Systems, devices, and methods related to phase shifters are provided. An example true time-delay (TTD) phase shifter structure includes a signal conductive line disposed on a first layer of the structure; a first switchable ground plane comprising a first conductive plane disposed on a second layer of the structure; a second switchable ground plane comprising a second conductive plane disposed on a third layer of the structure, where the first, second, and third layers are separate layers of the structure; a first switch coupled between the first switchable ground plane and a first ground element, the first ground element disposed on the second layer; and a second switch coupled between the second switchable ground plane and a second ground element, the second ground element disposed on the third layer.

An apparatus, system, and method for a steerable phased array antenna having a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a predetermined number of rows, M, and a predetermined number of columns, N, wherein M and N are positive integers; a M number of first beamformer components including phase tapers, wherein each first beamformer component corresponds to a row of antenna elements, and wherein each first beamformer component is operatively connected to the N number of antenna elements in the corresponding row; and a N number of second beamformer components including phase tapers, wherein each second beamformer component corresponds to a column of antenna elements, and wherein each second beamformer component is operatively connected to the M number of antenna elements in the corresponding column.

A method of creating a timed array from a plurality of phased arrays is provided. The method comprises the steps of: phase steering each phased array to a desired pointing; applying processing to signals received from at least one of the phased arrays, wherein applying processing to the signals comprises applying, based on a reference, an adjustment to the signals from at least one of the phased arrays, such that the processed signals are substantially aligned in time with the reference; and combining the processed signals from each of the phased arrays; wherein the adjustment varies based at least in part on the desired pointing and the relative location of the phased arrays.

A method for wireless communication in a reflective environment includes (a) receiving first wireless signals at a first antenna assembly at least partially via a first reflective environment, (b) generating a first electrical signal from a first antenna element of the first antenna assembly in response to the first wireless signals, the first antenna element having a first polarization, (c) generating a second electrical signal from a second antenna element of the first antenna assembly in response to the first wireless signals, the second antenna element having a second polarization different from the first polarization, (d) shifting phase of at least one of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and (e) after shifting phase, combining at least the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal to generate a combined electrical signal.

The invention provides an antenna array comprising: a plurality of antenna modules, each of the antenna modules comprising an antenna, a signal conductor and one or more microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches, the antenna being conductively connected to the signal conductor, the MEMS switches and at least a portion of the signal conductor being supported by a MEMS substrate; and one or more integrated circuits comprising MEMS control circuitry configured to control the said one or more MEMS switches and/or signal processing circuitry configured to process signals received and/or to be transmitted by the antennas of the antenna modules, wherein the antenna modules and integrated circuits are supported by a common carrier substrate comprising the antennas of the antenna modules, the MEMS switches; or the said one or more integrated circuits. A hierarchy of MEMS controllers includes a master MEMS controller and local MEMS controllers which send control signals to a plurality of MEMS switches.

Devices, methods and systems are disclosed relating to RF signals. A device may comprise a clock input terminal, a variable delay circuit coupled to the clock input terminal and a test terminal as well as a reference signal generator coupled to the variable delay circuit.

An antenna system and method use an electronically-scanned antenna array and a hybrid beam former architecture. The antenna system includes a matrix of antenna elements and a feeder network. The feeder network includes a first layer including phase shifters. Each of the phase shifters is for a respective antenna element of the antenna elements. The feeder network also includes a second layer and a third layer. Each of the first set of the first time delay units in the second layer is for a respective first subarray of the first subarrays of the antenna elements. Each of the second set of the second time delay units in the third layer is for a respective second subarray of the second subarrays of the first subarrays.

Techniques are disclosed implementing two alternative approaches for adaptive beamforming for MIMO radar. The first of these includes a reduced complexity iterative adaptive approach (RC-IAA) algorithm, which uses two steps including a delay-and-sum beamforming step (DAS-BF) and an IAA step that is applied to the output generated by the DAS-BF step. A second technique is described that includes a beam space iterative adaptive approach (BS-IAA) algorithm, which uses three steps including a delay-and-sum beamforming step (DAS-BF), a region of interest (ROI) detection step that is applied to the output generated by the DAS-BF, and an IAA step that is applied to detected ROIs.

An embodiment method for signal path measurement includes providing a first signal at a common node coupled to a plurality of signal paths that each includes a respective phase rotation circuit. The method also includes providing a second signal, over a first test path, to a first node coupled to a first signal path of the plurality of signal paths, providing the second signal, over a second test path, to a second node coupled to a second signal path of the plurality of signal paths, selecting a signal path from the plurality of signal paths, transmitting, over the selected signal path, one of the first signal and the second signal, and mixing the first signal with the second signal to obtain a measurement signal of the selected signal path. A difference in phase delay between the second test path and the first test path includes a first known phase delay.

A multi-beam-former for an antenna array is described, the multi-beam former comprises N transceiver terminals for connecting a transmitter and/or receiver and N antenna terminals for connecting to a respective antenna and a plurality of couplers and matrix phase shifters arranged in an NN Butler matrix configuration between the N transceiver terminals and the N antenna terminals. At least some of the matrix phase shifters include a switchable matrix phase shifter configured to switch between a respective first phase shift value and a respective second phase shift value; a plurality of bypassable phase shifters arranged between at least some of the couplers and the antenna terminals and configured to switch between a respective further phase shift value and a zero phase shift. The multi-beam former is operable to select one of M different beam angles for a signal, wherein M is greater than N.