# US 11,309,629 B2 · Multiplexed antennas that sector-split in a first band and operate as MIMO antennas in a second band > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,629 B2 - Document ID: US11309629B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/913,105 - Filed: 2020-06-26 - Published: 2020-10-15 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-03 - Assignees: CommScope Technologies LLC - Applicants: CommScope Technologies LLC - Inventors: Martin L. Zimmerman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309629B2 ## CPC - H01Q 5/50: Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation - H01Q 1/246: {specially adapted for base stations} - H01Q 3/40: with phasing matrix - H01Q 21/0006: {Particular feeding systems} - H01Q 21/0025: {Modular arrays} - H01Q 21/061: {Two dimensional planar arrays} - H01Q 21/30: Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system - H01Q 25/00: Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns (arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00) - H04B 1/0057: {using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band} - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04W 16/28: using beam steering - 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) - H01Q 21/08: the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path {(waveguide fed H01Q21/0037)} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Base station antennas include a plurality of multiplexer filters and a multi-column array of radiating elements that includes a plurality of sub-arrays. Each filter may have a first and second ports that are configured to pass RF signals in respective first and second frequency bands and a third common port that is coupled to a respective one of a plurality of sub-arrays. These antennas also include first frequency band ports that are coupled to the first ports of respective subsets of the multiplexer filters and second frequency band ports that are coupled to the second ports of at least some of the multiplexer filters. The antenna may operate as a MIMO sector antenna in the first frequency band and as a sector-splitting antenna in the second frequency band. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A base station antenna, comprising: a multi-column array of radiating elements; a first feed network that is configured to pass radio frequency (“RF”) signals in a first frequency band to the radiating elements of the multi-column array so that the multi-column array of radiating elements operates as an N×MIMO sector antenna in the first frequency band, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2; a second feed network that is configured to pass RF signals in a second frequency band that is different than the first frequency band to the radiating elements of the multi-column array so that the multi-column array of radiating elements operates as a sector-splitting antenna in the second frequency band that generates at least two antenna beams that point in different directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The base station antenna of claim 1, wherein the multi-column array includes first through fourth columns of radiating elements, and the base station antenna further includes first through fourth RF ports, wherein the first feed network couples the first RF port to the radiating elements in the first and second columns, couples the second RF port to the radiating elements in the third and fourth columns, couples the third RF port to the radiating elements in the first and second columns, and couples the fourth RF port to the radiating elements in the third and fourth columns. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The base station antenna of claim 2, wherein the first feed network is configured to unequally divide the RF signals in the first frequency band between the first and second columns of radiating elements, and the second feed network is configured to unequally divide the RF signals in the first frequency band between the third and fourth columns of radiating elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The base station antenna of claim 2, wherein the second feed network includes a plurality of beam-forming networks, and wherein at least some of the beam-forming networks are coupled to radiating elements in all four of the first through fourth columns of radiating elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The base station antenna of claim 4, wherein the second feed network is configured pass RF signals in the second frequency band to the radiating elements of the multi-column array so that the multi-column array of radiating elements operates as a 2×MIMO sector-splitting antenna. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The base station antenna of claim 2, wherein the first frequency band is a high frequency band and the second frequency band is a low frequency band. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The base station antenna of claim 6, wherein a distance between adjacent columns of the multi-column array is between 0.4-0.75 wavelengths of a center frequency of the high frequency band. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The base station antenna of claim 2, wherein the first feed network includes a first phase shifter and a first power divider, wherein the first power divider is coupled to at least one radiating element in the first column of radiating elements and at least one radiating element in the second column of radiating elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The base station antenna of claim 8, wherein the first phase shifter is electrically coupled between the first RF port and the first power divider. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The base station antenna of claim 8, wherein the first power divider is electrically coupled between the first RF port and the first phase shifter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The base station antenna of claim 2, wherein the second feed network includes a first phase shifter and a first beam-forming network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The base station antenna of claim 11, wherein the first phase shifter is electrically coupled between the first RF port and the first beam-forming network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The base station antenna of claim 11, wherein the first beam-forming network is electrically coupled between the first RF port and the first phase shifter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The base station antenna of claim 1, wherein the first feed network includes a first power divider network and the second feed network includes a beam-forming network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The base station antenna of claim 1, wherein the multi-column array has a plurality of rows that each include a total of X radiating elements and at least one row that includes a total of Y radiating elements, where Y is less than X. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The base station antenna of claim 15, wherein the multi-column array includes an even number of rows that have a total of Y radiating elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The base station antenna of claim 15, wherein X=4 and Y=3 and N is greater than or equal to 4. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The base station antenna of claim 15, wherein at least some of the radiating elements included in rows that have Y radiating elements are not vertically-aligned with columns of the multi-column array defined by the radiating elements included in rows that have X radiating elements.