Feasibility Study: Active Integrated Antennas for Ultra Wideband Systems

超宽带(UWB)系统使用分布在非常宽的频率范围内的信号，提供了高数据速率通信的潜力。通过使用具有非常快的上升和下降时间的脉冲或者通过将具有大范围载波频率的多个调制信号组合在一起来实现该宽频谱。UWB系统在高空间容量通信方面提供了很大的优势，这意味着许多UWB系统可以在近距离同时运行，而不会相互干扰。其他应用包括精确的室内定位和性能改进的短程成像系统。有源集成天线技术提供了一种制造紧凑型天线收发模块的方法，适用于各种紧凑型手持或便携式设备，如移动电话、计算机、游戏平台、个人数字助理或科学和医疗仪器。对于窄带系统，有源集成天线的性能问题现在已经被很好地理解了，但UWB系统非常不同的操作模式给AIAS带来了一系列新的挑战。因此，我们认为现在重要的是将这两个主题结合在一起，以确定挑战并提出一种前进方向，使AIA技术的潜在好处能够应用于新兴的UWB系统。在这项可行性研究中，我们将首先致力于：全面确定系统要求；研究当前UWB收发机和天线的架构；确定不同可能的高频有源设备类型和配置对于有源集成UWB收发机系统的适用性。然后，我们将详细考虑AIAS在UWB系统中的潜力。超宽带有源集成天线可以设计成两种不同类型的功能，这两种功能都将被详细研究。首先，将有源电路功能集成到天线中可以改善收发信机的操作，其中噪声、增益和线性度是最重要的参数。不可避免的是，其中一些方面的改进涉及到其他方面的妥协，这些需要在超宽带背景下得到充分理解。其次，积分可以显著改变天线的特性，例如辐射方向图、极化特性、带宽和脉冲整形。原则上，通过AIA方法实现的这些参数的控制可以允许改善UWB系统的整体性能，例如通过使接收器对来自已知干扰的信号不敏感。这项为期一年的研究的结果将是对UWB系统中AIA的需求、体系结构、设备选择和可能的好处的审查，将在后续研究中详细研究UWB AIA的一组新配置，以及一组需要进一步研究的已确定的研究问题。

Ultra wideband (UWB) systems offer the potential of high data rate communications, using signals that are spread over a very wide range of frequency. This wide spectrum is achieved either using pulses with very fast rise and fall times or by combining together a number of modulated signals with a wide range of carrier frequencies. UWB systems offer much in terms of high spatial capacity communications, meaning that many UWB systems can operate simultaneously in close proximity without mutual interference. Other applications include accurate indoor position fixing and short range imaging systems with improved performance. Active integrated antenna technology provides a means of making compact antenna-transceiver modules, suitable for use in a wide range of compact handheld or portable equipment, such as mobile phones, computers, games platforms, personal digital assistants, or scientific and medical instruments. The performance issues for active integrated antennas are now well understood for narrowband systems, but the very different modes of operation of UWB systems introduce a new set of challenges for AIAs. We therefore believe it is now important to bring these two topics together in order to define the challenges and to propose a way forward that could allow the potential benefits of AIA technology to be applied to emerging UWB systems. In this feasibility study we will first aim to: fully establish the system requirements; study the current architectures for UWB transceivers and antennas; determine the suitability of different possible high frequency active device types and configurations, for operation in active integrated UWB transceiver systems. We will then consider in detail the potential for AIAs in UWB systems. Ultra wideband active integrated antennas can be designed for two different types of functionality, both of which will be examined in detail. Firstly, integration of active circuit functions into the antenna can lead to improvements in transceiver operation where noise, gain and linearity are the most important parameters. Inevitably, improvements in some of these aspects involve compromises in others, and these need to be fully understood in the UWB context. Secondly, integration can allow significant alteration of the antenna characteristics, such as radiation pattern, polarization properties, bandwidth and pulse shaping. In principle, the control of these parameters, made possible by an AIA approach, can allow improvements in the overall performance of UWB systems, for example by making a receiver insensitive to signals from a known interferer.The outcome of this one-year study will be a review of requirements, architectures, device options and possible benefits of AIAs in UWB systems, a set of novel configurations for UWB AIAs to be studied in detail in a follow-on study and a set of identified research issues requiring further study.