Relay Node Operable with Different Spatial Characteristic Antenna Patterns

• US 20130109399A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Waz-Ambrozewicz, Andrzej, Pakulski, Maciej
• Granted Patent: US 9,026,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/063 Parameters other than those covered in groups H04B7/0623 - H04B7/0634, e.g. channel matrix rank or transmit mode selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

It is described a relay node for providing wireless access for a user equipment to a telecommunication network. The relay node includes an antenna, which is adapted to operate with different spatial characteristic antenna patterns, and a transceiver unit, which is coupled to the antenna and which is adapted to activate at least one of the different spatial characteristic antenna patterns. It is further described a corresponding method for providing wireless access for a user equipment to a telecommunication network via a relay node.

Claims

1. A relay node for providing wireless access for a user equipment to a telecommunication network, the relay node comprising

an antenna, which is adapted to operate with different spatial characteristic antenna patterns, and

a transceiver unit, which is coupled to the antenna and which is adapted to activate at least one of the different spatial characteristic antenna patterns.

2. The relay node as set forth in the claim 1, wherein

the transceiver unit is adapted for controlling the different spatial characteristic antenna patterns in such a manner that

during a first time frame being used for radio communications between the relay node and its serving base station a first spatial characteristic antenna pattern is activated and

during a second time frame being used for radio communications

between the relay node and at least one user equipment being served by the relay node and/or between the relay node and a further base station a second spatial characteristic antenna pattern is activated.

3. The relay node as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the transceiver unit comprises a learning system, which, after having been successfully trained, is adapted for selecting an appropriate spatial characteristic antenna pattern

4. The relay node as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

a sensor system for sensing the environment of the relay node, wherein the sensor system is adapted to provide the transceiver unit information which can be taken into account to activate an appropriate spatial characteristic antenna pattern.

5. The relay node as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the antenna comprises at least two antenna elements and

the different spatial characteristic antenna patterns are achievable by varying a phase shift between the at least two antenna elements.

6. The relay node as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the antenna elements are patch elements, which are arranged in an antenna array.

7. The relay node as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the antenna is a flat panel multi beam antenna.

8. A method for providing wireless access for a user equipment to a telecommunication network via a relay node, in particular via a relay node as set forth in any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising

activating at least one spatial characteristic antenna pattern of an antenna of a relay node, wherein the antenna is adapted to operate with different spatial characteristic antenna patterns.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein

during a first time frame of a radio resource partitioning scheme, which first time frame is used for radio communications between the relay node and its serving base station, a first spatial characteristic antenna pattern is activated and

during a second time frame of the radio resource partitioning scheme, which second time frame is used for radio communications

between the relay node and at least one user equipment being served by the relay node and/or between the relay node and a further base station, a second spatial characteristic antenna pattern is activated.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising

receiving by the relay node at least a first pilot signal being transmitted from a first base station and a second pilot signal being transmitted from a second base station,

measuring the strength of the received first pilot signal and the strength of the received second pilot signal, and

determining the base station, which is associated with the highest received pilot signal,

wherein the at least one activated spatial characteristic antenna pattern provides for an optimization of the radio link between the determined base station and the relay node.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising

carrying out a learning phase,

wherein for activating the at least one spatial characteristic antenna pattern results obtained by the learning phase are taken into account.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein carrying out the learning phase comprises

successively selecting the different spatial characteristic antenna patterns for radiating a radio signal by the relay node,

receiving the radio signal for each selected spatial characteristic antenna pattern by a receiving communication device, measuring the level of each received radio signal, and reporting to the relay node which spatial characteristic antenna pattern allows for the best radio link between the relay node and the receiving communication device.