the index direction of the correction table, Z ₁ ( W ₁ ) (weighting value) needs to be approximated to a specific V ₀ (weighting setting value). The same is applied to the following.

2 Correction Table Creation Procedure FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a simplified model of the weighting circuit 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In explaining the present invention, in the simple model with one unit antenna, the attenuator 17 (ATT) is used as the amplitude adjusting means constituting the weighting circuit 5, the phase shifter 16 is used as the phase adjusting means, and the model of FIG. A table creation procedure will be described. In order to simplify the explanation, the correction table 11 is built in the adaptive array control unit 10 but is not functioning since it is before the start of processing. Therefore, the desired weighting value is directly input to the weighting circuit 5 as the weighting setting value.

  A reception signal (RX) received from the antenna is input from the RF receiver 15 to the weighting circuit 5. The weighting circuit 5 includes an attenuator 17 and a phase shifter 16. The weighted reception signal (RX) is received by the receiver 8 and input to the adaptive array control unit 10. Further, the received signal (RX) is branched, passes through the monitor receiver 14 and the amplitude / phase correction unit 13, and is similarly input to the adaptive array control unit 10 as the monitor signal (monitor RX). In order to control the antenna pattern, the adaptive array control unit 10 gives an amplitude setting value and a phase setting value to the unit antenna and performs control.

  As described above, the adaptive array control unit 10 outputs the amplitude and phase information desired to be set to the weighting circuit 5, and the built-in correction table outputs the weighting setting values (amplitude values and phase values). When amplitude phase correction (calibration), which is the prior art, is performed, the amplitude / phase correction unit 13 corrects the amplitude and phase of the monitor signal so that the amplitude and phase of the received signal and the monitor signal are the same. If the adaptive array control unit 10 sets 0 dB as the amplitude value and 0 degree as the phase value when performing correction, when the value is input to the weighting circuit 5 later, the received signal, the monitor signal amplitude and phase are corrected. Will be the same.

  FIG. 5 is a model immediately after amplitude phase correction (calibration) in the simplified model according to the embodiment of the present invention. When the adaptive array control unit 10 inputs weighting set values “0 dB” and “0 deg” (deg means “degree °” which is a unit of angle) to the weighting circuit 5, the amplitudes of the received signal and the monitor signal and Since the phase becomes the same homologous amplitude, in order for the adaptive array control unit 10 to correctly control the weighting circuit 5, the amplitude and phase of the received signal change with respect to the monitor signal by the set amplitude and phase. Must be.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an error in the simple model according to the embodiment of the present invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the amplitude phase “−1 dB” and “10 deg” are set, the amplitude of the received signal (RX) is “−1 dB”, the phase of the amplitude of the monitor signal (monitor RX). Must be "+10 deg". However, in reality, since the weighting circuit 5 is an analog circuit, the same amplitude difference and phase difference as the set values are not always obtained. In spite of setting the amplitude phase “−1 dB” and “10 deg”, the amplitude and phase of the actual received signal are the amplitude difference “−2 dB” and the phase difference “20 deg” with respect to the monitor signal (monitor RX). In this case, an error of amplitude “−1 dB” and phase “10 deg” is generated by the weighting circuit 5.

  The adverse effect of this error on the computation convergence time of the adaptive array control 10 is almost equivalent to the error of amplitude / phase correction (calibration). Therefore, the error of the magnitude shown above cannot be ignored. When the phase error is 90 degrees or more, the worst result that the calculation of the adaptive array control does not converge.

  In order to eliminate this error, it is necessary to input to the weighting circuit 5 a weighting set value such that the weighting value desired by the adaptive array control unit 10 matches the actual amplitude phase value, and the actual amplitude phase value is input. As described above, correction by the correction table 11 is required so that the weighting setting value that provides it is output.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the correction table 11 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart shown in the upper part of FIG. 7 is a correction process by the correction table 11. When the adaptive array control unit 10 outputs the desired weighting value W to the correction table, the weighting setting value V corresponding to W is obtained, input to the weighting circuit 5, and the actual amplitude phase value is output. At this time, the amplitude phase value desired by the adaptive array control unit 10 is equal to the actual amplitude phase value.

  The flowchart shown in the lower part of FIG. 7 is a process of acquiring data before correction obtained by measurement. The control unit 12 that creates the correction table 11 gives the weighting setting value V to the weighting circuit 5 and measures the actual amplitude phase value. Next, the control unit 12 performs quantization with a specific resolution to obtain a weighting value Z (W).

  At this time, even if the weighting setting value V is set to 0 dB and 10 deg, the amplitude phase value by measurement becomes −0.9 dB and 12 deg, but is replaced with −1 dB and 10 deg by quantization.

  The actual correction value can be obtained by measuring the actual amplitude and phase for each weighted setting value. Even if a database is constructed with the obtained measurement results, the weighted setting value can be used as an input. Therefore, in order to obtain a target correction table, it is necessary to reverse this input / output relationship, and V is obtained from Z (W). Conversion of weighted W input to weighted set value V into a table is indispensable.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the correction table 11 in which the index direction of the measurement result according to the embodiment of the present invention is reversed. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the correction table 11 before the approximate correction according to the embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, a table obtained by measuring the actual amplitude phase while changing the weight setting value will be described with reference to FIGS.

  However, the numerical values in the following table including this table are different from actual measured values and are merely models for explanation. It is assumed that the amplitude setting has only two steps of 0 dB and −1 dB, and the phase setting has only two steps of 0 degree and 10 degrees. Therefore, although there are only four actual amplitude phases which are measurement values obtained by measurement, since they are values obtained by measurement, values which are actually sharp as described in the table of FIG. However, quantization is performed for use in the correction table 11 to be created later. At this time, in order to suppress the quantization error, the resolution may be made smaller than the setting of the amplitude phase, but here the resolution is made the same in order to simplify the explanation.

  In order for the adaptive array control unit 10 to know the weighting setting value that provides the desired weighting value, as described above, it is necessary to reverse the index direction of this table. . A desired weight value W is inserted into the table based on the actual amplitude phase value. Next, correspondence with the weight setting value V is taken.

  Based on this, a correction table of a format that can be used by the adaptive array control unit 10 is as shown in FIG. The weight setting value V is inserted into the table with reference to the desired weight value W. Furthermore, the correction table 11 is completed by performing approximation and filling in the blanks. An operation associated with this approximation is referred to as an approximate complement process, and the approximate complement process will be described below.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of correction table creation processing according to the embodiment of the present invention. The following description will be given according to the procedure shown in the flowchart.

Correction table creation is started from step S11. Next, in step S12, a reference set value (0 dB, 0 deg) is given to the weighting circuit to determine a reference correction value C _f for making the amplitude phase of the received signal (RX) and the monitor signal (monitor RX) the same. .

Since only the relative difference can be measured using the amplitude / phase correction function, it is necessary to first arbitrarily select one element as a reference point from the set of weighting setting values. Here, the weighting setting value serving as the reference point is V ₀ . The provisional value of C _f until the reference correction value is determined is “1”.

Since the amplitude and phase correction unit 13 determines the amplitude and phase correction values C _i so that the amplitude and phase of the received signal and monitor the received signal is equal, the amplitude phase correction value obtained from the amplitude phase correction unit after measurement It is shown in (Formula 1). Used as a reference correction value C _f is this in subsequent measurements.

ステップＳ１３において、全ての“重み付け設定値”に対して受信信号（ＲＸ）とモニタ信号（モニタＲＸ）の“振幅位相差”を求める。基準値として選んだＶ_０も含めて、重み付け設定値の集合に所属する全ての元（要素）について、それを重み付け回路に入力した場合の振幅位相補正値を求めて表にする。測定の順番は任意でよい。重み付け設定値のi番目の元であるＶ_ｉを重み付け回路に入力した場合に得られる振幅位相補正値は（式２）のようになり、基準補正値で正規化された振幅及び位相の変化量が得られる。

In step S13, the “amplitude phase difference” between the reception signal (RX) and the monitor signal (monitor RX) is obtained for all “weighting setting values”. V ₀ chosen as the reference value be included for all original belonging to the set of weighting set value (element), it is tabulated in search of amplitude phase correction value when inputting it to the weighting circuit. The order of measurement may be arbitrary. Amplitude phase correction value obtained when the input to the i-th weighting circuit V _i is the original weight setting value is as shown in (Equation 2), normalized amplitude and phase variation in the reference correction value Is obtained.

ステップＳ１４において、測定の結果得られた振幅位相補正値（表１）を量子化して、アダプティブアレイ制御部１０が出力する重み付け値で置き換えて（表２）を作成する。（表２）は、重み付け設定値で測定の結果得られた（希望する）重み付け値を索引する測定のテーブルである。

In step S14, the amplitude / phase correction value (Table 1) obtained as a result of the measurement is quantized and replaced with a weighting value output from the adaptive array control unit 10 to create (Table 2). (Table 2) is a measurement table for indexing (desired) weight values obtained as a result of measurement with weight setting values.

重み付け回路設定値は全ての値に対して測定を行ったので、表の中に全ての元が含まれるが、重み付け値は全ての測定結果が重み付け値の元のどれかと一致するよう量子化を行っているだけなので、集合に所属する全ての元が表の中に含まれているわけではない。

Since the weighting circuit setting values were measured for all values, all the elements are included in the table, but the weighting values are quantized so that all measurement results match one of the weighting value elements. Since we are only doing, not all elements belonging to the set are included in the table.

However, since the tied by measuring the corresponding pair in the table, for example, received signal and inputs the V _i to the weighting circuit 5 as a weighting setting value undergoes a change in the amplitude and phase of the W _j. This if you want give a change in the amplitude and phase of the W _j in the received signal in the reverse, since the weight setting value read also may be set to V _i, to create the correction table so as to reverse look the measurement table (Table 2) If the weighting setting value obtained by indexing the correction table with the desired weighting value is input to the weighting circuit 5, the weighting value W output from the adaptive array control unit 10 and the amount of change in amplitude and phase actually received by the received signal And the error can be minimized.

  In step S15, the table of the measurement table (Table 2) is exchanged to create a table (Table 3) for searching for the weight setting value by the weight value. If there is no weighting setting value, a blank process is performed. In order to create a table from which the corresponding weighting setting values can be derived based on the weighting values based on Table 2, a table including all the elements of the weighting values is created to obtain (Table 3). (Table 3) is a table including the elements of all weight values. However, since the weighting value not selected by measurement does not have a corresponding weighting setting value, it is blank.

ステップＳ１６において、表３の空欄を埋めるため、補完処理を行うため、ユークリッド距離の初期設定を行い以後、補完の処理を実行するが、その前に、補完処理の概念を図３に示す概念図を用いて説明する。

In step S16, in order to fill in the blanks in Table 3, the Euclidean distance is initially set in order to perform the complement process, and then the complement process is executed. Before that, the concept of the complement process is shown in FIG. Will be described.

  First, all elements belonging to the set of weighted set values are mapped to any one element belonging to the set of weighted values by measurement (step 1: solid line arrow in the figure). Next, all elements belonging to the set of weighted values are mapped to any one element belonging to the set of weighted set values. (Step 2: Dotted arrows in the figure) At that time, the element that has the pair connected by measurement is that, and the element that does not have it is from the element that has the pair in the set to which you belong , Mapping to the same counterpart as the original with the smallest difference in amplitude and phase.

  A specific method for executing the above processing will be described. Since the operation of step 2 has already been completed at the stage of obtaining (Table 3), the procedure of step 3 will be described in detail below. Since the element (element) belonging to the set of weight values is a complex number representing the amount of change in amplitude and phase, the real part and the imaginary part can be represented by points on the polar coordinate plane projected onto the orthogonal IQ axes. .

  On the polar coordinate plane, the distance (Euclidean distance) obtained by connecting the coordinates with a straight line is equal to the difference between the amplitude and the phase represented by the original. Therefore, the operation of step 2 is performed by the weighting value developed on the polar coordinate plane. For an element (element), an element that does not have a pair can be replaced with an operation that finds and connects the element having the smallest Euclidean distance from the elements having a pair.

By the way, the two sets shown in FIG. 3 are different in size, and the set of weight values V _i is smaller than W _i in order to reflect the measurement result more accurately. In that case, in the set of weighting values, the number of originals having no pairs is several times greater than the number of elements having pairs.

  Therefore, in order to shorten the computation time, the idea is reversed, and an element that does not have a pair does not search for an element that has a pair, but an element that has a pair takes in an element that does not have a pair with a small Euclidean distance from itself. Replace with the method you want.

  Furthermore, if the Euclidean distance is quantized in the same unit as the weighting value as shown in FIG. 11 to simplify the calculation, the coordinate points can be classified for each Euclidean distance. Further, when the coordinate axis is also quantized in the same unit as the weighting value, all the intersections (coordinates) of the lattice expressed by the scale of the coordinate axis are respectively associated with one weighting value on a one-to-one basis.

In step S17, a coordinate list by distance is created. Using the offset values [real axis relative coordinates, imaginary axis relative coordinates] representing the relative positional relationship from the source that is the basis for the Euclidean distance, grouping is performed for each Euclidean distance (distance 0 group) [0, 0]
(Distance 1 group) [1,0] [0,1] [-1,0] [0, -1]
(Distance 2 group) [1,1] [-1,1] [-1, -1] [1, -1] [2,0] [0,2] [-2,0] [0, -2 ]
(Distance 3 groups) [2,1] [1,2] [-1,2] [-2,1] [-2, -1] [-1, -2] [1, -2] [2, -1] [2,2] [-2,2] [-2, -2] [2, -2] [3,0] [0,3] [-3,0] [0, -3]
If these offset values are listed in advance for each Euclidean distance, the calculation time is further shortened.

  Next, in step S18, the “weighting value” is searched for in the measurement table in order of the amplitude phase of the “weighting setting value”, and the coordinates near the value (see the coordinate list by distance) are used as addresses in the correction table. “Weight setting value” is written only when no is written.

  Further, in step S19, the operation of taking all the elements having a pair as a group in order from the coordinate having the smallest Euclidean distance is repeated, and all elements having no pair are connected to any one of the elements having the pair. Sometimes you can complement.

  Further, if all of the “weighting setting value” fields of the correction table 11 are not filled, “No” is set, the distance variable is increased by “1”, and step S17 and subsequent steps are executed. If it is determined that all the blanks are filled, “Yes” is set, and the correction table creation ends in step S21.

  FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an execution example of the approximation complementing process of the correction table according to the embodiment of the present invention. This will be described with reference to FIG.

Suppose that there are three sources of weighting values having pairs of weighting setting values linked by measurement in the polar coordinate space. The horizontal direction is the real axis and the vertical direction is the imaginary axis. The number of a mark is a number which shows the weight setting value which is the other party of a pair, and if a number differs, a weight setting value will also differ.
First step: First, a coordinate point where oneself exists is obtained. At this time, the weight setting value is written as data in the memory having the coordinates as an address.
Second step: An element having a pair tries to acquire peripheral coordinates (an element having no pair) in accordance with an offset value list created in advance. At this time, a coordinate point that has already been acquired cannot be newly acquired. Since the first offset value is [+1,0], coordinate points obtained by adding the offset value to the coordinates where the user exists in order from the first are acquired. As in the first step, the weight setting value is written in the memory having the coordinate point that has been successfully acquired as an address.
Third step: Since the offset value is [0, +1], the coordinate point is acquired in the same manner, and the weight setting value is written in the memory having the coordinate point that has been successfully acquired as an address.
Fourth step: Since the offset values are [−1,0] and [0, −1], coordinate points are acquired in the same manner, and weight setting values are written in the memory having the coordinate points that have been successfully acquired as addresses. .
Fifth step: If the offset value is [1,1], the acquisition is performed without any problem, but for the offset value [-1,1], the acquisition destination of No.3 has already been acquired by No.1, Since it cannot be newly acquired, No. 3 fails to acquire the offset value.
Sixth step: This time, No. 1 fails to obtain the offset value [1, -1]. Even if acquisition of a certain offset value fails, it cannot be preferentially acquired for the next offset value.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a result after the completion of the approximate complement process of the correction table 11 according to the embodiment of the present invention. If the processing proceeds in the same manner, the final result is as shown in FIG. Since one of the three weighting setting values is written in accordance with the division in the memory having the three coordinate points as addresses, the correction table 11 is completed.

  As described above, when the approximate complement method according to the present invention is used, there is an effect that a complicated calculation for determining where to define the boundary can be omitted and the calculation time is further shortened. Although the approximation method is complemented by Euclidean distance, it goes without saying that other complementing methods can be used.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the adaptive array communication apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the mathematical model of the weighting circuit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the concept of the correction table preparation which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the simple model of the weighting circuit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the model after the amplitude phase correction | amendment (calibration) in the simple model which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the error in the simple model which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the correction table which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the correction table which reversed the index direction of the measurement result which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the correction table before the approximate correction which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the correction table creation process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the quantization method by the Euclidean distance in the correction table creation process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the execution example of the approximate complement process of the correction table which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the result after completion | finish of the approximate complement process of the correction table which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the conventional adaptive array communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Antenna, 2 PA, 3 LNA, 4,18 Transmission / reception switching device, 5 Weighting circuit, 6 Distribution combining part, 7 Transmitter, 8 Receiver, 9 Baseband processing part, 10 Adaptive array control part, 11 Correction table, 12 Control unit, 13 amplitude / phase correction unit, 14 monitor receiver, 15 RF receiver, 16 phase shifter, 17 attenuator.

Claims (7)

In an array antenna communication apparatus using an adaptive array antenna including a plurality of unit antennas,
An RF transmission amplification unit provided for each unit antenna;
An RF reception amplification unit provided in parallel with the RF transmission amplification unit for each unit antenna;
A weighting unit commonly connected via a switcher for switching between the RF transmission amplification unit and the RF reception amplification unit;
A distribution combining unit that is connected to a plurality of weighting circuits, distributes transmission signals, and combines reception signals;
A transmission unit (TX) and a reception unit (RX) connected to the distribution and synthesis unit;
A correction table for outputting the weighted setting value corrected to the weighting unit;
An adaptive array control unit that controls the weighting unit according to the corrected weighting setting value to cause a plurality of unit antennas to function as an adaptive array antenna;
A monitor receiver (monitor RX) for monitoring a received signal branched from the RF reception amplifier;
An amplitude phase correction unit that compares the output of the reception unit (RX) with the output of the monitor reception unit (monitor RX) and supplies the amplitude difference and phase difference for each unit antenna to the adaptive array control unit;
With
An array antenna communication apparatus, wherein the adaptive array control unit corrects a weighting value desired by a correction table to operate the adaptive array antenna. The array antenna communication apparatus according to claim 1,
The amplitude phase correction unit detects an amplitude difference and a phase difference between a reception signal of the reception unit (RX) and a monitor reception signal of the monitor reception unit (monitor RX), and the difference is zero or a constant value so that the difference becomes zero or a constant value. An array antenna communication apparatus, wherein a calibration value is supplied to the adaptive array control unit for each unit antenna. The array antenna communication apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The weighting unit is
An amplitude adjusting means for adjusting the amplitude according to the weight setting value;
Phase adjusting means for adjusting the phase according to the weight setting value,
The adaptive array controller is
Based on the calibration value of the amplitude phase correction unit, a desired weight value is sent to the amplitude adjustment unit and the phase adjustment unit, and the amplitude difference and the level of the received signal and the monitor reception signal of the amplitude phase correction unit with respect to the desired weight value are changed. Error detection means for detecting a phase difference;
Correction table updating means for storing and updating in the correction table a correction value that provides the amplitude and phase that the adaptive array control unit wants to control;
An array antenna communication device comprising: The array antenna communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The adaptive array control unit further includes:
An array antenna communication apparatus comprising table complementing means for approximately complementing a blank of a correction table in which an amplitude phase desired to be controlled cannot be obtained by a combination of weight setting values of the amplitude adjusting means and the phase adjusting means. Amplitude phase correction step for correcting the amplitude phase of the monitor reception signal received by a plurality of unit antennas, and the adaptive array control unit weights each reception signal based on the corrected amplitude and phase signal, and amplitude adjustment means and phase adjustment In the control method of the array antenna communication apparatus, which has a beam in the arrival direction of the desired wave by adding and combining the weighted reception signals, and selectively receiving the desired wave,
The adaptive array controller is
Based on the calibration value of the amplitude phase correction unit, a desired weighting value is sent to the amplitude adjustment unit and the phase adjustment unit via a correction table, and a reception signal (RX) and a monitor reception signal (monitor RX) of the amplitude phase correction unit An error detection step of detecting an amplitude difference and a phase difference from
A correction table updating step for storing and updating a weighting correction value that provides an amplitude phase to be controlled by the adaptive array control unit in a correction table;
A method for controlling an array antenna communication apparatus, characterized by: In the control method of the array antenna communication apparatus according to claim 5,
The adaptive array control unit further includes:
An array antenna communication apparatus, comprising: a table complementing step for approximating a blank of a correction table in which an amplitude phase to be controlled cannot be obtained by a combination of weighting setting values of the amplitude adjusting step and the phase adjusting step. Control method. The array antenna communication device control method according to claim 6, wherein the correction table complement method comprises:
The table complementing step includes
A correction table complementing method, comprising: approximating a blank of the correction table with an Euclidean distance that is a distance obtained by connecting coordinates with a straight line with respect to an original value of a weighting setting value developed on a polar coordinate plane.

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