Multi-sector antenna integrated radio unit
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorsMarthinus Willem Da Silveira, Neil McGowan, Slim Ben Ghalba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of a system for a multi-sector base station in a cellular communications network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an integrated unit, where the integrated unit includes multiple antennas and a radio unit (RU) coupled to the antennas. By integrating the multiple antennas and the radio RU into a single integrated unit, the system can, in some embodiments, reduce installation and operating costs of the multi-sector base station.
Claims18
A system for a multi-sector base station in a cellular communications network, comprising:
- an integrated unit comprising:
- a plurality of antennas serving a plurality of sectors;
- an analog hybrid matrix comprising:
- a plurality of feeder ports, and
- a plurality of antenna ports, each of the plurality of antenna ports being coupled to a different one of the plurality of antennas via corresponding antenna equipment;
- and
- a radio unit coupled to one of the plurality of feeder ports of the analog hybrid matrix and thereby coupled to the plurality of antennas;
- wherein the analog hybrid matrix is operative to:
- receive a plurality of radio frequency receive signals from the corresponding antenna equipment at the plurality of antenna ports, wherein each of the plurality of radio frequency receive signals is at a different carrier frequency due to different frequency shifts applied to the plurality of radio frequency receive signals via the corresponding antenna equipment, and
- generate a plurality of transformed radio frequency receive signals at the plurality of feeder ports such that one of the plurality of transformed radio frequency receive signals is output to the radio unit via the one of the plurality of feeder ports, wherein each of the plurality of transformed radio frequency receive signals comprises a component for each of the plurality of radio frequency receive signals.
A method of configuring a system for a multi-sector base station in a cellular communications network comprising an integrated unit, the integrated unit comprising a plurality of antennas, an analog hybrid matrix, and a reconfigurable number of radio units coupled to the plurality of antennas, the analog hybrid matrix comprising a plurality of feeder ports and a plurality of antenna ports, the method comprising:
- determining a number of radio units desired for the system;
- and
- adjusting the reconfigurable number of radio units,
- wherein the plurality of antenna ports are connected to the plurality of antennas via corresponding antenna equipment, and
- wherein the analog hybrid matrix performs the steps of:
- receiving a plurality of radio frequency receive signals from the corresponding antenna equipment at the plurality of antenna ports, where each of the plurality of radio frequency receive signals is at a different carrier frequency due to different frequency shifts applied by the corresponding antenna equipment;
- and
- generating a plurality of transformed radio frequency receive signals at the plurality of feeder ports such that a different one of the plurality of transformed radio frequency receive signals is output to each of the transceiver circuits of the reconfigurable number of radio units via a corresponding one of the plurality of feeder ports, wherein each of the plurality of transformed radio frequency receive signals comprises a component for each of the plurality of radio frequency receive signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.