Passive Patch Antenna Alignment Using Out-of-Band CPE Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fixed wireless access (FWA) systems struggle to provide cell center-like performance at the cell edge areas without increasing infrastructure costs, leading to poor signal quality and data throughput, especially with the growing demand for high-speed, low-latency applications from increasing IoT devices.
Innovation Solution
An antenna device that establishes an out-of-band control link with customer premise equipment (CPE) to automatically align passive patch antennas in specific three-dimensional positions at designated times, enhancing radio frequency signal receptivity and overcoming obstacles, thereby improving signal quality and data throughput without additional infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If base station transmit power is increased to improve cell-edge signal quality, then signal strength is improved, but inter-cell interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by deploying remote antenna units (RAUs) at specific cell-edge locations to provide localized signal enhancement. Instead of increasing base station power globally, RAUs are strategically placed to improve signal quality only in areas where cell-edge users experience poor connectivity, thereby avoiding widespread inter-cell interference while achieving local signal quality improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces remote antenna units as intermediary components between base stations and cell-edge users. These RAUs act as mediators that receive signals from base stations and retransmit them to users in remote areas, improving signal quality without requiring direct high-power transmission from base stations that would cause inter-cell interference.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional CPE performance is relied upon to provide wireless access, then infrastructure cost is reduced, but data throughput and signal quality deteriorate at cell edge areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network infrastructure into distributed remote antenna units that can be deployed independently at cell-edge locations. This segmentation allows for cost-effective deployment compared to building complete base stations, while each RAU provides sufficient signal strength and data throughput for local users through focused resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional base station coverage model to a three-dimensional distributed antenna system. By placing multiple RAUs at different locations and heights, the system creates additional spatial dimensions for signal propagation, improving data throughput and signal quality at cell-edge areas without proportionally increasing infrastructure cost.
3Reliability
If the number of remote antenna units is increased to improve coverage, then signal quality in cell-edge areas is improved, but device complexity and deployment cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs remote antenna units with universal functionality that can be deployed in various locations and configurations. Each RAU is a self-contained unit that can operate independently or in coordination with other RAUs, providing multi-functional capabilities including signal reception, transmission, and local processing. This universality simplifies deployment by using standardized units rather than complex customized installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a hierarchical network architecture where remote antenna units are nested within the existing cellular network infrastructure. RAUs are integrated with base stations through backhaul connections, forming a nested structure where the RAU layer operates within the broader base station network. This nesting approach manages complexity by organizing multiple RAUs as part of a unified hierarchical system rather than independent deployments.
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna device that includes a plurality of passive patch antennas distributed on a planar substrate defining signal capture area. The antenna device further includes a movable frame that supports the planar substrate on which the plurality of passive patch antennas are distributed. The antenna device further includes a controller configured to establish an out-of-band control link with a customer premise equipment (CPE). The controller further controls movement of the movable frame to align the plurality of passive patch antennas in a specific three-dimensional position coordinate at a given time-of-day such that a radio frequency signal receptivity by one or more passive patch antennas of the plurality of passive patch antennas in the signal capture area is increased from a first signal state to a second signal state at a first location of the antenna device, based on an instruction received from the CPE over the out-of-band control link.