Wireless local loop antenna

• US 7,031,652 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SOMA Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Blodgett, James R., Heinzmann, Fred Judson
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/775,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20030013408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/550.1, 455/403, 455/517, 455/422.1, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/67.11, 455/561, 455/562.1, 455/575.1, 455/88, 455/575.7, 455/572, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/500, 343/840
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/20 Macromolecular compounds having nitrogen in the main chain according to C08L75/00 - C08L79/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 79/04 Polycondensates having nitrogen-containing heterocyclic rings in the main chain; Polyhydrazides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• 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: H01Q 3/446 the radiating element being at the centre of one or more rings of auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A wireless local loop system is provided that includes a wireless base station that communicates with a subscriber station via a wireless link. The wireless link can carry a voice service, such as telephone calls, or a data service, such as internet browsing. The subscriber station includes a steerable antenna. A presently preferred steerable antenna for use with the subscriber station includes a driven element mounted on a base plane that is surrounded by a plurality of parasitic elements also mounted to the base plane. The parasitic elements can be optionally grounded or floated in order to reflect the wireless link towards the driven element. The antenna can be oriented in a desired direction during the transception of a voice or data service. A method of transceiving between a wireless local loop subscriber station and a wireless local loop base station is also provided.

Claims

1. A wireless local loop system for carrying at least one subscriber service between a network and a subscriber terminal via a wireless link, said system comprising:

at least one base station interconnecting said network and said wireless link, said base station operable to transceive said service over said link; and

a subscriber station within said wireless local loop system interconnecting said subscriber terminal and said wireless link, said subscriber station having a steerable antenna that is operable to be oriented in a direction having a desired transception-quality of said service over said link by determining an appropriate time to orient said antenna, illuminating said steerable antenna in a given orientation and measuring the transception-quality of a wireless link in said given orientation, repeating said illuminating step until a desired number of orientations have been illuminated, and orienting said antenna towards the one said orientation that has the desired transception-quality for a subscriber service transmitted over said link.

2. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said subscriber service includes a voice service, said subscriber terminal is a voice terminal and said network includes the public switched telephone network.

3. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said subscriber service includes a data service, said subscriber terminal is a data terminal and said network includes the internet.

4. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said wireless link is based on CDMA.

5. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said steerable antenna is electrically steerable.

6. The wireless local loop system of claim 5 wherein said steerable antenna includes at least one driven element and a plurality of parasitic elements that are switchable to influence said radio link in relation to said driven element such that said antenna transceives said radio link in said direction.

7. The wireless local loop system of claim 6 wherein said steerable antenna includes one driven element and four parasitic elements peripheral to said driven element and spaced at an angle of about ninety degrees to each other.

8. The wireless local loop system of claim 7 wherein said parasitic elements are each switchable between a grounded state for reflecting said link in relation to said driven element and a floating state for appearing invisible in relation to said radio link.

9. The wireless local loop system of claim 6 wherein said steerable antenna further includes at least one director element that is switchable in order to further influence said radio link in relation to said driven element such that said antenna transceives said radio link in said direction.

10. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said subscriber service is fixed within said subscriber'"'"'s premises.

11. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said transception-quality is measured using at least one of the metrics of signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, frame error rate, bit rate, power level and frame rate of said link.

12. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said desired transception-quality is based on an orientation of said antenna requiring a lowest emitted power level from said subscriber station.

13. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said steerable antenna is used for an uplink portion of said link and said subscriber station includes a second steerable antenna used for a downlink portion of said link, each of said antennas being independently steerable in different directions according to a desired transmission-quality of said uplink and a desired reception-quality of said down link.

14. The wireless local loop system of claim 1 wherein said subscriber station includes at least one steerable antenna orientable in both horizontal and vertical planes.

15. A method of orienting a steerable antenna in a wireless local loop subscriber station comprising the steps of:

a. determining an appropriate time to orient said antenna within a wireless local loop system;

b. illuminating said steerable antenna in a given orientation and measuring a transception-quality of a wireless link in said given orientation;

c. repeating said illuminating step until a desired number of orientations have been illuminated; and

,

d. orienting said antenna towards the one said orientation that has a desired transception-quality for a subscriber service transmitted over said link.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein each said orientation is a sector of a circle.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein said desired number of orientations is the entire number of orientations in which said steerable antenna can be oriented.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein said appropriate time is reached if said subscriber station is initializing communication over said wireless link between said subscriber station and a base station.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein said appropriate time is reached if said subscriber station is in an idle state.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein said appropriate time is determined based on a type of service being carried over said link.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein said appropriate time is reached if said service is a data service that is latency tolerant.

22. The method according to claim 15 wherein said transception-quality is measured with at least one of the metrics of signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, frame error rate, bit rate, power level and frame rate of said link.

23. The method according to claim 15 wherein said link is based on CDMA and said desired transception-quality is based on the one of said orientations requiring the least emitted power level from said subscriber station.

24. A subscriber station for a wireless local loop system that carries at least one subscriber service between a network and a subscriber terminal, said system including at least one base station interconnecting said network and a wireless link, said base station operable to transceive said service over said link, said subscriber station comprising:

a microprocessor-assembly interconnecting said subscriber terminal and a modem within said wireless local loop system, said microprocessor-assembly for processing said subscriber service, said modem for modulating and demodulating said service;

a radio connected to said modem and for converting said service for transception over said wireless link; and

a steerable antenna connected to said radio and operable to be oriented in a direction that achieves a desired transception-quality of said service over said link by determining an appropriate time to orient said antenna, illuminating said steerable antenna in a given orientation and measuring the transception-quality of a wireless link in said given orientation, repeating said illuminating step until a desired number of orientations have been illuminated, and orienting said antenna towards the one said orientation that has the desired transception-quality for a subscriber service transmitted over said link.

25. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said subscriber service includes a voice service, said subscriber terminal is a voice terminal and said network includes the public switched telephone network.

26. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said subscriber service includes a data service, said subscriber terminal is a data terminal and said network includes the internet.

27. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said wireless link is based on CDMA.

28. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said steerable antenna is electrically steerable.

29. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said steerable antenna includes at least one driven element and a plurality of parasitic elements that are switchable to influence said radio link in relation to said driven element such that said antenna transceives said radio link in said direction.

30. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said steerable antenna includes one driven element and four parasitic elements peripheral to said driven element and spaced at an angle of about ninety degrees to each other.

31. The subscriber station of claim 30 wherein said parasitic elements are each switchable between a grounded state for influencing said link in relation to said driven element and a floating state for appearing invisible in relation to said link.

32. The subscriber station of claim 30 wherein said subscriber service is fixed within said subscriber'"'"'s premises.

33. The subscriber station of claim 30 wherein said transception-quality is measured using at least one of the metrics of signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, frame error rate, bit rate, power level and frame rate of said link.

34. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said desired transception-quality is based on the orientation requiring the least emitted power level from said subscriber station.

35. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said steerable antenna is used for an uplink portion of said link and subscriber station includes a second steerable antenna used for a downlink portion of said link, each of said antennas being independently steerable in different directions according to desired reception-quality of said downlink and desired transmission-quality of said uplink.

36. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said subscriber station includes at least one steerable antenna orientable in both horizontal and vertical planes.

37. The subscriber station of claim 24 wherein said link between said subscriber station and said base station is subject to multipath interference.

38. An antenna for a wireless local loop subscriber station comprising:

a connecting means for attaching said antenna to a radio of said subscriber station;

at least one driven element for transceiving a subscriber service over a wireless link in communication with a base station in a wireless local loop system; and

,

a steering means for orienting said driven element in a direction that achieves a desired transception-quality of said service over said link by determining an appropriate time to orient said antenna, illuminating said steerable antenna in a given orientation and measuring the transception-quality of a wireless link in said given orientation, repeating said illuminating step until a desired number of orientations have been illuminated, and orienting said antenna towards the one said orientation that has the desired transception-quality for a subscriber service transmitted over said link.

39. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said subscriber service includes a voice service and said subscriber terminal is a voice terminal.

40. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said subscriber service includes a data service and said subscriber terminal is a data terminal.

41. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said wireless link is based on CDMA.

42. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said steering means is electrical.

43. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said steerable antenna further includes a plurality of parasitic elements and said steering means includes at least one switching means attached to each of said parasitic elements to allow said parasitic elements to be varied in length in relation to said link in order to influence said link in relation to said driven element such that said antenna transceives said link in said direction.

44. The antenna according to claim 43 wherein said steerable antenna includes one driven element and four parasitic elements peripheral to said driven element and spaced at an angle of about ninety degrees to each other.

45. The antenna according to claim 44 wherein said parasitic elements are each switchable between a grounded state for influencing said link by reflecting said link towards said driven element and a floating state for appearing invisible in relation to said link.

46. The antenna according to claim 44 further comprising a sleeve coaxial with said driven element, said sleeve sized in relation to said driven element and connected to ground such that an impedance match at edges of an operating frequency range of said antenna are improved.

47. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said subscriber service is fixed within said subscriber'"'"'s premises.

48. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said transception-quality is measured in using at least one of the metrics of signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, frame error rate, bit rate, power level and frame rate of said link.

49. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said desired transception-quality is based on the orientation requiring the least emitted power level from said subscriber station.

50. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said steerable antenna is used for an uplink portion of said link.

51. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein said steerable antenna is used for a downlink portion of said link.

52. The antenna according to claim 38 wherein steerable antenna is orientable in both horizontal and vertical planes.