Antenna Apparatus and Method of Configuring a Transmission Beam for the Antenna Apparatus
First Claim
1. Antenna apparatus for operating as a base station in a wireless network, comprising:
- a rotatable antenna assembly configured to employ a transmission beam pattern selected from a plurality of transmission beam patterns;
a controller to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly in order to alter an azimuth direction of the rotatable antenna assembly;
the controller being configured, during a configuration mode, to perform a sweep operation in order to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly to each of multiple selected azimuth directions;
quality metric determination circuitry to determine, for each selected azimuth direction, a link quality metric for each of a plurality of wireless terminals based on communication between the plurality of wireless terminals and the base station whilst the rotatable antenna assembly is at that selected azimuth direction; and
transmission beam determination circuitry to determine, from the link quality metrics determined for the plurality of wireless terminals at each selected azimuth direction, both an output transmission beam pattern from said plurality of transmission beam patterns, and an output azimuth direction;
for a subsequent communication with the plurality of wireless terminals, the controller being arranged to rotate the rotatable antenna apparatus to said output azimuth direction and the rotatable antenna assembly being arranged to employ said output transmission beam pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An antenna apparatus operates as a base station in a wireless network, with a method configuring a transmission beam within such antenna apparatus. The antenna apparatus has a rotatable antenna assembly employing selected transmission beam patterns, and a controller to rotate the antenna assembly altering its azimuth direction. During configuration mode, a sweep operation rotates the antenna assembly to selected azimuth directions. Quality metric determination circuitry determines, for each selected azimuth direction, a link quality metric for wireless terminals based on communication between the wireless terminals and the base station whilst the rotatable antenna assembly is at that selected azimuth direction. Transmission beam determination circuitry determines, from the link quality metrics determined for the wireless terminals at each selected azimuth direction, both a transmission beam pattern and an azimuth direction for subsequent communication with the wireless terminals. The antenna apparatus efficiently self-configures its transmission beam pattern and azimuth direction.
27 Citations
19 Claims
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1. Antenna apparatus for operating as a base station in a wireless network, comprising:
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a rotatable antenna assembly configured to employ a transmission beam pattern selected from a plurality of transmission beam patterns; a controller to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly in order to alter an azimuth direction of the rotatable antenna assembly; the controller being configured, during a configuration mode, to perform a sweep operation in order to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly to each of multiple selected azimuth directions; quality metric determination circuitry to determine, for each selected azimuth direction, a link quality metric for each of a plurality of wireless terminals based on communication between the plurality of wireless terminals and the base station whilst the rotatable antenna assembly is at that selected azimuth direction; and transmission beam determination circuitry to determine, from the link quality metrics determined for the plurality of wireless terminals at each selected azimuth direction, both an output transmission beam pattern from said plurality of transmission beam patterns, and an output azimuth direction; for a subsequent communication with the plurality of wireless terminals, the controller being arranged to rotate the rotatable antenna apparatus to said output azimuth direction and the rotatable antenna assembly being arranged to employ said output transmission beam pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of configuring a transmission beam for an antenna apparatus to operate as a base station in a wireless network, the antenna apparatus having a rotatable antenna assembly to employ a transmission beam pattern selected from a plurality of transmission beam patterns, and a controller to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly in order to alter an azimuth direction of the rotatable antenna assembly, the method comprising:
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performing a sweep operation in order to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly to each of multiple selected azimuth directions; determining, for each selected azimuth direction, a link quality metric for each of a plurality of wireless terminals based on communication between the plurality of wireless terminals and the base station whilst the rotatable antenna assembly is at that selected azimuth direction; and determining, from the link quality metrics determined for the plurality of wireless terminals at each selected azimuth direction, both an output transmission beam pattern from said plurality of transmission beam patterns, and an output azimuth direction; for a subsequent communication with the plurality of wireless terminals, rotating the rotatable antenna apparatus to said output azimuth direction and causing the rotatable antenna assembly to employ said output transmission beam pattern.
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19. Antenna apparatus for operating as a base station in a wireless network, comprising:
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rotatable antenna means for employing a transmission beam pattern selected from a plurality of transmission beam patterns; control means for rotating the rotatable antenna means in order to alter an azimuth direction of the rotatable antenna means; the control means for performing a sweep operation during a configuration mode in order to rotate the rotatable antenna means to each of multiple selected azimuth directions; quality metric determination means for determining, for each selected azimuth direction, a link quality metric for each of a plurality of wireless terminal means based on communication between the plurality of wireless terminal means and the base station whilst the rotatable antenna means is at that selected azimuth direction; and transmission beam determination means for determining, from the link quality metrics determined for the plurality of wireless terminal means at each selected azimuth direction, both an output transmission beam pattern from said plurality of transmission beam patterns, and an output azimuth direction; for a subsequent communication with the plurality of wireless terminal means, the control means rotating the rotatable antenna means to said output azimuth direction and the rotatable antenna means employing said output transmission beam pattern.
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Specification