Providing communications coverage using hybrid analog/digital beamforming

US10903885B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• RKF Engineering Solutions LLC · US

Inventors

• Jeffrey Freedman · Laurel, US
• Michael Mandell · Farmington Hills, US
• Phil Rubin · Washington, US
• Ted Kaplan · North Potomac, US
• David Milliner · Potomac, US
• David Marshack · Bethesda, US
• Erik Halvorson · Vienna, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 31, 2020
• Grant date: Jan 26, 2021
• Expiry date: Jan 31, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01Q21/0006
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus includes feeds to form analog beams. The feeds are divided into panels. The apparatus includes processing circuitry that divides a target area for communications coverage into regions, including a first region and a second region neighboring each other. The processing circuitry generates, for the first region, a first plurality of analog beams, forming a first cluster. The processing circuitry generates, in the first cluster from the first plurality of analog beams, a first plurality of hybrid beams arranged in a first arrangement in the first cluster. The processing circuitry generates, for the second region, a second plurality of analog beams, forming a second cluster. The processing circuitry generates, in the second cluster from the second plurality of analog beams, a second plurality of hybrid beams arranged in a second arrangement that is adjacent to the first plurality of hybrid beams in the first arrangement.