ACTIVE ANTENNA ARRAY FOR A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK WITH MULTIPLE AMPLIFIERS USING SEPARATE POLARISATIONS FOR TRANSMISSION AND A COMBINATION OF POLARISATIONS FOR RECEPTION OF SEPARATE PROTOCOL SIGNALS

• US 20110159810A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Weckerle, Martin, Neumann, Dirk, Kenington, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/25
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• 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 3/28 varying the amplitude
• 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 disclosure teaches an active antenna array for a mobile communications network. The active antenna array comprises a plurality of first polarisation antenna elements and a plurality of second polarisation antenna elements. The plurality of first polarisation antenna elements is connected to a first protocol signal generator. The plurality of first polarisation antenna elements are adapted to radiate an individual first protocol transmit signal. An individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna element is connected to an individual one of a plurality of second protocol signal generators. The plurality of second polarisation antenna elements is adapted to radiate an individual second protocol transmit signal. An individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements and the individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements are adapted to receive both, an individual first protocol receive signal and an individual second protocol receive signal.

Claims

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

a plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) being connected to a first protocol signal generator (301), the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) being adapted to radiate an individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J);

a plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K);

an individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K) being connected to an individual one of a plurality of second protocol signal generators (302-1, 302-2, . . . , 302-K), the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K) being adapted to radiate, an individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-K); and

wherein an individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) and the individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K) are adapted to receive both an individual first protocol receive signal and an individual second protocol receive signal.

2. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the individual first protocol receive signal comprises:

a first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J); and

a first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-K).

3. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the individual second protocol receive signal comprises:

a second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J); and

a second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-K).

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

at least a first splitter (101-1, 101-2, . . . , 101-J) coupled to the individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J), the at least one first splitter (100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-J) being adapted to forward at least one of an at least one individual first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J) and an at least one individual second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J) in a receive direction from the individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP1-J) to an at least one first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J).

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

at least one second splitter (102-1, 102-2, . . . , 102-K) coupled to the individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K), the at least one second splitter (102-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-K) being adapted to forward at least one of an at least one individual first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-K) and an at least one individual second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-K) in a receive direction from the individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-J) to an at least one second amplifier (202-1, 202-2, . . . , 202-K).

6. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first splitter (101-1, 101-2, . . . , 100-J) is further adapted to forward the individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J) in a transmit direction to the individual first polarisation antenna element (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J).

7. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one second splitter (102-1, 102-2, . . . , 102-K) is further adapted to forward an individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-K) in a transmit direction to the individual second polarisation antenna element (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . ., AntP2-K).

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

at least one first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J) located in an individual relay path in the receive direction downstream of the first polarisation antenna element (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J), the at least one first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J) amplifying the individual first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J) and the individual second protocol first polarization receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J).

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

at least one second amplifier (202-1, 202-2, . . . , 202-K) located in an individual relay path in the receive direction downstream of the second polarisation antenna element (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K), the at least one second amplifier (202-1, 202-2, . . . , 202-K) amplifying an individual first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-J) and an individual second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-J).

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

an at least one first coupler (111-1, 111-2, . . . , 111-J) located in the individual relay path in the receive direction downstream of the first polarisation antenna element (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J), for extracting the individual second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J).

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

an at least one second coupler (112-1, 112-2, . . . , 112-K) located in the individual relay path in the receive direction downstream of the second polarisation antenna element (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K), for extracting the individual second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-K).

12. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 8, comprising:

an at least one first receive filtering element (401-1, 401-2, . . . , 401-J) located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J) and comprising a stop band in a transmit band of the individual first protocol transmit signals 70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J.

13. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 9, comprising:

an at least one second receive filtering element (402-1, 402-2, . . . , 402-J) located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one second amplifier (202-1, 202-2, . . . , 202-K) and comprising a stop band in the transmit band of the individual first protocol transmit signals (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J).

14. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 8, further comprising:

an at least one first DC voltage extractor (221-1, 221-2, . . . , 221-J) for extracting a first individual DC voltage (205-1, 205-2, . . . , 205-J), supplying the at least one first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J).

15. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 9, further comprising:

an at least one second DC voltage extractor (222-1, 222-2, . . . , 222-K) for extracting a second individual DC voltage (207-1, 207-2, . . . , 207-K), the second individual DC voltage (207-1, 207-2, . . . , 207-K) supplying the at least one second amplifier (202-1, 202-2, . . . , 202-K).

16. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 8, further comprising:

a DC distribution unit (250) providing at least one of the first individual DC voltage (205-1, 205-2, . . . , 205-J) or the second individual DC voltage (207-1, 207-2, . . . , 207-K)

17. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a first port (11-1);

the first port (11-1) being adapted to forward individual first protocol transmit signals (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J) to individual ones of the relay paths; and

the first port (11-1) being adapted to generate a general first protocol receive signal (70Rx) from the individual first protocol first polarisation receive signals (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J) and the individual first protocol second polarisation receive signals (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-K).

18. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a first protocol link connecting the first input (11-1) to the first protocol signal generator (301).

19. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol signal generator (301) comprises a first protocol signal receiver.

20. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, comprising a first diversity port (11-D) adapted to generate a diversity first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-D) from the individual first protocol first polarisation receive signals (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J).

21. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first directional unit (400-1) located in the individual relay path in the receive direction downstream of the first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J) and adapted to reduce a signal component being relayed in a direction opposite to the receive direction.

22. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one auxiliary amplifier (203-1, 203-2, . . . , 203-J) located in the individual relay path in the receive direction downstream of the first amplifier (201-1, 201-2, . . . , 201-J), the at least one auxiliary amplifier (203-1, 203-2, . . . , 203-J) amplifying at least one of the individual first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J) and the individual second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J).

23. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one directional junction (405-1, 405-2, . . . , 405-J) located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one first polarisation antenna element (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J), the at least one directional junction (405-1, 405-2, . . . , 405-J) being adapted for relaying the individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J) in a transmit direction; and

adapted to forward the individual first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP2-J) in the receive direction;

the at least one directional junction (405-1, 405-2, . . . , 405-J) being selected from the group consisting of a quadrature hybrid, a circulator, and a triplexer.

24. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a general splitter (500) for splitting the general first protocol transmit signal (70Tx) and the general first protocol receive signal (70Rx).

25. The active antenna array (1) according to claim 1, comprising a second diversity port (11-D2) adapted to generate a diversity first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-D) from the individual first protocol second polarisation receive signals (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-K).

26. A method (1000) for relaying radio signals in a mobile communications network, the method (1000) comprising:

a concurrently receiving (1100) of an individual first protocol receive signal and an individual second protocol receive signals at an individual one of a plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) and a an individual one of a plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K);

transmitting (1300) individual first protocol transmit signals generated by analogue means using at least an individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J);

transmitting (1400) individual second protocol transmit signals generated by digital means using at least an individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K).

27. The method (1000) according to claim 26, further comprising:

forwarding (1200) first protocol receive signals in a receive direction.

28. The method (1000) according to claim 26, the concurrently receiving (1100) comprising:

concurrently receiving (1110) a first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J) and a second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J) at an individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J);

concurrently receiving (1120) a first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-J) and a second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-J) at an individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K); and

amplifying (1130) first polarisation receive signals and second polarisation receive signals.

29. The method (1000) according to claim 28, the amplifying (1130) further comprising:

supplying (1134) at least one of at least one first individual DC voltage (205-1, 205-2, . . . , 205-J) or at least one second individual DC voltage (207-1, 207-2, . . . , 207-K);

amplifying (1136) the individual first protocol first polarisation receive signal (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J) and the individual second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J);

amplifying (1138) the individual first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-K) and the individual second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-K).

30. The method (1000) according to claim 28, the concurrently receiving (1100) further comprising:

extracting (1150) the individual second protocol first polarisation receive signal (75RxP1-1, 75RxP1-2, . . . , 75RxP1-J);

extracting (1160) the individual second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-K).

31. The method (1000) according to claim 26, the forwarding (1200) comprising:

directing (1220) first protocol transmit signals in a first protocol transmit direction and first protocol receive signals in the receive direction;

auxiliary amplifying (1230) first protocol first polarisation receive signals (70RxP1-1, 70RxP1-2, . . . , 70RxP1-J);

forming (1240) at least one of a general first protocol receive signal (70Rx) and a general first protocol diversity receive signal (70Rx-D).

32. The method (1000) according to claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting (1300) an individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J) using the individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J);

transmitting (1400) the individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-K) using the individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K).

33. 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:

a plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) being connected to a first protocol signal generator (301), the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) being adapted to radiate an individual first protocol transmit signal (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J);

a plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K);

an individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K) being connected to an individual one of a plurality of second protocol signal generators (302-1, 302-2, . . . , 302-K), the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K) being adapted to radiate, an individual second protocol transmit signal (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-K); and

wherein an individual one of the plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) and the individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K) are adapted to receive both, an individual first protocol receive signal and an individual second protocol receive signal.

34. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to execute a method for relaying radio signals in a mobile communications network, the control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to concurrently receive (1100) an individual first protocol receive signal and an individual second protocol receive signal at an individual one of a plurality of first polarisation antenna elements (AntP1-1, AntP1-2, . . . , AntP1-J) and a an individual one of a plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . . , AntP2-K);

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to concurrently receive (1120) a first protocol second polarisation receive signal (70RxP2-1, 70RxP2-2, . . . , 70RxP2-J) and a second protocol second polarisation receive signal (75RxP2-1, 75RxP2-2, . . . , 75RxP2-J) at an individual one of the plurality of second polarisation antenna elements (AntP2-1, AntP2-2, . . ., AntP2-K); and

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit (1300) individual first protocol transmit signals (70Tx-1, 70Tx-2, . . . , 70Tx-J) generated by analogue means;

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit (1400) individual second protocol transmit signals (75Tx-1, 75Tx-2, . . . , 75Tx-K) generated by digital means.