JP2005318315A - Array antenna communication apparatus and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved array antenna communication apparatus capable of maintaining synchronization by adjusting deviation of a delay quantity by utilizing an idle time when communication is not performed, even if there is no reference signal inputting means in a system such as a mobile communication base station for performing time-division communication. <P>SOLUTION: One part of a monitor reception signal is stored in a memory during operating the adaptive array antenna, and the deviation of delay quantity is adjusted by utilizing an idle time when communication is not performed. A delay circuit 17 changes the delay quantity according to a control signal from a delay control device 22. An amplitude detector 23 detects the size of the amplitude of a reception signal as an output of an integrator 11, and transmits it to the device 22. The device 22 switches the reception monitor signa, and optimizes the delay quantity according to information from the amplitude detector 23 so that an amplitude level becomes the maximum. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

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

  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. 6 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of 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.

  For this reason, a difference in phase and amplitude between the received signal (RX) and the monitor signal (monitor RX) or a delay difference occurs due to variations in phase and amplitude characteristics, and unknown amplitude fluctuations and phase rotations are added. Therefore, the directivity pattern is formed differently from what is desired. Such a characteristic difference or delay difference between the respective receiving circuits causes a decrease in reception gain, leading to deterioration in communication quality.

  Therefore, as shown in Patent Document 1, in order to detect the amplitude characteristic and delay characteristic of the wireless receiver, a signal having the same bandwidth as that of the spread signal used in actual spread spectrum communication or a signal having a band close thereto is used. An accurate amplitude characteristic and delay difference are detected by comparing the correlation output obtained by despreading the output signal from each radio reception unit with the reference identification point, as a calibration signal.

  In addition, a technique as disclosed in Patent Document 2 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.

  Furthermore, the applicant of the present application has applied for an improved array antenna communication apparatus as Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-151825. According to the prior application invention, with respect to the RF transmission system circuit and the RF reception system circuit corresponding to the four system unit antennas, the difference between the amplitude variation amounts and the difference between the phase rotation amounts when the signals pass through them are each unit. It is almost equal between the antennas, and is directly or frequency converted into a signal output from the RF receiving system circuit.

  After that, the code signals orthogonalized with each other are multiplied for each unit antenna, then multiplexed, input to the monitor receiver, and the output of the monitor receiver is multiplied again with the code signal corresponding to each unit antenna. Thus, an application for reproducing the signal corresponding to each antenna and inputting the signal to the adaptive array control unit to simplify the circuit configuration has been filed.

JP-A-11-46180 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-300086 "Adaptive signal processing by array antenna", first edition, Science and Technology Publishing Co., Ltd., November 1998

  Conventionally, in order to reduce the circuit scale of the monitor receiver used in the control of the adaptive array antenna, in the conventional method, the united antenna monitor signal is multiplexed after being multiplied by the code signal orthogonalized for each unit antenna. There is a technology that can be realized by one monitor receiver by sharing a common receiver. This technique simplifies the circuit configuration and reduces the error in the delay amount between the signals.

  In order to reproduce the signal corresponding to each unit antenna again by multiplying the output of the receiver by the code corresponding to each unit antenna, the timing of the code signal to be multiplied is matched with the code signal included in the monitor reception signal. Need to multiply. That is, it is required to synchronize with the code signal. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the delay amount of the delay circuit so that the timing shift or the synchronization shift is minimized.

  However, the optimum amount of delay is determined by the electrical characteristics of the signal path that passes after the orthogonalized code is multiplied. If is not optimal, there is a problem that synchronization cannot be maintained and the monitor reception signal corresponding to each unit antenna cannot be reproduced.

  In addition, in a system such as a mobile base station that performs time-division communication, a reference signal is newly injected to detect synchronization points even when trying to establish synchronization using idle time when communication is not performed. Therefore, there is a problem that it is necessary to provide a means for performing such a process, which increases the manufacturing cost.

  In view of the above-described conventional problems, the present invention adjusts the amount of delay in a system such as a mobile communication base station that performs time-division communication by using a free time during which communication is not performed even without a reference signal injection unit. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved array antenna communication apparatus capable of maintaining synchronization.

  In order to achieve the above object, an array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a transmission / reception system using an adaptive array antenna including a plurality of unit antennas, and a monitor system for monitoring the directivity of each unit antenna. , And an array antenna communication apparatus.

  The transmission / reception system includes 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, and the RF transmission amplification unit or the RF reception amplification. A weighting unit that is connected by switching, a distribution unit that is connected to a plurality of weighting units, distributes transmission signals, and synthesizes reception signals, and a transmission unit (TX) and reception unit that are connected to the distribution combination unit (RX) and an adaptive array control unit that controls the weighting unit to cause the plurality of unit antennas to function as an adaptive array antenna.

  The monitor system includes a spread multiplexing unit that spreads and multiplexes signals for each unit antenna branched from the RF reception amplification unit, and a monitor reception unit (monitor RX) that performs frequency conversion and amplification of the spread multiplexed signals. And a despreading / separating unit that despreads and separates the signal from the monitor receiving unit with a spreading code for each unit antenna, and the timing of the spread code supplied to the spreading and multiplexing unit is corrected by the delay amount of the monitor receiving unit. A synchronization tracking unit that supplies a spreading code to the despreading separation unit.

  The synchronization tracking unit outputs a spreading code, a storage unit for storing a signal from the monitor receiving unit, a signal switching unit for switching and outputting a signal from the monitor receiving unit and a signal stored in the storage unit A code output unit for spreading, a code delay unit for delaying the spread code, a level detection unit for detecting at least amplitude or power of the despreading separation unit, and free signal slot information indicating communication status to obtain the signal switching A delay control unit that outputs a switching signal to the unit, obtains a detection result from the level detection unit, and sets the corrected delay amount in the code delay unit.

  Then, the delay amount is measured and corrected using the monitor reception signal stored in the idle time during which communication is not performed, and synchronous tracking is performed by setting the corrected delay amount.

  Further, in the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, the delay control unit acquires monitor reception signal storage means for storing a monitor reception signal in the storage unit during operation of the adaptive array antenna, and acquires the empty slot information The signal switching unit is controlled in order to measure the delay amount, the signal supply unit supplies the monitor reception signal to the despreading separation unit, and the delay amount of the delay unit is variable according to the sampling interval of the monitor reception signal A delay amount storage means for storing, a delay amount storage means for storing a delay amount by the delay amount variable means and a detection result of the level detector, and storing the delay amount by using the detected level as an evaluation index. And a delay amount determination unit that determines a delay amount close to the synchronization point from the delay amount, and sets the corrected delay amount in the code delay unit to perform synchronization. Characterized in that it stand.

  Furthermore, in the array antenna communication apparatus, the evaluation index is a maximum or minimum of at least one of amplitude and power.

  Furthermore, in the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, the spreading code output unit has storage means for storing the spreading code, is orthogonal to each other at the synchronization point, has no DC component, and is multiplied by the received signal. In this case, a code signal in which the frequency bands are equal and the synchronization point can be determined by the correlation value in the vicinity of the synchronization point is stored and output.

  Furthermore, in the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention, the spreading code output unit further reduces the number of consecutive “0” s for the sequences generated by the in-phase addition, and the sequences generated by the in-phase addition. A code signal with a small number of “0” is stored and output.

  Furthermore, the base station or the mobile station using the array antenna communication apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by detecting an empty slot in which communication is not performed and tracking the synchronization of the adaptive array antenna.

  An array antenna communication apparatus control method according to the present invention includes a transmission / reception process using an adaptive array antenna including a plurality of unit antennas, and a monitor process for monitoring the directivity of the unit antennas. Regarding the method.

  The transmission / reception process includes an RF transmission amplification process and an RF reception amplification process provided for each unit antenna, a weighting process for weighting the signals of the RF transmission amplification process and the RF reception amplification process, and the weighting process. A distribution and synthesis step for distributing and synthesizing the obtained signals, a transmission step (TX) for transmitting the signal of the distribution and synthesis step, a reception step (RX) for receiving the signal, and controlling the weighting step to control a plurality of unit antennas. And an adaptive array control process for functioning as an adaptive array antenna.

  The monitoring step includes a diffusion multiplexing step for spreading and multiplexing the signal for each unit antenna branched from the RF reception amplification step, and a monitor reception step (monitor RX) for frequency-converting and amplifying the spread multiplexed signal. And despreading and despreading the signal from the monitor receiving step with a spreading code for each unit antenna, and correcting the timing of the spread code supplied to the spreading and multiplexing step with the delay amount of the monitor receiving step. A synchronization tracking step of supplying a spreading code to the despreading separation step.

  The synchronous tracking step includes a storage step of storing a signal from the monitor reception step, a signal switching step of switching and outputting the signal from the monitor reception step and the signal stored in the storage step, and outputting a spreading code A spreading code output step, a code delay step for delaying the spreading code, a level detection step for detecting at least amplitude or power of the despreading separation step, and free slot information indicating a communication status to obtain the signal switching A delay control step of outputting a switching signal to the step, obtaining a detection result from the amplitude detection step, and setting a corrected delay amount to the code delay step.

  The synchronization tracking step obtains and corrects the delay amount using the monitor reception signal stored in the idle time during which communication is not performed, and is spread and multiplexed by the spreading code based on the corrected delay amount. In order to correctly separate a desired signal from the received signal, the corresponding spreading code is output in synchronization with the spreading code signal included in the monitor reception signal.

  In the present invention, a part of the monitor reception signal is stored in the memory during the operation of the adaptive array antenna, and the deviation of the delay amount is adjusted and optimized by using the idle time during which communication is not performed. To determine the synchronization point, the orthogonal code is used as it is, and the setting of the delay amount is changed based on the amplitude level (correlation value) of the integrator output for the current delay amount and the delay amount before and after that. Move closer to the amount of delay. Even if there is no reference signal injection means, these operations are repeatedly performed faster than the optimal delay amount changes due to the change in the electrical characteristics of the monitor reception signal path by utilizing the idle time of communication. It is possible to maintain an optimum delay amount of the circuit.

  According to the present invention, the array antenna communication device stores a part of the monitor reception signal in the memory during the operation of the adaptive array antenna, and reproduces the reception signal stored in the idle time during which communication is not performed. Even if there is no reference signal injection means, it is possible to maintain the optimum delay amount of the delay circuit.

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

1 Device Configuration FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an array antenna communication device according to a first embodiment. The adaptive array antenna includes four unit antennas 1, and signals inputted to the unit antennas 1 are transmitted to the low noise amplifier 3 (with the transmission / reception switch (4a, 4b) connected to the receiving side. LNA) and 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 1 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 to the distribution / combination unit 6 from the transmission / reception switch 4 c via the transmitter 7. 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 is supplied with the received signal from the receiver 8 and a unit antenna monitor signal from the monitor receiver 14 described later, and a desired weight value obtained thereby is a weighting circuit for each unit antenna 1. 5 is supplied.

  About the RF transmission system circuit and the RF reception system circuit corresponding to each unit antenna 1, the difference in amplitude change amount and the difference in phase rotation amount when signals pass through them are substantially equal between the unit antennas 1, Directly or frequency-converted into a signal output from the RF receiving system circuit.

  The frequency-converted signal is multiplied by the code signals mutually orthogonalized to each unit antenna 1 (spread multiplexing). This code signal is output from the orthogonal code generator 21. Thereafter, the signals are orthogonally multiplexed and input to the monitor receiver 14, and the output of the monitor receiver 14 is multiplied by the code signal corresponding to each unit antenna 1 again and integrated, whereby the signal corresponding to each antenna is obtained. Reproduction (despreading separation) is performed, and this is input to the adaptive array control unit 10.

  The delay circuit 17 changes the delay amount of the code signal according to the control signal from the delay control device 22. In order to correctly spread and separate the orthogonal code and the signal multiplied and multiplexed by the multiplier 16, a multiplier that matches the timing of the code signal to be multiplied for separation to the code signal included in the monitor reception signal is used. Therefore, the delay amount needs to be optimized so that the timing shift is minimized.

  The amplitude detector 23 detects the magnitude of the amplitude of the received signal that is the output of the integrator 11 and transmits it to the delay control device 22. In addition to switching the reception monitor signal, the delay control device 22 optimizes the delay amount according to the information from the amplitude detector 23 so that the amplitude level becomes maximum.

  In the present embodiment, the delay amount is optimized so that the amplitude level is maximized. However, it is needless to say that the circuit configuration can optimize the delay amount so that the amplitude level is minimized. Absent.

2. Selection of orthogonal code When selecting an orthogonal code, several conditions required for an optimal orthogonal code are shown below.
(1) orthogonal to each other at the synchronization point (2) no DC component (3) frequency bandwidth when multiplied by the received signal is as equal as possible (4) correlation values (including cross-correlation) around the synchronization point The synchronization point can be discriminated. (5) The number of consecutive 0s is small for a sequence generated by in-phase addition of four codes. (6) The number of 0s is small for a sequence generated by in-phase addition of four codes.

図２は、本発明の実施形態に係る直交用符号の相関特性を示す特性図である。この図は、表１の候補リストの組み合わせで得られる相関特性の理論値である。これらの符号を用いると同期点で自己相関が最大となり、同期点からのズレが１／２チップ以内である場合は、相互相関の絶対値和より自己相関の絶対値和の方が高いが、その領域を超えると、自己相関よりも相互相関の絶対値和の方が大きくなるので相関値に基づいて遅延量を制御することが出来なくなる。 When the code length is n according to system requirements, there are 2n candidates that can be codes, and a code that satisfies the above conditions 1 to 6 is obtained using a computer. Table 1 shows candidates obtained by selecting an optimal orthogonal code when n = 8. (Table 1) is a candidate list of orthogonal codes, and patterns “0” and “1” are selected in the table. However, when actually performing the correlation calculation, it goes without saying that “0” is replaced with “−1” and multiplication is performed.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing the correlation characteristics of the orthogonal code according to the embodiment of the present invention. This figure is a theoretical value of correlation characteristics obtained by the combination of candidate lists in Table 1. When these codes are used, the autocorrelation is maximized at the synchronization point, and when the deviation from the synchronization point is within 1/2 chip, the absolute value sum of the autocorrelation is higher than the absolute value sum of the cross correlations. Beyond that region, the sum of absolute values of the cross-correlation becomes larger than the autocorrelation, so that the delay amount cannot be controlled based on the correlation value.

  FIG. 3 shows experimental results obtained by actually performing measurement using the adaptive array communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the correlation characteristics obtained by experimenting with the prototype device.

  As shown in FIG. 3, since the cross-correlation is close to “0” in the vicinity of the synchronization point, it is possible to determine the synchronization point based on the magnitude of the correlation characteristic (output level of the amplitude detector). If the deviation exceeds ½, the magnitude of the cross-correlation is the same as or greater than the magnitude of the autocorrelation, and therefore it is not possible to guarantee the success of the synchronization point discrimination based on the magnitude of the correlation characteristics.

  Further, when the deviation increases to the location where the cross-correlation peak appears, the correlation value peak becomes the same level as the peak at the synchronization point, and the synchronization point cannot be determined by the correlation characteristics.

  Therefore, in order to correct the delay amount and maintain synchronization, it is necessary to repeatedly correct the delay amount before the deviation from the synchronization point becomes 1/2 chip or more.

  During normal adaptive array operation, the storage device 24 repeatedly stores the received signal for a predetermined time length. The storage capacity needs to be at least one cycle of the orthogonal code, and the longer it is, the better the measurement accuracy of the received amplitude level (correlation value). When the reception switch 26 is switched to the storage device 24 side, the storage operation is interrupted and the storage reproduction operation is started. At this time, the storage device 24 outputs the stored reception signal to the subsequent circuit while maintaining the stored timing information.

3 Specific Method of Synchronization Tracking FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the synchronization tracking processing according to the embodiment of the present invention. The procedure for performing synchronization tracking will be described based on the flowchart shown in the figure.

  First, code synchronization is established by some method, and then the characteristics of the monitor receiver change and the optimum value of the delay amount changes.At present, the delay amount is out of the synchronization point, but cannot be pulled in. Assume that it is not so different. Further, it is assumed that synchronization tracking is repeated at such a frequency that the assumption holds.

  When code synchronization tracking is started from step S11, the communication state is confirmed, and the monitor reception signal is stored in the storage device 24.

Procedure 1 Control of Reception Switcher 26 After the reception signal is interrupted and the operation of the adaptive array is suspended, the reception switcher 26 is switched from “reception signal” to “storage device” (step S12).

Procedure 2 Controlling the delay amount of the delay circuit 17 When the delay circuit is a digital circuit, the delay amount may be controlled by the resolution of the sample interval of the received signal. The delay amount is controlled for the amount set value (step S13). The reason why the variable range of the delay set amount is set to ± 1 is a result of placing importance on the certainty of the synchronization point determination rather than the fast tracking speed. The variable range of the delay set amount is set to ± 1 with emphasis on the tracking speed. It may be enlarged as described above.

Procedure 3 Recording the magnitude of the correlation value The amplitude detector 23 measures the magnitude of the amplitude level of the received signal. From the correlation characteristics shown in FIG. 3, the place with the highest correlation value is the synchronization point. In order to compare the magnitudes after all measurements are completed, a correlation value is recorded as a pair with the delay amount setting value (step S14). Steps 2 and 3 are repeated until the measurement for all set values is completed (step S15).

Step 4 Select the delay amount that maximizes the correlation value. From the result of recording, the delay amount setting value having the maximum correlation value is determined to be the delay amount setting value that is closer to the synchronization point. Reset and complete one process of synchronization tracking (step S16).

Procedure 5 Control of Reception Switcher 26 The reception switcher is switched to “reception signal” and the operation of the adaptive array antenna is resumed (step S17).

  By repeating the above operation, the delay amount is corrected so as to approach the synchronization point even if it is out of the synchronization point, and eventually stabilizes at the synchronization point (step S18).

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an array antenna communication apparatus according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the temporary storage memory 25 is provided without inputting the monitor reception signal directly to the storage device 24. Further, the update timing of the monitor reception signal in the temporary storage memory is controlled from the delay control device 22.

  The received signal stored in the storage device 24 has a large amplitude level even in the past due to time, uses a clear monitor received signal, and has better communication quality than the latest received signal with poor communication quality. desirable.

  Therefore, the data in the storage device is not directly overwritten with the received signal, but is temporarily stored, and the amplitude value (received signal power = communication quality) from the amplitude detector 23 is determined to determine a predetermined threshold value. Only when the value exceeds, the storage device is overwritten and updated with the temporarily stored received signal.

  In the present embodiment, the amplitude value from the amplitude detector 23 is used. However, the amplitude detector 23 may be a power detector, and noise detecting means for detecting noise inside the integrator 11 is used. For example, an impulsive noise may be detected, or the communication quality may be measured preferably by detecting an error rate or the like.

  Furthermore, more accurate synchronization tracking can be realized by considering not only empty slot information but also communication quality as in the second embodiment.

  As described above, when the present invention is used, in a system such as a mobile communication base station that performs time-division communication, even if there is no reference signal injection means, the delay amount is shifted by using the idle time during which communication is not performed. And an improved array antenna communication apparatus capable of maintaining synchronization can be realized. Although the base station has been described in the present embodiment, it is needless to say that the mobile station can also perform processing appropriately.

  In this case, an orthogonal code having the property that four codes are orthogonal to each other is used as a code signal (spread code) for performing spread multiplexing and despread separation, but cross-correlation does not hinder the determination of the synchronization point. A combination of code signals that are sufficiently small (for example, pseudo-noise codes such as M series) may be used.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the array antenna communication apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a characteristic view which shows the correlation characteristic of the code for orthogonality which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the experimental result obtained by actually measuring using the adaptive array communication apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the synchronous tracking which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the array antenna communication apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the conventional adaptive array communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Antenna, 2 Transmission power amplifier, 3 Low noise amplifier, 4 Transmission / reception switch, 5 Weighting circuit, 6 Distribution combining part, 7 Transmitter, 8 Receiver, 9 Baseband processing part, 10 Adaptive array control part, 11 Integrator , 12 multiplier, 14 monitor receiver, 16 multiplier, 17 delay circuit, 21 orthogonal code generator, 22 delay control device, 23 amplitude detector, 24 storage device, 25 temporary storage memory, 26 reception switcher.

Claims (7)

In an array antenna communication apparatus having a transmission / reception system using an adaptive array antenna including a plurality of unit antennas, and a monitor system for monitoring the directivity of each unit antenna,
The transmission / reception system is:
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 that is switched and connected to the RF transmission amplification unit or the RF reception amplification unit;
A distribution combining unit that is connected to a plurality of weighting units, distributes transmission signals, and combines reception signals;
A transmission unit (TX) and a reception unit (RX) connected to the distribution and synthesis unit;
An adaptive array control unit that controls the weighting unit to cause a plurality of unit antennas to function as an adaptive array antenna;
With
The monitor system is
A spreading multiplex unit for spreading and multiplexing signals per unit antenna branched from the RF reception amplification unit;
A monitor receiver (monitor RX) for frequency-converting and amplifying the spread-multiplexed signal;
A despreading and separating unit for despreading and separating the signal from the monitor receiving unit with a spreading code for each unit antenna;
A synchronization tracking unit that corrects the timing of the spreading code supplied to the spreading multiplexing unit with the delay amount of the monitor receiving unit and supplies the spreading code to the despreading separation unit;
With
The synchronous tracking unit
A storage unit for storing a signal from the monitor receiving unit;
A signal switching unit that switches and outputs the signal from the monitor receiving unit and the signal stored in the storage unit;
A spreading code output unit for outputting a spreading code;
A code delay unit that delays the spreading code;
A level detection unit for detecting at least amplitude or power of the despreading separation unit;
A delay control unit that acquires empty slot information indicating a communication status, outputs a switching signal to the signal switching unit, acquires a detection result from a level detection unit, and sets a corrected delay amount in the code delay unit; ,
With
An array antenna communication apparatus for performing synchronization tracking by measuring and correcting a delay amount using a monitor reception signal stored in an idle time during which communication is not performed, and setting the corrected delay amount . The array antenna communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The delay control unit
Monitor reception signal storage means for storing a monitor reception signal in the storage unit during operation of the adaptive array antenna;
Obtaining the empty slot information and controlling the signal switching unit to measure the delay amount;
Signal supply means for supplying a monitor reception signal to the despreading separation means;
A delay amount varying means for varying the delay amount of the delay unit in units of sample intervals of the monitor reception signal;
Delay amount storage means for storing the delay amount by the delay amount variable means and the detection result of the level detector;
Using the magnitude of the detected level as an evaluation index, a delay amount is searched from the delay amount storage unit, and a delay amount determination unit that determines the delay amount closest to the synchronization point from the delay amount;
With
An array antenna communication apparatus, wherein synchronization is established by setting a corrected delay amount in the code delay unit. The array antenna communication apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The array antenna communication apparatus, wherein the evaluation index is a maximum or minimum of at least one of amplitude and power. The array antenna communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The spreading code output unit includes:
Having storage means for storing the spreading code;
Store and output a code signal that is orthogonal to each other at the synchronization point, has no DC component, has the same frequency band when multiplied by the received signal, and can identify the synchronization point by the correlation value near the synchronization point An array antenna communication device. The array antenna communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
The spreading code output unit further includes:
An array antenna characterized by storing and outputting a code signal having a small number of consecutive “0” s for a sequence generated by in-phase addition and a small number of “0” s for a sequence generated by in-phase addition. Communication device. In a base station or mobile station using the array antenna communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A base station or mobile station using an array antenna communication apparatus, wherein an idle slot in which communication is not performed is detected and synchronization of an adaptive array antenna is tracked. In a method for controlling an array antenna communication apparatus, comprising: a transmission / reception process using an adaptive array antenna including a plurality of unit antennas; and a monitoring process for monitoring the directivity of the unit antennas.
The transmitting / receiving step includes
RF transmission amplification step and RF reception amplification step provided for each unit antenna;
A weighting step for weighting signals of the RF transmission amplification step and the RF reception amplification step;
A distribution and synthesis step for distributing and synthesizing the signals obtained in the weighting step;
A transmission step (TX) for transmitting a signal of the distribution and synthesis step, and a reception step (RX) for receiving the signal;
An adaptive array control step of controlling the weighting step so that a plurality of unit antennas function as an adaptive array antenna;
With
The monitoring step includes
A spreading and multiplexing step for spreading and multiplexing signals per unit antenna branched from the RF reception and amplification step;
A monitor reception step (monitor RX) for frequency-converting and amplifying the spread multiplexed signal;
A despreading separation step of despreading the signal from the monitor reception step with a spreading code for each unit antenna;
A synchronization tracking step of correcting the timing of the spread code supplied to the spread multiplex step with the delay amount of the monitor reception step and supplying the spread code to the despread separation step;
With
The synchronous tracking process includes
A storage step of storing a signal from the monitor reception step;
A signal switching step of switching and outputting the signal from the monitor reception step and the signal stored in the storage step;
A spreading code output step for outputting a spreading code;
A code delaying step for delaying the spreading code;
A level detection step of detecting at least amplitude or power of the despreading separation step;
A delay control step of acquiring empty slot information indicating a communication status, outputting a switching signal to the signal switching step, acquiring a detection result from the level detection step, and setting a corrected delay amount to the code delay step; ,
With
The synchronous tracking process includes
Using the monitor reception signal stored in the idle time when communication is not performed, the delay amount is obtained and corrected,
Based on the corrected delay amount, in order to correctly separate the desired signal from the signal spread and multiplexed by the spread code, the timing of the corresponding spread code is matched to the spread code signal included in the monitor reception signal. And outputting the output of the array antenna communication apparatus.

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