ARRAY ANTENNAS INCLUDING NON-UNIFORM ANTENNA ELEMENTS

• US 20160134323A1
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bengtsson, Erik, Ying, Zhinong
• Granted Patent: US 9,923,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/20 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Network nodes including a non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements coupled to transceiver circuitry configured to provide communications in a cellular or short-range wireless network are provided. Sizes of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, distances between adjacent ones of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, tilt of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, and/or antenna types of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements differ among the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements.

Claims

1. A network node comprising:

transceiver circuitry configured to provide communications in a cellular or short-range wireless network; and

a non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements coupled to the transceiver circuitry and comprising a plurality of columns and/or a plurality of rows of array antenna elements on a common, continuous surface, wherein sizes of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, distances between adjacent ones of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, antenna types of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements, and/or tilt angles of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements differ among the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements.

2. The network node of claim 1, wherein the plurality of columns and/or plurality of rows of array antenna elements comprises a first group of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements adjacent a second group of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements.

3. The network node of claim 2,

wherein the first group comprises an array comprising the plurality of columns and/or plurality of rows of antenna elements,

wherein each antenna element in the array is coupled to a different antenna feed, and

wherein the second group comprises a sub-array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to a same antenna feed.

4. The network node of claim 3,

wherein the sub-array comprises a first sub-array comprising a first plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to a first same antenna feed, and

wherein the second group further comprises a second sub-array comprising a second plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to a second same antenna feed.

5. The network node of claim 3, wherein the sub-array is configured to be controlled by the circuit to mechanically tilt independently of the first group of the non-uniform plurality of antenna elements.

6. The network node of claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to the transceiver circuitry and configured to:

receive an uplink pilot signal; and

feed the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements with a signal that is based on the uplink pilot signal.

7. The network node of claim 1, wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises cellular base station transceiver circuitry coupled to the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements.

8. The network node of claim 7, wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) cellular base station transceiver circuitry coupled to the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements.

9. The network node of claim 1, wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises Wi-Fi base station transceiver circuitry coupled to the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements.

10. The network node of claim 1,

wherein the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements are on a non-spherical and non-cylindrical surface, and

wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises non-satellite transceiver circuitry.

11. The network node of claim 10, wherein the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements are on a flat surface.

12. The network node of claim 10, wherein the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements are on a non-planar surface.

13. The network node of claim 12, wherein the non-planar surface comprising the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements comprises a semi-spherical or semi-cylindrical surface.

14. The network node of claim 1, wherein some, but not all, of the non-uniform plurality of array antenna elements comprise patch antenna elements.

15. A massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) array antenna comprising a plurality of massive MIMO array antenna elements coupled to transceiver circuitry configured to provide communications in a cellular or short-range wireless network, wherein sizes of the massive MIMO array antenna elements, distances between adjacent ones of the massive MIMO array antenna elements, antenna types of the massive MIMO array antenna elements, and/or tilt angles of the massive MIMO array antenna elements differ among the massive MIMO array antenna elements.

16. The massive MIMO array antenna of claim 15,

wherein the massive MIMO array antenna elements are on a flat surface, a semi-spherical surface, or a semi-cylindrical surface, and

wherein the massive MIMO array antenna elements are configured to be fed with a signal that is based on an uplink pilot signal.

17. The massive MIMO array antenna of claim 15,

wherein some, but not all, of the massive MIMO array antenna elements comprise patch antenna elements, and

wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises massive MIMO cellular base station transceiver circuitry coupled to the massive MIMO array antenna elements.

18. An irregular array antenna comprising a plurality of irregular array antenna elements coupled to transceiver circuitry configured to provide communications in a cellular or short-range wireless network,

wherein sizes of the irregular array antenna elements, distances between adjacent ones of the irregular array antenna elements, antenna types of the irregular array antenna elements, and/or tilt angles of the irregular array antenna elements differ among the irregular array antenna elements,

wherein the irregular array antenna elements are configured to be fed with a signal that is based on an uplink pilot signal, and

wherein the irregular array antenna elements are on a flat surface, a semi-spherical surface, or a semi-cylindrical surface.

19. The irregular array antenna of claim 18, wherein some, but not all, of the irregular array antenna elements comprise patch antenna elements.

20. The irregular array antenna of claim 18, wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) cellular base station transceiver circuitry coupled to the irregular array antenna elements.