Antenna configuration for a hybrid inner/outer sectored cell

• US 6,351,654 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Bulin, Murphy, Myles Patrick, Lamoureux, Philip, Kahn, Colin Leon, Huang, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US09/167,186
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/561, 455/562, 455/447
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures

Abstract

Sharing the existing sector antennas at the base station each of which corresponds to one sector of the outer communication coverage area to create an omnidirectional inner communication coverage area. When transmitting or receiving data from a mobile in one sector of the outer communication coverage area only one antenna is used, and when transmitting or receiving data from a mobile in the inner communication coverage area all the antennas are used. This allows an increase in capacity of the hybrid inner/outer sectored cell without the additional cost of adding further antennas.

Claims

1. A base station providing coverage to an inner communication coverage area and an outer communication coverage area, comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements are operable to obtain an antenna pattern that covers the entire inner and the entire outer communication coverage areas;

a first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, the first antenna element having an antenna pattern that covers a first sector of the outer communication coverage area and at least a first portion of the inner communication coverage area, the first antenna element being operable to transmit a first signal directed to a first mobile terminal in the first sector of the outer communication coverage area;

a second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, the second antenna element having an antenna pattern that covers a second sector of the outer communication coverage area and at least a second portion of the inner communication coverage area, the second antenna element being operable to transmit a second signal directed to a second mobile terminal in the second sector of the outer communication coverage area;

responsive to the base station communicating with a mobile unit located in the inner communication coverage area, the plurality of antennas being operable to transmit using each of the plurality of antenna elements concurrently a third signal directed to a third mobile terminal in the inner communication coverage area;

wherein the furthest point of the inner communication coverage area from the first and second antennas is closer to the first and second antennas than the furthest point of the outer communication coverage area from the first and second antennas; and

wherein the inner and outer communication coverage areas are in a hybrid inner/outer sectored cell.

2. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a third antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, the third antenna element having an antenna pattern that covers a third sector of the outer communication coverage area and at least a third portion of the inner communication coverage area.

3. The base station of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third portions of the inner communication coverage area comprise the entire inner communication coverage area.

4. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a signal combiner having:

a first input coupled to the first antenna element for receiving a first signal from the first antenna element;

a second input coupled to the second antenna element for receiving a second signal from the second antenna element; and

an output that provides a signal formed from the first and second signals.

5. The base station of claim 4, wherein the signal combiner further includes a third input coupled to a third antenna element for receiving a third signal from the third antenna element;

and

the signal provided by the output comprises the third signal.

6. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a signal divider having a first output that provides at least a first part of a signal to the first antenna element and a second output that provides at least a second part of the signal to the second antenna element.

7. A method for providing coverage to an inner communication coverage area and an outer communication coverage area for use in system having a plurality of antenna elements operable to obtain an antenna pattern that covers the entire inner and the entire outer communication coverage areas, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal directed to a first mobile terminal in a first sector in the outer communication coverage area using a first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements;

transmitting a second signal directed to a second mobile terminal in a second sector in the outer communication coverage area using a second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements;

responsive to the base station communicating with a mobile unit located in the inner communication coverage area transmitting a third signal directed to a first mobile terminal in the inner communication coverage area using each of the plurality of antenna elements concurrently;

wherein the furthest point of the inner communication coverage area from the first and second antennas is closer to the first and second antennas than the furthest point of the outer communication coverage area from the first and second antennas; and

wherein the inner and outer communication coverage areas are in a hybrid inner/outer sectored cell.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of transmitting a fourth signal to a third sector in the outer communication coverage area using a third antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements and wherein the step of transmitting a third signal further comprises using the third antenna element.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first signal is transmitted at a first power level, the second signal is transmitted at a second power level and the third signal is transmitted at a third power level, the third power level being less than the smaller of:

the first power level and the second power level.