Steerable Antenna Handover for Wireless Relays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication networks face challenges in maintaining seamless handovers between donor base stations for repeaters and relays, leading to dropped calls and disconnections due to rapid changes in donor base stations, especially in mobile scenarios like trains or ships.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate node with electrically steerable antenna radiation lobes, capable of directing different polarizations towards multiple donor nodes, allowing for a gradual handover process by initially redirecting one lobe to the new donor node while maintaining contact with the old node, ensuring prolonged handover time and reduced interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the antenna beam is quickly redirected from the current donor base station to a new base station, then the handover speed is improved, but user terminals do not have sufficient time to complete handovers resulting in dropped calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the antenna beam direction changeable over time. The beam is first directed to the new donor base station while maintaining connection with the old one, then gradually transitioned. This dynamic adjustment of beam direction allows the system to adapt to different handover phases, ensuring both speed and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by directing the antenna beam to the new donor base station before the actual handover is completed. This allows the new connection to be established and tested in advance, so when the handover occurs, user terminals already have a ready connection path, preventing dropped calls.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a reconfigurable antenna is used to change donor base station, then the adaptability to different base stations is improved, but handover procedures become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical antenna movement with electrical beam steering. Instead of physically moving the antenna to point at different base stations, the system uses electronic phase control to redirect the beam. This substitution maintains adaptability while simplifying the control mechanism and reducing mechanical complexity.
3Reliability
If the antenna radiation lobe is directed towards a new donor node during handover, then the handover process is improved, but interference from the old donor node may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action by systematically adjusting the antenna beam direction in controlled steps during handover. The beam is first directed to the new donor node, then periodically adjusted to balance reception from both old and new nodes, and finally fully transitioned. This periodic adjustment prevents interference while ensuring reliable handover completion.
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 smoother handovers, reducing call drops and allowing sufficient time for user terminals to complete handovers, thereby improving network stability and load sharing during donor base station changes.
Implementation Method 1
If the antenna at the repeater or relay intended for communication with the donor base station is reconfigurable, for example by means of beam-forming, the donor base station could be changed by pointing the beam of the reconfigurable antenna from the current donor base station to another base station.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an intermediate node (1, 1') which is arranged to relay information between a donor node (3, 4) and at least one served node (5, 6, 7, 8), and comprises a served antenna arrangement (9) that communicates by means of at least a first and second electrically steerable antenna radiation lobe. During a first mode of operation, all antenna radiation lobes (10, 11; 10', 11') are directed towards a first donor node (3, 3'). During a second mode of operation, the antenna radiation lobes are directed such that the intermediate node (1, 1') is in contact with both the first donor node (3, 3') and the second donor node (4, 4'). During a third mode of operation, all antenna radiation lobes (10, 11; 10', 11') are directed towards the second donor node (4, 4'). A first polarization (P1) is associated with each lobe (10, 10') directed towards the second donor node (4, 4') during the second mode of operation and a second polarization (P2) is associated with each lobe (11, 11') directed towards the first donor node (3, 3') during the second mode of operation. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method.