Multiple beam antenna

A cellular communications network comprising a plurality of cells, and wherein a plurality of said cells each contain a multiple beam antenna arrangement, said multiple beam antenna arrangement being suitable for use in a cell of a cellular communications network, said cell being divided into a plurality of regions, and said arrangement being arranged to provide a specified capacity for communication with terminals located in a first one of said regions, said arrangement comprising:

• (ii) an apparatus arranged to provide two or more directional antenna beams per region;
• and wherein said apparatus is further arranged such that in use said capacity is greater than the capacity provided to a region of a corresponding multiple beam antenna arrangement which provides only one antenna beam per region by a factor of approximately the number of antenna beams provided for said first region.

A base station transceiver comprising:

• a multiple beam antenna arrangement suitable for use in a cell of a cellular communications network, said cell being divided into a plurality of regions, and said arrangement being arranged to provide a specified capacity for communication with terminals located in a first one of said regions, said arrangement comprising:
• (i) an apparatus arranged to provide two or more directional antenna beams per region;
• and wherein said apparatus is further arranged such that in use said capacity is greater than the capacity of a corresponding multiple beam antenna arrangement which provides only one antenna beam per region by a factor of approximately the number of antenna beams provided for said first region.

A multiple beam antenna arrangement suitable for use in a cell of a spread spectrum cellular communications network, said cell being divided into three regions, said arrangement comprising:

• an apparatus arranged to provide three orthogonal, directional, antenna beams per region said beams having reduced cross over points and sidelobe levels;
• said apparatus comprising a loss less multiple beamformer, six antenna elements, said elements being in the form of columns, and an amplitude taper arrangement.

A spread spectrum cellular communications network comprising a plurality of cells and wherein each of a plurality of the cells contain a multiple beam antenna arrangement suitable for use in a cell of a spread spectrum cellular communications network, said cell being divided into three regions, said arrangement comprising:

• and apparatus arranged to provide three orthogonal, directional, antenna beams per region said beams having reduced cross over points and sidelobe levels;
• said apparatus comprising a loss less multiple beamformer, six antenna elements, said elements being in the form of columns, and an amplitude taper arrangement.

A base station transceiver comprising:

• a multiple beam antenna arrangement suitable for use in a cell of a spread spectrum cellular communications network, said cell being divided into three regions, said arrangement comprising:
• an apparatus arranged to provide three orthogonal, directional, antenna beams per region said beams having reduced cross over points and sidelobe levels;
• said apparatus comprising a loss less multiple beamformer, six antenna elements, said elements being in the form of columns, and an amplitude taper arrangement.