Analog Architecture for Flexible Vertical Sectorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vertical sectorization in wireless communication systems often results in uneven load balance between upper and lower cells due to uneven user distribution by elevation angle, leading to suboptimal system performance, and requires numerous radios, increasing design and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A node with an analog architecture featuring a power splitting stage with 1+N port power dividers/combiners and a first power redistribution stage with four-port power dividers/combiners, along with pairwise arranged dual-polarized antennas, allows for controllable phase shifts and adaptive beam steering, reducing the need for transceivers and enabling flexible vertical sectorization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional vertical sectorization is implemented to increase capacity, then more cells allow for more simultaneously scheduled users, but the load balance between upper and lower cells becomes uneven due to uneven user distribution by elevation angle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam width adjustment where the first beam (serving upper cell) and second beam (serving lower cell) can have different beam widths that are adaptively controlled. The beam width of each sector beam is adjusted based on the distribution characteristics of users in different elevation angle ranges, allowing the system to dynamically balance the load between upper and lower cells while maintaining high capacity through vertical sectorization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different beam widths to different sectors locally - the first beam covering users in a first elevation angle range has a different beam width than the second beam covering users in a second elevation angle range. This local differentiation allows each beam to be optimized for its specific user distribution pattern, achieving both high capacity and balanced load distribution
2Adaptability or versatility
If aperture reused vertical sectorization with flexible beam width changing is implemented using active antenna with radio behind each antenna element, then flexible beam steering is achieved, but the number of radios (TRXs) increases making the product costly to design and manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple radio functions into a single radio unit. Instead of requiring separate radios for each antenna element or sector, the invention uses one radio that can generate multiple beams with different beam widths by processing signals through a network of power dividers and phase shifters. This combining approach achieves the same flexibility as having multiple radios while reducing the total number of radio components
Solution Approach 2:
The single radio unit in the patent performs multiple functions that would traditionally require separate radios - it can simultaneously generate multiple sector beams with different beam widths and steer them independently. The radio is designed to be universal, handling both upper and lower cell coverage with adaptive beamforming capabilities, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability
Data Source
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AI summary
It is provided a node in a wireless communication system comprising an analog architecture for achieving vertical sectorization. The node comprises at least four main input/output ports (1, 2, 3, 4), a power splitting stage (5), at least one power redistribution stage (20) and a plurality of pairwise arranged dual polarized antennas (31, 32, 33, 34).