Multi-antenna system and antenna unit

• US 7,421,288 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Funakubo, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thanh C
• Application Number:
  US11/199,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming

Abstract

A multi-antenna system comprising a plurality of linearly connected antenna units, and a base station device connected to at least one of the antenna units. The antenna units connected in a first direction or a second direction are combined to constitute a multi antenna. The multi-antenna system comprises a unit addition unit that adds one unit to number-of-connected-antenna-units information which is input from the first direction; a number-of-connections sending unit that sends the number-of-connected-antenna-units information, to which one unit has been added as described above, as the number-of-connected-antenna-units information in the second direction; a received data addition unit that adds input digital data, which is input from the first direction, to received digital data; an added-digital-data sending unit that sends the digital data, to which input digital data has been added, as input digital data in the second direction; and a transmission data sending unit that copies the transmission digital data, which is input from the second direction, and sends the copied digital data in the first direction.

Claims

1. A multi-antenna system, comprising a plurality of linearly connected antenna units, and a base station device connected to at least one of the antenna units, wherein:

each antenna unit is combined with the other antenna units connected in a first or second direction to constitute a multi-antenna, and includes;

a unit value addition unit adding number information of connected antenna unit input from the first direction by 1 unit;

a connected number sending unit sending the number information of connected antenna unit having the 1 unit added thereto as number information of connected antenna unit in the second direction;

a transmission/reception module transmitting/receiving a radio signal;

an analog digital conversion unit convening the radio signal received from the transmission/reception module into reception digital data;

a reception data addition unit adding together input digital data input from the first direction and the reception digital data;

an added digital data sending unit sending the added digital data as input digital data in the second direction;

a digital analog conversion unit convening transmission digital data input from the second direction into a transmission analog signal;

a feeding unit feeding power of the transmission analog signal to the transmission/reception module; and

a transmission data sending unit duplicating the transmission digital data input from the second direction and sending the duplicated data in the first direction; and

the base station device includes;

a computing unit generating a divided value obtained by dividing the input digital data input from the antenna unit by the number information of connected antenna units;

a demodulation unit demodulating a reception signal from the divided value; and

a modulation unit generating the transmission digital data.

2. The multi-antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna unit further includes:

a gain control amplifier amplifying the radio signal received from the transmission/reception module by a specified gain;

a gain data input unit inputting data regarding the gain from the second direction; and

a gain data sending unit duplicating the data regarding the gain and sending the duplicated data in the first direction.

3. The multi-antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna unit further includes a unit clearing the input digital data input from the first direction when the antenna unit is not connected to another antenna unit in the first direction.

4. The multi-antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna unit further includes a unit clearing the number information of connected antenna unit input from the first direction when the antenna unit is not connected to another antenna unit in the first direction.

5. The multi-antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the base station device further includes a unit clearing the input digital data input from the antenna unit when the base station device is not connected to the antenna unit.

6. The multi-antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the base station device further includes a unit clearing the number information of connected antenna unit input from the antenna unit when the base station device is not connected to the antenna unit.

7. The multi-antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the base station device further includes an abnormality detection unit detecting abnormalities of the connected antenna units based on the number information of connected antenna unit.

8. An antenna unit provided in a radio base station device, and combined with another antenna unit connected in a first or second direction to constitute a multi-antenna, comprising:

a unit value addition unit adding number information of connected antenna unit input from the first direction by 1 unit;

a connected number sending unit sending the number information of connected antenna unit having the 1 unit added thereto as number information of connected antenna unit in the second direction;

a transmission/reception module transmitting/receiving a radio signal;

an analog digital conversion unit converting the radio signal received from the transmission/reception module into reception digital data;

a reception data addition unit adding together input digital data input from the first direction and the reception digital data;

an added digital data sending unit sending the added digital data as input digital data in the second direction;

a digital analog conversion unit converting transmission digital data input from the second direction into a transmission analog signal;

a feeding unit feeding power of the transmission analog signal to the transmission/reception module; and

a transmission data sending unit duplicating the transmission digital data input from the second direction and sending the duplicated data in the first direction.

9. The antenna unit according to claim 8, further comprising:

a gain control amplifier amplifying the radio signal received from the transmission/reception module by a specified gain;

a gain data input unit inputting data regarding the gain from the second direction; and

a gain data sending unit duplicating the data regarding the gain and sending the duplicated data in the first direction.

10. The antenna unit according to claim 8, further comprising a unit clearing the input digital data input from the first direction when the antenna unit is not connected to another antenna unit in the first direction.

11. The antenna unit according to claim 8, further comprising a unit clearing the number information of connected antenna unit input from the first direction when the antenna unit is not connected to another antenna unit in the first direction.

12. A radio base station comprising:

a unit digitally adding together reception signals of a plurality of antennas;

a calculation unit calculating the number of antennas to be added by executing an arithmetic operation according to the digital added value;

a computing unit generating a divided value obtained by dividing the reception signals added together by the number information of connected antenna units; and

a demodulation unit demodulating a reception signal by using the divided value.