Antenna System Combining Polarization Signals for Base Station Gain

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current radio distributed base station systems have inferior network performance gain due to limitations in receiving performance, particularly in supporting multiple channels and polarization directions, which affects signal-to-noise ratio and overall system capacity.

Innovation Solution

An antenna system comprising an active antenna element array and a passive antenna element array, where a combiner-splitter combines signals in different polarization directions, and at least one pair of receiving channels performs frequency translation to achieve baseband signals, enabling a 4-channel or more receiving performance gain by utilizing multiple antenna elements and combining-dividing networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an active antenna system integrates RRU with antenna elements to support multiple channels, then receiving performance gain is improved, but device complexity increases due to integrating active components with passive antenna structures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereceiving performance gainVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna system is divided into multiple antenna elements (first, second, third, and fourth antenna elements) with distinct functions. The first and second antenna elements handle one polarization direction while the third and fourth handle another polarization direction. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each element's receiving performance while managing overall system complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna system integrates multiple functions into a unified structure that supports both horizontal and vertical polarization directions simultaneously. The same antenna elements serve dual purposes by handling different polarization modes, and the signal processing unit performs multiple operations including combining signals from different polarizations and channels to achieve 4-channel receiving performance gain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple antenna elements are used to achieve 4-channel receiving performance gain, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but device complexity increases due to combining-dividing networks and signal processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal-to-noise ratioVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The signal processing unit combines signals from multiple antenna elements and polarization directions into unified output channels. Specifically, signals from the first and second antenna elements (one polarization) are combined with signals from the third and fourth antenna elements (another polarization) to create four independent receiving channels, thereby improving signal-to-noise ratio through coherent combining while managing complexity through systematic signal integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If passive antenna elements are connected to active components for frequency translation, then system capacity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to coordination requirements between multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem capacityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna elements perform self-service by directly converting received electromagnetic signals into electrical signals without requiring external active components for frequency translation. Each antenna element inherently provides the necessary signal conversion functionality, eliminating the need for separate frequency translation devices and simplifying system operation while maintaining high system capacity through multi-element, multi-polarization reception.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2814115B1Antenna system, base station system and communication system
Publication Date: 2023.04.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2814115B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2814115B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2814115B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An antenna system, a base station system and a communication system are disclosed. In the antenna system, the first antenna element array includes multiple antenna elements, and it is the same with the second antenna element array, where the antenna elements are configured to receive and transmit signals in two different polarization directions; the first combiner-splitter is configured to combine signals, where the signals are received by the multiple antenna elements in the first antenna element array; the active module is configured to receive signals combined by the first combiner-splitter in the two different polarization directions, and perform frequency translation on the signals combined by the first combiner-splitter to obtain baseband signals; the second combiner-splitter is configured to combine signals, where the signals are received by the multiple antenna elements in the second antenna element array; each second antenna apparatus corresponds to the at least one pair of receiving channels, and the at least one pair of receiving channels are configured to receive signals combined by the second combiner-splitter in the two different polarization directions; and the active module is further configured to perform frequency translation on the signals received by the at least one pair of receiving channels to obtain baseband signals. In this way, the network performance gain is improved.