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Multiple-antenna system for cellular communication and broadcasting

  • US 8,326,366 B2
  • Filed: 02/14/2012
  • Issued: 12/04/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A transmission method for a base station in a multi-cell orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless system within a geographic area divided into a plurality of cells, the base station including a plurality of antennas and a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of antennas, the method comprising:

  • generating signals containing a group of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols associated with a first transmission mode, the first transmission mode allowing unicast transmission to mobile devices within a cell during a first transmission time;

    generating signals containing a group of OFDM symbols associated with a second transmission mode, the second transmission mode allowing a single, frequency network (SFN) broadcast transmission to mobile devices in multiple cells during a second transmission time;

    maintaining a mapping associated with the first transmission mode and the second transmission mode, the mapping routing a signal to multiple of the plurality of antennas in the first transmission mode and routing a signal to one of the plurality of antennas in the second transmission mode;

    transmitting the signals associated with the first transmission mode by turning on multiple of the plurality of switches reflected by the mapping;

    transmitting the signals associated with the second transmission mode by turning on one of the plurality of switches reflected by the mapping;

    making a transition between the first transmission mode and the second transmission mode during a cyclic prefix or a cyclic postfix between OFDM symbols;

    wherein the plurality of antennas produce a first beam pattern during the first transmission mode and a second beam pattern during the second transmission mode; and

    wherein the first beam pattern is different than the second beam pattern in either an azimuth pattern or an elevation pattern.

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