Wideband Beamforming with Rainbow Beam Training using Reconfigurable True-Time-Delay Arrays for Millimeter-Wave Wireless

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel reconfigurable true-time-delay array system enabling wideband beamforming, interference cancellation, and fast beam training for millimeter-wave wireless networks, supporting advanced 3D beam training and low latency communication.

Contribution

Introduction of highly reconfigurable delay elements for wideband beamforming and beam training, with detailed system design and integrated delay compensation techniques.

Findings

Demonstrated large delay range-to-resolution ratios in system design

Enabled 3D beam training in planar arrays for next-generation networks

Supported low latency massive multiple access in wireless standards

Abstract

The decadal research in integrated true-time-delay arrays have seen organic growth enabling realization of wideband beamformers for large arrays with wide aperture widths. This article introduces highly reconfigurable delay elements implementable at analog or digital baseband that enables multiple SSP functions including wideband beamforming, wideband interference cancellation, and fast beam training. Details of the beam-training algorithm, system design considerations, system architecture and circuits with large delay range-to-resolution ratios are presented leveraging integrated delay compensation techniques. The article lays out the framework for true-time-delay based arrays in next-generation network infrastructure supporting 3D beam training in planar arrays, low latency massive multiple access, and emerging wireless communications standards.