Antennae system

• US 8,805,388 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gale, Simon, Urquhart, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/864,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20140011504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/431, 370/342, 375/295
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. In some embodiments, a method of transceiving signals in a wireless communications network is described. The method includes receiving, by user equipment, a signal in a time slot and a frequency band from a transceiver system, the transceiver system configured to transceive at least one other signal from one or more base stations in at least one other time slot and at least one other frequency band via at least two antenna systems. The frequency bands at least partially overlap and transmissions of the signals are in at least a portion of the wireless communications network.

Claims

1. A method of transceiving signals in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

receiving, by user equipment, a first signal in a first time slot and a first frequency band from a first antenna system of a transceiver system, the transceiver system configured to transceive a second signal from base station in a second time slot and a second frequency band via a second antenna system of the transceiver system;

wherein the second time slot is different from the first time slot;

wherein the first and second frequency bands at least partially overlap, and wherein transmissions of the signals are in at least a portion of the wireless communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is operable to receive a message apportioning timeslots for transmission to the base stations and for transmission to the user equipment and wherein the method comprises, receiving, by the user equipment, the signal in the first time slot in response to the message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver system comprises a transceiver and a switch coupling the transceiver to the first antenna system and the second antenna system, wherein the switch is configured to couple the transceiver to the first antenna system and to decouple the antenna from the second antenna system during the first time slot, and couple the transceiver to the second antenna system and to decouple the antenna from the first antenna system during the second time slot.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a transceiver sub-system comprises a first transceiver coupled to the first antenna system and a second transceiver coupled to the second antenna system, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the user equipment, the signal from the first transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals comply with an air interface standard selected from the group consisting of WiMAX and LTE.

6. A method of transceiving signals in a wireless communications network, comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment, a first signal in a first allocated time slot and a first frequency band from a a first antenna system of a transceiver system, the transceiver system configured to transceive a second signal from a base station in a second allocated time slot and a second frequency band via a second antenna system of the transceiver system, wherein the second time slot is different from the first time slow, and wherein the second frequency band at least partially overlaps the first frequency band;

wherein the time slots are allocated in response to a message received by the transceiver, and wherein the transmissions of the signals are in at least a portion of the wireless communications network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transceiver system comprises at least two transceivers and the method further comprises:

receiving, by the user equipment, the signal from at least one of the transceivers.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first signal received by the user equipment is in a first frequency band, wherein the second signal is in a second frequency band, and wherein the first and second frequency bands at least partially overlap.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the received signals comply with an air interface standard selected from the group consisting of WiMAX and LTE.

10. A method of transceiving signals in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a transceiver, a first signal in a first frequency band in a first time slot and a first frequency band to user equipment via a first antenna system; and

transmitting a second signal in a second frequency band in a second time slot to a base station via a second antenna system, wherein the second time slot is different from the first time slot, wherein the second frequency band at least partially overlaps the first frequency band, and wherein transmission of the first and second signals are in at least a portion of the wireless communications network.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the transceiver, a message apportioning timeslots for transmission to the base station and for transmission to the user equipment;

allocating the first time slot to transmissions to the user equipment in response to the received message; and

allocating the second time slot to transmissions to the base station in response to the received message.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

coupling to the first antenna system and decoupling the antenna from the second antenna system during the first time slot; and

coupling to the second antenna system and decoupling the antenna from the first antenna system during the second time slot.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting a first signal to the user equipment comprises transmitting from a transceiver that is different than a transceiver transmitting to the base station.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first antenna radiates in a radiation pattern having a broader azimuth than at least one radiation pattern radiating from the second antenna.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first antenna radiates in a radiation pattern has greater downtilt than at least one radiation pattern radiating from the second antenna.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first antenna radiates in a substantially omni-directional radiation pattern.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

moving signals received on the first antenna system from the first time slot to the second time slot for transmission on the second antenna; and

moving signals received on the second antenna system from the second time slot to the first time slot for transmission on the first antenna.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the transmitted signals complies with an air interface standard selected from the group consisting of WiMAX and LTE.