Base station antenna arrangement

• US 5,666,123 A
• Filed: 01/30/1997
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chrystie, Peter John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US08/791,835
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 342/372, 342/373, 342/374, 455/277.1
• US Class Current: 342/373
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

An antenna for a base station comprising a plurality of antenna arrays (40; FIG. 6a) each capable of forming a multiplicity of separate overlapping narrow beams in azimuth, the arrays being positioned such that the beams formed by the arrays provide a coverage in azimuth wider than each array. Means are provided for selecting (72, 80, 82; FIG. 6b) for a given call more than one of the best received signals from the multiplicity of narrow overlapping beams and for combining the selected signals to form a single receive signal input for an r.f. transceiver for the given call.

Claims

1. A telecommunications base station antenna arrangement comprising:

a plurality of layered antenna arrays having beam forming means for forming a multiplicity of separate overlapping narrow beams in azimuth, the plurality of arrays being positioned such that the beams from each array provide a coverage of azimuth wider than each array;

means for exchanging with a base station network information relating to the position and movement of a mobile station within an area of coverage of the antenna arrangement;

characterized in that the antenna includes;

differentiating means to differentiate between signals of different signal strength;

selecting means for selecting, in a receive mode, for a given call, the best receive signal and other receive signals from the multiplicity of narrow overlapping beams; and

means for combining the signals selected by the selecting means to form a single receive signal input for the r.f. transceiver for the given call.

2. An antenna arrangement according to claim 1 further including:

azimuth beamforming means for each array;

a plurality of r.f. transceivers each for transmitting and receiving r.f. signals for one or more calls;

switching matrix means for connecting each transceiver with one or other of the arrays via the beamforming means;

control means for controlling the switch matrix means whereby a particular transceiver is connected to a particular array, via the beamforming means, to exchange r.f. signals with a remote station located in the area covered by the antenna.

3. An antenna arrangement according to claim 1 further wherein the means for combining the signals selected by the selecting means is a maximal ratio combiner.

5. An antenna arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the antennas are orthogonality polarized antennas.

4. A method of operating telecommunications base station antenna arrangement in a receive mode, the arrangement comprising;

a plurality of layered antenna arrays having beamforming means for forming a multiplicity of separate overlapping narrow beams in azimuth, the plurality of arrays being positioned such that the beams from each array provide a coverage in azimuth wider than each array;

means for exchanging with a base station network information relating to the position and movement of a mobile station within an area of coverage of the antenna arrangement;

characterized in that the antenna includes;

differentiating means to differentiate between signals of different signal strength;

selecting means for selecting, in a receive mode, for a given call the best receive signal and other receive signals from the multiplicity of narrow overlapping beams; and

means for combining the signals selected by the selecting means to form a single receive signal input for the r.f. transceiver for the given call;

the method comprising the following steps;

receiving signals from a mobile station in an operating of the base station area selecting by those selecting means for a given call the best received signal and other received signals; and

combining the signals selected by the selecting means whereby to provide diversity gain to the call.