Apparatus for increasing the capacity between transmitters and receivers in short-range wireless networks

• US 20040209571A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Radionor Communications AS
• Original Assignee: Radionor Communications AS
• Inventors: Saegrov, Atle
• Application Number:
  US10/475,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209571A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• 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 3/26 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 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

An apparatus that is employed to increase the data transfer capacity between transmitters and receivers for short-range data communication, particularly for the ISM frequency bands where different transmitters with different modulation and transmission methods operate in the same frequency band. The object is achieved by orienting antenna lobes that provide high antenna amplification towards transmitters and receivers in the local area of the apparatus, with the result that the distance loss between a transmitter and receiver becomes less than the distance loss represented by the lobes oriented away from the apparatus and the inbuilt amplification in the apparatus. In contrast to a normal “repeater” function for increasing a coverage area, the object is particularly achieved of increasing the capacity in an area where there is already a good transmission channel between transmitters and receivers. The various transmitters and receivers are divided into sub-networks that are isolated from one another, and where the connection is broken between transmitters and receivers that do not communicate with one another. By doing this on the physical level, one is independent of a chosen modulation method and transmission protocol. Thus the invention is especially suitable with the ISM frequency band where a countless number of known and unknown modulation methods and protocols may exist.

Claims

1. An apparatus for increasing the capacity between transmitters and receivers in short-range wireless communication networks, of for increasing the traffic capacity between transmitters and receivers with protocols operating in the same frequency band, the apparatus comprising a number of antenna elements for transmitting and receiving radio signals, connected to bidirectional splitters for splitting incoming and outgoing directions, connected to complex cross connectors for implementing the forming of transmitter and receiver lobes in addition to cross connecting signals between the various antenna lobes, a demodulator and traffic analyser for monitoring the traffic on the various transmitters in the area and a system controller arranged to make decisions on the basis of the measurements in the traffic analyser and thereby set the various coefficients in the complex cross connectors so that an arbitrary number of transmitter and receiver lobes are electrically connected, thereby guiding traffic between them and thus providing an improvement in capacity for at least one transmission in the area.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus employs the same antenna elements for receiving and transmission, the system controller being arranged to perform an adaptive echo cancellation algorithm that reduces feedback signal from the transmittal signal.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus employs at least a first and a second set of antenna elements, where the second set of antenna elements may be located at a substantial distance from the apparatus, and where the transfer of signals between the antennas is conducted through digital high-speed transmission of the digital sampled data from the antennas through a suitable medium such as a fibre optic cable.

4. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the apparatus is arranged to operate in an ISM frequency band where the use of several standards for communication is permitted.

5. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the apparatus is arranged to operate in a frequency band for mobile communication such as GSM or UMTS.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amplification of the signal between a receiver lobe and a transmitter lobe is adjusted adaptively by means of digital multiplication, with the result that the amplification becomes so high that the distance loss between a transmitter and a receiver with omni-directional antennas in an area becomes greater than the distance loss from the respective transmitter and receiver provided through the apparatus

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further arranged to be employed for indicating local position of transmitters and receivers in the area, the system controller being arranged to compute coefficients for lobe forming based on the local direction vector for incoming signals from transmitters in the vicinity, and these coefficients therefore provide the basis for calculating the position in the form of a direction vector.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is arranged to actively break the connection between nodes in the network'"'"'s connection to other nodes, thus acting as access control with a view to data security and quiet zones.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to be connected to another, corresponding apparatus and to establish links between the apparatus, thereby implementing a local network where traffic is guided between the apparatus through arranged lobes or through a suitable transmission medium

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmitters or receivers in the network is included in the apparatus.

11. A system for increasing the capacity between transmitters and receivers in short-range wireless communication networks for increasing the traffic capacity between transmitters and receivers with different protocols operating in the same frequency band, comprising a number of apparatus according to claim 1, where the apparatus can be interconnected and establish links between each other, thus implementing a local network where traffic is guided between the apparatus through arranged lobes or through a suitable transmission

12. (Cancelled).