The 5th generation new radio (5G NR) standards create both enormous challenges and potential to address the spatio-spectral-temporal agility of wireless transmission. In the framework of a research unit at TU Ilmenau, various concepts were studied, including both approaches toward integrated circuits and distributed receiver front-ends (FEs). We report here on the latter approach, aiming at the proof-of-principle of the constituting FEs suitable for later modular extension. A millimeter-wave agile multi-beam FE with an integrated 4 by 1 antenna array for 5G wireless communications was designed, manufactured, and verified by measurements. The polarization is continuously electronically adjustable and the directions of signal reception are steerable by setting digital phase shifters. On purpose, these functions were realized by analog circuits, and digital signal processing was not applied. The agile polarization is created inside the analog, real-time capable FE in a novel manner and any external circuitry is omitted. The microstrip patch antenna array integrated into this module necessitated elaborate measurements within the scope of FE characterization, as the analog circuit and antenna form a single entity and cannot be assessed separately. Link measurements with broadband signals were successfully performed and analyzed in detail to determine the error vector magnitude contributions of the FE.

中文翻译：

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用于 5G 毫米波测量的敏捷多波束前端

5th新一代无线电 (5G NR) 标准为解决无线传输的时空频谱灵活性带来了巨大挑战和潜力。在 TU Ilmenau 的一个研究单位的框架内，研究了各种概念，包括集成电路和分布式接收器前端 (FE) 的方法。我们在这里报告后一种方法，旨在证明适用于以后模块化扩展的构成 FE 的原理证明。设计、制造并通过测量验证了具有集成 4 x 1 天线阵列的毫米波捷变多波束 FE，用于 5G 无线通信。极化连续电子可调，信号接收方向可通过设置数字移相器来控制。故意用模拟电路来实现这些功能，并且没有应用数字信号处理。灵活极化以一种新颖的方式在模拟、实时能力的 FE 内部创建，并且省略了任何外部电路。集成到该模块中的微带贴片天线阵列需要在 FE 表征范围内进行精细测量，因为模拟电路和天线形成一个整体，无法单独评估。成功地进行了宽带信号的链路测量并进行了详细分析，以确定 FE 的误差矢量幅度贡献。集成到该模块中的微带贴片天线阵列需要在 FE 表征范围内进行精细测量，因为模拟电路和天线形成一个整体，无法单独评估。成功地进行了宽带信号的链路测量并进行了详细分析，以确定 FE 的误差矢量幅度贡献。集成到该模块中的微带贴片天线阵列需要在 FE 表征范围内进行精细测量，因为模拟电路和天线形成一个整体，无法单独评估。成功地进行了宽带信号的链路测量并进行了详细分析，以确定 FE 的误差矢量幅度贡献。