Methods and systems for communication with beamforming antennas

• US 10,178,560 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Black, Eric J., Deutsch, Brian Mark, Hannigan, Russell J., Katko, Alexander Remley, Machado, Melroy, McCandless, Jay Howard, Urzhumov, Yaroslav A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/183,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20160373181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 455453
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Holographic beamforming antennas may be utilized for adaptive routing within communications networks, such as wireless backhaul networks. Holographic beamforming antennas may be further utilized for discovering and/or addressing nodes in a communication network with steerable, high-directivity beams. Holographic beamforming antennas may be further utilized for extending the range of communications nodes and providing bandwidth assistance to adjacent nodes via dynamic adjacent cell assist. In some approaches, MIMO is used in concert with holographic beamforming for additional channel capacity.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first node that includes a holographic beamforming antenna to dynamically assist a second node, comprising:

configuring the holographic beamforming antenna to direct a first beam at a local user located closer to the first node than the second node;

receiving information indicating a bandwidth shortage at the second node; and

responsive to the receiving, reconfiguring the holographic beamforming antenna to direct a second beam at a distant user located closer to the second node than the first node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first beam has a first directivity and the second beam has a second directivity greater than the first directivity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node is a first base station serving a first cell that encloses the local user and the second node is a second base station serving a second cell that encloses the distant user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second cell is adjacent to the first cell.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first cell includes a first sector that encloses the local user and the first beam has a first beamwidth less than or equal to an angle subtended at the first node by the first sector.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second cell includes a second sector that encloses the distant user and the second beam has a second beamwidth less than or equal to an angle subtended at the first node by the second sector.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring and the reconfiguring comprise a repeated switching of the beamforming antenna between at least the first beam and the second beam.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the repeated switching includes:

increasing a duty cycle of the first beam responsive to an increased bandwidth demand of the local user or a decreased bandwidth demand of the distant user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the repeated switching includes:

increasing a duty cycle of the second beam responsive to an increased bandwidth demand of the distant user or a decreased bandwidth demand of the local user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the local user is one of a plurality of local users, the first beam is one of a set of one or more first beams directed at the plurality of local users, and the repeated switching includes:

repeatedly switching the beamforming antenna between at least the set of one or more first beams and the second beam.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the set of one or more first beams is a plurality of first beams respectively corresponding to the plurality of local users.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the distant user is one of a plurality of distant users, the second beam is one of a set of one or more second beams directed at the plurality of distant users, and the repeated switching includes:

repeatedly switching the beamforming antenna between at least the first beam and the set of one or more second beams.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of one or more second beams is a plurality of second beams respectively corresponding to the plurality of distant users.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the information indicating the bandwidth shortage is a receiving of the information from a network operations center.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the information indicating the bandwidth shortage is a receiving of the information via a network that includes the first node and the second node.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the network is a subsidiary network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the subsidiary network is a WLAN, WiMAX, 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, FM, or Bluetooth network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the holographic beamforming antenna includes a waveguide and a plurality of radiative elements coupled to the waveguide with inter-element spacings substantially less than one-half of a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna, and the configuring or the reconfiguring includes:

adjusting a respective plurality of couplings between the radiative elements and the waveguide.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the holographic beamforming antenna includes a waveguide and a plurality of radiative elements coupled to the waveguide with inter-element spacings substantially less than one-half of a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna, and the configuring or the reconfiguring includes:

adjusting a respective plurality of resonant frequencies of the radiative elements.

20. A system for operating a first node that includes a beamforming antenna to dynamically assist a second node, comprising:

an antenna control unit that includes circuitry for adjusting control inputs of the beamforming antenna to direct a first beam at a local user located closer to the first node than the second node;

where the antenna control unit further includes circuitry for receiving information indicating a bandwidth shortage at the second node and readjusting the control inputs the beamforming antenna to direct a second beam at a distant user located closer to the second node than the first node; and

wherein the beamforming antenna is a holographic beamforming antenna.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

the beamforming antenna.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first beam has a first directivity and the second beam has a second directivity greater than the first directivity.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the first node is a first base station serving a first cell that encloses the local user and the second node is a second base station serving a second cell that encloses the distant user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second cell is adjacent to the first cell.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the first cell includes a first sector that encloses the local user and the first beam has a first beamwidth less than or equal to an angle subtended at the first node by the first sector.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second cell includes a second sector that encloses the distant user and the second beam has a second beamwidth less than or equal to an angle subtended at the first node by the second sector.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the circuitry for adjusting and readjusting includes circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the control inputs of the beamforming antenna to switch the beamforming antenna between at least the first beam and the second beam.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the control inputs includes circuitry for increasing a duty cycle of the first beam responsive to an increased bandwidth demand of the local user or a decreased bandwidth demand of the distant user.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the control inputs includes circuitry for increasing a duty cycle of the second beam responsive to an increased bandwidth demand of the distant user or a decreased bandwidth demand of the local user.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the local user is one of a plurality of local users, the first beam is one of a set of one or more first beams directed at the plurality of local users, and the circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the control inputs includes:

circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the control inputs of the beamforming antenna to switch between at least the set of one or more first beams and the second beam.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the set of one or more first beams is a plurality of first beams respectively corresponding to the plurality of local users.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the distant user is one of a plurality of distant users, the second beam is one of a set of one or more second beams directed at the plurality of distant users, and the circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the control inputs includes:

circuitry for repeatedly adjusting the beamforming antenna to switch between at least the first beam and the set of one or more second beams.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the set of one or more second beams is a plurality of second beams respectively corresponding to the plurality of distant users.

34. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a network module configured to receive the information indicating the bandwidth shortage from a network that includes the first node and the second node.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the network module is configured to receive the information indicating the bandwidth shortage from a network operations center.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the network module is a subsidiary network module.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the subsidiary network module is a WLAN, WiMAX, 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, FM, or Bluetooth network module.

38. The system of claim 20, wherein the holographic beamforming antenna includes a waveguide and a plurality of radiative elements adjustably coupled to the waveguide with inter-element spacings substantially less than one-half of a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna.

39. The system of claim 20, wherein the holographic beamforming antenna includes a waveguide and a plurality of radiative elements having adjustable resonant frequencies and coupled to the waveguide with inter-element spacings substantially less than one-half of a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna.