Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Bjorn Johannisson

Sven Oscar Petersson

Goran Snygg

Jonas Sandstedt

David Astely

Fredrik Athley

Bo Hagerman

Martin Johansson

Ulf Goran Forssen

Sara Mazur

Ingmar Karlsson

Soren Anderson

Lars Torstensson

Peter Svedhem

A method is provided for using an antenna array to create two beams (a first beam and a second beam). In one aspect, the method uses dual polarization beam forming, which allows for many degrees of freedom in designing a desired power pattern. The method is well suited for systems with multiple radio chains (e.g., systems with active antennas). The method is also well suited for multi-port systems such as TD-SCDMA. In some embodiments, the method produces two beams where

Beam forming methods and apparatuses

The present invention relates to a method of generating two beams, having orthogonal polarizations, covering a selected area using an antenna () comprising multiple dual-polarized array elements (). Each dual-polarized array element having a first phase center () associated with a first polarization and a second phase center () associated with a second polarization. The method comprises: designing a first weight matrix having a first non-zero weight vector for the first polarization and a second non-zero weight vector for the second polarization, calculating a second weight matrix based on the weight vectors of the first weight matrix, and applying the first and second weight matrix to the dual-polarized array elements to generate a second beam covering the selected area.

Method of designing weight vectors for a dual beam antenna with orthogonal polarizations

Base station arrangement () adapted to receive signals from a user station; adapted to be connected to or comprises a plurality of antenna elements () with antenna ports () and a signal processing unit (). The base station () also comprises a signal pre-processing functional unit () to collect channel correlation information. It is adapted to establish if there is one or more distinguishing characteristics comprising different correlation properties of different configuration properties associated with the antenna elements. Antenna elements are then assigned to different groups based on said configuration properties, and the channel correlation information is used to generate weighting information which is applied to antenna ports connected to antenna elements to control the antenna ports connected to antenna elements to control the antenna element transmit power individually or groupwise.

Base station arrangements using a plurality of antenna elements with different polarizations

An antenna arrangement () with antenna units () comprising an input port (), a power divider () for dividing an input signal into a major and a minor part with a ratio 11, a network () with a sum input port, a difference input port, and first and second output ports, first () and second antenna () elements of a first and a second polarization. Signals to the sum input port are output with a first relation between them and signals to the difference input port are output with a second phase relation. The antenna units are arranged so that the major part of an input signal is connected to the sum port of a network and the minor part of an input signal is connected to the difference port of another network, and the first and second output ports of a network are connected to first and second adjacent antenna elements of the same polarization.

Antenna arrangement

A controlling station () comprising an antenna arrangement () with a number of antennas, which each covers one of a number of adjacent cells, with a main beam with a beamwidth that extends into two immediately adjacent cells. The controlling station () is adapted to: -transmit on a control channel on a first number of antennas, -measure the output power on the traffic channels on the first number of antennas, -if the traffic channel output power on any of said first number of antenna is above a threshold, transmission on the control channel is activated on a second number of antennas, -measure the traffic channel output power on each antenna in the antenna arrangement, -if the measured traffic channel output power on an antenna is below a second threshold and the traffic channel on the antennas of both adjacent cells is active, the control channel transmissions on that antenna are deactivated.

Adaptive transmission selection

An N-element rotational-symmetric array antenna can generate N fixed pencil-beams simultaneously with an omnidirectional beam. An N&times;N Butler matrix can be used to feed the array antenna, using fewer than N input ports of the Butler matrix to produce the pencil-beams. One or more of the modes generated by the Butler matrix can be individually accessed to produce one or more corresponding omnidirectional beams. The N&times;N Butler matrix can be driven by a feed network that provides both power dividing and beam-steering, which permits simultaneous generation of the N pencil-beams.

Feed network for simultaneous generation of narrow and wide beams with a rotational-symmetric antenna

In a cellular telecommunications network, a method and apparatus is disclosed for providing a substantial gain in downlink C/I by means of antenna pattern downtilt while still maintaining the coverage limiting signal strength in the uplink by the use of different antenna pattern downtilt for the transmit and receive antenna patterns.

Uplink and downlink transmission quality improvement by differentiated base station antenna pattern downtilt

A device for microstrip distribution networks and for group antennas for the suppression of unwanted modes on the distribution network side of a microstrip distribution network. This thereby avoids, among other things, unwanted coupling between antenna elements connected to the microstrip distribution network. A waveguide substructure in principle designed as a U of extruded aluminium, is connected to the microstrip distribution network along two connection lines with at least two electrically-conductive connections to the ground plane of the microstrip distribution network along each connection line. Together with at least part of the ground plane, the waveguide substructure forms a waveguide structure. The waveguide structure is dimensioned so that it has a cut-off frequency that is higher than the highest frequency that is used in the microstrip distribution network. This suppresses unwanted modes generated by the group antenna and by discontinuities in the distribution network as the waveguide structure acts as a high-pass filter.

Microstrip distribution network device for antennas

An antenna arrangement and a method for obtaining such an antenna arrangement are disclosed. The antenna arrangement utilizes the beam ports of a beam forming network, e.g. a Butler matrix, in connection with a multi-element radiator antenna for obtaining receive/transmit channels having more antenna beams within a desired coverage. At least one extra signal combiner is utilized for combining at least one beam port of a number of ordinary beam ports with a nonadjacent beam port to form one receive/transmit channel in a number of desired receive/transmit channels. The particular receive/transmit channel uses the at least one extra signal combiner for combining at least one of a number of ordinary beam ports with a nonadjacent beam port normally being terminated, for adapting power and sensitivity distributions for a desired cell coverage or for desired coverage of overlapping cells.

Butler beam port combining for hexagonal cell coverage

A method and arrangement improve antenna performance parameters. The antenna includes a radiating device for radiating a beam in a substantially predefined direction. The radiating device is provided on a supporting structure. The arrangement includes at least one device to mechanically tilt the radiating device in a first direction substantially diverging from the predefined direction, and a device to tilt the beam in a second substantially opposite direction electrically.

Method and arrangement relating to antennas

Dual polarized antenna device for wireless transmission of information using electromagnetic signals with polarizations orthogonal to each other, with at least one antenna element and at least one ground plane made from a first electrically conducting layer, at least one feeder network made from a second electrically conducting layer and a plurality of apertures in said ground plane, which apertures each consist of one or several aperture sections, and which extend between two end points, which apertures are arranged in at least one aperture group, with each aperture group being symmetrical relative to the planes which are defined by the two polarizations, and with each aperture group consisting of at least one first aperture, which aperture is centrally positioned in the group and is intended for the first polarization, and at least two outer apertures intended for the second polarization, symmetrically positioned on each side of the central aperture with the distance along a straight line between the end points of at least one of the apertures along an imagined line parallel to the main direction of the aperture being less than the total sum of the lengths of the sections of the aperture.

Device in antenna units

A dual polarized antenna comprises at least one radiating element and a ground plane. The ground plane is, at least partly, provided with a side wall. At least one polarization selective element is provided between the radiating element and the side wall to transmit one of the polarizations and to determine the radiation pattern of the other polarization.

Dual polarized selective elements for beamwidth control

An antenna assembly, and an associated method, which exhibits a selected the antenna beam configuration. The direction of a primary lobe and of a null is selected to improve the signal-to-noise and signal-to-interference ratios of communication signals transmitted between two communication stations. When implemented to form a portion of a base station of a cellular communication system, the traffic capacity of the communication system can be increased and the infrastructure costs of the system can be reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Kungsbacka, Sweden

Bjorn Johannisson