Antenna apparatus, antenna system, and antenna electrical tilting method

• US 10,756,427 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2018
• Issued: 08/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Tingting, Wang, Jisong, Xie, Shoubo, Pei, Shubao
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Wen W
• Application Number:
  US16/166,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20190058250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/005 using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/06 over a restricted angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an RCU (remote control unit), an antenna apparatus, an antenna electrical tilting method and an antenna system. The RCU includes a reading device and a driver. The reading device is configured to read, from a memory inside the antenna apparatus, when the antenna apparatus is communicatively connected with the RCU, antenna information of an antenna controlled by the antenna apparatus and configuration data corresponding to the antenna. The antenna information includes the antenna serial number and the antenna model of the antenna. The driver is configured to control the antenna apparatus to adjust an electrical down-tilt angle of the antenna in accordance with the configuration data.

Claims

1. An antenna system, comprising:

an antenna apparatus, comprising;

an antenna;

a memory storing a plurality of antenna information items for a plurality of antennas and configuration data of the antenna of the antenna system, wherein the plurality of antennas comprises the antenna of the antenna system, and wherein the plurality of antenna information items comprises antenna information for the antenna of the antenna system and corresponding to the configuration data;

a motor configured to move in response to an external drive command;

a phase shifter configured to move, in response to being driven by the motor, to adjust an electrical down-tilt angle of the antenna; and

a remote control unit (RCU) having a reading device integrated therein, wherein the RCU is mounted on a tower and the reading device is configured to read the plurality of antenna information items from the memory using wired communication, and is further configured to determine the configuration data and to determine the antenna information for the antenna of the antenna system from the plurality of read antenna information items and provide the external drive command to the motor according to the antenna information and according to a moving length that is stored in the memory and associated with the antenna of the antenna system and that is determined according to the configuration data of the antenna of the antenna system.

2. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is further configured to read the antenna information of the antenna from the memory using wired communication, and is further configured to retrieve the configuration data of the antenna from the memory using wired communication and according to the antenna information.

3. The antenna system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a visualization window that delivers a query command, and that is configured to control the reading device to obtain the antenna information.

4. The antenna system according to claim 3, wherein the visualization window is configured to receive a query command and deliver the query command to control the reading device to obtain the antenna information.

5. The antenna system according to claim 2, wherein the reading device is further configured to load the configuration data of the antenna to the RCU.

6. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna information comprises a frequency band of the antenna.

7. The antenna system according to claim₅, wherein the antenna information comprises a serial number of the antenna.

8. The antenna system according to claim 7, wherein the antenna information comprises a model of the antenna.

9. The antenna system according to claim 6, wherein the antenna information comprises a model of the antenna.

10. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna information comprises a serial number of the antenna.

11. The antenna system according to claim 10, wherein the antenna information comprises a model of the antenna.

12. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna;

a memory storing a plurality of antenna information items for a plurality of antennas and configuration data of the antenna of the antenna apparatus, wherein the plurality of antennas comprises the antenna of the antenna apparatus, and wherein the plurality of antenna information items comprises antenna information for the antenna of the antenna apparatus and corresponding to the configuration data;

a phase shifter;

a motor configured to drive, in response to an external drive command, the phase shifter to adjust an electrical down-tilt angle of the antenna; and

a remote control unit (RCU) having a reading device integrated therein, wherein the RCU is mounted on a tower and the reading device is configured to read the plurality of antenna information items from the memory using wired communication, and is further configured to determine the configuration data and to determine the antenna information for the antenna of the antenna apparatus from the plurality of antenna information items and provide the external drive command to the motor according to the antenna information and according to a moving length that is stored in the memory and associated with the antenna of the antenna apparatus and that is determined according to the configuration data of the antenna of the antenna apparatus.

13. The antenna apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the reading device is further configured to read the antenna information of the antenna from the memory using wired communication, and is further configured to retrieve the configuration data of the antenna from the memory using wired communication and according to the antenna information.

14. The antenna apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a visualization window that delivers a query command and that is configured to control the reading device to obtain the antenna information.

15. The antenna apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the reading device is further configured to load the configuration data of the antenna to the RCU.

16. The antenna apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the antenna information comprises at least one of a frequency band of the antenna, a serial number of the antenna, or a model of the antenna.

17. An antenna apparatus, comprising:

an antenna;

a memory storing plurality of antenna information items for a plurality of antennas and configuration data of the antenna of the antenna apparatus, wherein the plurality of antennas comprises the antenna of the antenna apparatus, and wherein the plurality of antenna information items comprises antenna information for the antenna of the antenna apparatus and corresponding to the configuration data;

a phase shifter;

a motor configured to drive, according to an external drive command, the phase shifter to adjust an electrical down-tilt angle of the antenna; and

a remote control unit (RCU) having a reading device integrated therein, wherein the RCU is mounted on a tower and the reading device is configured to read the plurality of antenna information items from the memory using wired communication, and is further configured to determine the configuration data and to determine the antenna information for the antenna of the antenna apparatus from the plurality of antenna information items and generate the external drive command according to the antenna information for the antenna of the antenna apparatus and according to a moving length that is stored in the memory and associated with the antenna of the antenna apparatus and that is determined according to the configuration data of the antenna of the antenna apparatus, and is further configured to control the motor according to the external drive command.

18. The antenna apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the reading device is further configured to read the antenna information of the antenna from the memory using wired communication, and is further configured to retrieve the configuration data of the antenna from the memory using wired communication and according to the antenna information.

19. The antenna apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a visualization window that delivers a query command and that is configured to control the reading device to obtain the antenna information;

wherein the reading device is further configured to load the configuration data of the antenna to the RCU.

20. The antenna apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the antenna information comprises at least one of a frequency band of the antenna, a serial number of the antenna, or a model of the antenna.