ACTIVE ANTENNA ARRAY CONFIGURATION AND CONTROL FOR CELLULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20030073463A1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Celletra Ltd. (Unity Wireless Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Celletra Ltd. (Unity Wireless Corp.)
• Inventors: SHAPIRA, JOSEPH
• Granted Patent: US 6,900,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2676 Optically controlled phased array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/40 with phasing matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/06 at the transmitting station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0848 Joint weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

Various antenna arrangements are provided with active transmit and receive antenna elements for transmitting and receiving signals within a cellular communication system. Also presented are specific base station antenna systems and methods, and portions thereof, which improve and control specific characteristics and features of antenna systems including antenna beam patterns. In addition, method for the optimization of a cellular communications network is provided which exploits reverse-link, forward-link, and pilot signal information to optimize network operations.

Claims

1. An antenna array arrangement for a wireless communication network, comprising:

a plurality of transmit active antenna elements; and

a plurality of receive active antenna elements,

wherein said transmit antenna elements and receive antenna elements are disposed in a repeating alternating configuration such that each of said transmit antenna elements are separated from each other by an optimal distance and each of said receive antenna elements are separated from each other by said optimal distance.

2. The antenna array arrangement of claim 1, wherein said transmit antenna elements are vertically polarized, said receive antenna elements are linearly-slant polarized, and said transmit antenna elements and receive antenna elements are configured in a vertical configuration.

3. The antenna array arrangement of claim 1, wherein said transmit antenna elements are vertically polarized, said receive antenna elements are linearly-slant polarized, and said transmit antenna elements and receive antenna elements are configured in a multi-columnar configuration.

4. The antenna array arrangement of claim 1, wherein said transmit antenna elements and said receive antenna elements are linearly-slant polarized and said transmit antenna elements and receive antenna elements are configured in a vertical configuration.

5. The antenna array arrangement of claim 1, wherein said transmit antenna elements and said receive antenna elements are linearly-slant polarized and said transmit antenna elements and receive antenna elements are configured in a multi-columnar configuration.

6. The antenna array arrangement of claim 1, further including a plurality of active radiating units, wherein said transmit antenna elements and said receive antenna elements are incorporated within said active radiating units.

7. A base station antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing a plurality of active transmit and active receive antenna elements;

a transmit transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for processing signals to be transmitted by active transmit antenna elements; and

a receive transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for processing signals received by active receive antenna elements,

wherein, said transmit transform matrix and said receive transform matrix are separate and each one forms a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane.

8. The base station antenna system of claim 7, wherein said transmit transform matrix and said receive transform matrix contain beam ports which are coupled to amplitude adjusting elements, gain adjusting elements, and phase adjusting elements for controlling a shape of said plurality of narrow beam patterns.

9. A base station antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing at least two active polarization diversity antenna elements;

a delay unit coupled to one of said at least two polarization diversity antenna elements for delaying a signal of said one antenna element; and

a transform matrix for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said transform matrix having a plurality of beam ports and a plurality of antenna ports.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said two diversity polarization antenna elements are receive antenna elements, said transform matrix processes signals received by said active receive antenna elements, and said delayed signal of said one antenna element is combined with a signal from the other antenna element before being processed by said transform matrix.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said two polarization diversity antenna elements are transmit antenna elements, said transform matrix processes signals to be transmitted by said active transmit antenna elements.

12. A base station antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing a plurality of first active antenna elements and a plurality of second active antenna elements, said plurality of first active antenna elements having polarization diversity from said plurality of second active antenna elements;

a first transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said first transform matrix being associated with said plurality of first active antenna elements and having a plurality of beam ports coupled to a plurality of adjustment elements for adjusting a first plurality of beam port signals;

a second transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said second transform matrix being associated with said plurality of second active antenna elements and having a plurality of beam ports coupled to a plurality of adjustment elements for adjusting a second plurality of beam port signals;

a first combiner for generating a first combined signal by combining all signals in said first plurality of beam port signals;

a second combiner for generating a second combined signal by combining all signals in said second plurality of beam port signals;

a delay unit coupled to said first combiner for delaying said first combined signal; and

a third combiner for combining delayed first combined signal and second combined signal.

13. A base station antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing a plurality of first active antenna elements and a plurality of second active antenna elements, said plurality of first active antenna elements having polarization diversity from said plurality of second active antenna elements;

a first transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said first transform matrix being associated with said plurality of first active antenna elements and having a plurality of beam ports coupled to a plurality of adjustment elements for adjusting a first plurality of beam port signals;

a second transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said second transform matrix being associated with said plurality of second active antenna elements and having a plurality of beam ports coupled to a plurality of adjustment elements for adjusting a second plurality of beam port signals;

a combined signal splitter for splitting a combined signal into a first split signal and a second split signal;

a delay unit for delaying said first split signal;

a first splitter for splitting said delayed first split signal into a first plurality of beam port signals; and

a second splitter for splitting said second split signal into a second plurality of beam port signals,

wherein said first and second plurality of beam port signals are adjusted and supplied to said first transform matrix and said second transform matrix, respectively.

14. A base station antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing a plurality of first active antenna elements and a plurality of second active antenna elements, said plurality of first active antenna elements having polarization diversity from said plurality of second active antenna elements;

a first set of adjustment elements coupled to each of said plurality of first active antenna elements for adjusting radiation characteristics of said first active antenna elements;

a second set of adjustment elements coupled to each of said plurality of second active antenna elements for adjusting radiation characteristics of said second active antenna elements;

a transform matrix for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said transform matrix having a plurality of beam ports and a plurality of antenna ports.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said plurality of first active antenna elements and said plurality of second active antenna elements are transmit antenna elements, said transform matrix processes signals to be transmitted by said first and second active transmit antenna elements.

16. A base station antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing a plurality of first active antenna elements and a plurality of second active antenna elements, said plurality of first active antenna elements having polarization diversity from said plurality of second active antenna elements;

a first transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said first transform matrix being associated with said plurality of first active antenna elements and having a plurality of beam ports coupled to a plurality of first transform adjustment elements for adjusting a first plurality of beam port signals;

a second transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said second transform matrix being associated with said plurality of second active antenna elements and having a plurality of beam ports coupled to a plurality of second transform adjustment elements for adjusting a second plurality of beam port signals;

a signal splitter for splitting a combined signal into a first split signal and a second split signal;

a first set of adjustment elements for adjusting said first split signal;

a second set of adjustment elements for adjusting said second split signal;

a first splitter for splitting said adjusted first split signal into a first plurality of beam port signals; and

a second splitter for splitting said adjusted second split signal into a second plurality of beam port signals,

wherein said first and second plurality of beam port signals are further respectively adjusted by said first and second transform adjustment elements and then respectively supplied to said first transform matrix and said second transform matrix.

17. A base station multi-carrier antenna system comprising:

a multi-columnar antenna arrangement containing a plurality of active antenna elements;

a transform matrix, coupled to said multi-columnar antenna arrangement, for forming a plurality of narrow beam patterns that span different angular directions in a predetermined plane, said transform matrix having a plurality of beam ports;

a plurality of frequency separators, coupled to said beam ports, for separating signals from said beam ports into a plurality of constituent carrier frequency signals,

a plurality of adjustment elements for adjusting each of said plurality of carrier frequency signals;

a plurality of combiners, wherein each of said plurality of combiners combines all adjusted carrier frequency signals of a predetermined frequency and outputs a predetermined frequency signal; and

a plurality of filters, wherein each of said plurality of filters is tuned to said predetermined frequency signal and is coupled to each of said combiners.