System for efficiently providing coverage of a sectorized cell for common and dedicated channels utilizing beam forming and sweeping

• US 7,043,274 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cuffaro, Angelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phuong, Dai
• Application Number:
  US10/329,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20040002363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 455/562.1, 455/575.1, 455/560, 455/561, 455/575.7, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/521
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A communication system transmits and receives communications within a sectorized cell between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station. The communication system includes a unit for generating and shaping a beam; an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals within said beam; and a unit for directing the beam. The shaped beam is directed at a plurality of predetermined directions; either continuously or discretely.

Claims

1. A communication system for transmitting and receiving communications between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station, the system transmits a plurality of common channels covering a sectorized cell using at least one beam comprising:

means for generating and shaping a beam;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals within said beam;

means for sweeping said shaped beam, wherein said sweeping means selectively directs the shaped beam at a plurality of directions in a predetermined non-consecutive sequence to selectively direct the beam toward at least one of the plurality of directions more frequently than the other plurality of directions while incorporating a beam identification for each direction;

means for said secondary station to acknowledge said beam by transmitting the beam identification to said primary station; and

means for said primary station to determine the location of the secondary station from the received beam identification; and

said primary station utilizing a dedicated channel beam based on said secondary station'"'"'s location to communicate with said secondary station.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said non-consecutive sequence causes the sweeping means to selectively direct the beam at some of the plurality of directions for a longer duration than others of the plurality of directions.

3. A system for facilitating the transmission and reception of communications between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station, the system transmits a plurality of common channels covering a sectorized cell using at least one beam comprising:

an antenna, for generating a beam for transmitting a communication and for receiving a communication;

means for shaping the beam;

means for sweeping said shared beam, wherein said sweeping means selectively directs the shaped beam at a plurality of directions in a predetermined non-consecutive sequence to selectively direct the beam toward at least one of the plurality of directions more frequently than the other plurality of directions while incorporating a beam identification for each direction;

means for said secondary station to acknowledge said beam by transmitting the beam identification to said primary station; and

means for said primary station to determine the location of the secondary station from the received beam identification; and

said primary station utilizing a dedicated channel beam based on said secondary station'"'"'s location to communicate with said secondary station.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said non-consecutive sequence causes the sweeping means to selectively direct the beam at some of the plurality of directions for a longer duration than others of the plurality of directions.