Dual polarization wireless repeater including antenna elements with balanced and quasi-balanced feeds

• US 20060205341A1
• Filed: 03/11/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMS Technologies, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Runyon, Donald L.
• Application Number:
  US11/372,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205341A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15535 Control of relay amplifier gain amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15571 by signal isolation, e.g. isolation by frequency or by antenna pattern, or by polarization
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15578 by gain adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15585 by interference cancellation

Abstract

Wireless repeaters that utilize balanced and quasi-balanced antenna feed circuits for feedback suppression. The wireless repeater typically implements dual cross-polarization isolation both along and between uplink and downlink signal paths, which relies on dual-polarization server and donor antennas. The unit may utilize balanced antenna feeds for both polarizations or balanced antenna feeds for one polarization and unbalanced antenna feeds for the other polarization. In addition, the unbalanced antenna feeds may be deployed in a two-element quasi-balanced configuration, and the antenna may include dual-polarization antenna element. The antenna elements may include dual-polarization antenna elements or separate antenna elements for each polarization.

Claims

1. A wireless repeater configured to provide wireless repeater service with enhanced feedback suppression through operation of uplink and downlink circuits with donor and server antennas operably connected to the downlink and uplink circuits and a repeater unit, wherein one of the downlink or uplink circuits uses balanced antenna feed circuits, and the other circuit uses balanced or unbalanced antenna feed circuits.

2. The wireless repeater of claim 1, wherein one or both of the downlink and uplink circuits use vertical polarization on either the server or donor antenna and horizontal polarization on the other antenna.

3. The wireless repeater of claim 2, wherein both the downlink and uplink channels use balanced antenna feed circuits.

4. The wireless repeater of claim 2, wherein both the donor and server antennas comprise dual-polarization antenna elements comprising balanced antenna feed circuits for a first polarization and unbalanced antenna feed circuits for the other polarization.

5. The wireless repeater of claim 1, wherein:

the donor antenna is configured for orientation in an operable donor direction for exchanging duplex cellular communication signals with a base station providing cellular telephone service;

the server antenna is configured for orientation in an operable server direction for exchanging duplex cellular communication signals with one or more wireless telephone units; and

the donor antenna and the server antenna are mounted within a common housing whereby the operable donor direction is opposite the operable server direction.

6. The wireless repeater of claim 1, comprising balanced antenna feeds and horizontal polarization for one of the downlink and uplink circuits, and unbalanced antenna feeds and vertical polarization for the other of the downlink and uplink circuits.

7. The wireless repeater of claim 1, comprising an array of dual-polarization antenna elements, wherein

each antenna element comprises balances antenna feeds for a first polarization;

and

a quasi-balanced two-element array of antenna elements for a second polarization, in which each antenna element comprises an unbalanced antenna feed, the antenna elements are positioned with proximal ends adjacent to each other, and the unbalanced antenna feeds are located on distal ends of the antenna elements located away from and opposing the proximal ends.

8. The wireless repeater of claim 1, comprising balanced antenna feeds and horizontal polarization for the downlink circuit, and balanced antenna feeds and vertical polarization for the uplink circuit.

9. The wireless repeater of claim 1, comprising balanced antenna feeds and vertical polarization for the downlink circuit, and balanced antenna feeds and horizontal polarization for the uplink circuit.

10. The wireless repeater of claim 1, further comprising:

a user-operable frequency range selector for identifying a selected frequency range;

a display for showing information connoting the selected frequency range; and

wherein the wireless repeater is operable for providing wireless repeater service within the selected frequency range.

11. A wireless repeater configured to provide wireless repeater service with enhanced feedback suppression through operation of uplink and downlink circuits with donor and server antennas operably connected to the downlink and uplink circuits and a repeater unit, wherein:

the donor antenna is configured for orientation in an operable donor direction for exchanging duplex cellular communication signals with a base station providing cellular telephone service;

the server antenna is configured for orientation in an operable server direction for exchanging duplex cellular communication signals with one or more wireless telephone units;

the donor antenna and the server antenna are mounted within a common housing whereby the operable donor direction is opposite the operable server direction; and

one of the downlink or uplink circuits comprises one or more balanced antenna feed circuits; and

the other of the downlink or uplink circuits comprises balanced or unbalanced antenna feed circuits.

12. The wireless repeater of claim 11, wherein one or both of the downlink and uplink circuits use vertical polarization on either the server or donor antenna and horizontal polarization on the other antenna.

13. The wireless repeater of claim 12, wherein both the downlink and uplink channels use only balanced antenna feed circuits.

14. The wireless repeater of claim 12, wherein both the donor and server antennas comprise dual-polarization antenna elements comprising balanced antenna feed circuits for a first polarization and unbalanced antenna feed circuits for the other polarization.

15. The wireless repeater of claim 14, wherein:

the donor antenna is configured for orientation in an operable donor direction for exchanging duplex cellular communication signals with a base station providing cellular telephone service;

the server antenna is configured for orientation in an operable server direction for exchanging duplex cellular communication signals with one or more wireless telephone units; and

the donor antenna and the server antenna are mounted within a common housing whereby the operable donor direction is opposite the operable server direction.

16. The wireless repeater of claim 11, comprising balanced antenna feeds and horizontal polarization for one of the downlink and uplink circuits, and unbalanced antenna feeds and vertical polarization for the other of the downlink and uplink circuits.

17. The wireless repeater of claim 11, comprising a quasi-balanced two-element array of antenna elements in which each antenna element comprises an unbalanced antenna feed, the antenna elements are positioned with proximal ends adjacent to each other, and the unbalanced antenna feeds are located on distal ends of the antenna elements located away from and opposing the proximal ends.

18. The wireless repeater of claim 11, comprising balanced antenna feeds and horizontal polarization for the downlink circuit, and balanced antenna feeds and vertical polarization for the uplink circuit.

19. The wireless repeater of claim 11, comprising balanced antenna feeds and vertical polarization for the downlink circuit, and balanced antenna feeds and horizontal polarization for the uplink circuit.

20. A method for operating a wireless repeater to provide wireless repeater service with enhanced feedback suppression through operation of uplink and downlink circuits with donor and server antennas operably connected to the downlink and uplink circuits and a repeater unit, comprising the steps of:

providing one of the downlink or uplink circuits with one or more balanced antenna feed circuits; and

providing the other of the downlink or uplink circuits with one or more balanced or unbalanced antenna feed circuits.