Intelligent antenna sub-sector switching for time slotted systems
US6330458A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B7/0491
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A time slotted system capable of switching between two or more antennas during the guard times of the time slots. Switching between antennas during the guard time of the time slots eliminates any disturbance to the user, since it eliminates any loud noise, or popping that can occur during the switching between antennas. The beamwidth of each of the antennas is narrower than needed to cover a sector of a cell of the system, increasing the size of the cell due to the larger gain of the narrower beamwidth antenna elements. The system also includes a scanning radio for determining the optimal signal amongst the signals received on the antennas, and a switch for coupling the antenna receiving the optimal signal to a receiver system. In one embodiment of the invention the optimal signal is based on the information content of the signal, such as the signal's bit error rate. In another embodiment of the invention, the optimal antenna is selected, and a plurality of a combined signals is obtained by combining the signal received on the optimal antenna and a signal received on one of the other antennas, until all of the antennas have been paired with the optimal antenna. The optimal combined…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.