IP Library Granted Patent US 12,451,978
Granted Patent B2
US 12,451,978 · App. 18/182,754 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Near-field measurements for far-field calibration of antenna arrays

Inventors: Vasanthan Raghavan (West Windsor Township, NJ); Kobi Ravid (Closter, NJ); Junyi Li (Fairless Hills, PA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04B17/13H04B17/21H04B17/327
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,451,978
App. No.
18/182,754
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wireless communications systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) includes receiving, from a wireless communication device located at a first distance from the UE, a plurality of reference signals associated with determining a set of phase values corresponding to antenna elements of an antenna array for reception operations, determining a first set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values, and transmitting, to a network unit located at a second distance from the UE, a communication signal with phase values based on a second set of calibration adjustment coefficients, wherein the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a distance adjustment factor based on the first and second distances of the wireless communication device and the network unit from the UE, respectively.

Claims (103)

1. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving, from a wireless communication device located at a first distance from the UE, a plurality of reference signals, wherein the plurality of reference signals are associated with determining a set of phase values corresponding to antenna elements of an antenna array for reception operations;

determining a first set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values to be used for transmission operations from the antenna elements of the antenna array at the UE to the wireless communication device located at the first distance from the UE; and

transmitting, to a network unit located at a second distance from the UE, a communication signal with phase values based on a second set of calibration adjustment coefficients, wherein the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a distance adjustment factor based on the first and second distances of the wireless communication device and the network unit from the UE, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance adjustment factor comprises a value of zero.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance adjustment factor is based on a resolution of a phase shifter of the UE.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a common distance adjustment factor; and

the common distance adjustment factor is at least one of:

an average of a plurality of distance adjustment factors;

based on the second distance; or

based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) associated with the communication signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is based on near-field behavior of the antenna array.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance adjustment factor is further based on at least one of:

a temperature of the UE;

a frequency range associated with the communication signal;

a gain state associated with the antenna elements of the antenna array; or

a difference between the first distance and the second distance.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a third set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with a set of gain values to be used for the transmission operations, wherein the transmitting the communication signal comprises transmitting the communication signal with gain values based on a fourth set of calibration adjustment coefficients, wherein the fourth set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the third set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a second distance adjustment factor.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the network unit, an indicator indicating a self-calibration capability associated with the antenna elements of the antenna array; and

self-calibrating one or more of the antenna elements of the antenna array.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from the network unit, an indicator indicating the distance adjustment factor.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the wireless communication device comprises measurement equipment; and

the receiving the plurality of reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of reference signals in an anechoic chamber.

12. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving, from a wireless communication device located at a first distance from the UE, a plurality of first reference signals;

receiving, from the wireless communication device located at a second distance from the UE, a plurality of second reference signals, wherein the plurality of first reference signals and the plurality of second reference signals are associated with determining a set of phase values corresponding to antenna elements of an antenna array for reception operations;

determining a first set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values to be used for transmission operations from the antenna elements of the antenna array at the UE to the wireless communication device located at the first distance from the UE;

determining a second set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values to be used for transmission operations from the antenna elements of the antenna array at the UE to the wireless communication device located at the second distance from the UE; and

transmitting, to a network unit located at a second distance from the UE, a communication signal with phase values based on at least one of the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients or the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the receiving the plurality of first reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of first reference signals at a first frequency;

the receiving the plurality of second reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of second reference signals at the first frequency;

the transmitting the communication signal comprises transmitting the communication signal at a second frequency based on a third set of calibration adjustment coefficients extrapolated from at least one of the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients or the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients; and

the second frequency is higher than the first frequency.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the receiving the plurality of first reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of first reference signals using a subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array;

the receiving the plurality of second reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of second reference signals using the subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array; and

the transmitting the communication signal comprises transmitting the communication signal using all the antenna elements of the antenna array.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the receiving the plurality of first reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of first reference signals at a first frequency in a subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array;

the receiving the plurality of second reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of second reference signals at the first frequency in the subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array; and

the transmitting the communication signal comprises transmitting the communication signal using all the antenna elements of the antenna array at a second frequency based on a third set of calibration adjustment coefficients extrapolated from at least one of the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients or the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients.

16. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a memory;

a transceiver; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver, wherein the UE is configured to:

receive, from a wireless communication device located at a first distance from the UE, a plurality of reference signals, wherein the plurality of reference signals are associated with determining a set of phase values corresponding to antenna elements of an antenna array for reception operations;

determine a first set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values to be used for transmission operations from the antenna elements of the antenna array at the UE to the wireless communication device located at the first distance from the UE; and

transmit, to a network unit located at a second distance from the UE, a communication signal with phase values based on a second set of calibration adjustment coefficients, wherein the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a distance adjustment factor based on the first and second distances of the wireless communication device and the network unit from the UE, respectively.

17. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the distance adjustment factor comprises a value of zero.

18. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the distance adjustment factor is based on a resolution of a phase shifter of the UE.

19. The UE of claim 16 , wherein:

the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a common distance adjustment factor; and

the common distance adjustment factor is at least one of:

an average of a plurality of distance adjustment factors;

based on the second distance; or

based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) associated with the communication signal.

20. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

21. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the first distance is based on near-field behavior of the antenna array.

22. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the distance adjustment factor is further based on at least one of:

a temperature of the UE;

a frequency range associated with the communication signal;

a gain state associated with the antenna elements of the antenna array; or

a difference between the first distance and the second distance.

23. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

determine a third set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with a set of gain values to be used for the transmission operations; and

transmit the communication signal with gain values based on a fourth set of calibration adjustment coefficients, wherein the fourth set of calibration adjustment coefficients are based on the third set of calibration adjustment coefficients and a second distance adjustment factor.

24. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

transmit, to the network unit, an indicator indicating a self-calibration capability associated with the antenna elements of the antenna array; and

self-calibrate one or more of the antenna elements of the antenna array.

25. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

receive from the network unit, an indicator indicating the distance adjustment factor.

26. The UE of claim 16 , wherein:

the wireless communication device comprises measurement equipment; and

the receiving the plurality of reference signals comprises receiving the plurality of reference signals in an anechoic chamber.

27. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a memory;

a transceiver; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver, wherein the UE is configured to:

receive, from a wireless communication device located at a first distance from the UE, a plurality of first reference signals;

receive, from the wireless communication device located at a second distance from the UE, a plurality of second reference signals, wherein the plurality of first reference signals and the plurality of second reference signals are associated with determining a set of phase values corresponding to antenna elements of an antenna array for reception operations;

determine a first set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values to be used for transmission operations from the antenna elements of the antenna array at the UE to the wireless communication device located at the first distance from the UE;

determine a second set of calibration adjustment coefficients associated with the set of phase values to be used for transmission operations from the antenna elements of the antenna array at the UE to the wireless communication device located at the second distance from the UE; and

transmit, to a network unit located at a second distance from the UE, a communication signal with phase values based on at least one of the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients or the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients.

28. The UE of claim 27 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

receive the plurality of first reference signals at a first frequency;

receive the plurality of second reference signals at the first frequency;

transmit the communication signal at a second frequency based on a third set of calibration adjustment coefficients extrapolated from at least one of the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients or the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients; and

wherein the second frequency is higher than the first frequency.

29. The UE of claim 27 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

receive the plurality of first reference signals using a subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array;

receive the plurality of second reference signals using the subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array; and

transmit the communication signal using all the antenna elements of the antenna array.

30. The UE of claim 27 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

receive the plurality of first reference signals at a first frequency in a subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array;

receive the plurality of second reference signals at the first frequency in the subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array; and

transmit the communication signal using all the antenna elements of the antenna array at a second frequency based on a third set of calibration adjustment coefficients extrapolated from at least one of the first set of calibration adjustment coefficients or the second set of calibration adjustment coefficients.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2023
From: RAGHAVAN, VASANTHAN; RAVID, KOBI; LI, JUNYI
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 063952/0080 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240313869A1 · Sep 19, 2024
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Cited By (1)
US 12,738,643