JP5003383B2 - Oscillator and array antenna device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an oscillation device and an array antenna device in which phases of oscillation signals of a plurality of oscillators are synchronized. The present invention can be used to control the phase of a carrier wave to each antenna of a phased array antenna capable of variably controlling directivity.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a phased array antenna device. The phased array antenna apparatus has a plurality of transmission modules and varies the amplification and phase of a carrier wave. A carrier wave to be supplied to each antenna is generated by a single oscillator, distributed to each antenna system by a distributor, and then supplied to each antenna. By controlling the phase difference of the carrier wave supplied to each antenna, the directivity of the antenna can be changed.

  Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a push oscillator using a ring resonator. In this document, a ring resonator composed of a square microstrip line has two orthogonal resonance modes, and four oscillators that excite the ring resonator with four ports. It is disclosed that it is determined. Further, it is disclosed that an oscillation signal having a frequency of 4f0 can be obtained from the intersection of lines connecting the midpoints of the sides of the peripheral transmission line and intersecting in a cross shape by exciting the frequency f0 from the four oscillators. .

JP 2005-269569 A Hai Xiao, Takayuki Tanaka, Masayoshi Aikawa, "Basic Behavoir of Quadruple-Push Oscillator Using Ring Resonator." IEEE Trans. Electron., Vol. E88-C, No. 7, July 2005.

  However, in the phased array antenna device of Patent Document 1, there is one oscillator, and a signal output from this oscillator is distributed to the number of antenna systems, and the phase is changed by an amplifier or a phase shifter. In order to distribute the signal, the oscillator must generate a large amount of power. This causes not only a problem of increasing energy consumption but also a problem of heat dissipation. In addition, in order to distribute in-phase to the modules of each antenna system, it is necessary to make the length of the transmission path for supplying a carrier wave equal in each antenna system. It's not easy.

  In addition, with the introduction of SiGeIC, there is a possibility of high integration even at ultra-high frequencies such as millimeter waves. As a result, there is a possibility that the high-frequency circuit unit can be stored in one chip. In such a situation, each IC may be an IC including an oscillator, an amplifier, and a phase shifter. Then, by arranging these ICs in an array, a method of spatially synthesizing the output from the antenna has become realistic. However, this requires synchronization of the respective oscillators, but there is the above-mentioned problem in the distribution using the distributor. The present invention can be used for such applications.

  The technique described in Non-Patent Document 1 is a technique for attaching and oscillating four oscillators to one ring resonator. The ring resonator has two orthogonal modes of cosωt and sinωt, and the phases of the oscillation signals of the four oscillators are automatically shifted by 90 degrees. The phase of the oscillation signal at the four ports provided at the midpoint of each side of the square transmission path is 90 degrees in the counterclockwise direction, as opposed to the mode in which the phase advances 90 degrees in the clockwise direction. There is a mode in which the phase advances. However, this mode cannot be determined as either one, and is determined as one of the modes according to the initial phase when the oscillator is powered on. Therefore, the ring resonator disclosed in this non-patent document cannot be used for the array antenna device.

  In Non-Patent Document 1, since the number of signals obtained is limited to four, this method cannot be used when the number of antennas increases beyond this. Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that an oscillation signal having a frequency four times the oscillation frequency of the oscillator can be obtained from the center point of the square transmission path. An oscillation signal having a quadruple oscillation frequency cannot be supplied to the phased array antenna device without using a distributor. Therefore, also in this case, it is necessary to increase the output of the oscillator as described above, and there is a problem that power consumption and heat generation increase.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to supply a large number of phase-synchronized oscillation signals without using a distributor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an oscillation device having a structure that can easily supply a carrier wave to an array antenna or a phased array antenna.

The present invention relates to an oscillation device that synchronizes the oscillation frequency of each oscillation signal by a plurality of oscillators, a plurality of oscillators, and a ring in which these oscillators are coupled to each port of a closed line and coupled by a line. a resonator, anda driving direction fixing device for fixing the excitation phase which is inserted into a closed line of the ring resonator in one direction, closing line path, a plurality, present, two ports adjacent closing line path On the other hand, it is an oscillation device characterized by combining one common oscillator .
As the excitation direction fixing device, any device can be used as long as the signal propagation direction is unidirectional, such as a unidirectional amplifier or a directional coupler. In the case of an amplifier, a positive-phase amplifier is used, and if it is a directional coupler, a coupler without phase inversion is used. As long as the excitation direction fixing device has no phase inversion, the number may be one or two or more. Further, an even number p of anti-phase amplifiers and directional couplers having phase inversion may be provided at rotationally symmetric positions with respect to the center point of the closed line. In this case, one turn of the closed line becomes a p wavelength, and the phase of one turn is 2pπ. In addition, a method of connecting the oscillator to each port of the closed line includes a method of connecting a gate / base of a transistor constituting the oscillator to a port of the closed line via a capacitor, a drain / collector or a source / emitter of the transistor. Is connected to each port of the closed line via a capacitor or an inductor. In addition, the transistors constituting the oscillator and the closed line may be electromagnetically coupled by capacitive coupling or inductive coupling. In short, it is only necessary that the oscillator and the closed line are electromagnetically coupled so that the oscillation signal of the oscillator propagates through the closed line, and the coupling method is arbitrary.

  It is desirable to form the port where the oscillator is connected to one closed line at a rotationally symmetric (equal interval) position with respect to the center point of the closed line. Absent. The number of ports in one closed line is arbitrary, but the phase difference between the ports is π / 2, and the number of ports is preferably 4 points per closed line. The closed line can be a microstrip line or a coplanar line, but the closed line is preferably composed of a microstrip line having an entire circumference of one wavelength of the oscillation frequency.

Although the number of closed lines is plural, the number is arbitrary. It is desirable to couple a common oscillator transistor to two ports that are in phase or out of phase in two adjacent closed lines. Thereby, two closed lines can be connected. That is, when an excitation direction fixing device without phase inversion is used, the two ports are in reverse phase, so that the common oscillator is composed of a differential oscillator, and two adjacent closed lines Each transistor of the differential oscillator may be coupled to each of the ports. In this case, the oscillation signals can be synchronized in phase at the corresponding ports of the two adjacent closed lines. In addition, when an oscillator that connects two closed lines is provided with one anti-phase amplifier in each section that bisects the closed line as an excitation direction fixing device, the above two ports have the same phase. Therefore, a non-differential oscillator is used. As a result, the oscillation signals can be synchronized in phase at the corresponding ports of the two adjacent closed lines.

  In the present invention, the phases of the plurality of oscillation signals may be fixedly synchronized or may be synchronized by changing the phase difference. Therefore, when obtaining an oscillation signal that changes the phase, it is desirable to provide a phase shifter that shifts the phase in a line that connects two ports of adjacent closed lines.

  The plurality of closed lines may be two-dimensionally arranged. This array arrangement makes it easy to supply signals to the array antenna.

  The shape of the closed line is arbitrary, such as a circle, an ellipse, a square, a rhombus, a rectangle, a parallelogram, a regular triangle, a regular pentagon, a regular hexagon, a regular octagon, and a regular polygon. In the case of a polygon, the position where the port is provided may be an apex angle or a side. The line length between the ports to be provided is not necessarily so, but is desirably equal. In general, it is desirable to divide a closed line into n (n is a natural number of 3 or more) and couple an oscillator to the equally divided point. In this case, when the number of ports is m, the signal phase difference is 2π / m, so a phase setter in units of 2π / m is required. When the closed lines are one-dimensionally arranged in one direction, the positions of the ports are determined so that two adjacent ports in the two adjacent closed lines satisfy a relationship of being in reverse phase or in phase. When two-dimensionally arranging closed lines, the ports are set at positions satisfying the relationship in which two adjacent ports in two adjacent closed lines are in reverse phase or in phase in two orthogonal directions. . For example, it is convenient to use an even polygon, circle, or ellipse for the closed line. In the simplest case, a square whose side is ¼ of one wavelength of the oscillation frequency or a circle whose circumference is one wavelength is used.

  The closed line has a peripheral line composed of a regular n polygon whose length of one side is 1 / n (n is a natural number of 3 or more) of one wavelength of the oscillation frequency, a center point of the regular n polygon, You may comprise by the internal track | line which connects an edge | side (a vertex is included) by an equicentral angle. In this case, a frequency n times the oscillation frequency can be output from the center point. From the number of oscillators, n is 3 or more and 12 or less, preferably 3 or more and 10 or less, or 3 or more and 8 or less.

Further, the closed line may be constituted by a peripheral line made of a circle, an internal line that connects the center point of the circle and the n equal dividing point (n is a natural number of 3 or more) of the circumference. In this case, a frequency n times the oscillation frequency can be output from the center point.
In these cases, when the sequence one-dimensional array or a two-dimensional, the two ports for coupling two closed lines in-phase, or, it is necessary to set to a position opposite phases, except that the For example, the position and number of ports are arbitrary. The number of ports and the number of oscillators are not necessarily n as described above, but n is desirable from the viewpoint of symmetry. The position where the oscillator is coupled may be the apex angle or the side of the closed line. Further, the ports do not need to be provided at regular intervals on the peripheral line, but are desirably equidistant. When the closed line is composed of a regular polygon or a circle, an oscillator may be coupled to the intersection of the peripheral line and the internal line, and the oscillator may be any n-divided point on the peripheral line other than the intersection. May be provided. Due to symmetry, it is desirable to couple the oscillator to the closed line at any point where the distances between the n oscillators and their intersections are all equal. This is true even when n is 4, ie, the closed line is square. That is, even in the corners of the square, at the midpoint of each side, a point on each side equal distance from each corner, may be coupled with an oscillator and a closed line.

Further, the closed line may be composed of a peripheral line composed of a square whose length of one side is ¼ of one wavelength of the oscillation frequency, and an internal line that connects the midpoint of each side and the center point of the square. . In this case, a frequency four times the oscillation frequency can be output from the center point.
At this time, the port for connecting the oscillator may be provided at the midpoint of each side of the square, or may be provided at the corner of the square. This configuration may be a one-dimensional array or a two-dimensional array. Further, a closed line may be used in which a regular hexagon is a peripheral line, a corner is a port, a 6-port line, and a line connecting the corner and the center is an internal line. In this case, a signal having a frequency six times the oscillation frequency of the oscillator can be obtained from the center. Even when these harmonics are used, the closed lines may be arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, or a differential oscillator may be used for coupling each closed line. Similarly, regular n polygons and circles can be used as closed lines. When the closed lines are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, the positions of the ports may be determined so as to satisfy the relationship of in-phase or anti-phase in the two ports of the two closed lines to be coupled.

  It is also possible to configure an array antenna device using the oscillation device configured as described above. In this case, an antenna element, an oscillator, a closed line, and other transmission circuits can be formed on one substrate. Similarly, an array antenna apparatus using the oscillation device according to claims 8, 9, and 10 may be an array antenna apparatus in which a transmission circuit and an antenna element are formed at the center point of a closed line.

Further, a phase setter that makes the phases of a plurality of output signals output from the oscillation device of the present invention in phase may be provided. In this case, the phases of the plurality of output signals can all be synchronized with the same phase, or the groups of the plurality of output signals can be synchronized with the same phase.

  According to the present invention, since the excitation direction fixing device such as an amplifier or a directional coupler is inserted in the closed line, the oscillation mode of the ring resonator composed of the closed line can be fixed. That is, in the closed line, the excitation mode can be fixed in the direction in which the phase of each port is delayed along the propagation direction of the excitation direction fixing device. Therefore, a plurality of oscillation signals having the same frequency can be synchronously obtained with a predetermined phase relationship by this closed line.

Further, by arranging a plurality of closed lines such as a one-dimensional array and a two-dimensional array, application to an array antenna becomes possible. Further, by coupling adjacent closed lines with a differential oscillator, coupling between the closed lines becomes easy.
Also, by providing a plurality of closed lines, such as a one-dimensional array and a two-dimensional array, and providing a phase shifter on a line connecting adjacent closed lines, the phase of the obtained oscillation signal can be variably controlled. . Therefore, directivity control of the phased array antenna device can be easily performed.

  When a closed line is a regular n polygon or a circle, and n rotationally symmetric internal lines are provided to obtain a signal having a frequency n times the fundamental frequency from the center point, a ring resonator This is effective because a higher Q value can be obtained compared to the case where the resonance frequency is lower than the frequency used.

  When these oscillation devices are used in an array antenna device including a phased array antenna, power consumption can be reduced because a distributor is not used. Also, there is little heat generation. Further, the antenna element and the circuit can be integrated on one substrate. Further, the gain of the ring resonator can be determined by the number of oscillators, and the capacity of the oscillator can be reduced in obtaining a constant output. In addition, when the length of each line for supplying a signal to each antenna system is distributed by a distributor using a single oscillator, it is necessary to adjust the transmission phase at each antenna because it is not equal. However, in the present invention, it is possible to eliminate various adverse effects due to such non-uniformity of the line length.

  In addition, since a plurality of closed lines are provided, it is possible to provide an array antenna apparatus according to the required level with the same configuration by selecting the closed line to be used according to the performance required for the array antenna. Become. For example, when the search range is long, or the directivity is narrowed to increase the direction resolution, the number of closed lines to be operated is increased, the search range is shortened, the directivity If the width is widened to reduce the direction resolution, the number of closed lines to be operated may be reduced.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples.

  The first embodiment is an example in the case where there is one ring resonator composed of a closed line. FIG. 1 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof. On the substrate 10, a square closed line 20 made of a microstrip line and an IC made up of oscillators 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d are arranged. A ground conductor 12 is disposed on the back surface 11 of the substrate. The length a of one side of the square closed line is 1/4 of the wavelength of the oscillation frequency. A positive-phase buffer amplifier 90 with an amplification factor of 1 is inserted in the closed line 20. The four middle points on each side constitute four ports 20a to 20d to which the gates / bases of the oscillators 30a to 30d are connected.

  As shown in FIG. 1, each of the oscillators 30a to 30d is an oscillator composed of transistors having the same configuration. Each port 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d is connected to the gate / base of a transistor constituting each oscillator. The port 20b is connected to a 270 degree phase setter 40b, the port 20c is connected to a 180 degree phase setter 40c, and the port 20d is connected to a 90 degree phase setter 40d. A phase setter is not connected to the port 20a. The outputs of the port 20a and the three phase setting devices 40b, 40c, and 40d are in phase.

The circumference of the closed line 20 is 4a and resonates with a frequency of frequency f = c / (4a) where 4a is one wavelength as a fundamental wave. Therefore, the four outputs A to D are in-phase oscillation signals at the frequency f. The buffer amplifier 90 limits the propagation direction of the signal wave clockwise, and the ports 20b, 20c, and 20d are delayed in phase by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees with respect to the phase of the port 20a. The mode acts to resonate the ring resonator. The buffer amplifier 90 is a positive phase amplifier. When the buffer amplifier 90 and a negative phase amplifier in section between the port 20c and 20d of the closing line 20, to insert a buffer amplifier 90 of another reverse phase. In this case, one rotation of the closing line 20 is two wavelengths of the fundamental wave. With this configuration, the ports 20b and 20d are 180 degrees out of phase with respect to the phase of the port 20a (therefore, the ports 20b and 20d are in phase), and the port 20c is in phase.

In this way, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain four oscillation signals having the frequency f that are phase-synchronized without using a distributor.
In this embodiment, the gate / base of the transistor of the oscillator is connected to the closed line, but even if the drain / collector or the source / emitter is connected to the closed line via a capacitor or inductor, the oscillation of the transistor A line through which a signal flows and a closed line may be coupled by electromagnetic coupling such as capacitive coupling or inductive coupling.

  In this embodiment, a plurality of closed lines are arranged one-dimensionally. Forming a closed line on the substrate is the same as in the first embodiment. In FIG. 3, three closed lines 21, 22, and 23 are provided. In this embodiment, the oscillator is a "Millimeter-Wave VCOs With Wide Tuning Range and Low Phase Noise, Fully Integrated in a SiGe Bipolar Production Technology," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. The differential oscillator shown in FIG. 4 described in 184-191, Feb. 2003 is used. The differential oscillator is a circuit in which the oscillator shown in FIG. 1 is connected in parallel as shown in FIG. 4 with a current mirror circuit. The drain / collector output Out1 of the transistor Tr1 and the drain / collector output Out2 of the transistor Tr2 are out of phase.

  One closed line 21 is provided with a buffer amplifier 91 for positive phase amplification. The drain / collector of one of the differential oscillators 31a to 31d is connected to each port 21a to 21d via an inductor. It is connected. Other closed lines have the same configuration. Between the adjacent closed line 21 and the closed line 22, the drain / collector of one transistor configured by a current mirror circuit of the differential oscillator 31 c is connected to the port 21 c of the closed line 21 via the inductor, and the other The drain / collector of this transistor is connected to the port 22a of the closed line 22 via an inductor. The configuration between the closed line 22 and the closed line 23 is similar, and both are coupled by a differential oscillator 32c.

  Since the closed lines are connected by a differential oscillator, the phase of the signal at one port and the signal at the other port differ by 180 degrees. Therefore, the port 21a of the closed line 21, the port 22a of the closed line 22, and the port 23a of the closed line 23 all have the same phase.

In addition, the drain / collector of the transistor not connected to the ports 21d, 22d, and 23d of the other differential oscillators 31d, 32d, and 33d is connected to the phase setting devices 41d, 42d, and 43d of 180 degrees through the inductor. Each is connected. In addition, the drain / collector of the transistor not connected to the ports 21b, 22b, and 23b of the differential oscillators 31b, 32b, and 33b is directly connected to the output terminal via the inductor without passing through the phase setter. It becomes. Further, the drain / collector of the transistor not connected to the port 21a of the differential oscillator 31a is connected to the 90-degree phase setter 41a via the inductor, and the output of the phase setter is output. Oscillation signal output pin. The drain / collector of the transistor not connected to the port 23c of the differential oscillator 33c is connected to the 270 degree phase setter 43c via the inductor, and the output of the phase setter is the output oscillation signal. Output terminal. With this configuration, it is possible to obtain eight in-phase oscillation signals having the frequency f synchronized in phase. Incidentally, as the differential oscillator only oscillator for coupling the closing line, the other oscillator may be an oscillator not differential.

  Further, the buffer amplifiers 91, 92, and 93 are reversed-phase amplifiers, and the path between the ports 21c and 21d, the path between the ports 22c and 22d, and the path between the ports 23c and 23d are also provided with another reversed-phase. Buffer amplifiers 91, 92, and 93 may be inserted, respectively. In this case, all the differential amplifier oscillators 31a to 31d, 32b to 32d, and 33b to 33d are constituted by non-differential oscillators. As described above, the ports 21a and 21c are in phase, and the ports 22a and 22c are also in phase, so that they can be connected by a common oscillator. In this case, the phase setters 41a, 43c are used as 270 degree phase setters, and the phase setters 41d, 42d, 43d are removed. In this case, when the signal at the port 21a is cos (ωt), the eight outputs are −sin (ωt).

  In this embodiment, the drains / collectors of the parallel transistors of the differential oscillator are connected to a closed line or a phase setter, but the gate / base or source / emitter of each transistor is connected to a capacitor. Even if connected to the closed line, the line through which the oscillation signal of the transistor flows and the closed line may be coupled by electromagnetic coupling such as capacitive coupling or inductive coupling. In all the following embodiments, the same applies to the coupling between a differential oscillator or a non-differential oscillator and a closed line.

  In this embodiment, the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is adopted, where the initial phase of the oscillation signal is 0, θ, 2θ, and the phase difference between the signals is θ. The phase difference θ can be variably set.

  In the second embodiment, a phase shifter 51 is provided between the differential oscillator 31 c connecting the closed lines and the port 22 a of the closed line 22, and the phase shift is performed between the differential oscillator 32 c and the port 23 a of the closed line 23. A feature is that a device 52 is provided. Further, the drain / collector of a transistor different from the transistor connected to the ports 21a and 23c of the closed lines 21 and 23 of the differential oscillators 31a and 33c is terminated to a line resistance of 50Ω through an inductor, respectively. Has been. Thus, two -sin (ωt) signals, two -sin (ωt-θ) signals, and two -sin (ωt-2θ) phase-synchronized signals are obtained. The carrier of the phased array antenna apparatus capable of controlling the directivity in the one-dimensional direction by arranging one or more four or more groups such as this arrangement and the closed line and the peripheral differential oscillator in one dimension. It can be used for a generator.

Also in this embodiment, as the differential oscillator only oscillator for coupling the closing line, the other oscillator may be an oscillator not differential. Alternatively, the buffer amplifiers 91, 92, and 93 may be reversed phase amplifiers, and all the differential amplifier oscillators may be non-differential oscillators. In this case, a similar signal can be obtained.

  In the present embodiment, closed lines are two-dimensionally arranged as shown in FIG. That is, the one-dimensional array in the x direction according to the second embodiment is repeated in the y direction perpendicular to the x direction, and the closed lines of each x system are coupled also in the y axis direction. The first system arranged in the x-direction composed of the closed lines 21 and 22 is the same as that of the second embodiment. Further, the phase setter 71a, the closed line 61, the differential oscillators 81a, 81c, 81d, the phase setter 71d, the closed line 62, the differential oscillators 82c, 82d, and the phase setter 72d are arranged in the x direction. The system is the same as that of the second embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the closed line 21 and the closed line 61 are connected by a differential oscillator 31d, and the closed line 22 and the closed line 62 are connected by a differential oscillator 32d. The output of each oscillation signal has a similar relationship. The set phase of the phase setters 41b and 42b connected to the differential oscillators 31b and 32b is 90 degrees, and the set phase of the phase setters 41a and 71a connected to the differential oscillators 31a and 81a is 180 degrees, respectively. The set phase of the phase setters 71d and 72d connected to the differential oscillators 81d and 82d is 270 degrees, respectively. In this case, all the eight output signals are cos (ωt).

Further, as described above, in each of the closed line, the position of point symmetry with respect to its center, and a buffer amplifier 91,92,101,102 reverse phase two inserted, all fully differential oscillator differential It is also possible to use a non-type oscillator. In that case, the phase setting devices 41a and 71a are unnecessary, and the phase setting devices 41b, 42b, 71d, and 82d are 180-degree phase setting devices. In this case, all eight outputs are cos (ωt).

In this embodiment, a frequency 4f ₀ that is four times the frequency f ₀ of the oscillator is generated. As shown in FIG. 7, the closed lines are arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns of closed lines W11 and W12 arranged in the first row and closed lines W21 and W22 arranged in the second row. Unlike the first to fourth embodiments, the closed line W11 includes a cross-shaped internal line 200 that connects the midpoint of each side of the peripheral line 210 of the square closed line and the center of the square. Positive phase buffer amplifiers B11, B12, B21, and B22 are inserted in each closed line. In the row direction (x direction), the closed line W11 and the closed line W12 are coupled by a differential oscillator D12, and the closed line W21 and the closed line W22 are coupled by a differential oscillator D22. On the other hand, in the column direction (y direction), the closed line W11 and the closed line W21 are coupled by a differential oscillator E21 and a phase shifter Q21, and the closed line W12 and the closed line W22 are differential oscillator E22. And a phase shifter Q22. The transistors on the side connected to the closed lines of all the differential oscillators D11, D13, D21, D23, E11, E12, E31, and E32 except for the differential oscillator used for coupling between the closed lines The drain / collector of the other different transistor is all terminated with a line resistance of 50Ω.

The length of one side of the internal line 200 (the side connecting the midpoint of the side and the center point) is a / 2. Here, a is the length of one side of the peripheral line of the closed line. Since the path length in the peripheral line between the ports is a, the harmonic of the frequency 4f ₀ is one wavelength. Therefore, in each of the ports L111, L112, L113, and L114, the phase of the harmonic with the frequency 4f ₀ is in phase, and the oscillation signal is cos (4 ωt). However, ω = 2πf ₀ . Further, since the distance between the center point R11 and each port is λ / 2, the phase of the signal at the center point R11 is delayed by 180 degrees with respect to the signal phase of each port. Therefore, the signal at the center point R11 is −cos (4 ωt).

On the other hand, for the fundamental wave of frequency f ₀ , the phase of the signal at each port is 0, π / 2, π, 3π / 2, and at the center point R11, these phases are shared by λ / 8. This is the sum of cosine waves whose phase is the value obtained by subtracting the phase delay π / 4 due to the internal line. This is zero. Similarly, in the case of the second harmonic 2f ₀ , the phase is obtained by subtracting the phase delay π / 2 due to the internal line of λ / 4 to the phase of each port of 0, π, 0, π. The sum of cosine waves. This sum is also zero due to symmetry. In the case of the third harmonic 3f ₀ , the phase obtained by subtracting the phase delay 3π / 4 due to the internal line of 3λ / 8 is common to the phase of each port of ₀ , 3π / 2, π, and π / 2. Is the sum of cosine waves. Also in this case, the third harmonic component at the center point R11 is zero because of the symmetry of the phase. Eventually, only the fourth harmonic component appears at the center point R11.

  In this way, an oscillation signal of −cos (4 ωt) is obtained from the center point R11 of the closed line W11 and the center point R12 of the closed line W12.

  On the other hand, since the signals are coupled in the column direction (y direction) via the phase shifters Q21 and Q22, the signals of the ports L212 and L222 to which the outputs are input are sin ( ωt-θ). That is, the oscillation signals in the closed lines W21 and W22 in the second row are delayed in phase by θ with respect to the oscillation signals in the closed lines W11 and W12 in the first row. Therefore, the oscillation signal at the center points R21 and R22 of the closed lines W21 and W22 is −cos (4 ωt−4θ). In this way, a signal having a phase difference of 4θ can be obtained. By providing many closed lines having these configurations in the y direction, two oscillation signals having a phase difference 4θ of 3 or more can be obtained. Thereby, the phased array antenna apparatus which can change directivity to a one-dimensional direction can be comprised. Since the closed lines are configured in two rows, the antenna elements can also be configured in two rows, and the radiated power can be increased. Of course, the power of the radiated radio wave can be increased by providing a large number of similar closed lines in the row direction (x direction) and forming a large number of antenna elements.

Also in this embodiment, a differential oscillator may be used only for coupling between closed lines, and another differential amplifier oscillator may be a normal oscillator that is not a differential type. Further, as described above, the buffer amplifier B11～B22, as a reverse-phase amplifier, if provided two at the position of point symmetry of the closed line is also configure all oscillators in the oscillator is not a differential Is possible.
In this embodiment, the oscillation frequency in the ring resonator is f _{0 and} the frequency of the oscillation signal to be used is 4f ₀ . Therefore, since the resonance frequency is lower than the signal used, the resonance Q value can be increased.

  This embodiment is a further development of the embodiment 5 shown in FIG. The systems arranged in the x direction are repeatedly arranged along the y direction, and the systems are combined even along the y direction. The oscillation device of Example 6 has a closed line of 3 rows and 3 columns. A phase shifter P12 is provided between the differential oscillator D12 connected to the closed line W11 and the closed line W12, and between the differential oscillator D13 connected to the closed line W12 and the closed line W13. In addition, a phase shifter P13 is provided. Similarly, a phase shifter P22 is provided between the differential oscillator D22 connected to the closed line W21 and the closed line W22, and the differential oscillator D23 connected to the closed line W22 and the closed line W23 are provided. Is provided with a phase shifter P23. Similarly, a phase shifter P32 is provided between the differential oscillator D32 connected to the closed line W31 and the closed line W32, and the differential oscillator D33 connected to the closed line W32 and the closed line W33 are provided. Between these, a phase shifter P33 is provided.

  Further, a phase shifter Q21 is provided between the differential oscillator E21 connected to the closed line W11 and the closed line W21, and the differential oscillator E31 connected to the closed line W21, the closed line W31, Between these, a phase shifter Q31 is provided. Similarly, a phase shifter Q22 is provided between the differential oscillator E22 connected to the closed line W12 and the closed line W22. The differential oscillator E32 connected to the closed line W22 and the closed line W32 Between, a phase shifter Q32 is provided. Similarly, a phase shifter Q23 is provided between the differential oscillator E23 connected to the closed line W13 and the closed line W23, and the differential oscillator E33 connected to the closed line W23 and the closed line W33 are provided. Is provided with a phase shifter Q33.

  The delayed phase angle θ is set for the six phase shifters P12 to P33 arranged in the column direction. In addition, phase angles (0 degrees) are set in the six phase shifters Q21, Q22, Q23, Q31, Q32, and Q33 arranged in the row direction. That is, since the phase of the signal of the closed line W12 is delayed by θ by the phase shifter P12, the signal of the second line of the closed line W12 as it is is added to the closed line W22 as it is. Because it is good. Similarly, since the phase of the signal of the closed line W32 is delayed by θ by the phase shifter P32, the signal of the closed line W22 may be applied to the closed line W32 as it is. The same applies when the signal of the closed line W13 is applied to the closed line W23 and when the signal of the closed line W23 is applied to the closed line W33.

  With this configuration, the phase of the center point of the closed lines W12, W22, W32 in the second row is changed to the phase of the signal at the center point of the closed lines W11, W21, W31 in the first row by the phase shifters P12, P22, P32. On the other hand, the phase is delayed by 4θ. Similarly, the signal at the central point of the closed lines W13, W23, W33 in the third row is sent to the signal at the central point of the closed lines W12, W22, W32 in the second row by the phase shifters P13, P23, P33. The phase is delayed by 4θ. With this configuration, the directivity can be changed in the x-axis direction.

  When the directivity is changed in the y direction, the phase shifters Q21, Q22, Q23 in the second row arranged in the row direction (x direction), and the phase shifters Q31, Q32 in the third row, The delay phase θ is set in Q33. On the other hand, the phase set to the phase shifters P12, P22, P32 in the second column and the phase shifters P13, P23, P33 in the third column arranged in the column direction (y direction) is 0. Thereby, directivity can be changed in the y direction.

In the above embodiment, the closed line is square in order to obtain an oscillation signal having a frequency 4f _{0 that is} four times the oscillation frequency f ₀ of each oscillator connected to the ring resonator. As shown, a regular hexagonal peripheral line T and lines connecting the corners S1 to S6 and the center point R may be internal lines U1 to U6. Then, each corner S1 to S6, a port for connecting an oscillator internally dividing point of the center point or the same ratio of the sides of the peripheral line T in a closed line. From the symmetry of the phase at each angle, the combined signal at the center point R of the fundamental wave and the second to fifth harmonics is zero. In the sixth harmonic, since one side is equal to one wavelength and the distance between the central points of the corners is also equal to one wavelength, all signals are synthesized in phase at the central point. Therefore, an oscillation signal having a frequency of 6f ₀ can be obtained at the center point. A phased array antenna device may be configured by arranging a plurality of such shapes, one-dimensional arrays, and two-dimensional arrays.

In general, the configuration of FIG. 9 may be extended to a closed line having a regular n polygon (n is a natural number of 3 or more). Consider a phase at a point where a regular n-polygonal peripheral line is divided into n equal parts. This n-equal point does not necessarily need to be the apex angle of a regular polygon. Since it is a regular polygon, the n equally divided points are rotationally symmetric at a certain rotation angle. When an arbitrary point is the i-th point at the n-divided point, the voltage waveform of the fundamental wave at the i-th point is expressed by the following equation.
sin (ωt-2 πi / n)… (1)
Here, i = 0, 1,..., N−1, ω is each frequency of the fundamental wave, and t is time. Since the kth harmonic has a phase rotation angle of 2πk in one round of the peripheral line, the voltage waveform at the i-th point is expressed by the following equation.
sin (ωkt-2πki / n)… (2)
However, k = 1, 2,..., N.

The phase at the center point R of the closed line is expressed by the sum related to i in the equation (2). The distance between the i-th point of the peripheral line and the center point R on the line is the same regardless of i because of symmetry, and the phase difference of the k-th harmonic k between them is θ _k . θ _k is constant regardless of i. The voltage V at the center point R of the kth harmonic is expressed by the following equation.
V = Σ _i {sin (ωkt-2πki / n- θ _k )} (3)
However, Σ _i means the sum related to i. V is the projection of the sum of the unit vectors rotated in phase by 2π / (n / k) units. Since n / k ≧ 1, 2 πi / (n / k) represents the phase of the 2 π equivalence point.

Due to the symmetry of the closed line, when k ≠ n, S = 0… (4)
When k = n, S = n ・ sin (ωnt- θk)… (5)
Therefore, at the center point R, only the nth harmonic appears.

Even if the closed line is a circle, it is the same. The path distance on the peripheral line and the internal line between the point of dividing the circle into n equal parts and the center of the circle is equal. When the n equal dividing point is selected as the intersection of the peripheral line and the internal line, the distance becomes a radius, so that the distance between all the n equal dividing points and the center is equal. Since this condition is satisfied, the above-mentioned (1) to (5), it is clear that the closed line is established even circle.
In this manner, when a regular n polygon or a circle and closing line may be taken out n times the frequency of the resonant frequency of the closed lines from the center.

  Next, the configuration of the phased array antenna apparatus will be described. An integrated circuit including a set of the differential oscillator D23 and the phase shifter P22 connected to the closed line W22 of FIG. 8 is manufactured. In addition, an integrated circuit incorporating a buffer amplifier is also created. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the integrated circuits IC1 to IC7 and the like are arranged on the closed lines W1 and W2 made of microstrip lines formed on the substrate 10 at an angle of 90 degrees. Connect to each port. IC1 and IC3 are integrated circuits in which positive-phase buffer amplifiers are incorporated. Then, the central points R1 and R2 of the closed lines W1 and W2 are made conductive to the back side of the substrate 10 by via holes. Further, the substrate 10 is a multilayer substrate, and an earth conductor 12 is provided in the middle portion, and windows 13a and 13b in which no earth conductor exists are provided only in the portions corresponding to the central portions of the closed lines W1 and W2. Yes. The antenna elements AT1 and AT2 are provided at the center points R1 and R2 in the window region. Further, an integrated circuit incorporating a modulator or a transmitter that is electrically connected may be provided at the center points R1 and R2 in front of the antenna elements AT1 and AT2.

  By arranging such a configuration in a one-dimensional arrangement as shown in FIG. 5 or a two-dimensional arrangement as shown in FIG. 8, the feed lines for each antenna element are equal, and an array can be used without using a distributor. An antenna or a phased array antenna device can be configured.

  The present invention can be used for a phased array antenna apparatus capable of controlling directivity.

1 is a circuit diagram showing an oscillation device according to a specific example 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the oscillation device according to the first embodiment. The circuit diagram which showed the oscillation apparatus which concerns on the specific Example 2 of this invention. The circuit diagram which showed the differential oscillator used with an Example apparatus. The circuit diagram which showed the oscillation apparatus which concerns on the specific Example 3 of this invention. The circuit diagram which showed the oscillation apparatus which concerns on concrete Example 4 of this invention. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing an oscillation device according to a specific example 5 of the invention. The circuit diagram which showed the oscillation apparatus which concerns on specific Example 6 of this invention. The top view which showed the structure of the other closed line of this invention. The perspective view which showed the arrangement | positioning relationship between the closed line on the surface of the board | substrate of a phased array antenna apparatus, and an integrated circuit. Sectional drawing of the board | substrate of the same phased array antenna apparatus.

20, 21, 22, 23, 61, 62 ... closed line W11 to W33 ... closed line 30a to 30c ... differential oscillators 40a to 40d, 41a to 43d, ... phase setting devices 20a to 20d, 21a to 21d, 22a to 22d , 23a to 23d ... ports 90 to 93, 101, 102 ... buffer amplifiers D11 to D33, E11 to E43 ... differential oscillators P12 to P33, Q21 to Q33 ... phase shifters

Claims (12)

In an oscillation device that synchronizes the oscillation frequency of each oscillation signal by a plurality of oscillators ,
Multiple oscillators,
A ring resonator in which these multiple oscillators are coupled to each port of a closed line and coupled by a line,
The driving direction fixing device for fixing the inserted excitation phase in the closed line of the ring resonator in one direction,
Have
There is a plurality of closed lines, and one common oscillator is coupled to two ports of adjacent closed lines .   2. The oscillation device according to claim 1, wherein the closed line is formed of a microstrip line having an entire circumference of one wavelength having an oscillation frequency. Said common oscillator is a differential oscillator, wherein for each of the two ports of an adjacent closing line path, according to claim 1 or claims, characterized in that attached to each of the transistors of the differential oscillator Item 3. The oscillation device according to Item 2 . Oscillating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the insertion of the phase shifter which changes the phase line which connects the two ports of the adjacent closing line path. A plurality of said closing line path, oscillating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that are two-dimensionally arranged. The phase difference between the adjacent ports is π / 2, and the number of the ports is four points per one closed line, according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The oscillation device described. The closed line is a peripheral line composed of a regular n polygon having a side length of 1 / n of one wavelength of the oscillation frequency, where n is a natural number of 3 or more, and a center point of the regular n polygon, with each side including a vertex of the regular n polygon consists internal line connecting at equal central angle, claims 1 to, characterized in that the output n times the frequency of the oscillation frequency from said center point 7. The oscillation device according to any one of items 6 . The closed line is composed of a peripheral line composed of a circle, a center point of the circle, and an n equal dividing point of a circumference, where n is a natural number of 3 or more, and the center line The oscillation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein a frequency n times the oscillation frequency is output. The closed line is composed of a peripheral line composed of a square whose length of one side is ¼ of one wavelength of the oscillation frequency, and an internal line connecting the midpoint of each side and the center point of the square. The oscillation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the oscillation device outputs a frequency four times the oscillation frequency. Oscillating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it has a phase setter for the phase of the output signal in-phase. An array antenna device using the oscillation device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 . An array antenna device using the oscillating device according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
An array antenna apparatus in which a transmission circuit and an antenna element are formed at a center point of the closed line.

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