Multi-link antenna array configured for cellular site placement

• US 7,642,988 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Harold W., Rausch, Walter F., Hoffman, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; HoangAnh T
• Application Number:
  US11/471,042
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/878, 343/890, 343/891, 343/872
• US Class Current: 343/878
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00

Abstract

A system and method for mounting a plurality of antenna elements onto a cell tower is disclosed. The plurality of antennas are mounted into a radome enclosure. The radome enclosure has an outer size and shape that matches the outer size and shape of a cellular antenna element. The radome enclosure is configured to attach to a cellular tower using the same physical mounting system as the cellular antenna elements. The plurality of antennas provide multiple point-to-point links that may be used for wireless backhaul links or other applications.

Claims

1. A multi-link antenna array, comprising:

a radome enclosure with an outer size and shape that matches the outer size and shape of a cellular antenna element;

a radome mounting system coupled to the radome enclosure and configured to attach to a cellular antenna element mounting system;

an antenna mounting system configured to mount a plurality of antennas completely inside the radome enclosure;

at least one antenna attached to the antenna mounting system.

2. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is configured to operate using a common carrier band.

3. The multi-link antenna array of claim 2 where the common carrier band is selected from the 2, 4, 6, 10, 11, 18, 23, or 28 GHz common carrier bands.

4. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is configured to operate at a wavelength band selected from the group:

broadband radio service (BRS) 2.5 GHz, local multipoint distribution service (LMDS 24 GHz-39 GHz), Unlicensed bands 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 5.8 GHz, or at licensed cellular bands 800 MHz, 1900 MHz.

5. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is configured to operate in any microwave and millimeter wave bands where point to point radios are authorized to operate.

6. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is a patch antenna.

7. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is a parabolic antenna.

8. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is a yagi antenna.

9. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna is a helical antenna.

10. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna includes a radio frequency (RF) head.

11. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where there are a plurality of antennas mounted onto the antenna mounting system.

12. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the antenna mounting system is configured to allow the plurality of antennas to be aligned anywhere within a 360 degree azimuth range.

13. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the antenna mounting system is configured to mount a plurality of antennas that are essentially identical.

14. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the antenna mounting system is configured to mount a plurality of antennas that are configured for a plurality of different wavelength bands.

15. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the radome enclosure is generally cylindrical in shape.

16. The multi-link antenna array of claim 15 where the cylindrical shape has a diameter of approximately 12 inches and where the cylindrical shape is approximately 6 feet in length.

17. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the radome enclosure is generally rectangular in shape.

18. The multi-link antenna array of claim 17 where the generally rectangular shape has a width of approximately 12 inches, a length of approximately 12 inches and a height of approximately 6 feet.

19. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the antenna mounting system comprises a vertical cylindrical rod.

20. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the antenna mounting system comprises a series of horizontal slots formed into the radome enclosure.

21. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the cellular antenna element mounting system is mounted on a cell tower.

22. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 further comprising:

a single cable exiting from the radome enclosure and configured to feed a plurality of signals to the plurality of antennas configured to be mounted inside the radome enclosure.

23. The multi-link antenna array of claim 22 where the single cable comprises a plurality of intermediate frequency (IF) signal lines and at least one power line.

24. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 where the at least one antenna further comprises an RF modem.

25. The multi-link antenna array of claim 1 further comprising:

a first motor attached to the at least one antenna and configured to move the antenna in an azimuth direction.

26. The multi-link antenna array of claim 25 further comprising:

a second motor attached to the at least one antenna and configured to move the antenna in a direction perpendicular to the azimuth direction.

27. The multi-link antenna array of claim 25 where the first motor is controlled remotely.

28. A method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links, comprising:

mounting a plurality of antennas completely inside a radome enclosure, where the radome enclosure has an outer size and shape that matches the outer size and shape of a cellular antenna element and where each of the plurality of antennas is configured to form one point-to-point link;

attaching the radome enclosure to a cellular tower using a cellular antenna element mounting system.

29. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28, further comprising:

aligning each of the plurality of antennas with a corresponding plurality of remote antennas where each of the corresponding plurality of remote antennas is located remotely from the cellular tower.

30. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the plurality of antennas are aligned anywhere within a 360 degree azimuth range using an antenna mounting system.

31. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of antennas is configured to operate using a common carrier band.

32. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the common carrier band is selected from the 2, 4, 6, 10, 11, 18, 23, or 28 GHz common carrier bands.

33. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas is configured to operate at a wavelength band selected from the group:

broadband radio service (BRS) 2.5 GHz, local multipoint distribution service (LMDS 24 GHz-39 GHz), Unlicensed bands 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 5.8 GHz, or at licensed cellular bands 800 MHz, 1900 MHz.

34. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of antennas is a patch antenna.

35. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of antennas is a parabolic antenna.

36. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of antennas is a yagi antenna.

37. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of antennas is a helical antenna.

38. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of antennas includes an RF head.

39. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the plurality of antennas are essentially identical.

40. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the plurality of antennas are configured for a plurality of different wavelength bands.

41. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the radome enclosure is generally cylindrical in shape.

42. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 41 where the cylindrical shape has a diameter of approximately 12 inches and where the cylindrical shape is approximately 6 feet in length.

43. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the radome enclosure is generally rectangular in shape.

44. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 43 where the rectangular shape has a width of approximately 12 inches, a length of approximately 12 inches and a height of approximately 6 feet.

45. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the plurality of antennas are mounted using an antenna mounting system comprising a vertical cylindrical rod.

46. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the plurality of antennas are mounted using an antenna mounting system comprising a series of horizontal slots formed into the radome enclosure.

47. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where the cellular antenna element mounting system is mounted on a cell tower.

48. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 further comprising:

coupling a single cable into the radome enclosure where the single cable is configured to feed a plurality of signals to the plurality of antennas mounted inside the radome enclosure.

49. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 48 where the single cable comprises a plurality of IF signal lines and at least one power line.

50. The method for creating a plurality of point-to-point links of claim 28 where at least one of the plurality of point-to-point links is used as a backhaul link.