TILT-DEPENDENT BEAM-SHAPE SYSTEM

• US 20100134359A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Petersson, Sven Oscar, Manholm, Lars, Andersson, Mate H, Johanasson, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,384,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.R
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/22 Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for changing the radiation pattern shape of an antenna array 83; 88 during electrical tilting. The antenna array 83; 88 has multiple antenna elements 84, and the system comprises a phase-shifting device 10; 20; 40; 85 provided with a primary port 11 configured to receive a transmit signal, and multiple secondary ports 12₁-12₄; 12 configured to provide phase shifted output signals to each antenna element 84. The system further comprises a phase-taper device 20; 40; 85; 87 that changes phase taper over the antenna elements, and thus the beam shape, with tilt angle θ. The invention is adapted for use in down-link as well as up-link within a wireless communication system.

Claims

1. A system for changing the radiation pattern shape of an antenna array in down-link during electrical tilting, said antenna array comprising multiple antenna elements, said system comprising:

a phase-shifting device provided with a primary port configured to receive a transmit signal, and multiple secondary ports configured to provide phase shifted output signals to each antenna element,

a phase-taper device configured to change phase taper over the antenna elements, and thus the beam shape, with tilt angle (θ

_tilt).

3. The system according to claim 1 and 2, wherein the same phase-shifting device is used for down-link and up-link.

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said phase-taper device is arranged between said phase-shifting device and said antenna elements.

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said phase-taper device is integrated with said phase-shifting device, to form a non-linear phase-shifting device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said non-linear phase-shifting device generates non-linear progressive phase shifts over the secondary ports when changing tilt angle (θ

_tilt).

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the phase-shifting device comprises a delay line network with trombone lines

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said phase-shifting device comprises a movable member which provides said non-linear progressive phase shifts.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said movable member has a rotational movement.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said movable member has a translational movement.

11. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system is configured to communicate phase shifted signals to/from antenna elements arranged in a uniform antenna array.

12. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system is configured to communicate phase shifted signals to/from antenna elements arranged in a non-uniform antenna array.

2. A system for changing the radiation pattern shape of an antenna array in up-link during electrical tilting, said antenna array comprising multiple antenna elements, said system comprising:

a phase-shifting device provided with multiple of secondary ports configured to receive phase shifted input signals from each antenna element,

a primary port configured to combine the input signals to a receive signal,

a phase-taper device configured to change phase taper over the secondary ports, and thus the beam shape, with tilt angle (θ

_tilt).

13. A method for changing the radiation pattern shape of an antenna array in down-link during electrical tilting, said antenna array having multiple antenna elements, said method comprising:

providing phase shifted output signals to each antenna element from multiple secondary ports of a phase shifting device, said phase-shifting device is provided with a primary port configured to receive a transmit signal,

providing changed phase taper over the antenna elements with tilt angle (θ

_tilt) using a phase-taper device.

15. The method according to claim 13 and 14, comprising the step of using the same phase-shifting device for down-link and up-link.

16. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said method further comprises arranging said phase-taper device between said phase shifting device and said antenna elements.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said method further comprises integrating said phase-taper device with said phase-shifting device, to form a non-linear phase-shifting device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said method further comprises generating non-linear progressive phase shifts over the secondary ports of the non-linear phase-shifting device with tilt angle (θ

_tilt).

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the act of generating non-linear progressive phase shift is implemented as a delay line network with trombone lines.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the act of generating non-linear progressive phase shift is performed by moving a movable member.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein moving said movable member includes a rotational movement.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein moving said movable member includes a translational movement.

23. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the method comprises configuring the system to communicate phase shifted signals to/from antenna elements arranged in a uniform antenna array.

24. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the method comprises configuring the system to communicate phase shifted signals to/from antenna elements arranged in a non-uniform antenna array.

14. A method for changing the radiation pattern shape of an antenna array in up-link during electrical tilting, said antenna array having multiple antenna elements, said method comprising:

providing phase shifted input signals from each antenna element to multiple secondary ports of a phase shifting device, said phase-shifting device is provided with a primary port configured to combine the input signals to a receive signal,

providing changed phase taper over the secondary ports with tilt angle (θ

_tilt) using a phase-taper device.

25. A base station adapted to be used in a communication network in down-link, said base station comprising:

an antenna array comprising multiple antenna elements,

a phase shifting device provided with;

a primary port configured to receive a transmit signal, and

multiple secondary ports configured to provide phase shifted output signals to each antenna element,

said phase shifting device being configured to be controlled by a controller to perform electrical tilt of a beam,

a phase-taper device that changes phase taper over the antenna elements, and thus the beam shape, with tilt angle (θ

_tilt).

27. The base station according to claim 25 and 26, wherein the same phase-shifting device is used for down-link and up-link.

28. The base station according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said phase-taper device is arranged between said phase-shifting device and said antenna elements.

29. The base station according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said phase-taper device is integrated with said phase-shifting device, to form a non-linear phase-shifting device

30. The base station according to claim 28, comprising a non-linear shifting device.

31. The base station according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the base station comprises a uniform antenna array.

32. The base station according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said base station comprises a non-uniform antenna array.

33. A communication network comprising at least one base station according to claim 25 or 26.

26. A base station adapted to be used in a communication network in uplink, said base station comprising:

an antenna array comprising multiple antenna elements,

a phase shifting device provided with;

multiple secondary ports configured to receive phase shifted input signals from each antenna element, and

a primary port configured to combine the received input signals to a receive signal,

said phase shifting device being configured to be controlled by a controller to perform electrical tilt of a beam,

a phase-taper device that changes phase taper over the secondary ports, and thus the beam shape, with tilt angle (θ

_tilt).