Adaptive array device

• US 6,496,142 B1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iinuma, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US09/807,439
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 342/368, 342/372, 342/374, 455/83, 455/277.1, 455/562
• US Class Current: 342/368
• 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: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection

Abstract

A first pattern generating unit forms an adaptive array pattern using every antenna in a plurality of antennas. A second and third pattern generating unit respectively form adaptive array patterns for groups of antennas in the plurality of antennas using a different frequency for each group. A control unit switches between pattern formation by the first pattern generating unit and pattern formations by the second and third pattern generating units.

Claims

1. An adaptive array apparatus that has a plurality of antennas, comprising:

first forming means for forming an adaptive array pattern using every antenna in the plurality of antennas;

second forming means for dividing the plurality of antennas into a plurality of groups that each include at least two antennas and forming separate adaptive array patterns for each group; and

control means for selectively switching between pattern formation by the first forming means and pattern formation by the second forming means.

2. An adaptive array apparatus according to claim 1, the adaptive array apparatus being used as a base station for mobile telephones that use a time division multiple access (TDMA) method,

the control means switching between pattern formation by the first forming means and pattern formation by the second forming means according to a number of telephones to be connected.

3. An adaptive array apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein for one of the groups of antennas, the second forming means does not form an adaptive array pattern for a time slot that is used as a control channel and forms adaptive array patterns for other time slots.

4. An adaptive array apparatus according to either claim 1 or 2,

wherein the number of antennas is m*n (where m and n are integers that are no less than two),

the second forming means dividing the plurality of antennas into n groups of m antennas.

5. An adaptive array apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a digital signal processor,

wherein the first forming means has the digital signal processor calculate gain values and phase amounts of transmission and reception signals of every antenna in the plurality of antennas, and uses the calculated gain values and phase amounts to form an adaptive array pattern, and

the second forming means has the digital signal processor calculate gain values and phase amounts of transmission and reception signals of antennas separately for each group, and uses the calculated gain values and phase amounts to form separate adaptive array patterns for each group.