Systems and methods for calibrating arrays of dual-polarization antenna elements

1. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna array, comprising a plurality of antenna cells arranged in K rows and L columns, wherein:

each antenna cell includes a plurality of antenna elements,

each antenna element is a dual-polarization antenna element,

antenna cells in columns 1 through Y are antenna cells of a first sub-array,

Y is an integer equal to or greater than 2 and less than L, and

antenna cells in columns Y+1 through L are antenna cells of a second sub-array; and

a calibration circuitry, to:

in a step 1 , for each column of antenna cells of the first sub-array, calibrate antenna elements of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another,

in a step 2 , calibrate antenna elements of different columns of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another using a plurality of calibration antenna elements other than the antenna elements of the antenna array, each calibration antenna element of the plurality of calibration antenna elements being equidistant to a respective pair of antenna elements of adjacent columns of the antenna cells of the first sub-array and being further away from other antenna elements of the adjacent columns than from the respective pair of antenna elements,

in a step 3 , for each column of antenna cells of the second sub-array, calibrate antenna elements of the column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another,

in a step 4 , calibrate antenna elements of different columns of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another, and

in a step 5 , calibrate antenna elements of the first sub-array and antenna elements of the second sub-array with respect to one another,

wherein the step 1 includes, for at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array;

calibrating antenna elements of a first odd row and a second odd row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of an even row of the antenna cells of the second sub-array that is between the first odd row and the second odd row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array,

calibrating antenna elements of a first even row and a second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of an odd row of the antenna cells of the second sub-array that is between the first even row and the second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array, and

calibrating antenna elements of the first odd row and the second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of two rows of the antenna cells of the second sub-array that are between the first odd row and the second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array.

2. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 1 before performing the step 2 , perform the step 2 before performing the step 3 , perform the step 3 before performing the step 4 , and perform the step 4 before performing the step 5 .

3. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 2 before performing the step 1 , perform the step 1 before performing the step 4 , perform the step 4 before performing the step 3 , and perform the step 3 before performing the step 5 .

4. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 5 before performing the step 1 , perform the step 1 before performing the step 2 , perform the step 2 before performing the step 3 , and perform the step 3 before performing the step 4 .

5. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 5 before performing the step 3 , perform the step 3 before performing the step 4 , perform the step 4 before performing the step 1 , and perform the step 1 before performing the step 2 .

6. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of calibration antenna elements is along a side of the antenna array so that each calibration antenna element is substantially equidistant to a pair of adjacent antenna cells within a single row of the antenna cells that are closest to the each calibration antenna element, and wherein the step 2 includes:

calibrating antenna elements of a first pair of adjacent antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on a calibration antenna element of the plurality of calibration antenna elements; that is substantially equidistant to the first pair of adjacent antenna cells of the first sub-array.

7. The antenna apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the step 4 includes:

calibrating antenna elements of a first pair of adjacent antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another based on a calibration antenna element of the plurality of calibration antenna elements: that is substantially equidistant to the first pair of adjacent antenna cells of the second sub-array.

8. The antenna apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the step 5 includes:

calibrating antenna elements of a first antenna cell of the first sub-array and a first antenna cell of the second sub-array with respect to one another based on a calibration antenna element; of the plurality of calibration antenna elements: that is substantially equidistant to the first antenna cell of the first sub-array and the first antenna cell of the second sub-array.

9. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

each antenna cell is coupled to a respective beamformer,

for each antenna cell of the first sub-array, the beamformer of the antenna cell of the first sub-array is coupled to each of an up and down converter (UDC) H 1 and an UDC V 1 , and

for each antenna cell of the second sub-array, the beamformer of the antenna cell of the second sub-array is coupled to each of an UDC H 2 and an UDC V 2 .

10. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of calibration antenna element is at a periphery of the antenna array.

11. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna array, comprising a plurality of antenna cells arranged in K rows and L columns, where:

each antenna cell includes a plurality of antenna elements,

each antenna element is a dual-polarization antenna element,

antenna cells in columns 1 through Y are antenna cells of a first sub-array,

Y is an integer equal to or greater than 2 and less than L, and

antenna cells in columns Y+1 through L are antenna cells of a second sub-array; and

a calibration circuitry, to:

calibrate antenna elements of a first odd row and a second odd row of a column of antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of an even row of the antenna cells of the second sub-array that is between the first odd row and the second odd row of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array,

calibrate antenna elements of a first even row and a second even row of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of an odd row of the antenna cells of the second sub-array that is between the first even row and the second even row of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array, and

calibrate antenna elements of the first odd row and the second even row of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of two rows of the antenna cells of the second sub-array that is between the first odd row and the second even row of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array.

12. The antenna apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the calibration circuitry is further to:

calibrate antenna elements of different columns of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another,

for each column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array, calibrate antenna elements of the column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another,

calibrate antenna elements of different columns of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another, and

calibrate antenna elements of the first sub-array and antenna elements of the second sub-array with respect to one another.

13. The antenna apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein each antenna cell is coupled to a respective beamformer.

14. The antenna apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein:

for each antenna cell of the first sub-array, the beamformer of the antenna cell of the first sub-array is coupled to each of an up and down converter (UDC) H 1 and an UDC V 1 , and

for each antenna cell of the second sub-array, the beamformer of the antenna cell of the second sub-array is coupled to each of an UDC H 2 and an UDC V 2 .

15. The antenna apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a plurality of calibration antenna elements is at a periphery of the antenna array.

16. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna array, comprising a plurality of antenna cells arranged in K rows and L columns, wherein:

each antenna cell includes a plurality of antenna elements,

each antenna element is a dual-polarization antenna element,

antenna cells in columns 1 through Y are antenna cells of a first sub-array,

Y is an integer equal to or greater than 2 and less than L, and

antenna cells in columns Y+1 through L are antenna cells of a second sub-array; and

a calibration circuitry, to:

in a step 1 , for each column of antenna cells of the first sub-array, calibrate antenna elements of the column of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another,

in a step 2 , calibrate antenna elements of different columns of the antenna cells of the first sub-array with respect to one another using a plurality of calibration antenna elements other than the antenna elements of the antenna array, each calibration antenna element of the plurality of calibration antenna elements being equidistant to a respective pair of antenna elements of adjacent columns of the antenna cells of the first sub-array and being further away from other antenna elements of the adjacent columns than from the respective pair of antenna elements,

in a step 3 , for each column of antenna cells of the second sub-array, calibrate antenna elements of the column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another,

in a step 4 , calibrate antenna elements of different columns of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another, and

in a step 5 , calibrate antenna elements of the first sub-array and antenna elements of the second sub-array with respect to one another,

wherein the step 3 includes, for at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array:

calibrating antenna elements of a first odd row and a second odd row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of an even row of the antenna cells of the first sub-array that is between the first odd row and the second odd row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array,

calibrating antenna elements of a first even row and a second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of an odd row of the antenna cells of the first sub-array that is between the first even row and the second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array, and

calibrating antenna elements of the first odd row and the second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array with respect to one another based on antenna elements of two rows of the antenna cells of the first sub-array that is between the first odd row and the second even row of the at least one column of the antenna cells of the second sub-array.

17. The antenna apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 1 before performing the step 2 , perform the step 2 before performing the step 3 , perform the step 3 before performing the step 4 , and perform the step 4 before performing the step 5 .

18. The antenna apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 2 before performing the step 1 , perform the step 1 before performing the step 4 , perform the step 4 before performing the step 3 , and perform the step 3 before performing the step 5 .

19. The antenna apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 5 before performing the step 1 , perform the step 1 before performing the step 2 , perform the step 2 before performing the step 3 , and perform the step 3 before performing the step 4 .

20. The antenna apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the calibration circuitry is to perform the step 5 before performing the step 3 , perform the step 3 before performing the step 4 , perform the step 4 before performing the step 1 , and perform the step 1 before performing the step 2 .