Wireless communication system with base station beam sweeping

• US 6,782,277 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jou, Yu-Cheun, Lundby, Stein A., Chen, Tao, Ling, Fuyun, Holtzman, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craver, Charles R
• Application Number:
  US09/409,944
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/432, 455/434, 455/436, 455/437, 455/442, 455/456, 455/13.4, 455/18, 455/522, 455/524, 455/525, 455/526, 455/63, 455/67.3, 455/560-562, 455/69, 342/359-373
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• 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: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0615 of weighted versions of same signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming

Abstract

A method and apparatus for wireless communications wherein a base station transmits a signal to sending data to a subscriber station through a signal beam that sweeps through the coverage area of the base station. User data addressed to the subscriber station is buffered until the signal beam angle of the signal beam allows efficient transmission. The base station may alter the beam sweep speed or the shape of the beam'"'"'s radiation pattern over time to maximize system efficiency and capacity.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transmitting a signal comprising:

means for shaping a first signal beam having a first signal beam angle, said signal beam being located within a base station coverage area;

means for controlling said signal beam angle;

a transmitter for transmitting an information signal along said signal beam;

a buffer, operably coupled to said transmitter, for storing user data corresponding to one or more destination subscriber stations and providing said user data to said transmitter based on said signal beam angle and said one or more destination subscriber stations; and

a control processor for generating sweeping speed control commands and varying the angular velocity of said signal beam based on the amount of said user data stored in said buffer.

2. Apparatus for transmitting a signal comprising:

a first base station for transmitting a forward-link signal along a first signal beam having a first signal beam angle, wherein said first signal beam angle changes over time;

a second base station for transmitting a second forward-link signal along a second signal beam having a second signal beam angle, wherein said second signal beam angle changes over time; and

a base station controller (BSC) comprising,

backhaul interface for exchanging information with said first and second base stations through a plurality of backhaul connections,

subscriber data buffer for receiving and storing forward-link user data corresponding to one or more destination subscriber stations and providing said user data to said backhaul interface based on said first and second signal beam angle and said one or more destination subscriber stations, and

subscriber base station beam database for storing and retrieving correlated base station signal beam angle and power control data.

3. Apparatus for transmitting a signal comprising:

means for shaping a signal beam having a continuously changing signal beam angle and a signal beam shape;

beam sweeping controller for controlling said signal beam angle based on a control signal received from a base station controller (BSC);

buffer configured to hold and release user data based on a buffer signal; and

control processor configured to vary said buffer signal based on said signal beam angle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for shaping comprises:

plurality of antennas, wherein each said antenna transmits a copy of said information signal having a phase based on one of a plurality of phase control signals generated by said beam sweeping controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for shaping further comprises:

plurality of phase shifters for shifting the phase of said information signal based on said one of a plurality of phase control signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said beam sweeping controller further changes the shape of said signal beam over time by adjusting said plurality of phase control signals.