A phase shifter that includes an RF splitter is disclosed. The RF splitter is arranged so that an RF input signal is provided to, and split over portions of, a feed line that connects an antenna element with a radio transmitter/receiver/transceiver, thus realizing a feed line splitter. Feed line splitters described herein are provided with switches that allow changing a point at which the RF input signal is fed to the feed line, where the switches may be semiconductor-based or MEMS-based switches. The point at which the RF input signal is provided to the feed line to be split defines the electrical path length that the RF energy will travel down each respective path of the feed line splitter, which, in turn, changes the phase shift realized at each output of the feed line splitter. Different antenna elements may be coupled to different outputs of the feed line splitter.

A phase shifter that includes an RF splitter is disclosed. The RF splitter is arranged so that an RF input signal is provided to, and split over portions of, a feed line that connects an antenna element with a radio transmitter/receiver/transceiver, thus realizing a feed line splitter. Feed line splitters described herein are provided with switches that allow changing a point at which the RF input signal is fed to the feed line, where the switches may be semiconductor-based or MEMS-based switches. The point at which the RF input signal is provided to the feed line to be split defines the electrical path length that the RF energy will travel down each respective path of the feed line splitter, which, in turn, changes the phase shift realized at each output of the feed line splitter. Different antenna elements may be coupled to different outputs of the feed line splitter.

In an antenna module on one printed circuit board, a first area where a plurality of antenna elements are positioned on a first surface, and a second area where a plurality of front end integrated circuits are independently positioned on a second surface, the opposite surface of the first surface, are provided, and a wire is provided in the second area to electrically couple some ports of a plurality of ports provided in a first front end integrated circuit to some ports of a plurality of ports provided in a second front end integrated circuit. The some ports provided in the first front end integrated circuit include a first port configured to output a first intermediate frequency signal, and a second port configured to input a second intermediate frequency signal.

In an embodiment, a communications system includes a first transmitter electrically coupled to a first antenna of a phased array antenna, the first transmitter configured to receive an input signal, apply a first baseband frequency shift to the input signal to generate a first baseband frequency shifted input signal, generate a first modulated signal based on the first baseband frequency shifted input signal and transmit the first modulated signal by the first antenna. The communications system includes a second transmitter electrically coupled to a second antenna of the phased array antenna. The second transmitter configured to receive the input signal, apply a second baseband frequency shift, different from the first baseband frequency shift, to the input signal to generate a second baseband frequency shifted input signal, generate a second modulated signal based on the second baseband frequency shifted input signal, and transmit the second modulated signal by the second antenna.

In an embodiment, a communications system includes a first transmitter electrically coupled to a first antenna of a phased array antenna, the first transmitter configured to receive an input signal, apply a first baseband frequency shift to the input signal to generate a first baseband frequency shifted input signal, generate a first modulated signal based on the first baseband frequency shifted input signal and transmit the first modulated signal by the first antenna. The communications system includes a second transmitter electrically coupled to a second antenna of the phased array antenna. The second transmitter configured to receive the input signal, apply a second baseband frequency shift, different from the first baseband frequency shift, to the input signal to generate a second baseband frequency shifted input signal, generate a second modulated signal based on the second baseband frequency shifted input signal, and transmit the second modulated signal by the second antenna.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first baseband section to receive a calibration signal; a first radio frequency (RF) section configured to generate a RF calibration signal based on modulating the calibration signal. The calibration signal comprises an orthogonal code based signal. The apparatus includes a second RF section to receive the RF calibration signal and generate a received calibration signal based on demodulating the RF calibration signal; a calibration section; a first antenna electrically coupled to the first RF section and configured to transmit the RF calibration signal; and a second antenna electrically coupled to the second RF section and configured to receive the RF calibration signal. The calibration section is configured to determine one or more of gain, baseband delay, or RF delay to calibrate the first RF section; and the second antenna is switchable between receiving the RF calibration signal and transmitting an encoded data signal.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first baseband section to receive a calibration signal; a first radio frequency (RF) section configured to generate a RF calibration signal based on modulating the calibration signal. The calibration signal comprises an orthogonal code based signal. The apparatus includes a second RF section to receive the RF calibration signal and generate a received calibration signal based on demodulating the RF calibration signal; a calibration section; a first antenna electrically coupled to the first RF section and configured to transmit the RF calibration signal; and a second antenna electrically coupled to the second RF section and configured to receive the RF calibration signal. The calibration section is configured to determine one or more of gain, baseband delay, or RF delay to calibrate the first RF section; and the second antenna is switchable between receiving the RF calibration signal and transmitting an encoded data signal.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a transmit section including a first baseband section and a first radio frequency (RF) section, wherein the transmit section is configured to receive a calibration signal, the first RF section is configured to generate a RF calibration signal based on modulating the calibration signal. The calibration signal comprises an orthogonal code based signal; and a receive section configured to receive the RF calibration signal over-the-air, the receive section includes a second RF section and a calibration section, the second RF section is configured to generate a received calibration signal based on the RF calibration signal, the received calibration signal and a reference signal associated with the RF calibration signal comprise inputs to the calibration section and the calibration section is configured to determine one or more of gain, baseband delay, or RF delay compensation values, based on the inputs, to calibrate the transmit section.

An aperture antenna tuning technique is used in an antenna array to improve the performance and, therefore, enhance the overall system efficiency for wireless devices. The aperture tuning occurs by using an aperture tuner to change the phase response of the antenna array radiation pattern. The aperture tuning improves the signal to noise ratio (SNR) by enhancing an array radiation pattern in a desired direction.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC) chip configured to receive a timing signal and a reference clock signal. The IC chips is configured to a reference time signal based on the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The IC chip includes a phase lock loop (PLL). The PLL is synchronized based on the reference time signal.