# US 2013/0278461 A1 · Antenna and base station > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278461 A1 - Document ID: US20130278461A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/619,301 - Filed: 2012-09-14 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-20 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ming Ai; Yingtao Luo; Weihong Xiao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278461A1 ## CPC - 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 1/246: {specially adapted for base stations} - H01Q 3/40: with phasing matrix - 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) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract The present invention provides an antenna and a base station. The antenna includes an antenna array and a first BUTLER network. The antenna array includes multiple radiating elements arranged vertically. The first BUTLER network includes n input ports and m output ports, the m output ports are respectively connected to at least one radiating element of the antenna array; the n input ports of the BUTLER network respectively receive a path of signals, and after phase adjustment and amplitude adjustment by the first BUTLER network, output signals of n groups of phase distribution combination through the m output ports, each group of phase distribution combination includes m phases, each output port respectively outputs signals of one phase in each group of phase distribution combination, the multiple radiating elements connected to the m output ports radiate n beams, where the n beams are distributed at specific angles on the vertical plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna, comprising an antenna array and a first BUTLER network, wherein the antenna array comprises multiple radiating elements, each of the multiple radiating elements is vertically arranged along a vertical column; the first BUTLER network has n input ports and m output ports, wherein m and n are natural numbers, n is greater than or equal to 2, m is greater than or equal to 3, and m is greater than n; each of the m output ports is respectively connected to at least one of the vertically arranged multiple radiating elements of the antenna array along the vertical column; and the first BUTLER network is configured to: receive n sequences of signals through the n input ports and perform phase adjustment to the n sequences of signals, output signals of n groups of phase distribution combination through the m output ports, each group of phase distribution combination includes m phases, wherein each output port is configured to respectively output signals of one phase in each group of phase distribution combination, each of the multiple radiating elements connected to the m output ports is configured to radiate n beams, and each of the n beams are vertically distributed at different angles along the vertical column. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, wherein n is equal to 2 or 3, and m is equal to 5. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The antenna according to claim 2, wherein the first BUTLER network comprises a first power divider, a second power divider, a 90-degree hybrid coupler, a first 180-degree hybrid coupler, and a second 180-degree hybrid coupler; wherein an input port of the first power divider is connected to one input port of the first BUTLER network; one output port of the first power divider is connected to a Σ input port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler, and the other output port of the first power divider is connected to a Σ input port of the second 180-degree hybrid coupler; one output port of the 90-degree hybrid coupler is connected to a Δ input port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler, and the other output port of the 90-degree hybrid coupler is connected to a Δ input port of the second 180-degree hybrid coupler; one output port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler is connected to an input port of the second power divider, and the other output port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler is connected to one of the output ports of the first Butler network; two output ports of the second 180-degree hybrid coupler are connected to two other output ports of the first Butler network, respectively; two output ports of the second power divider are connected to another two output ports of the first Butler network respectively; wherein one of the following conditions is met: if n is equal to 2, an input port of the 90-degree hybrid coupler is connected to another input port of the first BUTLER network; and if n is equal to 3, both input ports of the 90-degree hybrid coupler are respectively connected to two other input ports of the first BUTLER network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, wherein n is equal to 2, and m is equal to 4. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The antenna according to claim 4, wherein the first BUTLER network comprises a first power divider, a second power divider, a first inverter, a second inverter, a first 90-degree hybrid coupler, and a second 90-degree hybrid coupler; an input port of the first power divider and an input port of the second power divider are each connected to a first and a second input port of the first BUTLER network, respectively; one output port of the first power divider is connected to a first input port of the first 90-degree hybrid coupler, and the other output port of the first power divider is connected to an input port of the first inverter; one output port of the second power divider is connected to a second input port of the first 90-degree hybrid coupler, and the other output port of the second power divider is connected to an input port of the second inverter; an output port of the first inverter is connected to a first input port of the second 90-degree hybrid coupler; an output port of the second inverter is connected to a second input port of the second 90-degree hybrid coupler; two output ports of the first 90-degree hybrid coupler are connected to two of the output ports of the first BUTLER network, respectively; and two output ports of the second 90-degree hybrid coupler are connected to two other output ports of the first BUTLER network, respectively. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The antenna according to claim 4, wherein the first BUTLER network comprises a 90-degree hybrid coupler, wherein both input ports of the 90-degree hybrid coupler are each connected to an input port of the first BUTLER network, respectively, and both output ports of the 90-degree hybrid coupler are each connected to two output ports of the first BUTLER network, respectively. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the m output ports of the first BUTLER network are each connected to two, three, or four radiating elements of the antenna array, respectively, or each connected via a respective phase shifter to two, three, or four radiating elements in the antenna array, respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, comprises multiple first BUTLER networks, wherein the antenna array has multiple columns of multiple radiating elements arranged vertically, and each of the multiple columns of multiple radiating elements connects to a corresponding one of the multiple first BUTLER networks. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The antenna according to claim 8, wherein the antenna further comprises multiple m-in-m-out phase shifters, wherein the multiple m-in-m-out phase shifters and the multiple first Butler networks are equal in number, wherein the output ports of the multiple first BUTLER networks are connected to corresponding input ports of the multiple m-in-m-out phase shifters; and each output port of the multiple m-in-m-out phase shifters is connected to at least one radiating element of the antenna array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The antenna according to claim 8, wherein the antenna further comprises m second BUTLER networks, the m second BUTLER networks are horizontal BUTLER networks each having P input ports, wherein P corresponds to a number of the multiple first BUTLER networks; and the P input ports of the m second BUTLER networks are connected to the output ports of the multiple first BUTLER networks, and output ports of each m second BUTLER network are connected to at least two rows of parallel radiating elements in the antenna array, such that the radiating elements connected to the m second BUTLER networks generate P beams on a horizontal plane in the antenna array. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The antenna according to claim 10, wherein the antenna further comprises multiple phase shifters having a same number of the multiple first BUTLER networks, the multiple phase shifters are m-in-m-out phase shifters, the output ports of the multiple first BUTLER networks are each connected to corresponding input ports of the multiple phase shifters, each output port of the multiple phase shifters is connected to the corresponding input ports of the m second BUTLER networks, and output ports of each m second BUTLER network are connected to at least two rows of parallel radiating elements in the antenna array. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the radiating elements comprise single dipole elements, orthogonal dual-polarized dipole elements, patch radiating elements, or circular radiating elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first BUTLER network connects to the antenna array using a filter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The antenna according to claim 7, wherein the phase shifters connect to the antenna array using a filter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The antenna according to claim 9, wherein the phase shifters connect to the antenna array using a filter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The antenna according to claim 10, wherein the second BUTLER networks connect to the antenna array using a filter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is coupled to a base station, wherein the antenna being fixed on a pole of the base station. ### Claim 18 An antenna, comprising an antenna array and a first BUTLER network, wherein the antenna array comprises multiple radiating elements, each of the multiple radiating elements is vertically arranged along a vertical column; the first BUTLER network has n input ports and m output ports, wherein m and n are natural numbers, n is greater than or equal to 2, m is greater than or equal to 3, and m is greater than n; each of the m output ports is respectively connected to at least one of the vertically arranged multiple radiating elements of the antenna array along the vertical column; and the first BUTLER network at least comprises a first power divider, a second power divider, a 90-degree hybrid coupler, a first 180-degree hybrid coupler, and a second 180-degree hybrid coupler; wherein an input port of the first power divider is connected to one input port of the first BUTLER network; one output port of the first power divider is connected to a Σ input port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler, and the other output port of the first power divider is connected to a Σ input port of the second 180-degree hybrid coupler; one output port of the 90-degree hybrid coupler is connected to a Δ input port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler, and the other output port of the 90-degree hybrid coupler is connected to a Δ input port of the second 180-degree hybrid coupler; one output port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler is connected to an input port of the second power divider, and the other output port of the first 180-degree hybrid coupler is connected to one of the output ports of the first Butler network; two output ports of the second 180-degree hybrid coupler are connected to two output ports of the first Butler network, respectively; two output ports of the second power divider are connected to two other output ports of the first Butler network of the first Butler network respectively; at least one input port of the 90-degree hybrid coupler is connected to at least one other input port of the first BUTLER network. ### Claim 19 An antenna, comprising an antenna array and a first BUTLER network, wherein the antenna array comprises multiple radiating elements, each of the multiple radiating elements is vertically arranged along a vertical column; the first BUTLER network has n input ports and m output ports, wherein m and n are natural numbers, n is greater than or equal to 2, m is greater than or equal to 3, and m is greater than n; each of the m output ports is respectively connected to at least one of the vertically arranged multiple radiating elements of the antenna array along the vertical column; and the first BUTLER network at least comprises a 90-degree hybrid coupler, wherein both input ports of the 90-degree hybrid coupler are each connected to an input port of the first BUTLER network, and both output ports of the 90-degree hybrid coupler are each connected to two output ports of the first BUTLER network.