Synchronized Multi-Radio Antenna Sharing for Tower Space Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna systems require significant space and coordination between multiple radios, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs, and are not well-suited for adapting to changes in transmission rates or disruptions.
Innovation Solution
The use of a system that synchronizes multiple radios connected to a single antenna using a master synchronization signal, such as GPS, allowing them to operate on the same duty cycle and transmit/receive RF signals simultaneously without direct communication, utilizing passive combiners like Wilkinson dividers/combiners to combine and split signals efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple radios are used in an antenna system, then the transmission capacity and bandwidth are improved, but the space requirements and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple radio frequency signals from separate radios into a single antenna through the use of a combiner device. This merging approach allows multiple radios to share one antenna, significantly reducing the space required on the tower while maintaining the transmission capacity benefits of having multiple radios operating simultaneously.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple radios are coordinated to share a single antenna, then space requirements are reduced, but system complexity and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a combiner device as an intermediary component that manages the interaction between multiple radios and a single antenna. This combiner handles the signal combining and isolation functions, eliminating the need for complex direct coordination between radios while enabling them to share the antenna efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the signal processing functions by separating the radio units from the antenna through the combiner device. Each radio operates independently with its own signal processing, while the combiner handles the consolidation of signals. This segmentation reduces coordination complexity by allowing independent operation of individual radios.
3Reliability
If traditional antenna systems are used, then each antenna requires significant separation to prevent interference, but this increases space consumption and installation cost
Solution Approach 1:
The combiner device acts as an intermediary that manages signal interactions between multiple radios and the single antenna. It provides isolation and impedance matching that prevents interference between signals, allowing multiple radios to share one antenna without requiring the traditional large separations between antennas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables scalable, efficient, and cost-effective simultaneous transmission and reception of RF signals from multiple radios using a single antenna, with minimal interference and adaptability to changes in transmission rates, while reducing the need for direct radio communication and space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing passive combiners like Wilkinson dividers/combiners to combine and split signals efficiently
Data Source
AI summary
Multi-radio antenna apparatuses and stations for wireless networks including multiple radios coupled to a single transmit/receive antenna, in which the antenna is highly synchronized by an external (e.g., GPS) signal. These multi-radio antenna systems may provide highly resilient links. Synchronization may allow these apparatuses to organically scale the transmission throughput while preventing data loss. The single transmit/receive antenna may have a single dish or a compound (e.g., a single pair of separate transmitting and receiving dishes) and connections for two or more radios.