# US 2018/0026362 A1 · Reduced Gain of an Antenna Beam Pattern > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0026362 A1 - Document ID: US20180026362A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/543,059 - Filed: 2015-01-29 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-29 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Andreas Nilsson; Henrik Asplund; Martin Johansson; Claes Tidestav - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026362A1 ## CPC - H01Q 3/005: {using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning} - H01Q 3/2611: {Means for null steering; Adaptive interference nulling} - H01Q 3/36: with variable phase-shifters - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication node (1) comprising at least one antenna arrangement (2, 2′, 2″). Each antenna arrangement (2, 2′, 2″) comprises at least one antenna port (3), at least two antenna elements (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b) arranged for providing an antenna beam pattern (8), and a phase control arrangement (9, 9′, 9″) arranged to receive at least one input signal (10) via said antenna port (3) and to determine a plurality of intermediate signal components (11) from said input signal (10) by determining a first set of respective phase shifts (φ1, φ2, 10 φ3, φ4; θ1, θ2, θ3, θ4, θ5, θ6, θ7, θ8) for said input signal (3). The phase control arrangement (9) is further arranged to determine a final signal component (12) for each antenna element (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b) from said intermediate signal components (12) by determining a second set of respective phase shifts (β1, β2, β3, β4: Φ1, Φ2, Φ3, Φ4, Φ5, Φ6, Φ7, Φ8) for said intermediate signal components (12), wherein the second set of phase shifts (β1, β2, β3, β4; Φ1, Φ2, Φ3, Φ4, Φ5, Φ6, Φ7, Φ8) is arranged to provide a lowered gain of the antenna arrangement (2, 2′, 2″) in at least one direction (D). The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding method. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-23. (canceled) ### Claim 24 A wireless communication node, comprising: at least one antenna arrangement, each antenna arrangement comprising: at least one antenna port; at least two antenna elements arranged for providing an antenna beam pattern; and a phase control arrangement configured to: receive at least one input signal via the antenna port; determine a plurality of intermediate signal components from the input signal by determining a first set of respective phase shifts for the input signal; determine a final signal component for each antenna element from the intermediate signal components by determining a second set of respective phase shifts for the intermediate signal components; wherein the second set of phase shifts is arranged to provide a lowered gain of the antenna arrangement in at least one direction, such that the possible antenna beam patterns achievable by adjustment of the first phase shifts is constrained. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The wireless communication node of claim 24, wherein the first set of phase shifts is arranged for applying beamforming. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The wireless communication node of claim 24, wherein the phase control arrangement comprises: a first phase control module configured to receive a first phase control signal; and a second phase control module configured to receive a second phase control signal; where the first phase control module is configured to generate the intermediate signal components by applying a first set of phase shifts, which has been determined by means of the first phase control signal, to the input signal, and where the second phase control module is configured to receive the intermediate signal components and to generate the final signal components by applying second set of phase shifts, which has been determined by means of the second phase control signal, to the intermediate signal components. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The wireless communication node of claim 26, wherein a control unit is arranged to form and transmit appropriate phase control signals. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The wireless communication node of claim 26: wherein the first phase control module comprises a first set of phase shifting devices configured to generate the first set of phase shifts; and wherein the second phase control module comprises a second set of phase shifting devices configured to generate the second set of phase shifts. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The wireless communication node of claim 26: wherein the first phase control module comprises a digital signal processing unit that is configured to determine and generate the first set phase shifts; and wherein the second phase control module comprises a second set of phase shifting devices configured to generate the second set of phase shifts. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The wireless communication node of claim 29, wherein the first phase control module comprises distributed amplifiers. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The wireless communication node of claim 26, wherein each antenna arrangement comprises at least two sub-arrays, each sub-array comprising two antenna elements and one phase shifting device. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The wireless communication node of claim 31, wherein the sub-arrays comprised in the antenna arrangement are identical. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The wireless communication node of claim 24, wherein the first set of phase shifts comprises adaptable phase shifts, and the second set of phase shifts comprises predetermined phase shifts. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) The wireless communication node of claim 24, wherein the phase shifts in the second set of phase shifts have mutually equal values. ### Claim 35 (depends on 24) The wireless communication node of claim 24: wherein the phase control arrangement comprises a digital signal processing unit configured to: determine the first set of phase shifts and the second set of phase shifts; combine the first set of phase shifts and the second set of phase shifts to form a set of combined phase shifts; wherein the phase control arrangement is configured to generate the final signal components by applying the set of combined phase shifts to the input signal. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The wireless communication node of claim 33, wherein a control unit is configured to the form and transmit appropriate phase control signals to the digital signal processing unit. ### Claim 37 (depends on 24) The wireless communication node of claim 24, wherein each antenna arrangement is part of a reconfigurable antenna system in a self-organizing network. ### Claim 38 A method for controlling an antenna beam for an antenna arrangement in a wireless communication node, the antenna arrangement having at least two antenna elements, the method comprising: determining a plurality of intermediate signal components from at least one input signal by determining a first set of respective phase shifts for the input signal; determining a final signal component for each antenna element from the intermediate signal components by determining a second set of respective phase shifts for the intermediate signal components; and determining the second set of phase shifts such that a lowered gain of the antenna arrangement in at least one direction is provided, such that the possible antenna beam patterns achievable by adjustment of the first phase shifts is constrained. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, further comprising using the first set of phase shifts for applying beamforming. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, further comprising: generating intermediate signal components by applying the first set of phase shifts to the input signal; and generating the final signal components by applying the second set of phase shifts to the intermediate signal components. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38: wherein a first set of phase shifting devices is used for generating the first set of phase shifts; and wherein a second set of phase shifting devices is used for generating the second set of phase shifts. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38: wherein a digital signal processing unit is used for generating the first set of phase shifts; and where a second set of phase shifting devices is used for generating the second set of phase shifts. ### Claim 43 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the first set of phase shifts has adaptable phase shifts, and the second set of phase shifts has predetermined phase shifts. ### Claim 44 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the phase shifts in the second set of phase shifts have mutually equal values. ### Claim 45 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38: wherein a digital signal processing unit is used to determine the first set of phase shifts and the second set of phase shifts; wherein the digital signal processing unit is used to combine the first set of phase shifts and the second set of phase shifts to form a set of combined phase shifts; wherein a phase control arrangement is used to generate final signal components by applying the set of combined phase shifts to the input signal. ### Claim 46 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the method is used in a reconfigurable antenna system in a self-organizing network.