Multi-sector pivotal antenna system and method
First Claim
1. A wireless communication antenna system adapted to provide communications within a substantially fixed geographic area, wherein said predetermined geographic area is neighboring a geographic area having wireless communication provided therein by an antenna other than said antenna, systems said antenna system comprising:
- a plurality of radiating structures, each having a predetermined substantially directional radiation pattern, said radiating structures disposed to form a composite radiation pattern from said directional radiation patterns having a predetermined coverage area substantially corresponding to said substantially fixed geographic area; and
automated means for physically adjusting the position of said radiating structures to result in said composite radiation pattern having an adjusted coverage area, wherein said adjusted coverage area is a different size than said predetermined coverage area, said size being determined at least in part as a function of wireless communication provided in said neighboring geographic area.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An omni directional coverage multibeam antenna composed of facets, or antenna modules, that make up a regular polygon of n sides inscribed in a circle of radius r which defines an adjustable composite conical surface. The disclosed antenna modules are independent antenna arrays creating an independent beam. One advantage of such a system is that the radiated wave front associated with such antenna modules is always substantially broadside to the array resulting in limited scan loss effects. Furthermore, the independence of the disclosed antenna modules is important as it allows each module'"'"'s beam to be either electrically or mechanically steered to affect elevation or azimuthal beam control. Additionally, by employing trapezoidal shaped antenna modules, a minimum radome diameter is achieved that covers this antenna system.
177 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A wireless communication antenna system adapted to provide communications within a substantially fixed geographic area, wherein said predetermined geographic area is neighboring a geographic area having wireless communication provided therein by an antenna other than said antenna, systems said antenna system comprising:
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a plurality of radiating structures, each having a predetermined substantially directional radiation pattern, said radiating structures disposed to form a composite radiation pattern from said directional radiation patterns having a predetermined coverage area substantially corresponding to said substantially fixed geographic area; and automated means for physically adjusting the position of said radiating structures to result in said composite radiation pattern having an adjusted coverage area, wherein said adjusted coverage area is a different size than said predetermined coverage area, said size being determined at least in part as a function of wireless communication provided in said neighboring geographic area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for adjusting a position of ones of a plurality of antenna modules, each antenna module of said plurality of antenna modules having a beam associated therewith compositing to form a substantially omni-directional radiation pattern, said system comprising:
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means for identifying a communication parameter comprising; a receive signal demodulator outputting at least a demodulated portion of a signal received by an antenna module of said plurality of antenna modules; a reference signal generator outputting a reference signal; and a signal combiner for combining said demodulated portion of said received signal and said reference signal; means for physically tilting said ones of said plurality antenna modules to provide an adjusted amount of down-tilt resulting in said composite radiation pattern having an adjusted size; and means for controlling said tilting means, said controlling means operable to control tilting of said antenna modules as a function of said identified communication parameter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for adjusting a position of at least one antenna structure of a plurality of antenna structures, each antenna structure of said plurality of antenna structures having a predetermined narrow main lobe associated therewith, said plurality of antenna structures disposed circumferentially around a center point to provide substantially omni-directional coverage by said main lobes, said method comprising the steps of:
identifying a communication attribute, wherein said step of identifying a communication attribute comprises the steps of; demodulating a signal received by an antenna structure of said plurality of antenna structures; generating a reference signal; and combining at least a portion of said demodulated received signal and said reference signal; tilting at least one antenna structure of said plurality antenna structures to result in a changed area covered by said main lobe associated with said at least one antenna structure; and automatically controlling said tilting step as a function of said identified communication attribute. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An antenna system comprising:
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a plurality of antenna modules spaced circumferentially around a support structure, each antenna module having a predetermined narrow communication beam, said antenna modules disposed around said support structure to provide substantially omni-directional communication within a predefined area; means for determining a communication aspect, wherein determination of said communication aspect is based at least in part on information available at a centralized controller operable to control a plurality of antenna systems; and means for automatically adjusting the attitude of at least one antenna module of said plurality of antenna modules as a function of said determined communication aspect to result in said predefined area being adjusted in shape, said adjusting means comprising; an input accepting said determined communication aspect; a processor-based system having a memory associated therewith; an algorithm stored in said memory executable on said processor-based system, said algorithm being operable to determine the appropriateness of adjusting the attitude of said at least one antenna module based at least in part on said input communication aspect. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A system for adjusting a position of ones of a plurality of antenna modules, each antenna module of said plurality of antenna modules having a beam associated therewith compositing to form a substantially omni-directional radiation pattern, said system comprising:
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means for identifying a communication parameter, wherein said identified communication parameter is provided by centralized controlling means operating to control a plurality of antenna systems to thereby result in system wide signal improvement; means for physically tilting said ones of said plurality antenna modules to provide an adjusted amount of down-tilt resulting in said composite radiation pattern having an adjusted size; and means for controlling said tilting means, said controlling means operable to control tilting of said antenna modules as a function of said identified communication parameter. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification