ACTIVE ANTENNA ARRAY AND METHOD FOR RELAYING FIRST AND SECOND PROTOCOL RADIO SIGNALS IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20110159808A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kathrein SE
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Weckerle, Martin, Neumann, Dirk, Kenington, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure teaches an active antenna array for a mobile communications network. The active antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements, at least one first splitter, at least one amplifier and at least one first coupler. The first splitter forwards at least one of at least one individual first protocol receive signal and at least one individual second protocol receive signal in a receive direction from an individual one of the plurality of antenna elements. The at least one amplifier amplifies at least one of the individual first protocol receive signal and the individual second protocol receive signal. The at least one first coupler is located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one amplifier and is adapted to forward the at least one individual second protocol receive signal to a second protocol receiver.

Claims

1. An active antenna array (1) for a mobile communications network comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements (Ant-1, Ant-2, . . . , Ant-N) for relaying first protocol radio signals and second protocol radio signals;

at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N) adapted to forward at least one of at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) in a receive direction from an individual one of the plurality of antenna elements (Ant-1, Ant-2, . . . , Ant-N);

at least one amplifier (200-1, 200-2, . . . , 200-N) for amplifying at least one of the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) or the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) downstream of the at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N); and

at least one first coupler (110a-1, 110a-2, . . . , 110a-N) located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one amplifier (200-1, 200-2, . . . , 200-N) and being adapted to forward the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . 75Rx-N) to a second protocol receiver (210).

2. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, comprising

at least one second splitter (100b-1, 100b-2, . . . , 100b-N) located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one amplifier (200-1, 200-2, . . . , 200-N) and adapted to forward the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) in the receive direction and further adapted to forward at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) in a transmit direction along a transmit path.

3. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 2, comprising

at least one first coupler (110b-1, 110b-2, . . . , 110b-N) located in the transmit direction downstream of the at least one second splitter (100b-1, 100b-2, . . . , 100b-N), the at least one first coupler (110b-1, 110b-2, . . . , 110b-N) adding at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-N) to the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N).

4. The active antenna array according to claim 3,

wherein the at least one first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) is generatable from a general first protocol transmit signal (70Tx) at a first port (11-1) by applying at least one of a phase weighting, an amplitude weighting or a delay to the general first protocol transmit signal (70Tx);

and

wherein the at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-N) is generatable from a general second protocol transmit signal (75Tx) at a second port (11-2) by applying at least one of a variable phase weighting, a variable amplitude weighting or a variable delay to the general second protocol transmit signal (75Tx).

5. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 3, wherein the at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N) is adapted to forward the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-N) to the individual one of the antenna elements (Ant-1, Ant-2, . . . , Ant-N).

6. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 4, wherein the first port (11-1) is further adapted to provide a general first protocol receive signal (70Rx);

and wherein

the second port (11-2) is further adapted to provide at least one of a general second protocol receive signal (75Rx) or the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N).

7. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna elements (Ant-1, Ant-2, . . . , Ant-N) is adapted for at least one of concurrently transmitting the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-N) or

concurrently receiving the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N).

8. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol pertaining to the first protocol radio signals is selected from the group consisting of a GSM protocol and an UMTS protocol.

9. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol pertaining to the second protocol radio signal is selected from the group consisting of a UMTS protocol, a third generation long term evolution protocol, a Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access radio protocol, a wide Code Division Multiple Access radio protocol.

10. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second duplexer (100b-1, 100b-2, . . . , 100b-N) forwards the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) to the at least one first splitter (110a-1, 110a-2, . . . , 110a-N).

11. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, being adapted to provide at least one of a variable phase weighting, a variable amplitude weighting, or a variable delay to the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N).

12. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, adapted to provide at least one of a phase weighting, an amplitude weighting or a delay to the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N).

13. Method (1000) for relaying first protocol radio signals and second protocol radio signals in a mobile communications network, the method (1000) comprising:

concurrently receiving (1100) at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) in a plurality of receive paths;

amplifying (1200) the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N);

forming (1310) a general first protocol receive signal (70Rx) from the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) by analogue means and applying at least one of a phase weighting, an amplitude weighting or a delay to at least a selected one of the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N); and

forming (1320) a general second protocol receive signal (75Rx) from the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) by digitally applying at least one of a variable phase weighting, a variable amplitude weighting or a variable delay to at least a selected one of the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N).

14. The method (1000) according to claim 13, wherein the at least one of the phase weighting, the amplitude weighting or the delay applied by analogue means in the forming (1310) of the general first protocol receive signal (70Rx) is independent from the phase weighting, the amplitude weighting or the delay applied digitally in the forming of the general second protocol receive signal (75Rx).

15. The method (1000) according to claim 13, further comprising:

forwarding (1330) of at least one of the individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) in a receive direction; and

concurrently transmitting (1400) the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-2, 75Tx-1, . . . , 75Tx-N).

16. The method (1000) according to claim 13, the forwarding (1330) comprising:

extracting (1340) the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N); and

extracting (1350) the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N).

17. The method (1000) according to claim 14, the concurrently transmitting (1400) comprising:

generating (1410) at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) from a general first protocol transmit signal (70Tx) by analogue means and applying at least one of a phase weighting, an amplitude weighting or a delay to the general first protocol transmit signal (70Tx); and

generating (1420) at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-N) from a general second protocol transmit signal (75Tx) by digital means and applying at least one of a variable phase weighting, a variable amplitude weighting or a variable delay to the general second protocol transmit signal (75Tx);

forwarding (1430) the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N) in a transmit direction; and

adding (1440) the at least one individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-N) to the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-N).

18. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to manufacture an active antenna array (1) for a mobile communications network, the active antenna array (1) comprising:

at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N) adapted to forward at least one of at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) in a receive direction from an individual one of the plurality of antenna elements (Ant-1, Ant-2, . . . , Ant-N);

at least one amplifier (200-1, 200-2, . . . , 200-N) for amplifying at least one of the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) or the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) downstream of the at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N); and

at least one first coupler (110a-1, 110a-2, . . . , 110a-N) adapted to provide the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . 75Rx-N) to a second protocol receiver (210).

19. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to execute a method (1000) for relaying first protocol radio signals and second protocol signals in a mobile communications network, the control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to concurrently receive (1100) at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N); and

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to amplify (1200) the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N); and

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to form (1310) a general first protocol receive signal (70Rx) from the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) by analogue means and applying at least one of a phase weighting, an amplitude weighting or a delay to at least a selected one of the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N); and

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to form (1320) a general second protocol receive signal (75Rx) from the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) by digital means and applying at least one of a variable phase weighting, a variable amplitude weighting or a variable delay to at least a selected one of the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N).

20. A chip set for controlling an active antenna element (1) for a mobile communications network, the chipset comprising:

at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N) adapted to forward at least one of at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) and at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) in a receive direction;

at least one amplifier (200-1, 200-2, . . . , 200-N) for amplifying at least one of the at least one individual first protocol receive signal (70Rx-1, 70Rx-2, . . . , 70Rx-N) or the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . , 75Rx-N) downstream of the at least one first splitter (100a-1, 100a-2, . . . , 100a-N); and

at least one first coupler (110a-1, 110a-2, . . . , 110a-N) adapted to provide the at least one individual second protocol receive signal (75Rx-1, 75Rx-2, . . . 75Rx-N) to a second protocol receiver (210).