Elevation Multibeam Antenna Network for Compact Cell Edge Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multibeam antenna arrays face challenges with insufficient coverage at cell edges and increased antenna size, weight, and wind load when generating beams in azimuth for low, mid, and C bands, requiring innovations to enhance capacity without additional hardware.
Innovation Solution
The use of multibeam forming network circuitry, including Butler, Nolen, and Blass matrices, with modified versions, to generate vertically adjacent beams in elevation, mitigating beam squint and phase errors, and incorporating phase shifters to adjust beam widths and directions, reducing antenna size and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multibeam is created in azimuth for low band, mid-band, and C band, then communication capacity is increased, but antenna size increases leading to increased wind load and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional azimuth-based multibeam formation to elevation-based multibeam formation. By creating multiple beams in the elevation dimension rather than the azimuth dimension, the system achieves multibeam capability without increasing the horizontal antenna array size, thereby reducing wind load and weight while maintaining communication capacity enhancement
2Productivity
If multibeam is created in azimuth for low band, mid-band, and C band, then communication capacity is increased, but antenna physical size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates multibeam capability in the elevation dimension using a compact antenna array configuration. This approach achieves the desired communication capacity increase without requiring a larger horizontal antenna footprint, thus solving the contradiction between capacity enhancement and physical size increase
3Area of stationary object
If conventional multibeam antenna arrays are used, then coverage is provided, but cell edge coverage is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different beamforming characteristics to different spatial regions by creating multiple beams in elevation with specific beamwidths and coverage patterns. This allows optimization of coverage quality in specific areas (cell edges) while maintaining overall coverage, addressing the insufficient cell edge coverage issue through localized beam quality enhancement
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods relating to antenna systems the produce multiple beams that are arrayed in elevation. The antenna system includes multibeam forming network (MBFN) circuitry that receives input signals, and which produces, by way of an antenna array, multiple beams that are vertically adjacent to one another. The MBFN circuitry may comprise a Butler matrix, a Rotman lens, a Blass matrix, a Nolen matrix, or adjusted/modified versions of these matrices. The modified versions of these matrices are designed to address beam squint issues, phase error issues, and even side lobe levels (SLL) issues.