Modular, multi-channel beamformer front-end integrated circuits for millimeter wave applications
Examples disclosed herein relate to a modular, multi-channel beamformer front-end integrated circuits for millimeter wave applications. A beamformer tile includes an array of radiating elements, and a plurality of radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to apply phase shifting to transmit signaling directed to the array of radiating elements for a transmit operation and to return signaling from the array of radiating elements for a receive operation, in which each of the plurality of radio frequency integrated circuits comprises a plurality of Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) channels that are coupled to a subset of the array of radiating elements. Other examples disclosed herein relate to beamforming antenna system.
1 . A beamformer tile, comprising:
an array of radiating elements; and
a plurality of radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits (RFICs) coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to apply phase shifting to transmit signaling directed to the array of radiating elements for a transmit operation and to return signaling from the array of radiating elements for a receive operation, wherein the beamformer tile comprises one RFIC for every sixteen radiating elements of the array of radiating elements, and wherein the plurality of RFICs are mounted on a first surface of a substrate and the array of radiating elements are mounted on a second surface of the substrate, the first surface is opposite the second surface,
wherein each of the plurality of radio frequency integrated circuits comprises a plurality of Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) channels that are coupled to a subset of the array of radiating elements,
wherein the array is a transmit array and is adapted for operation with a second beamformer tile configured to operate as a receive antenna,
wherein the beamformer tile is configured to operate as a transmit antenna, and
wherein the beamformer tile operating as the transmit antenna and the second beamformer tile operating as the receive antenna are configured to operate as a virtual array having a virtual aperture greater than an aperture of the beamformer tile.
2 . The beamformer tile of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of radio frequency integrated circuits is configured to drive a plurality of MIMO channels to a subset of the array of radiating elements.
3 . The beamformer tile of claim 1 , wherein the beamformer tile is further configured to operate with a third beamformer tile configured to operate as a second transmit antenna.
4 . The beamformer tile of claim 1 , wherein the array of radiating elements are configured in subarrays and each subarray corresponding to a millimeter wave IC (MMIC), and wherein each MMIC controls phases of signals radiating from the subarray.
5 . The beamformer tile of claim 1 , wherein the radiating elements are separated by half a transmit wavelength.
6 . The beamformer tile of claim 1 , wherein the radiating elements are separated by twice a transmit wavelength.
7 . A radar system, comprising:
a plurality of beamformer tiles, wherein each of the plurality of beamformer tiles comprises:
an array of radiating elements; and
a plurality of radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits (RFICs) coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to apply phase shifting and transmit signaling directed to the array of radiating elements for a transmit operation and return signaling from the array of radiating elements for a receive operation, wherein a beamformer tile of the plurality of beamformer tiles comprises one RFIC for every sixteen radiating elements of the array of radiating elements, and wherein the plurality of RFICs are mounted on a first surface of a substrate and the array of radiating elements are mounted on a second surface of the substrate, the first surface is opposite the second surface,
wherein each of the plurality of radio frequency integrated circuits comprises a plurality of Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) channels that are coupled to a subset of the array of radiating elements,
wherein the plurality of beamformer tiles are arranged to form a MIMO configuration using one or more virtual receive arrays,
wherein the plurality of beamformer tiles comprises a transmit beamformer tile and a receive beamformer tile, and
wherein the transmit beamformer tile operating as a transmit antenna and the receive beamformer tile operating as a receive antenna are configured to operate as a virtual array having a virtual aperture greater than an aperture of either the transmit beamformer tile or the receive beamformer tile.
8 . The radar system of claim 7 , wherein two or more of the plurality of beamformer tiles are arranged with a predetermined spacing as a function of a transmit signal wavelength.
9 . The radar system of claim 7 , wherein two or more of the plurality of beamformer tiles are arranged in a diagonal arrangement.
10 . The radar system of claim 7 , wherein the radar system transmits frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) signals.
11 . The radar system of claim 7 , wherein a first set of the radiating elements operates as a transmit antenna and a second set of the radiating elements operates as a receive antenna, the system further comprising:
a transceiver adapted to generate signals for transmit and receive antennas;
a power combiner coupled between the transceiver and the receive antenna; and
a power splitter coupled between the transceiver and the transmit antenna.
12 . A beamformer tile, comprising:
a substrate layer;
an array of antenna elements patterned on a first surface of the substrate layer; and
one radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) for every sixteen antenna elements of the array of antenna elements, wherein the one RFIC is coupled to a second surface of the substrate layer, and the first surface is opposite the second surface,
wherein the RFIC is adapted to form a beam for the antenna elements,
wherein the array is a transmit array and is adapted for operation with a second beamformer tile configured to operate as a receive antenna,
wherein the beamformer tile configured to operate as a transmit antenna, and
wherein the beamformer tile operating as the transmit antenna and the second beamformer tile operating as the receive antenna are configured to operate as a virtual array having a virtual aperture greater than an aperture of the beamformer tile.
13 . The beamformer tile of claim 12 , wherein a geometry of the beamformer tile and an arrangement of the antenna elements determine a virtual array operation.
14 . The beamformer tile of claim 12 , wherein the beamformer tile is adapted for a hybrid Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) phased array system having transmit and receive beamformer tiles.
15 . The beamformer tile of claim 14 , wherein the hybrid MIMO phased array system has a first number of beamformer tiles arranged along a first axis and a second number of beamformer tiles arranged along a second axis.
16 . The beamformer tile of claim 15 , wherein the second axis is diagonal to the first axis, and wherein the first number of beamformer tiles of the hybrid MIMO phased array system are spaced to accommodate the second number of beamformer tiles between adjacent beamformer tiles of the first number of beamformer tiles on the first axis.