Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/42—Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
  • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
  • H01Q1/24—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
  • H01Q1/241—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM
  • H01Q1/246—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for base stations

Definitions

• the present invention relates to antennas, and. more specifically but not exclusively, to configurations of antenna assemblies in cellular applications.
• antenna assemblies and the base-station electronics that interconnect to them are separate physical entities.
• Antenna assemblies are mounted on cellular towers where they can have unobstructed views of the geographic areas they need to radiate into or receive from.
• an antenna assembly comprises one or more antenna arrays located behind a radome.
• the antenna arrays may serve different frequency bands.
• an antenna assembly may contain a first array that serves the 700-900 MHz band and a second array that serves the 1.850-2.170 MHz band.
• Antenna assemblies that serve multiple frequency bands are often referred to as "multi-band" antennas (or “dual-band” antennas when only two frequency bands are served).
• the base-station electronics such as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). transmit outgoing (i.e.. downlink) cellular electrical signals to the antennas and receive incoming (i.e.. uplink) cellular electrical signals from the antennas.
• Base-station electronics are traditionally located inside a building such as a cell-site hut or a small weather-proof enclosure at the base of the cellular tower. In this type of installation, the base-station electronics on the ground are interconnected with the antenna arrays on the tower using radio-frequency (RF) cabling.
• RF radio-frequency
• AIR Antenna-Integrated-Radio
• Some cellular phone carriers have favored attempts to configure base-station electronics in close proximity to antenna assemblies. Other carriers, however, have resisted such efforts, preferring instead that the base-station electronics be installed on the ground.
• integrating the base-station electronics within the radome may be
• the present invention is an apparatus comprising at least one of ( 1 ) a radome and (2) an active electronics module.
• the radome is configured to support mounting of at least one antenna array behind the radome.
• the active electronics module is configured to process at least one of (i) downlink signals transmitted by the at least one antenna array and (ii) uplink signals received at the at least one antenna array.
• the apparatus further comprises an electronics module mounting structure configured to support removable attachment of the active electronics module behind the radome. such that: when (i) the radome is mounted to a cell tower and (ii) the active electronics module is mounted behind the radome. the active electronics module can be removed from behind the radome without having to remove the radome from the cell tower.
• FIG. 1 shows a side view of a cellular antenna assembly according to one embodiment of the disclosure
• FIG. 2 shows a top view of the cellular antenna assembly of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 shows a simplified schematic block diagram of the antenna assembly of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the disclosure
• FIG. 3 shows a top view of the antenna assembly in FIG. 1 with the electronics module partially removed;
• FIG. 5 shows a side view of the antenna assembly of FIG. 1 with the electronics module completely removed
• FIG. 6 shows a side view of a cellular antenna assembly according to another embodiment of the disclosure.
• FIG. 1 shows a side view of a cellular antenna assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the disclosure
• FIG. 2 shows a top view of cellular antenna assembly 100.
• Antenna assembly 100 comprises a radome 102. an active electronics module 110. a pipe 104. a pair of brackets 106(1) and 106(2). and optionally, a pair of sheaths 108 and 112. Radome 102. which houses (and generally protects from the elements) a plurality of antenna arrays (not shown), is attached to pipe 104 using brackets 106(1) and 106(2).
• bracket 106(1) is shown as a two- part clamp, having first part 130(1) and second part 130(2). which together clamp around pipe 104; however, numerous other types of brackets may be employed.
• Active electronics module 110 comprises electronics that process signals provided to. and received from, at least one of the antenna arrays in radome 102.
• active electronics refers to electronics that purposefully modifies at least one of (i) uplink signals received from an antenna array and (ii) downlink signals radiated by an antenna array. Active electronics are distinguished from passive electronics, such as antenna elements, which might or might not incidentally modify the uplink and/or downlink signals.
• electronics module 110 comprises an outer weatherproof housing that protects the electronics contained therein from the elements.
• electronics module 110 is (i) physically removeably connected to an outer surface 120 of radome 102 and (ii) electrically removeably connected to at least one of the antenna arrays within radome 102.
• electronics module 110 may be safely removed from antenna assembly 100 (i) while antenna assembly 100 is installed on a tower and. depending on the particular electrical configuration, (ii) without disturbing service to all of the antenna arrays in radome 102.
• Antenna assembly 100 can be shipped from a factory to the installation site as one unit, ready for installation on the cell tower, or as separate parts that are attached together to form antenna assembly 100 at the installation site by an installer.
• FIG. 4 shows a simplified schematic block diagram of antenna assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the disclosure.
• antenna assembly 100 is a dual-band antenna assembly comprising first and second antenna arrays 132 and 134 housed within radome 102.
• First antenna array 132 serves a high-frequency band (e.g.. 1710 MHz to 21SS MHz) and second antenna array 134 serves a low-frequency band (e.g.. 698 MHz to 896 MHz).
• Each antenna array has antenna elements for communicating in a dual-polarized mode, wherein half of the antenna elements in the array transmit and receive using a first polarization (e.g...
• first and second antenna arrays 132 and 134 are merely passive devices that radiate and receive signals, without actively modifying the signals.
• First antenna array 132 is served by active electronics module 110. the housing of which, as described above, is physically removeably connected to radome 102. Electronics module 110 is also electrically removeably connected to first antenna array 132 via RF connectors 128(1) and 128(2) of electronics module 110 and RF cables 138(1) and 138(2). Further, electronics module 110 is electrically connected to equipment at the base of the cell tower (not shown) via optical cable 114. which is removeably connected to optical connector 136 of radome 102.
• RF cables 138(1) and 138(2) and RF connectors 128(1) and 128(2) may be protected from the elements (i.e.. weatherproofed) using sheath 108 shown in FIG. 1.
• optical connector 136 and the portion of optical cable 114 that connects to optical connector 136 may be protected from the elements using sheath 112 shown in FIG. 1.
• Sheaths 108 and 112 are configured to slide out of the way to allow access for connecting and disconnecting the respective cables at connectors 128(1). 128(2). and 136.
• electronics module 110 receives a baseband downlink communications signal via cable 114 and prepares the baseband signal for transmission.
• electronics module 110 generates a pair of dual-polarized transmission signals (i.e... TX1 and TX2) from the baseband signal using processing such as. but not limited to. optical-to-electrical conversion, digital-to-analog conversion (DAC). up-conversion to the radio frequency, and power-amplification (PA).
• the dual-polarized downlink signals TX1 and TX2 are provided to first antenna array 132 via RF cables 138(1) and 138(2). respectively.
• electronics module 110 receives dual-polarized uplink signals RX1 and RX2 from first antenna array 132 via RF cables 138(1) and 138(2). respectively.
• Electronics module 110 performs processing to generate a single baseband signal that is provided to the base- station below (not shown) via optical cable 114.
• electronics module 110 generates the baseband signal using processing such as. but not limited to. low-noise amplification (LNA).
• LNA low-noise amplification
• ADC analog-to-digital conversion
• Second antenna array 134 is served by a second electronics module (not shown) that is installed on the ground at the base station.
• the second electronics module (not shown) performs operations similar to those of electronics module 110 to (i) generate dual-polarized signals for transmission by second antenna array 134 in the downlink direction and (ii) generate a combined base-band signal from a pair of dual-polarized signals received by second antenna array 134 in the uplink direction.
• the dual-polarized signals are transferred between second antenna array 134 and the second electronics module using a pair of RF cables 116(1) and 116(2) (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1). which are removeably connected to RF connectors 118(1) and 118(2) of radome 102.
• FIG. 3 shows a top view of antenna assembly 100 with electronics module 110 partially removed. Note that, for ease of illustration, sheath 108 and RF cables 138(1) and 138(2) are not shown. To remove electronics module 110. RF cables 138(1) and 138(2) are disconnected from RF connectors 128(1) and 128(2). Electronics module 110 is then removed from radome 102 by sliding electronics module 110 out from between radome 102 and pipe 104 in a direction that is perpendicular to the axis of pipe 104 (i.e.. out the side). Note that this operation can be performed by a single worker, while radome 102 remains installed on the cell tower, without disrupting service to second antenna array 134.
• Electronics module 110 is removeably connected to radome 102 using electronics module mounting structure.
• the electronics module mounting structure on radome 102 is formed by fastener 126. which is attached to radome 102.
• the electronics module mounting structure on electronics module 110 is formed by fastener 124. which is attached to electronics module 110.
• fastener 126 is a protrusion extending across the width of radome 102 having a T-shaped cross-section
• fastener 124 is a channel protruding across the width of electronics module 110 having a cutout with a T-shaped cross-section for receiving fastener 126.
• electronics module 110 and radome 102 may be removeably connected using other types of mounting structures, including other types of fasteners. It is preferred, but not required, that such other types of fasteners provide a quick release and permit electronics module 110 and radome 102 to be mated to one another blindly. Further, the fasteners can be standardized such that installers can selectively and independently configure (and. if appropriate, re-configure) each different antenna array either as an active antenna with a corresponding electronics module behind the radome or as a passive antenna with its electronics module located at the base of the cell tower.
• second antenna array 134 can continue to operate as electronics module 110 is removed and possibly replaced with another electronics module (installed with radome 102 or at the base station on the ground).
• FIG. 5 shows a side view of antenna assembly 100 without electronics module 110 installed.
• first antenna array 132 can also be served by an electronics module (not shown) that is located at the base of the cell tower by connecting RF cables 140(1) and 140(2) (only one of which is shown in FIG. 5) to cables 138(1) and 138(2). respectively.
• the electronics module at the base of the cell tower may be electronics module 110 or another electronics module designed for installation at the base of the cell tower.
• antenna assembly 100 is merely a passive antenna device that radiates and receives signals without actively modifying the signals.
• antenna assemblies of the disclosure may serve as few as one frequency band or more than two frequency bands.
• one electronics module may serve the frequency band or two or more modules may serve the same frequency band.
• antenna assemblies of the disclosure may serve frequency bands other than the exemplary frequency bands described above.
• antenna assemblies of the disclosure may support a single polarization or more than two polarizations of a signal to be communicated.
• antenna assemblies of the disclosure may implement more than one electronics module that is removably connected to the radome. and electronics modules that are removable towards the top or bottom of the radome.
• FIG. 6 shows a side view of a cellular antenna assembly 600 according to one embodiment of the disclosure in which an electronics module 604 is removable towards the top of the radome 602. Note that, to accommodate removal towards the top of radome 602. fasteners other than fasteners 124 and 126 may be used.
• antenna assemblies of the disclosure may support multi-mode communications, wherein the antenna arrays support two or more different radio-access technologies.
• electronics module 110 was described as being removeably attached to radome 102. embodiments of the disclosure are not so limited. According to alternative embodiments, electronics modules of the disclosure may be removeably attached to another surface between the cell-tower mounting structure and the radome. For example, electronics modules of the disclosure may be removeably attached to brackets 106(1) and 106(2) and/or pipe 104. [0041] According to some embodiments of the disclosure, primary and backup electronics modules may be removeably attached between the cell-tower mounting structure and the radome. Ordinarily, the primary electronics module may serve one or more antenna arrays behind the radome. If and when the primary electronics module fails, the backup electronics module may supply service to the one or more antenna arrays.
• Couple For purposes of this description, the terms “couple.” “coupling.” “coupled.” “connect.” “connecting.” or “connected” refer to any manner known in the art or later developed in which energy is allowed to be transferred between two or more elements, and the interposition of one or more additional elements is contemplated, although not required. Conversely, the terms “directly coupled.” “directly connected.” etc.. imply the absence of such additional elements.

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• Details Of Aerials (AREA)

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Cited By (9)

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• 2013
  • 2013-04-17 WO PCT/US2013/036949 patent/WO2013191800A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2013-04-17 CN CN201380039525.XA patent/CN104508906A/zh active Pending
  • 2013-04-17 EP EP13720186.9A patent/EP2865049B1/en active Active
  • 2013-04-17 IN IN2586MUN2014 patent/IN2014MN02586A/en unknown
  • 2013-04-17 US US14/239,813 patent/US9325061B2/en active Active
• 2016
  • 2016-04-25 US US15/137,331 patent/US9692115B2/en active Active

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