Modal antenna array for interference mitigation

• US 10,084,233 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera AVX Components San Diego Inc (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ethertronics, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Desclos, Laurent, Shamblin, Jeffrey, Chiu, Lynn, Singh, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/671,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 343876, 343893
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/247 by switching different parts of a primary active element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2611 Means for null steering; Adaptive interference nulling

Abstract

A modal antenna array is described where modal antenna elements capable of generating multiple radiation modes are used to form array radiation patterns. Nulls in the array radiation pattern can be formed and positioned by proper modal antenna element mode selection, with these nulls used to provide interference suppression or mitigation. The shift in array radiation pattern maxima generated by modal element mode selection can be used to improve communication system link quality by optimizing array radiation pattern characteristics. Specifically, a ring or circular array configuration is described where a simplified common feed port can be implemented to feed multiple modal antenna elements used to form the array. A switch can be used to connect or disconnect one modal element from the array, with this feature providing additional unique array beam states. The modal array can be commanded via a look-up table or algorithm.

Claims

1. A modal antenna array comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements comprising at least a first modal antenna element, the first modal antenna element being selectively configurable in one of two or more radiation modes, wherein the first modal antenna element exhibits a distinct radiation pattern when configured in each of the two or more radiation modes;

a common feed point associated with the modal antenna array;

a plurality of transmission lines, each transmission line of the plurality of transmission lines connected to one of the plurality of antenna elements in the array and further connected to the common feed point; and

an algorithm resident in a processor;

wherein the algorithm is configured to implement a radiation mode selection process to optimize a radiation pattern of the modal array and to establish one or more communication links with one or more communication devices; and

wherein a switch is connected to a first of the transmission lines that is used to provide a signal from the common feed point to a first modal antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, the switch being configured to connect or disconnect the first modal antenna element from the array.

2. The modal antenna array of claim 1, wherein at least one of the antenna elements does not comprise a modal antenna.

3. The modal antenna array of claim 1, wherein two or more switches are each connected to two or more transmission lines used to provide a signal from the common feed point to one of two or more modal antenna elements, each switch is used to connect or disconnect the respective modal antenna element from the modal antenna array.

4. The modal antenna array of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is executed from data contained in a look-up table, the look-up table is populated with multiple beam states that can be generated by the modal antenna array, the look-up table being configured to provide control signal information that is used to select the radiation mode of the modal antenna elements populating the modal array.

5. A modal antenna array comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements, the antenna elements comprising at least a first modal antenna element, the first modal antenna element being selectively configurable in one of two or more radiation modes, wherein the first modal antenna element exhibits a distinct radiation pattern when configured in each of the two or more radiation modes

a common feed point associated with the modal antenna array, with a plurality of transmission lines, each transmission line connecting one of the antenna elements in the array to the common feed point; and

an algorithm resident in a processor;

wherein the radiation modes of the array are separated into pre-dominantly vertical polarization and pre-dominantly horizontal polarization groups; and

wherein radiation modes of the array that are pre-dominantly vertical polarization can be sampled and used, or radiation modes of the array that are pre-dominantly horizontal polarization can be sampled and used, or a mix of modes from the two groups can be sampled and used, the algorithm is configured to implement a radiation mode selection process to optimize a radiation pattern of the modal array and to establish one or multiple communication links with one or multiple communication devices.