Rf beamforming topology

Abstract

Described herein are systems for vector modulated beamforming that may be implemented in a space-efficient manner and with high channel isolation. In some embodiments, systems described herein may perform I/Q vector modulation downstream of receive signal summation and/or upstream of transmit signal division. Implementing I/Q modulation on a transmit signal prior to dividing the transmit signal among multiple transmit channels, and/or on a receive signal after multiple receive channels have been summed to form the receive signal, may use fewer I/Q modulators than channels, such as a single I/Q modulator. Having fewer I/Q modulators than channels results in a space-efficient beamforming architecture having low channel crosstalk and/or permits use of a simple I/Q modulator calibration procedure. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, channel summing and/or dividing circuitry in systems described herein may be coupled between amplification circuitry and I/Q vector modulation circuitry to advantageously use fewer I/Q modulators than channels.