Electronic antenna beam steering using ancillary receivers and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communications device comprising:
- a plurality of antenna elements providing respective fixed beams;
an ancillary control radio frequency (RF) receiver coupled to each of the antenna elements, the ancillary control RF receiver being configured to measure a signal strength from each of the antenna elements and to select one of the antenna elements responsive to the measured signal strengths using RF signals received at the ancillary control RF receiver from the antenna elements;
a primary RF receiver configured to receive communications using RF signals received at the primary RF receiver from the selected antenna element; and
an RF receiver switch between the primary RF receiver and the plurality of antenna elements, the RF receiver switch being configured to couple the selected antenna element to the primary RF receiver and to decouple non-selected antenna elements from the primary RF receiver.
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Abstract
Communications device may include a plurality of antenna elements, an ancillary control receiver, and a primary receiver. The plurality of antenna elements may provide respective fixed beams. The ancillary control receiver may be coupled to each of the antenna elements, and the ancillary control receiver may be configured to measure a signal strength from each of the antenna elements and to select one of the antenna elements responsive to the measured signal strengths. The primary receiver may be configured to receive communications using the selected antenna element. Related methods are also discussed.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A communications device comprising:
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a plurality of antenna elements providing respective fixed beams; an ancillary control radio frequency (RF) receiver coupled to each of the antenna elements, the ancillary control RF receiver being configured to measure a signal strength from each of the antenna elements and to select one of the antenna elements responsive to the measured signal strengths using RF signals received at the ancillary control RF receiver from the antenna elements; a primary RF receiver configured to receive communications using RF signals received at the primary RF receiver from the selected antenna element; and an RF receiver switch between the primary RF receiver and the plurality of antenna elements, the RF receiver switch being configured to couple the selected antenna element to the primary RF receiver and to decouple non-selected antenna elements from the primary RF receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of providing radio communications in a system including a plurality of antenna elements providing respective fixed beams, the method comprising:
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measuring a signal strength from each of the plurality of antenna elements using an ancillary control radio frequency (RF) receiver receiving RF signals at the ancillary control RF receiver from the antenna elements; selecting one of the antenna elements responsive to the measured signal strengths; receiving communications using the selected antenna element and a primary RF receiver using RF signals received at the primary RF receiver from the selected antenna element; coupling the selected antenna element through a radio frequency (RF) switch to the primary RF receiver, wherein the radio frequency (RF) switch is between the primary RF receiver and the plurality of antenna elements; and decoupling non-selected antenna elements from the primary RF receiver at the radio frequency (RF) switch. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification