JP3087711B2 - Phase / amplitude correction circuit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a phase / amplitude correction circuit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A phased array antenna exists as an antenna whose directivity can be determined or changed electrically. In the phased array antenna, a high-frequency current having a predetermined phase difference and an amplitude difference is supplied to each of a plurality of antenna elements (antenna array), so that a combined radiated electromagnetic field exhibits a constant directivity. That is.

That is, in a phased array antenna, an excitation signal supplied to each antenna element needs to be corrected to a phase and an amplitude corresponding to a desired directivity.
For example, an example of such an array antenna is disclosed in JP-A-1-154604.

[0004]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional array antenna. The excitation signal of the array antenna shown in FIG. 4 is transmitted as a high-frequency analog signal. The amplitude and phase of the excitation signal are corrected by the phase shifter 101 and the storage circuit 104 provided in the transmission / reception module 90.

In this example, in order to control the phase shifter 101 and the variable attenuator 102 so that the excitation distribution on the antenna aperture surface has a desired amplitude and phase, the storage circuit 104 stores in the transmission / reception module 90 which has been measured in advance. Correction data of unique amplitude error and correction data of phase error are stored.

By the way, in the transmitting / receiving module used in the phased array antenna, the electromagnetic waves are radiated to the space as described above, and the transmitting / receiving module of each transmitting / receiving module transmits the combined electromagnetic wave with directivity in an arbitrary direction. It is necessary to control the phase and amplitude of the signal. In addition, high precision is required for controlling the relative phase and amplitude between the transmitting and receiving modules.

[0007] The control and correction of the amplitude and phase in the transmitting / receiving module described above are performed using analog high-frequency signals. That is, since a high-frequency phase shifter and a variable attenuator are required, the high-frequency circuit is complicated and large in size. Further, since a phase shifter and a variable attenuator having high accuracy of amplitude and phase characteristics are required, the apparatus becomes expensive.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional method of controlling the phase of an array antenna.
It is also shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. In this example, the amplitude error of the high-frequency signal unique to the transmission / reception module is corrected.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, impedance variable means (213, 215) for changing the impedance is provided on both sides of the variable phase shifter 211 to change the impedance and adjust the matching of the circuit to thereby improve the amplitude frequency characteristic. to correct.

In this example, since the impedance is changed by an analog high-frequency signal, a high-frequency circuit for performing amplitude correction is complicated and large in size. In addition, since it is necessary to adjust the impedance with high precision, the price is high. Then, the amplitude must be adjusted by changing the impedance, and the phase changes accordingly, and the phase accuracy decreases.

FIG. 6 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-326737, in which the relative phase between the I and Q signals of the I / Q digital signal is adjusted, and the relative amplitude of the signal is adjusted. Things.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, only the amplitude of the signal generated by the I signal and the Q signal is measured, and the amplitudes of the I signal and the Q signal are the same and the relative phase difference is 90 °. , And the phase difference and amplitude between the I signal and the Q signal.

That is, in this example, the balance and orthogonality of the I / Q signal are corrected only by measuring the amplitude (no phase measurement) (for example, the phase difference between the I-channel signal and the Q-channel signal is made equal to each other). To 90 °).

In this example, the amplitude control value of each of the I signal and the Q signal is changed, and the difference between the amplitude values of the I signal and the Q signal (the unbalanced value) obtained from the change in the amplitude value of the high-frequency signal at this time. ) Is used for correction.

For this reason, even if the balance and the orthogonality of the I signal and the Q signal can be adjusted, the variation in the amplitude and phase of the high-frequency signal between the transmitting and receiving modules due to the manufacturing variation inherent in the high-frequency transmitting system cannot be corrected.

Generally, in a phased array antenna, antenna elements are arranged at intervals shorter than a wavelength determined by a frequency. For this reason, a transmission / reception module corresponding to each antenna element is required. If the transmission / reception module is large, it cannot be mounted, and it is difficult to realize the transmission / reception module.

In a phased array antenna using hundreds to tens of thousands of antenna elements, if the weight of each transmission / reception module is heavy, the weight of the entire antenna becomes excessively large, making it difficult to mount the antenna on a ship or aircraft. Or

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and has a small and simple configuration and can easily correct the phase and amplitude of a high-frequency current supplied to each antenna element of an array antenna. It is intended to provide.

[0019]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a phase shifter comprising:
The amplitude correction circuit includes a plurality of antennas constituting an array antenna.
Connected to each of the tenor elements (15, 15 ...) and supplied
Each transmitted signal to a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude
A phase / amplitude correction circuit for correcting the first excitation signal
Signal and a second excitation signal orthogonal to the first excitation signal
Distributing means (1) for distributing each of the two into two,
Calculating the phase angle data from the excitation signal and the second excitation signal;
Phase angle calculation means (2) for generating the first excitation signal
Generating the amplitude data from the signal and the second excitation signal.
Separation means having amplitude calculation means (3), phase error storage means (4) for storing phase error data for the phase angle data, and amplitude error storage means (5) for storing amplitude error data for the amplitude data. ), Phase angle adding means (6) for adding the phase angle data and the phase error data, amplitude adding means (7) for adding the amplitude data and the amplitude error data, and the phase angle adding means Out of
From the force and the output of the amplitude adding means,
For generating a second corrected excitation signal and a second corrected excitation signal
An excitation signal calculating means (8), the first corrected excitation signal;
Combining means for combining a transmission wave with the second corrected excitation signal
Transmitting wave output means having a stage (11) . The phase / amplitude correction circuit according to claim 2 includes a plurality of antenna elements (1
5, 15...)
A position for correcting the received signal to a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude
A phase / amplitude correction circuit that orthogonalizes received signals to each other
Decomposition means for decomposing into a first reception signal and a second reception signal
(24) the first reception signal and the second reception signal
Distributing means (1) for distributing each of the two into two,
The phase angle data from the received signal and the second received signal
Phase angle calculating means (2) for generating the first received signal
Generating the amplitude data from the signal and the second received signal.
Separation means having amplitude calculation means (3), phase error storage means (4) for storing phase error data for the phase angle data, and amplitude error storage means (5) for storing amplitude error data for the amplitude data. ), Phase angle adding means (6) for adding the phase angle data and the phase error data, amplitude adding means (7) for adding the amplitude data and the amplitude error data, and the phase angle adding means And an output of the amplitude adding means, and receiving data output means for outputting received data. Further, the antenna element is controlled by transmission / reception switching means.
Connected to either the transmitting side or the receiving side
It can be made to that.

According to the present invention, when the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal which are orthogonal to each other are input, the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal are respectively distributed to two. Means for generating phase angle data from the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal, and amplitude calculation means for generating amplitude data from the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal. Separation means separates these excitation signals into phase angle data and amplitude data, the phase error storage means stores phase error data for the phase angle data, and the amplitude error storage means stores amplitude error data for the amplitude data. The phase angle addition means adds the phase angle data and the phase error data, the amplitude addition means adds the amplitude data and the amplitude error data, and obtains an orthogonal signal from the output of the phase angle addition means and the output of the amplitude addition means. Do A transmission wave output having a correction excitation signal calculating means for generating a first correction excitation signal and a second correction excitation signal, and a synthesizing means for synthesizing a transmission wave from the first correction excitation signal and the second correction excitation signal. The means combines the output of the phase angle addition means and the output of the amplitude addition means and outputs a transmission wave. The phase / amplitude correction circuit is connected to each of a plurality of antenna elements constituting the array antenna, and corrects each supplied transmission signal to a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude. Alternatively, when a first reception signal and a second reception signal that are orthogonal to each other are input, a decomposition unit that decomposes the first reception signal and the second reception signal into a first reception signal and a second reception signal, and the first reception signal and the second reception signal Distributing means for distributing the received signal into two each;
Separating means comprising phase angle calculating means for generating phase angle data from the received signal and the second received signal, and amplitude calculating means for generating amplitude data from the first received signal and the second received signal. Separates these received signals into phase angle data and amplitude data, the phase error storage means stores phase error data for the phase angle data, the amplitude error storage means stores the amplitude error data for the amplitude data, The adding means adds the phase angle data and the phase error data, the amplitude adding means adds the amplitude data and the amplitude error data, and the data output means combines the output of the phase angle adding means and the output of the amplitude adding means. To output the received data. The phase / amplitude correction circuit is connected to each of a plurality of antenna elements constituting an array antenna, and corrects each input received signal to a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude. Further, in these phase / amplitude correction circuits, the transmission / reception switching means selectively connects the antenna element to either the transmission side or the reception side.

For example, an I / Q signal transmitted to each transmitting / receiving module as an excitation signal is an aperture excitation required for beam forming of an array antenna regardless of the phase and amplitude errors of the transmitting high-frequency circuit of each transmitting / receiving module. What is necessary is just to provide the setting conditions of the phase and amplitude that become the distribution.Each transmission / reception module automatically calculates the phase and amplitude based on the previously measured phase and amplitude data without the need for a phase shifter or variable attenuator in a high-frequency circuit. It becomes possible to correct.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Configuration The present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a phase / amplitude correction circuit according to the embodiment. Each transmitting / receiving module 1 shown in FIG.
The signal distributor 1 of 00-1, 100-2,... 100-n
Includes, for example, a buffer memory (not shown) and distributes the input I signal and Q signal to each of two.

The phase angle calculator 2 includes a transmitting / receiving module 10
A digital calculator for calculating a phase value of a transmission high-frequency signal set to 0-1, 100-2... 100-n from an I signal and a Q signal, and calculates tan ^-1 (I / Q). .

The amplitude calculator 3 includes a transmission / reception module 100
A digital arithmetic unit that calculates the amplitude value of the transmission high-frequency signal set to -1, 100-2... 100-n from the I signal and the Q signal, calculates (I ² + Q ² ) ^1/2 .

The phase error data recorder 4 is provided with an RO (not shown).
M (Read Only Memory: read-only storage device) and the like, in which correction values of phase errors of the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n measured in advance are recorded. .

The amplitude error data recorder 5 is also a digital circuit composed of a ROM (not shown) and the like, and the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,.
A 100-n amplitude error correction value is recorded.

The measurement data to be written into the ROM described above is transmitted to each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,.
The I and Q signals of the same amplitude are added to 00-n, and the phase and amplitude of the output are measured without correction, and the relative values between the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,. From the typical deviation.

In this case, the phase and amplitude changes corresponding to the frequency change of the high-frequency signal and the ambient temperature change can be easily measured using a measuring instrument such as a network analyzer.

The phase angle adder 6 is a digital arithmetic unit constituted by a logic circuit, and adds the phase calculated by the phase angle arithmetic unit 2 and the phase output from the phase error data recorder 4.

The amplitude adder 7 is a digital calculator constituted by a logic circuit, and adds the amplitude calculated by the amplitude calculator 3 and the amplitude output from the amplitude error data recorder 5.

The corrected I / Q calculator 8 is a digital calculator, and calculates an I signal and a signal based on the corrected phase angle θ calculated by the phase adder 6 and the corrected amplitude R calculated by the amplitude adder 7. Calculate the Q signal. Here, the I signal is obtained from R · cos θ, and the Q signal is obtained from R · sin θ.

The transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,.
The I signal and the Q signal output from 0-n are D / A (Dig
ital / Analog: digital-analog) converter 9, D /
The signal is converted by the A converter 10 into an analog signal.

The I / Q signal combiner 11 has a 90
This is an analog circuit composed of a hybrid synthesizer, a mixer, and the like, and performs phase synthesis on the analog-converted I signal and Q signal with a phase difference of 90 ° from each other.

The frequency converter 12 is a circuit composed of a multiplier (not shown) or the like, and converts an excitation signal into a frequency of a high-frequency signal to be transmitted. The power amplifier 13 is a bipolar transistor or FET (Field Effect Transistor:
A field-effect transistor)
The excitation signal converted to a high frequency is amplified to the power required for transmission.

The excitation signal amplified by the power amplifier 13 is supplied to an antenna element (not shown) via a transmission / reception switch 14. The transmission / reception switch 14 switches the transmission path between a transmission signal and a reception signal, and supplies a signal received by the above-described antenna element to the receiver 16.

B. Operation of First Embodiment Transmission / Reception Modules 100-1, 100-2 ... 100-n
Controls the phase and amplitude of each transmission signal so that when transmitting high-frequency transmission signals to a phased array antenna and radiating electromagnetic waves into space, radiation beams are combined in a desired direction.

For example, each transmitting / receiving module 100-1, 1
00-2... 100-n are supplied with an I signal and a Q signal for setting the phase and amplitude of the transmission signal, and the D / A converters 9 and 1 are supplied.
The signal is converted to an intermediate frequency by 0, and a high-frequency signal whose frequency is converted is power-amplified to generate a desired transmission signal.

Each transmitting / receiving module 100-1, 100-2
.. The phase and amplitude of the transmission signal can be freely set by the I signal and the Q signal supplied to 100-n. However, a relative error occurs in the phase and the amplitude due to the manufacturing variation of the analog circuit from the I / Q signal synthesizer 11 to the transmission / reception switch 14.

Therefore, each transmitting / receiving module 100-1, 1
Correction of the phase and amplitude for the transmission output of 00-2... 100-n is performed by the following operation. Each transmission / reception module 1
When the I signal and the Q signal are supplied to 00-1, 100-2,..., 100-n, they are first divided into two by a signal distributor 1, and one of them is converted to a phase angle by a phase angle calculator 2. Convert. The other I signal and Q signal are converted into an amplitude by the amplitude calculator 3.

Each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 10
For data measured in advance to correct the error between 0-2... 100-n, the phase is recorded in the phase error data recorder 4 and the amplitude error data is recorded in the amplitude error data recorder 5. Record each one.

The above-described phase and amplitude error data supplies the same excitation signal to each of the transmitting and receiving modules 100-1, 100-2... 100-n, and calculates the relative deviation between the phase and the amplitude of the high-frequency transmission signal. This is a result measured by a network analyzer or the like.

The error data recorded in this way is:
The phase is transmitted by the phase angle adder 6 and the amplitude is transmitted by the amplitude adder 7 to each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 10-1.
In addition to the set phase and the set amplitude of 0-2... 100-n, the variation is corrected.

Thereafter, the corrected I / Q calculator 8 converts the signal into an I signal and a Q signal, and the D / A converter 9 and the D / A converter 1
At 0, the signal is converted to an intermediate frequency analog signal, and at the I / Q combiner 11, it is converted to a vector signal. Further, the signal is converted into a high-frequency signal by the frequency converter 12 and power-amplified by the power amplifier 13 to generate a transmission signal.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an array antenna (phased array antenna) to which the phase / amplitude correction circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 2, the same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to the respective portions shown in FIG. 1, and the respective portions will be briefly described.

The signal distributor 1 divides a digital I signal and a Q signal input as excitation signals into two. The phase angle calculator 2 calculates a phase angle from one of the two divided I and Q signals. Further, the amplitude calculator 3 calculates an amplitude from the other I signal and Q signal which are divided into two.

The phase error data recorder 4 and the amplitude error data recorder 5 are connected to the respective transmitting / receiving modules 100-1 and 100-1.
-2... Measure the amplitude or phase of each transmission signal generated in the 100-n high-frequency circuit in advance, and record the relative error as a correction value.

The phase angle adder 6 adds the phase angle of the excitation signal obtained by the phase angle calculator 2 and the phase error data of the phase error data recorder 4 to generate corrected phase data.
The amplitude adder 7 adds the amplitude obtained by the amplitude calculator 3 and the amplitude error data of the amplitude error data recorder 5 to generate corrected amplitude data. The correction I / Q calculator 8 generates a correction I signal and a correction Q signal from the correction phase data and the correction amplitude data.

D / A converter 9 and D / A converter 10
Converts the digital I and Q signals to analog intermediate frequencies, and the I / Q combiner 11 synthesizes these intermediate frequency signals.

The frequency converter 12 multiplies the intermediate frequency signal and converts it to a high frequency signal. The power amplifier 13 amplifies the high-frequency signal to required transmission power. Send / receive switch 14
Switches the transmission path between a transmission signal and a reception signal.

Each of the antenna elements 15, 15... Radiates a transmission signal to a space as an electromagnetic wave or receives a space electromagnetic wave. The receiver 16 includes the antenna elements 15, 15
.. Are received.

The received signal combiner 17 combines the received signals received by the receivers 16 of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n. The signal detector 18 detects a required signal from the received signal.

The excitation signal generator 19 generates a signal serving as a basis for the excitation signal. The excitation signal distributor 20 transmits the excitation signal to each of the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,.
Distribute to The antenna controller 21 controls the antenna element 1
., The direction of the radiation beam, and the like are controlled.

In the phased array antenna shown in FIG. 2, each transmitting / receiving module 100-1, 100-2,.
The transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,... So that the high-frequency transmission signal generated in 0-n is radiated into space as an electromagnetic wave and a radiation beam is synthesized in a desired direction.
Control the phase and amplitude of the 100-n output signal.

When the direction of the radiation beam of the phased array antenna is determined by the antenna controller 21,
Each transmission / reception module 100-1, 100-2 ... 100-n
.. 100-n corresponding to each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2... 100-n so that the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the antenna is directed in that direction. Is calculated by the antenna controller 21.

The excitation signal generator 19 generates a digital signal by separating the excitation signal vector corresponding thereto into quadrature components of the I signal and the Q signal, and this digital signal is transmitted and received via the excitation signal distributor 20 to each transmission / reception unit. Module 100-
1, 100-2 ... 100-n.

Each transmission / reception module 100-1, 100-2.
.. In the 100-n, first, the I / Q
Is divided into two, and one of the divided excitation signals is converted into a phase angle by the phase angle calculator 2. The other of the excitation signals is converted into an amplitude by the amplitude calculator 3.

For data for correcting errors caused by frequency characteristics and temperature characteristics between the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n measured in advance, the phase is phase error data. The amplitude error data is recorded in the recorder 4 in the amplitude error data recorder 5.

The above-described phase and amplitude error data supplies the same excitation signal to each of the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n, and calculates the relative deviation between the phase and the amplitude of the high-frequency transmission signal. This is a result measured by a network analyzer or the like.

The error data recorded in this way is
The phase is transmitted by the phase angle adder 6, and the amplitude is transmitted by the amplitude adder 7.
... In addition to the set phase and the set amplitude for 100-n, the variation is corrected.

After that, the signal is converted into an I signal and a Q signal by the correction I / Q calculator 8, and the D / A converter 9 and the D / A
The signal is converted into an intermediate frequency analog signal by the A converter 10.

The output of the D / A converter 9 and the output of the D / A converter 10 are combined by an I / Q combiner 11 and then converted into a vector signal, which is then converted by a frequency converter 12 into a high-frequency signal. A power signal is amplified by a power amplifier 13 to generate a transmission signal, and the antenna element 15 is transmitted through a transmission / reception switch 14.
Sent to

The antenna controller 21 operates on the assumption that there is no error in the phases and amplitudes of the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,. In this embodiment, even if each of the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n has its own characteristic variation such as manufacturing variation, temperature characteristic, frequency characteristic, etc.
It is corrected within 1, 100-2... 100-n.

Therefore, in the antenna element 15, a desired phase and amplitude of the aperture plane excitation distribution can be obtained. As a result, the electromagnetic wave radiated into the space forms a desired beam and is radiated in a desired direction.

The signals received by each antenna element 15 are transmitted and received by the corresponding transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,.
The receiver 16 via the transmission / reception switch 14 of the 100-n
, And are combined by the received signal combiner 17 and received by the signal detector 18.

C. Second Embodiment FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an array antenna (phased array antenna) to which a phase / amplitude correction circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3
In FIG. 7, the same reference numerals are given to the portions corresponding to the respective portions shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, and the respective portions will be briefly described.

In FIG. 3, the transmission / reception switch 14 selectively connects and connects the antenna element 15 between the reception side and the transmission side. The low-noise amplifier 22 amplifies the high-frequency signal sent to the receiving side via the transmission / reception switch 14.

The frequency converter 23 converts the amplified high frequency signal into an intermediate frequency signal. The I / Q detector 24 decomposes the intermediate frequency signal into I and Q signals of orthogonal analog components.

A / D converter 25 and A / D converter 26
Converts the separated I signal or Q signal into a digital signal. These digital I and Q signals are split into two by a signal splitter 1.

The phase angle calculator 2 calculates the I / O
A phase angle is calculated based on one of the Q signals, and an amplitude calculator 3
Calculates the amplitude based on the other. The phase error data recorder 4 and the amplitude error data recorder 5 measure in advance the relative error between the phase and the amplitude of the received signal generated in each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,. Have recorded.

The phase angle adder 6 adds the phase angle of the received signal obtained by the phase angle calculator 2 and the phase error data of the phase error data recorder 4 to generate corrected phase data. The amplitude adder 7 adds the amplitude obtained by the amplitude calculator 3 and the amplitude error data of the amplitude error data recorder 5 to generate corrected amplitude data.

The correction I / Q calculator 8 generates a correction I signal and a correction Q signal from the correction phase data and the correction amplitude data. The reception signal path 27 is
The digital signals of the I signal and the Q signal whose errors have been corrected by -1, 100-2... 100-n converge.

The beamformer 28 includes the antenna element 15,
The phase and amplitude of the I / Q signals of the transmitting and receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n so that the electromagnetic waves arriving from a desired direction can be received when converted into the aperture plane of 15 ... And combine them.

[0073] Receiver 29 detects a received signal. The excitation signal generator 30 generates a signal that is the basis of the excitation signal. The excitation signal distributor 31 transmits the excitation signal to each transmitting / receiving module 1.
00-1, 100-2... 100-n.

The transmitter 32 is connected to each transmitting / receiving module 100
-1, 100-2... 100-n, and converts the excitation signal into a high-frequency signal having desired phase characteristics and amplitude characteristics. The antenna controller 33 controls the direction and the like of the transmitting and receiving beams of the phased array antenna of the present embodiment.

D. Operation of the Second Embodiment When the direction of the electromagnetic wave to be received is determined by the antenna controller 33, each of the transmitting and receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,.
..Antenna elements 15, 15,... Corresponding to 100-n
, 100-n, the I and Q signals received by each of the transceiver modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n are weighted and vector-combined.

The high-frequency signals received by the antenna elements 15, 15... Are sent to the low-noise amplifier 22 via the transmission / reception switch 14 and amplified, and the intermediate frequency is synchronized with the excitation signal by the frequency converter 23. It is converted to a frequency signal.

Thereafter, the signals are converted into analog signals of I signal and Q signal which are orthogonal to each other by the I / Q detector 24,
The signal is converted into a digital signal by the D converter 25 or the A / D converter 26.

The I signal and the Q signal are divided into two by the signal distributor 1, one of the divided signals is converted into a phase angle by the phase angle calculator 2, and the other is converted into an amplitude by the amplitude calculator 3.

Further, each transmitting / receiving module 100-1, 10
Errors caused by frequency characteristics and temperature characteristics between 0-2... 100-n are measured in advance, these phase error data are recorded in the phase error data recorder 4, and amplitude error data is amplitude error data. It is recorded in the recorder 5.

Each transmitting / receiving module 100-1, 100-2
... The calculation of the phase and amplitude error data between 100-n is performed, for example, in a state where no correction data is recorded in the phase error data recorder 4 and the amplitude error data recorder 5.
Each transmission / reception module module 100-1, 100-2 ...
Apply the same high frequency signal to 100-n.

At this time, the I output from the correction I / Q calculator 8
The signal component and the Q signal component are converted into vector signals, the relative deviation of the vector signal from a predetermined reference value is calculated, and the result is recorded in the phase error data recorder 4 and the amplitude error data recorder 5. I do.

The phase of the error data thus recorded is obtained by the phase angle adder 6 and the amplitude thereof is obtained by the amplitude adder 7.
Each transmission / reception module 100-1, 100-2 ...
The variation is corrected by adding to the set phase or set amplitude of 100-n. Then, the correction I / Q calculator 8
The signal is converted into an I / Q signal by a signal generator 27 and combined by a beamformer 28 via a reception signal bus 27.

The beamformer 28 operates assuming that each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n has no phase or amplitude error. In the present embodiment, even if there is a manufacturing variation of each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2,... 100-n, or a variation in temperature characteristics, frequency characteristics, etc., each of the transmitting / receiving modules 100-1, 100-2
... Corrected within 100-n. Therefore, in the antenna elements 15, 15,..., The desired phase and amplitude of the aperture excitation distribution can be obtained. Therefore, beam forming in a required direction is performed.

On the transmitting side in the present embodiment, an excitation signal is generated by the excitation signal generator 30 under the control of the antenna controller 33. The excitation signal is supplied to the excitation signal distributor 31.
.. Via the transmission / reception modules 100-1, 100-2,.
100-n.
A transmission signal having a desired phase and amplitude is generated by the transmitter 32 included in 1, 100-2... 100-n. This transmission signal is transmitted to the antenna element 15 via the transmission / reception switch 14, and is radiated as an electromagnetic wave.

[0085]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal that are orthogonal to each other are input, the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal From the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal, phase angle calculation means generating phase angle data from the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal, and amplitude data from the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal. The separation means comprising the generated amplitude calculation means separates these excitation signals into phase angle data and amplitude data,
The phase error storage means stores phase error data for the phase angle data, the amplitude error storage means stores amplitude error data for the amplitude data, the phase angle addition means adds the phase angle data and the phase error data, and performs the amplitude addition. The means adds the amplitude data and the amplitude error data and generates a first and a second corrected excitation signal orthogonal to each other from the output of the phase angle addition means and the output of the amplitude addition means. A transmission wave output unit having an arithmetic unit, a combining unit for combining a transmission wave from the first and second corrected excitation signals, combines the output of the phase angle addition unit and the output of the amplitude addition unit. To output a transmission wave. The phase / amplitude correction circuit is connected to each of a plurality of antenna elements constituting the array antenna, and corrects each supplied transmission signal to a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude. Alternatively, when a first reception signal and a second reception signal that are orthogonal to each other are input, a decomposition unit that decomposes the first reception signal and the second reception signal into a first reception signal and a second reception signal, and the first reception signal and the second reception signal Distribution means for distributing the received signal into two signals; phase angle calculating means for generating phase angle data from the first received signal and the second received signal; and the first received signal and the second received signal. Separation means comprising amplitude calculation means for generating amplitude data separates these received signals into phase angle data and amplitude data, and the phase error storage means stores phase error data for the phase angle data, The storage means stores amplitude error data for the amplitude data, the phase angle addition means adds the phase angle data and the phase error data, the amplitude addition means adds the amplitude data and the amplitude error data, and the data output means outputs the phase error data. Corner adder Output and by combining the output of the amplitude adding means for outputting the received data. The phase / amplitude correction circuit is connected to each of a plurality of antenna elements constituting an array antenna, and corrects each input received signal to a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude. Further, in these phase / amplitude correction circuits, the transmission / reception switching means connects the antenna element to either the transmission side or the reception side, so that the high-frequency power supplied to each antenna element of the array antenna is small and simple. The phase / amplitude that can easily correct the current phase and amplitude
The effect that the amplitude correction circuit can be realized is obtained.

That is, according to the present invention, the size and weight of the transmission / reception module can be reduced and the reliability can be improved. Thus, a lightweight phased array antenna on which a large number of transmission / reception modules can be mounted can be configured.

The present invention uses digital arithmetic which can easily be made compact and highly integrated by a semiconductor LSI without using a phase shifter or a variable attenuator of a high-frequency circuit for adjusting the phase and amplitude of the transmission / reception module. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the module and improve the reliability.

Also, according to the present invention, since the circuit configuration is simple,
Manufacturing becomes easier. Thereby, productivity is improved. This is because the circuit configuration is simple because all phase and amplitude corrections are performed by digital arithmetic circuits, and the phase and amplitude accuracy at the time of manufacture such as a phase shifter or variable attenuator that controls the phase and amplitude with a high-frequency circuit. Is not required. This facilitates manufacturing and improves productivity.

The phase and amplitude errors caused by the manufacturing error when mounting the high-frequency circuit on the transmitting / receiving module are calculated not by the quadrature component of the I signal and the Q signal but by the measured phase between the modules. Since the correction can be performed by directly using the deviation value of the amplitude and the amplitude, the correction data can be easily created, errors are reduced, and the productivity is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a phase / amplitude correction circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an array antenna to which the phase / amplitude correction circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an array antenna to which a phase / amplitude correction circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional array antenna.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional array antenna phase control method.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration example for adjusting a relative phase and a relative amplitude between an I signal and a Q signal of an I / Q digital signal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 signal distributor (distribution means) 2 phase angle calculator (phase angle calculation means) 3 amplitude calculator (amplitude calculation means) 4 phase error data recorder (phase error storage means) 5 amplitude error data recorder (amplitude error storage) Means) 6 Phase angle adder (phase angle adding means) 7 Amplitude adder (amplitude adding means) 8 Correction I / Q calculator (correction excitation signal calculating means) 11 I / Q combiner (synthesizing means) 15 Antenna element ( Antenna element) 24 I / Q detector (decomposition means) 90 transmission / reception module 101 phase shifter 102 variable attenuator 104 storage circuit 211 variable phase shifter 213 first impedance variable means 215 second impedance variable means

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01Q 3/00-3/46 H01Q 21/00-21/30 H01Q 23/00 H01Q 25/00-25 / 04 H04L 27/18-27/24

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of antennas constituting an array antenna;
Connected to each of the
Each transmitted signal to a given phase and a given amplitude
A phase / amplitude correction circuit for correcting a first excitation signal and a first excitation signal orthogonal to the first excitation signal.
Distributing means (1) for distributing two excitation signals into two each
And the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal.
A phase angle calculating means (2) for generating the phase angle data;
The amplitude is obtained from the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal.
Separation means having amplitude calculation means (3) for generating data; phase error storage means (4) for storing phase error data for the phase angle data; and amplitude error storage for storing amplitude error data for the amplitude data. and means (5), the phase angle adding means (6) for adding the said phase error data and the phase angle data, the amplitude data and the amplitude adding means for adding the amplitude error data and (7), the phase The output of the angle addition means and the output of the amplitude addition means
A first correction excitation signal and a second correction excitation signal
A correction excitation signal calculating means (8) for generating a vibration signal;
From the first corrected excitation signal and the second corrected excitation signal
A transmission wave output means having a combining means (11) for combining transmission waves . 2. A plurality of antennas constituting an array antenna.
Are connected to each of the
Each received signal to a given phase and a given amplitude
A phase / amplitude correction circuit for correcting a received signal, comprising: a first received signal and a second received signal orthogonal to each other.
Decomposition means (24) for decomposing the signal into a signal;
Distribution for distributing a signal and the second received signal into two each
Means (1), the first received signal and the second received signal
Phase angle calculating means for generating the phase angle data from the signal
(2) the first received signal and the second received signal
And amplitude calculating means (3) for generating the amplitude data from
Separation means having ; phase error storage means (4) for storing phase error data with respect to the phase angle data; amplitude error storage means (5) for storing amplitude error data with respect to the amplitude data; Phase angle adding means (6) for adding phase error data; amplitude adding means (7) for adding the amplitude data and the amplitude error data; output of the phase angle adding means and output of the amplitude adding means. And a reception data output means for outputting reception data by combining the phase and amplitude data. 3. The transmission / reception switching means according to claim 3, wherein
Connected to either the transmitting side or the receiving side
Phase / amplitude correction circuit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that that.