Communication arrangement with overlap area

• US 9,642,018 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Deutschland GmbH (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Clevorn, Thorsten, Drewes, Christian, Kreuchauf, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US13/207,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,091 Days
• Field of Search: 455443, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a communication arrangement is provided which has a first antenna for transmitting signals into the coverage area of a first mobile radio cell, a second antenna for transmitting signals into the coverage area of a second mobile radio cell and a signal radiating device which is arranged for radiating signals, which are sent out by the first antenna, into an area which is associated with the coverage area of the first mobile radio cell and which overlaps the coverage area of the second mobile radio cell.

Claims

1. A communication arrangement, comprising:

a first antenna mounted on a mast to transmit signals into the coverage area of the first antenna;

a second antenna mounted on said mast to transmit signals into the coverage area of the second antenna, wherein the coverage areas of the first and the second antennas overlap, creating an overlap area; and

a signal radiating device to control the first antenna to radiate downlink signals for reception by a mobile communication device, into said overlap area of the first antenna and the second antenna;

wherein the signal radiating device is further configured to control the first antenna to produce the downlink signals, in such a manner so as to extend an area in which both a signal strength of the downlink signals by the first antenna for reception by the mobile communication device and a signal strength of downlink signals by the second antenna for reception by the mobile communication device are sufficient to complete a handover of the mobile communication device from the first antenna to the second antenna.

2. The communication arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

one or several base stations, the first antenna and the second antenna being antennas of the one or several base stations.

3. The communication arrangement according to claim 1, the signal radiating device being mounted on the mast.

4. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signal radiating device is an active transmitting device.

5. The communication arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising:

a signal generating device which supplies the same signals to the antenna and to the signal radiating device for sending out by means of the antenna and for sending out by means of the signal radiating device.

6. The communication arrangement according to claim 4,

wherein the signal radiating device has a third antenna.

7. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signal radiating device is passive.

8. The communication arrangement according to claim 7,

wherein the signal radiating device is a reflector.

9. The communication arrangement according to claim 8,

wherein the reflector is arranged remote from the mast.

10. The communication arrangement according to claim 8,

wherein the reflector is arranged in the coverage area of the antenna.

11. The communication arrangement according to claim 8,

wherein the reflector is arranged on the mast.

12. The communication arrangement according to claim 8,

wherein the reflector is arranged in the main direction of radiation of the first antenna.

13. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signal radiating device is arranged for radiating the signals in such a manner that the area is an area which does not exceed a predetermined maximum extent.

14. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signal radiating device is arranged for radiating the signals in such a manner that the area is an area which is not less than a predetermined minimum extent.

15. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signals sent out by the first antenna are spread by means of a first scrambling code and the signals sent out by the second antenna are spread by means of a second scrambling code, the first scrambling code and the second scrambling code being different.

16. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signals sent out by the first antenna are spread by means of a first scrambling code and the signals radiated by the signal radiating device are spread by means of the first scrambling code.

17. The communication arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the signals are control signals.

18. The communication arrangement according to claim 17,

wherein the signals are mobile radio network control signals.