Method and arrangement for adjusting antenna pattern

• US 5,936,569 A
• Filed: 12/02/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pekkarinen, Jari, Erkkila, Esko, St.ang.hle, Lauri
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US08/982,693
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 342/372, 342/173, 342/174
• US Class Current: 342/174
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0615 of weighted versions of same signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for adjusting an antenna, pattern particularly in an SDMA system where a transmitter and a receiver include at least two antennas. Baseband antenna signals are multiplied by coefficients shaping the antenna pattern in order to produce a desired antenna pattern. The phase and strength of a baseband antenna signal are measured. On the basis of the measurement, the differences in phase and strength between the antenna signals are compensated by adjusting the coefficients shaping the antenna pattern.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting an antenna pattern for an antenna array of a plurality of antennas, which is effectively connected to at least one of a plurality of transmitters for transmitting antenna signals, and a plurality of receivers for receiving antenna signals, comprising:

(a) for each antenna, multiplying a respective antenna signal by coefficients for shaping an antenna pattern of the antenna array to produce a first iteration of a desired antenna pattern;

(b) acquiring and forming from each antenna signal as being used to produce said desired antenna pattern a respective digitized baseband signal having a phase and a strength;

measuring the phase and strength of each said digitized baseband signal, and thereby determining differences among the phases and strengths of the respective digitized baseband signals; and

(c) compensating for said differences by adjusting said coefficients, to produce a subsequent iteration of said desired antenna pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, step (a) includes transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal having a known phase and a known strength and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, step (a) includes transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal having a known strength and a known phase and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said measuring comprises using the phase and strength of one said digitized baseband signal as reference valves for determining said differences.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said measuring comprises measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals simultaneously with one another.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said measuring comprises measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals sequentially.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, step (a) includes transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal having a known phase and a known strength and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

for adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, step (a) includes transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal having a known strength and a known phase and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

said measuring comprises measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals simultaneously with one another;

said transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal and said transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal comprises using for each said antenna a respective different calibration code to provide each of the respective calibration code signals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, step (a) includes transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal having a known phase and a known strength and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

for adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, step (a) includes transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal having a known strength and a known phase and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

said measuring comprises measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals sequentially;

said transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal and said transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal comprises using for each said antenna same calibration code to provide the respective calibration to provide all of the respective calibration code signals.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, using said transmitters for transmitting payload data via said antennas at respective powers which are substantially higher than those of said calibration code signals.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, using said receivers for receiving payload data via said antennas at respective powers which are substantially higher than those of said calibration code signals.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, using said transmitters for transmitting payload data via said antennas at respective powers in respect to which said calibration code signals are maintained at a fixed level.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, using said receivers for receiving payload data via said antennas at respective powers in respect to which said calibration code signals are maintained at a fixed level.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein:

each said calibration code signal comprises a CDMA pilot signal.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein:

each said calibration code signal comprises a CDMA pilot signal.

15. An arrangement for adjusting an antenna pattern for an antenna array of a plurality of antennas, which is effectively connected to at least one of a plurality of transmitters for transmitting antenna signals, and a plurality of receivers for receiving antenna signals, comprising:

(a) A multiplier means serving for each antenna, for multiplying a respective antenna signal by coefficients for shaping an antenna pattern of the antenna array to produce a first iteration of a desired antenna pattern;

(b) means for acquiring and forming from each antenna signal as being used to produce said desired antenna pattern a respective digitized baseband signal having a phase and a strength;

measuring means for measuring the phase and strength of each said digitized baseband signal, and thereby determining differences among the phases and strengths of the respective digitized baseband signals; and

(c) compensating means for compensating for said differences by adjusting said coefficients, to produce a subsequent iteration of said desired antenna pattern.

16. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, said multiplying means includes means for transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal having a known phase and a known strength and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code.

17. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, said multiplying means includes means for transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal having a known strength and a known phase and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code.

18. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

said measuring means is arranged for using the phase and strength of one said digitized baseband signal as reference valves for determining said differences.

19. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

said measuring means is arranged for measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals simultaneously with one another.

20. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

said measuring means is arranged for measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals sequentially.

21. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, said multiplying means includes means for transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal having a known phase and a known strength and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

for adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, said multiplying means includes means for transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal having a known strength and a known phase and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

said measuring means is arranged for measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals simultaneously with one another; and

said means for transmitting is arranged for transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal and said means transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal is arranged for using for each said antenna respective different calibration code to provide each of the respective calibration code signals.

22. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein:

for adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, said multiplying means includes means for transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal having a known phase and a known strength and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

for adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, said multiplying means includes means for transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal having a known strength and a known phase and substantially corresponds to a CDMA spreading code;

said measuring means is arranged for measuring the phase and strength for at least two of said digitized baseband signals simultaneously with one another; and

said means for transmitting is arranged for transmitting through each said transmitter a respective calibration code signal and said means transmitting to each said receiver a respective calibration code signal is arranged for using for each said antenna same calibration code to provide the respective calibration to provide all of the respective calibration code signals.

23. The arrangement of claim 16, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, said transmitters and transmitting means are arranged respectively for transmitting payload data via said antennas at respective powers which are substantially higher than those of said calibration code signals.

24. The arrangement of claim 17, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, said receivers and said transmitting means are arranged respectively for receiving payload data via said antennas at respective powers which are substantially higher than those of said calibration code signals.

25. The arrangement of claim 16, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in transmitting antenna signals, said transmitters and transmitting means are arranged respectively for transmitting payload data via said antennas at respective powers in respect to which said calibration code signals are maintained at a fixed level.

26. The arrangement of claim 17, further comprising:

while adjusting said antenna array for use in receiving antenna signals, said receivers and said transmitting means are arranged respectively for receiving payload data via said antennas at respective powers in respect to which said calibration code signals are maintained at a fixed level.

27. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein:

each said calibration code signal comprises a CDMA pilot signal.

28. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein:

each said calibration code signal comprises a CDMA pilot signal.