The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 04, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 27, 1995
Edward M Newman, Nesconset, NY (US);
Alfred R Lopez, Commack, NY (US);
Gary A Schay, Stony Brook, NY (US);
John F Pedersen, Northport, NY (US);
Hazeltine Corporation, Greenlawn, NY (US);
Abstract
In a cellular type communication system a sector antenna 12 provides coverage of a sector with a relatively low receive gain. A multi-beam antenna 20 covers the same sector with a plurality of narrower beams 21', 22', 23' and 24' providing higher gain. A multi-beam antenna system 10 provides higher gain operation by selecting the one of the narrower beams 21', 22', 23' or 24' currently providing best reception of a signal transmitted by a user and coupling that selected beam to a system receiver 18. Beam selection is accomplished by sequentially coupling each narrow beam to a microprocessor based control unit 40 and storing samples of user signals as received in each narrow beam on a continuing repetitive basis. The stored samples are then analyzed in order to select the beam currently providing best reception. If, based on analysis of subsequent samples, a different one of beams 21', 22', 23' or 24' provides best reception (because of user movement or changing transmission conditions) that different beam is coupled to the system receiver 18. Spaced diversity reception is achieved by providing a second multi-beam antenna 20a and enabling the system receiver 18 to choose either of two, or both, inputs. Fail/safe operation is provided by coupling the sector antenna 12 to the system receiver 18 in the absence of coupling of a superior narrow beam signal.