Method for signal transmission in a communication system between a mobile radio transmission/reception device and a stationary radio transmission/reception device

• US 6,219,563 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1997
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Gapski, Dietmar, Euscher, Christoph, Pillekamp, Klaus-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US08/860,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 455/561, 455/562, 455/517, 455/25, 455/465, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/462, 343/751, 343/757-761, 342/423, 342/379, 342/429
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures

Abstract

The radio area to be covered by the stationary radio transmission/reception device, for example of the base station of a cordless telephone, is illuminated by two or more directional antennas (3, 4) respectively covering a radio sub-area thereof, whereby that respective directional antenna in whose radio sub-area the mobile radio transmission/reception means, i.e., for example, the mobile part of the cordless telephone, is located is activated (antenna diversity). The method and apparatus can be advantageously utilized in cordless telephones.

Claims

1. A method for signal transmission in a communication system between a mobile radio transmission/reception device having a mobile antenna device, and a stationary radio transmission/reception device having a stationary antenna device, the method comprising the steps of:

illuminating a radio area to be covered by the stationary radio transmission/reception device by at least two individual directional antennas, the at least two individual directional antennas forming the stationary antenna device;

providing radio sub-areas of the radio area;

covering each respective radio sub-area of the radio area with a respective one of the at least two individual directional antennas; and

activating in antenna diversity fashion a respective one of the at least two individual directional antennas in whose respective radio sub-area the mobile radio transmission/reception device is located, wherein only one of the at least two individual directional antennas is activated at any one point in time for both transmitting and receiving data to and from the mobile antenna device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a sum of the radio sub-areas covered by all of the directional antennas of the stationary radio transmission/reception device forms an at least approximately point-symmetrical radio area.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of manually aligning the directional antennas, so that the radio area illuminated is matched to an existing environment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting one of the directional antennas to be respectively activated based on comparative measurements of reception field strength in the stationary radio transmission/reception device.

5. A method for signal transmission in a communication system between a mobile radio transmission/reception device having a mobile antenna device, and a stationary radio transmission/reception device having a stationary antenna device, the method comprising the steps of:

illuminating a radio area to be covered by the stationary radio transmission/reception device by at least two individual directional antennas, the at least two individual directional antennas forming the stationary antenna device;

providing radio sub-areas of the radio area;

covering each respective radio sub-area of the radio area with a respective one of the at least two individual directional antennas;

activating in antenna diversity fashion a respective one of the at least two individual directional antennas in whose respective radio sub-areas the mobile radio transmission/reception device is located, wherein only one of the at least two individual directional antennas is activated at any one point in time for both transmitting and receiving data to and from the mobile antenna device; and

wherein the mobile radio transmission/reception device is a mobile telephone, and the stationary radio transmission/reception device is a base station.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a sum of the radio sub-areas covered by all of the directional antennas of the stationary radio transmission/reception device forms an at least approximately point-symmetrical radio area.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises the step of manually aligning the directional antennas, so that the radio area illuminated is matched to an existing environment.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting one of the directional antennas to be respectively activated based on comparative measurements of reception field strength in the stationary radio transmission/reception device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a measuring device with which respective reception field strengths of signals incident via each of the directional antennas and coming from a respective mobile radio transmission/reception device are measured in the stationary radio transmission/reception devices wherein a comparison and selection device compares the reception field strengths and determines a highest thereof, so that the respective one directional antenna at which the highest reception field strength is present is activated.

9. An apparatus for signal transmission in a communication system between a mobile radio transmission/reception device and a stationary radio transmission/reception device, the apparatus comprising:

a mobile antenna device on the mobile radio transmission/reception device; and

a stationary antenna device on the stationary radio transmission/reception device, the stationary antenna device formed of at least two individual directional antennas which together illuminate a radio area to be covered by the stationary radio transmission/reception device, each of the at least two individual directional antennas respectively covering a radio sub-area of the radio area to be covered by the stationary radio transmission/reception device, wherein a respective one of the at least two individual directional antennas in whose respective radio sub-area the mobile radio transmission/reception device is located is respectively activated in antenna diversity fashion, wherein only one of the at least two individual directional antennas is activated at any one point in time for both transmitting and receiving data to and from the mobile antenna device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a direction adjustment device for the directional antennas of the stationary radio transmission/reception device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the directional antennas of the stationary radio transmission/reception device are quick-heading beam antennas that are respectively composed of a vertical half-wave radiator with four parasitic elements that are arranged at a distance of 0.15 λ

, where λ

is a wavelength each from the half-wave radiator and whose lengths are switched such that the elements optionally act either as directors or as reflectors.