System for efficiently providing coverage of a sectorized cell for common and dedicated channels utilizing beam forming and sweeping

• US 20040002363A1
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cuffaro, Angelo
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A communication system transmits and receives communications within a sectorized cell between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station. The communication system includes a unit for generating and shaping a beam; an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals within said beam; and a unit for directing the beam. The shaped beam is directed at a plurality of predetermined directions; either continuously or discretely.

Claims

1. A communication system for transmitting and receiving communications between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station, the system transmits a plurality of common channels covering a sectorized cell using at least one beam comprising:

means for generating and shaping a beam;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals within said beam;

means for directing said beam;

whereby said sweeping means selectively directs the shaped beam at a plurality of directions;

means for said secondary station to acknowledge said beam by transmitting a beam reception data to said primary station; and

means for said primary station to determine the location of the secondary station from said beam reception data; and

said primary station utilizing a dedicated channel beam based on said secondary station'"'"'s location to communicate with said secondary station.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said shaping means shapes the beams into one of a plurality of selectable widths, from a wide width to a narrow width.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of directions coincide with the sectors of the cell.

4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein the cell sectors are different sizes and said shaping means shapes the beams to cover the cell sectors.

5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said sweeping means selectively directs the shaped beams at the plurality of directions in a predetermined sequence.

6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said sequence is consecutive.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said sequence is non-sequential.

8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein said non-sequential sequence causes the sweeping means to selectively direct the beam toward at least one of the plurality of directions more frequently than the other plurality of directions.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said non-consecutive sequence causes the sweeping means to selectively direct the beam at some of the plurality of directions for a longer duration than others of the plurality of directions.

10. The communication system of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of common channels has a unique time mark to coincide with the sectors of the cell.

11. A system for facilitating the transmission and reception of communications between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station, the system transmits a plurality of common channels covering a sectorized cell using at least one beam comprising:

an antenna, for generating a beam for transmitting a communication and for receiving a communication;

means for shaping the beam;

means for sweeping the shaped beam;

whereby said sweeping means selectively directs the shaped beam at a plurality of directions;

means for said secondary station to acknowledge said beam by transmitting a beam reception data to said primary station; and

means for said primary station to determine the location of the secondary station from said beam reception data; and

said primary station utilizing a dedicated channel beam based on said secondary station'"'"'s location to communicate with said secondary station.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said shaping means shapes the beams into one of a plurality of selectable widths, from a wide width to a narrow width.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of directions coincide with the sectors of the cell.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the cell sectors are different sizes and said shaping means shapes the beams to cover the cell sectors.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said sweeping means selectively directs the shaped beams at the plurality of directions in a predetermined sequence.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said sequence is consecutive.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said sequence is non-sequential.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said non-sequential sequence causes the sweeping means to selectively direct the beam toward at least one of the plurality of directions more frequently than the other plurality of directions.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said non-consecutive sequence causes the sweeping means to selectively direct the beam at some of the plurality of directions for a longer duration than others of the plurality of directions.