Hybrid Analog and Digital Beamforming

Abstract

A radar system having an array of radiating elements configured for both analog beamforming and digital beamforming as analog parameters of the individual radiating elements are controlled, while digital control expands the field of view of the system. The radar system can include an array of radiating elements and a reactance control module coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to adjust a reactance in one or more radiating elements of the array of radiating elements. The radar system also includes a digital control mechanism coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to adjust a field of view of the array of radiating elements. A hybrid beamforming system and a method for a beamforming antenna are also provided herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for control of a hybrid beamforming system, comprising
 measuring a received radar strength at a set of antennas;   storing measured signal strength data in memory; and   adjusting a phase shift function for each of the set of antennas, comprising:
 generating a phase shift function for each of the set of antennas, the phase shift function corresponding to a beam direction; and 
 adding the measured received signal strength data to the phase shift function for each of the set of antennas as an updated phase shift function; 
   receiving radar signals at the set of set of antennas configured with the updated phase shift function;   measuring signal strength of radar signals; and   when a measured signal strength exceeds a threshold value, adjusting the phase shift function for each of the set of antennas.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold value corresponds to a range to a target. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the phase shift function determines a beam direction of the set of antennas. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 fitting measured signal strength data stored in memory to a peak function; and   identifying angle position by an intensity maximum of the measured signal strength data.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining digital beam forming elements of the set of antennas that are closest to a target based on intensity of return signals.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the digital beam forming elements of the set of antennas indicates a field of view. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the system is a radar system. 
     
     
         8 . A hybrid beamforming system, comprising:
 an array of radiating elements segmented into multiple subarray configurations,   an analog control module coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to control parameters of individual radiating elements of at least one of the subarray configurations; and   a digital control module coupled to the array of radiating elements and configured to control a field of view of the system.   
     
     
         9 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 8 , wherein the analog parameters include direction and power of a beam. 
     
     
         10 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 9 , wherein control of the field of view of the system adjusts a phase of a signal on each of a plurality of transmission paths. 
     
     
         11 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of transmission paths are configured to propagate signals to radiating elements of the array. 
     
     
         12 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 11 , further comprising a frequency conversion module configured to adjust the phase of the signal on each of the transmission paths. 
     
     
         13 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 12 , wherein the array of radiating elements comprises a transmit array and a receive array. 
     
     
         14 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 13 , wherein the system is a radar system. 
     
     
         15 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 8 , wherein the analog control module controls a power parameter and the digital control module controls a phase parameter. 
     
     
         16 . The hybrid beamforming system as in  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the radiating elements is a meta-structure antenna element. 
     
     
         17 . A radar system, comprising:
 a transceiver;   an array of radiating elements;   an analog control module to control analog parameters of the array; and   a digital control module to control a field of view of the array, the digital control module comprising an intensity measurement module configured to measure signal strength of a received signal.   
     
     
         18 . The radar system of  claim 17 , wherein the digital control module determines a phase of at least one of the radiating elements as a function of a first measured signal strength. 
     
     
         19 . The radar system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a memory storage device in which measured signal strengths are stored.   
     
     
         20 . The radar system of  claim 19 , wherein the digital control module is configured to:
 fit measured signal strengths stored in memory to a peak function; and   identify an angle position by an intensity maximum of the measured signal strength.