Multibeam sector-splitting base station antennas having modified nolen matrix-based beamforming networks
AssigneeOutdoor Wireless Networks LLC
InventorsSharal DHANAPAL, Xiangyang AI, Kumara Swamy KASANI, Chengcheng TANG
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Abstract
Multibeam base station antennas include first through M first polarization RF ports, an antenna array that includes N columns of radiating elements, and a first polarization beamforming network having M rows and N columns of directional couplers, where each row has a different number of directional couplers, where M and N are natural numbers, wherein the last directional coupler in a top row has a port that is coupled to ground via a matched termination.
Claims24
A multibeam antenna, comprising:
- first through M first polarization radio frequency (“RF”) ports;
- an antenna array that includes N columns of radiating elements;
- a first polarization beamforming network having M rows and N columns of directional couplers, where each row has a different number of directional couplers, where M and N are natural numbers.
(canceled)
10-11. (canceled)
A multibeam antenna, comprising:
- an antenna array that includes N columns of radiating elements;
- and
- a first polarization beamforming network having a plurality of rows of directional couplers including a top row and a bottom row, where each row of directional couplers below the top row has one less directional coupler than the row above it,
- wherein the last directional coupler in the top row has a port that is coupled to ground via a matched termination.
(canceled)
A multibeam antenna, comprising:
- an antenna array that includes N columns of radiating elements;
- and
- a first polarization beamforming network having a plurality of rows of directional couplers including a top row and a bottom row,
- wherein for each of the rows of directional couplers, a through port of each directional coupler in the row except for a last directional coupler in the row is coupled to the input port of an adjacent directional coupler in the row through a respective first delay element, and
- wherein for each of the rows of directional couplers except for the top row, the through port of the last directional coupler in the row is coupled to an isolated port of the last directional coupler in the row of directional couplers that is below the row through a second delay element.
25-29. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.