Phased array control circuit for controlling directivity of a beam-formed signal

Abstract

In certain exemplary embodiments, register banks are used to allow for fast beam switching (FBS) in a phased array system. Specifically, each beam forming channel is associated with a register bank containing M register sets for configuring such things as gain/amplitude and phase parameters of the beam forming channel. The register banks for all beam forming channels can be pre-programmed and then fast beam switching circuitry allows all beam forming channels across the array to be switched to use the same register set from its corresponding register bank at substantially the same time, thereby allowing the phased array system to be quickly switched between various beam patterns and orientations. Additionally or alternatively, active power control circuitry may be used to control the amount of electrical power provided to or consumed by one or more individual beam forming channels such as to reduce DC power consumption of the array and/or to selectively change the effective directivity of the array.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A phased array system for controlling the directivity of a beam-formed signal, the system comprising:
 a plurality of beam forming elements;   a plurality of beam forming channels, each beam forming channel including beam forming circuitry configured to process signals for a discrete beam forming element; and   for each beam forming channel, a corresponding register bank comprising at least one individually addressable and programmable register set for storing operating parameters for the beam forming channel and fast beam switching circuitry configured to provide operating parameters from a selected register set to the beam forming channel based on fast beam switching control signals; and   a beam forming controller configured to pre-program a selected register set in each register bank with operating parameters for changing directivity characteristics of the beam-formed signal and to produce the fast beam switching control signals to cause simultaneously switching of the plurality of beam forming channels to the pre-programmed operating parameters from the selected register set of the corresponding register bank to change the directivity characteristics of the beam-formed signal.   
     
     
         2 . The phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam forming controller is configured to selectively turn on and off one or more individual beam forming channels to selectively control DC power consumption of the phased array system as part of changing the directivity characteristics of the beam-formed signal. 
     
     
         3 . The phased array system according to  claim 2 , wherein the beam forming controller determines the one or more individual beam forming channels to selectively turn on and off based at least in part on a desired range for the beam-formed signal. 
     
     
         4 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters additionally change directional characteristics of the beam-formed signal. 
     
     
         5 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters additionally change power characteristics of the beam-formed signal. 
     
     
         6 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein each register bank comprises a plurality of individually addressable and programmable register sets enabling pre-programming of different beam-formed signal characteristics. 
     
     
         7 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , wherein the fast beam switching circuitry is configured to allow for random access to the register sets of the register bank. 
     
     
         8 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , wherein the fast beam switching circuitry is configured to allow for sequential access to the register sets of the register bank. 
     
     
         9 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , wherein the fast beam switching circuitry is configured to allow for round-robin access to the register sets of the register bank. 
     
     
         10 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , further comprising a programming interface for programming the register banks. 
     
     
         11 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , wherein the fast beam switching circuitry is configured to select the register set based on a parallel address. 
     
     
         12 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , wherein the fast beam switching circuitry is configured to select the register set based on a clock signal. 
     
     
         13 . A phased array system according to  claim 6 , wherein the operating parameters include an amplitude parameter and a phase parameter. 
     
     
         14 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the beam forming channels is a dual-mode beam forming channel including transmit path circuitry for operating in a transmit mode, receive path circuitry for operating in a receive mode, and mode selection circuitry for switching between the transmit mode and the receive mode based on a mode selection parameter in the operating parameters for the beam forming channel. 
     
     
         15 . A phased array system according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one beam forming channel includes active power control circuitry for selectively turning the beam forming channel on and off based on a power control parameter from the beam forming controller. 
     
     
         16 . A phased array system according to  claim 15 , wherein the power control parameter for the beam forming channel is derived from the operating parameters provided to the beam forming channel. 
     
     
         17 . A phased array system according to  claim 15 , wherein the power control parameter for the beam forming channel is separate from the operating parameters. 
     
     
         18 . A phased array system according to  claim 15 , wherein the active power control circuitry is configured to selectively turn on and off at least some beam forming circuitry of the beam forming channel. 
     
     
         19 . A phased array system according to  claim 15 , wherein the active power control circuitry is configured to selectively adjust a power level of at least some beam forming circuitry of the beam forming channel. 
     
     
         20 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of beam forming integrated circuits, each beam forming integrated circuit implementing at least one beam forming channel and corresponding register set. 
     
     
         21 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam-formed signal is a transmit signal. 
     
     
         22 . A phased array system according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam-formed system is a receive signal.