09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, electronic hardware and downloadable computer software for providing wireless connectivity and access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and
computer software for providing both wireless access to
telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical
markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks;
telecommunications software. Programming of telecommunications software;
telecommunications technology consultancy; design and
development of telecommunications systems, networks and
equipment; computer programming for telecommunications.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, cellular radio hardware for telecommunications and radio access network solutions; electronic cellular radio hardware and downloadable and recorded computer software for providing both wireless access to telecommunications networks for subscribers and a variety of online vertical markets, and backhaul links into telecommunications networks; downloadable and recorded telecommunications software for radio access network solutions, namely, for providing wireless access to telecommunications networks
4.
AN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A COMMUNICATION LINK
An apparatus and method are provided for configuring a communication link. The apparatus has a plurality of antenna elements to support RF communication over a communication link using a plurality of frequency channels, a plurality of RF processing circuits, and configuration circuitry to apply a selected configuration from a plurality of different configurations, where each configuration identifies which RF processing circuit each antenna element is coupled to, and which frequency channel is allocated to each RF processing circuit. The configuration circuitry is arranged to employ a reinforcement learning process in order to dynamically alter which of the plurality of different configurations to apply as a currently selected configuration. The reinforcement learning process comprises maintaining a future rewards record having a plurality of entries, where each entry maintains, for an associated combination of link state and configuration, an estimated future rewards indication determined using a discounted rewards mechanism. A selection policy is employed to select a configuration for a current link state, and then a new reward is observed that is dependent on how the selected configuration alters a chosen performance metric for the communication link. The estimated future rewards indication in the associated entry is then updated in dependence on the new reward. The updating comprises, when the associated entry is first encountered following a reset event, the storing in the associated entry of a predicted estimated future rewards indication generated by assuming, when using the discounted rewards mechanism, that all rewards that will be used in future to update the estimated future rewards indication in the associated entry will have the same value as the new reward.
H04B 1/00 - Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
5.
TECHNIQUE FOR CONTROLLING A BEAM PATTERN EMPLOYED BY AN ANTENNA APPARATUS
A technique is provided for controlling a beam pattern employed by an antenna apparatus. The antenna apparatus comprises an antenna array, and beamforming circuitry to employ a beam pattern in order to generate a beam using the antenna array to facilitate wireless communication with at least one further antenna apparatus. Beam pattern adjustment circuitry is then arranged to receive a control signal indicative of a motion being imparted to the antenna apparatus, and to adjust the beam pattern to be used by the beamforming circuitry in dependence on the control signal, so as to alter a width of the beam in order to mitigate variation in link quality of the wireless communication due to the motion. This hence allows the width of the beam deployed by the antenna apparatus to be adjusted taking into account motion being imparted to the antenna apparatus, so that a balance can be achieved between employing a narrow beam to seek to improve range and resilience to interference, and a wider beam to reduce the variation in link quality that might otherwise arise due to the motion.
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H01Q 23/00 - Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
An antenna apparatus comprising at least one antenna array configured to produce a beam to facilitate wireless communication with at least one other antenna apparatus is described, in which the beam can be electronically steered in an associated beamforming plane by beamforming circuitry. The at least one antenna array has an associated antenna array plane, and an antenna array rotation mechanism is configured to rotate each antenna array in its associated antenna array plane to cause its beamforming plane to rotate. Methods for operating such an antenna apparatus, and for deploying an antenna apparatus in a wireless communication network, are also described.
H01Q 3/00 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
H01Q 3/02 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
H01Q 3/06 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation over a restricted angle
H01Q 3/08 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
H01Q 3/34 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the phase by electrical means
H01Q 21/06 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
7.
TECHNIQUE FOR TUNING THE RESONANCE FREQUENCY OF AN ELECTRIC-BASED ANTENNA
A technique is provided for tuning the resonance frequency of an electric-based antenna formed by a radiator element coupled to an antenna ground plane. The disclosed method comprises providing a plurality of parasitic capacitive elements extending in an electric field direction of the electric-based antenna so as to lower the resonance frequency of the electric-based antenna below a desired resonance frequency. The electric-based antenna is then integrated within a deployment environment of interest, and thereafter an indication of an actual frequency response of the electric-based antenna within the deployment environment is obtained. One or more of the parasitic capacitive elements may then be removed so as to adjust the actual resonance frequency towards the desired resonance frequency. By such an approach, a significant degree of adjustment in the resonance frequency of the antenna can be made after the antenna has been integrated within the deployment environment.
H01Q 9/14 - Length of element or elements adjustable
H01Q 9/42 - Resonant antennas with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
The present technique provides an antenna apparatus and a method of operating an antenna apparatus comprising a first antenna array and a second antenna array. Antenna positioning circuitry is used to move the first antenna array relative to the second antenna array about a common axis of rotation to facilitate positioning of the first and second antenna arrays in a chosen deployment configuration between a first limit and a second limit. Antenna array control circuitry is used to coordinate operation of the first antenna array and the second antenna array dependent on the chosen deployment configuration.
H01Q 1/08 - Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof
H01Q 3/06 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation over a restricted angle
H01Q 21/28 - Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
H01Q 25/00 - Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
9.
AN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AND A USER DEVICE WITHIN A BUILDING
An apparatus and method are described for facilitating communication between a telecommunications network and a user device within a building. The apparatus has a first unit for mounting adjacent an external surface of a building, and a second unit for mounting adjacent an internal surface of the building so as to be separated from the first unit via an interface structure of the building, for example a window. The first unit has an antenna system to communicate with the telecommunications network over an external wireless communications link that employs signals in a frequency range that is attenuated by the interface structure to a degree inhibiting reception of the signals by a user device within the building. The apparatus further comprises access circuitry for provision within the building to provide an internal communications link with the user device, and the first unit comprises first transducer circuitry coupled to the antenna system whilst the second unit provides second transducer circuitry coupled to the access circuitry. The first and second transducer circuits are then arranged to cooperate to establish a direct wireless communications link through the interface structure between the first and second transducer circuits, to facilitate communication between the antenna system and the access circuitry. This hence enables a reliable connection to be established between the telecommunications network and a user within the building.
H04B 10/80 - Optical aspects relating to the use of optical transmission for specific applications, not provided for in groups , e.g. optical power feeding or optical transmission through water
H04B 5/00 - Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
According to certain embodiments, an authentication system comprises memory operable to store instructions and processing circuitry operable to execute the instructions, whereby the authentication system is operable to provide a stimulus that causes an involuntary facial movement of a user. The authentication system is further operable to receive user data in response to the stimulus. The user data depicts the involuntary facial movement of the user. The authentication system is further operable to perform authentication based on comparing the user data to validation data associated with the user. The validation data comprises a previously validated depiction of the involuntary facial movement caused by exposing the user to the stimulus.
A node is provided to operate in a wireless network. The node comprises scanning circuitry to perform a scanning process to detect one or more upstream nodes of said wireless network; connection circuitry to form a connection to one of said one or more upstream nodes in response to said scanning circuitry completing said scanning process, wherein said connection is broken as a consequence of said scanning process; storage circuitry to store one or more triggers; and processing circuitry to cause said scanning circuitry to perform said scanning process in response to one of said one or more triggers.
A node and method are described for providing more flexible access to a wireless network. The node has scanning circuitry for performing a scanning operation to detect one or more wireless backhaul nodes and a performance characteristic associated with each of the one or more wireless backhaul nodes. This scanning operation is performed for each of a plurality of antenna directions. Filter circuitry is also provided to store a reference to the one or more wireless backhaul nodes, a value of the performance characteristic associated with the one or more wireless backhaul nodes, and an antenna position during the scanning operation, which are stored in a candidate list on the basis of a condition. The node also comprises data processing circuitry to select a selected wireless backhaul node from the candidate list based on the performance characteristic.
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H01Q 3/06 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation over a restricted angle
An apparatus configured to operate in a network comprises: control circuitry configured to perform a selection operation to select a preferred base station from one or more base stations in the network, each base station having a backhaul connection; connection circuitry configured to connect to the preferred base station; and communication circuitry configured to receive characteristic data of the backhaul connection of each of the one or more base stations. The control circuitry is configured to perform the selection operation in dependence on the characteristic data.
There is provided a node that includes radio circuitry that wirelessly connects to other devices in a wireless network using either a first radio configuration or a second radio configuration. Scan circuitry determines a first measurement related to using the radio circuitry to connect to an analysed device in the other devices in the first radio configuration and a second measurement related to using the radio circuitry to connect to the analysed device in the second radio configuration. Metric calculation circuitry calculates, for each device in the other devices, a metric, wherein each metric is calculated by applying a first weighting greater than zero to the first measurement obtained for that device and a second weighting greater than zero to the second measurement obtained for that device. Selection circuitry adapted to select one of the other devices in dependence on the metric calculated for each of the other devices.
An apparatus and method are provided for improving connectivity for items of user equipment in a wireless network. The apparatus has a first antenna system for providing a first sector of a telecommunications network, and a second antenna system for providing a second sector of the telecommunications network. Further, the apparatus has a third antenna system for communicating with a base station of the telecommunications network to provide a first wireless backhaul path for the first and second sectors. In addition, a fourth antenna system is used to provide a wireless communication link to facilitate coupling of the apparatus into a mesh network of devices. The mesh network has at least one point of access into the telecommunications network such that the mesh network supports provision of at least one further wireless backhaul path for the first and second sectors. Backhaul management circuitry is then arranged, in at least one mode of operation, to control utilisation of the third antenna system and the fourth antenna system to provide backhaul connectivity to the telecommunications network for at least items of user equipment connected to the apparatus via the first and second antenna systems. Through the use of such an apparatus, it has been found that significant improvements in network coverage can be readily obtained, and further the overall spectral efficiency of the network can be enhanced to improve network capacity, with the backhaul management circuitry maintaining an efficient backhaul connection through the combined use of the first wireless backhaul path and at least one further wireless backhaul path supported via the mesh network.
An apparatus and method of performing a configuration process in the apparatus are provided. The apparatus has a backhaul sub-node to provide a backhaul connection to a communications network which comprises a proxy system. It also has an access sub-node to provide an access cell to which user equipment can connect. In a configuration process the backhaul sub-node performs a backhaul sub-node auto-configuration process comprising connecting to a further network node, determining backhaul sub-node configuration parameters, and storing in the proxy system at least one configuration parameter for the access sub-node in dependence on the backhaul sub-node configuration parameters determined. When the access sub-node then issues an access sub-node auto-configuration request, the proxy system intercepts the access sub-node auto-configuration request and responds to the access sub-node in dependence on the at least one configuration parameter for the access sub-node stored. Transparent to the access sub-node, the backhaul sub-node can thus modify the default configuration which the access sub-node would receive, based on the specific backhaul connectivity which it has established for itself.
An apparatus, method of operating the apparatus, and system comprising the apparatus are provided. The apparatus has a backhaul sub-node to provide a backhaul connection to a communications network and an access sub-node to provide an access cell to which user equipment can connect. In response to a configuration trigger a configuration procedure is performed, in which the backhaul sub-node gathers information about the network environment and transmits at least a portion of the information about the network environment to a network management node. The the network management node then generates an access sub-node configuration which it transmits to the access sub-node, where the configuration is dependent on the information about the network environment transmitted to the network management node by the backhaul sub-node. The backhaul sub-node's greater ability to gather information about the network environment thus supports an improved configuration for the access sub-node, without technical input from the user being required.
An apparatus and method of performing a configuration process in the apparatus are provided. The apparatus has a backhaul sub-node to provide a backhaul connection to a communications network which comprises a proxy system. It also has an access sub-node to provide an access cell to which user equipment can connect. In a configuration process the backhaul sub-node performs a backhaul sub-node auto- configuration process comprising connecting to a further network node, determining backhaul sub-node configuration parameters, and storing in the proxy system at least one configuration parameter for the access sub-node in dependence on the backhaul sub-node configuration parameters determined. When the access sub-node then issues an access sub-node auto-configuration request, the proxy system intercepts the access sub-node auto-configuration request and responds to the access sub-node in dependence on the at least one configuration parameter for the access sub-node stored. Transparent to the access sub-node, the backhaul sub-node can thus modify the default configuration which the access sub-node would receive, based on the specific backhaul connectivity which it has established for itself.
There is provided a node for operating in a wireless network, including: coarse-granularity scanning circuitry that performs a coarse-granularity scanning process to detect one or more donor nodes of the wireless network according to a first metric. Connection circuitry forms a connection to a selected donor node in the one or more donor nodes. The connection is broken as a consequence of the coarse-granularity scanning process being performed. Fine granularity scanning circuitry performs a fine granularity scanning process to determine a configuration in which a quality of the connection is improved according to a second metric. The connection is maintained during the fine granularity scanning process.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04W 36/30 - Reselection being triggered by specific parameters by measured or perceived connection quality data
20.
Apparatus and method for improving connectivity for items of user equipment in a wireless network
An apparatus and method are provided for improving connectivity for items of user equipment in a wireless network. The apparatus has a first antenna system for providing a first sector of a network, and a second antenna system for providing a second sector of the network. Further, the apparatus has a third antenna system for communicating with a base station of the network to provide a common wireless backhaul link for the first sector and the second sector. In addition, an interface is provided to an internet connection of a building in which the apparatus is deployed, and backhaul management circuitry is then arranged, in at least one mode of operation, to control utilisation of both the internet connection and the common wireless backhaul link to provide backhaul connectivity to the network for items of user equipment connected to the apparatus via the first and second antenna systems. Through the use of such an apparatus, it has been found that significant improvements in network coverage can be readily obtained, and further the overall spectral efficiency of the network can be enhanced to improve network capacity, with the backhaul management circuitry maintaining an efficient backhaul connection through the combined use of the common wireless backhaul link and the internet connection.
H04W 40/02 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
H04B 7/0491 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04L 12/709 - Route fault prevention or recovery, e.g. rerouting, route redundancy, virtual router redundancy protocol [VRRP] or hot standby router protocol [HSRP] using path redundancy using M+N parallel active paths
An apparatus and method are provided for improving connectivity for items of user equipment in a wireless network. The apparatus has a first antenna system (12) for providing a first sector of a network, and a second antenna system (14) for providing a second sector of the network. Further, the apparatus has a third antenna system (16) for communicating with a base station of the network to provide a common wireless backhaul link for the first sector and the second sector. In addition, an interface (205) is provided to an internet connection of a building in which the apparatus is deployed, and backhaul management circuitry (200) is then arranged, in at least one mode of operation, to control utilisation of both the internet connection and the common wireless backhaul link to provide backhaul connectivity to the network for items of user equipment connected to the apparatus via the first and second antenna systems. Through the use of such an apparatus, it has been found that significant improvements in network coverage can be readily obtained, and further the overall spectral efficiency of the network can be enhanced to improve network capacity, with the backhaul management circuitry maintaining an efficient backhaul connection through the combined use of the common wireless backhaul link and the internet connection.
H04B 7/0491 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and
computer software for providing both wireless access to
telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical
markets and back haul into telecommunications networks.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, electronic hardware
and computer software for providing wireless connectivity
and access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety
of vertical markets.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and
computer software for providing both wireless access to
telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical
markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and
computer software for providing both wireless access to
telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical
markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, outdoor telecommunications base station equipment for transmitting and receiving wireless access and backhaul; telecommunication electronic hardware, namely, telecommunication base stations featuring computer software for providing both wireless access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and computer software for providing both wireless access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and computer software for providing both wireless access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, outdoor telecommunications base station equipment for transmitting and receiving wireless access and backhaul; telecommunication electronic hardware, namely, telecommunication base stations featuring computer software for providing both wireless access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, outdoor telecommunications base station equipment for transmitting and receiving wireless access and backhaul; telecommunication electronic hardware, namely, telecommunication base stations featuring computer software for providing wireless connectivity and access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment; electronic hardware and
computer software for providing both wireless access to
telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical
markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, telecommunications equipment for transmitting and receiving wireless access and backhaul, namely, indoor and outdoor cellular base station equipment; electronic hardware and computer software for providing both wireless access to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets and backhaul into telecommunications networks
A rotatable antenna apparatus has a fixed unit for attachment of the apparatus to an external structure, and a rotatable unit mounted on the fixed unit for rotation relative to the fixed unit. The rotatable unit comprises both an antenna assembly and processing circuitry coupled to the antenna assembly for performing signal processing operations. The apparatus further includes a thermally conductive shaft connected to the rotatable unit and located for rotation within the fixed unit, and a thermally conductive coupling structure to conduct heat from one or more heat generating components of the processing circuitry into the thermally conductive shaft. A heat sink within the fixed unit is thermally coupled to the thermally conductive shaft to draw heat away from the thermally conductive shaft. This provides an efficient mechanism for removing heat from the rotatable unit, whilst still allowing the rotatable unit to be sealed against external environmental conditions.
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
H01Q 1/02 - Arrangements for de-icingArrangements for drying-out
H01Q 3/04 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
H01Q 21/06 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
H01Q 21/08 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a rectilinear path
H01Q 21/20 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a curvilinear path
H01Q 21/28 - Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
H01Q 25/00 - Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04W 28/02 - Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
H04W 88/04 - Terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
H05K 7/20 - Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
H04L 12/24 - Arrangements for maintenance or administration
H04L 29/08 - Transmission control procedure, e.g. data link level control procedure
H04W 40/22 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
H04W 72/08 - Wireless resource allocation based on quality criteria
H01Q 1/24 - SupportsMounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
H01Q 1/50 - Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
H01Q 3/10 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation to produce a conical or spiral scan
G01S 3/04 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves Details
G01S 19/24 - Acquisition or tracking of signals transmitted by the system
H01Q 1/36 - Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella
H01Q 1/42 - Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
H01Q 3/12 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
H01Q 3/02 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
H01Q 3/36 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the phase by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
H01Q 21/24 - Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction
H04B 7/0456 - Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices for antenna weighting
F16M 11/06 - Means for attachment of apparatusMeans allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
H04W 84/04 - Large scale networksDeep hierarchical networks
H04W 84/02 - Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
An antenna apparatus for use in a wireless network and method of operating such an antenna apparatus are provided. A wireless network controller provides a configuration of such an antenna apparatus, a method of operating such a wireless network controller, and a resulting wireless network. The antenna apparatus comprises a directional antenna and a uniform circular antenna array. The directional antenna can be rotatably positioned about an axis with respect to a fixed mounting portion of the apparatus in dependence on wireless signals received by the antenna array. The antenna array allows the antenna apparatus to receive wireless signals isotropically and thus to accurately monitor the wireless signal environment in which it finds itself. The antenna apparatus can thus monitor and characterize incoming signals, both from external interference sources and from other network nodes, and the directional antenna can then be positioned in rotation to improve the network throughput.
H01Q 3/12 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
H04W 24/02 - Arrangements for optimising operational condition
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
H01Q 1/02 - Arrangements for de-icingArrangements for drying-out
H01Q 3/04 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
H01Q 21/06 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
H01Q 21/08 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a rectilinear path
H01Q 21/20 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a curvilinear path
H01Q 21/28 - Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
H01Q 25/00 - Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04W 28/02 - Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
H04W 88/04 - Terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
H05K 7/20 - Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
H04L 12/24 - Arrangements for maintenance or administration
H04L 29/08 - Transmission control procedure, e.g. data link level control procedure
H04W 40/22 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
H04W 72/08 - Wireless resource allocation based on quality criteria
H01Q 1/24 - SupportsMounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
H01Q 1/50 - Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
H01Q 3/10 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation to produce a conical or spiral scan
G01S 3/04 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves Details
G01S 19/24 - Acquisition or tracking of signals transmitted by the system
H01Q 1/36 - Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella
H01Q 1/42 - Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
H01Q 3/02 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
H01Q 3/36 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the phase by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
H01Q 21/24 - Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction
H04B 7/0456 - Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices for antenna weighting
F16M 11/06 - Means for attachment of apparatusMeans allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
H04W 84/04 - Large scale networksDeep hierarchical networks
H04W 84/02 - Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
An antenna apparatus for use in a wireless network and method of operating such an antenna apparatus are provided. The antenna apparatus has omnidirectional antenna elements and RF chains, where there are fewer RF chains than omnidirectional antenna elements. A subset of the omnidirectional antenna elements are coupled to the RF chains and sampling circuitry coupled to the RF chains samples the signals received by the subset of the omnidirectional antenna elements. This forms part of a signal detection process in which different subsets of the omnidirectional antenna elements are iteratively coupled to the RF chains. A signal sample spatial covariance matrix for the omnidirectional antenna elements is constructed from the signals sampled by the sampling circuitry at each iteration and a beamforming algorithm applied to the signal sample spatial covariance matrix parameterizes the signals received by the omnidirectional antenna elements.
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
H01Q 1/02 - Arrangements for de-icingArrangements for drying-out
H01Q 3/04 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
H01Q 21/06 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
H01Q 21/08 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a rectilinear path
H01Q 21/20 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a curvilinear path
H01Q 21/28 - Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
H01Q 25/00 - Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04W 28/02 - Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
H04W 88/04 - Terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
H05K 7/20 - Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
H04L 12/24 - Arrangements for maintenance or administration
H04L 29/08 - Transmission control procedure, e.g. data link level control procedure
H04W 40/22 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
H04W 72/08 - Wireless resource allocation based on quality criteria
H01Q 1/24 - SupportsMounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
H01Q 1/50 - Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
H01Q 3/10 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation to produce a conical or spiral scan
G01S 3/04 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves Details
G01S 19/24 - Acquisition or tracking of signals transmitted by the system
H01Q 1/36 - Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella
H01Q 1/42 - Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
H01Q 3/12 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
H01Q 3/02 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
H01Q 3/36 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the phase by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
H01Q 21/24 - Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction
H04B 7/0456 - Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices for antenna weighting
F16M 11/06 - Means for attachment of apparatusMeans allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04W 84/04 - Large scale networksDeep hierarchical networks
H04W 84/02 - Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
There is provided an apparatus comprising a location receiver to receive a signal indicative of a location of the location receiver. A movement mechanism rotates the location receiver about an axis and provides an angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point. Calculation circuitry produces an output value indicative of an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis, based on a plurality of given angles of the location receiver about the axis from the known point, and a plurality of associated locations of the location receiver indicated by the signal received when the location receiver is at each of the given angles.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
A rotatable antenna apparatus is provided that has a fixed unit for attachment of the apparatus to an external structure, and a rotatable unit mounted on the fixed unit for rotation relative to the fixed unit. The rotatable unit comprises both an antenna assembly and processing circuitry coupled to the antenna assembly for performing signal processing operations. The apparatus further includes a thermally conductive shaft connected to the rotatable unit and located for rotation within the fixed unit, and a thermally conductive coupling structure to conduct heat from one or more heat generating components of the processing circuitry into the thermally conductive shaft. A heat sink is then provided within the fixed unit, and is thermally coupled to the thermally conductive shaft to draw heat away from the thermally conductive shaft. This provides an efficient mechanism for removing heat from the rotatable unit, whilst still allowing the rotatable unit to be sealed against external environmental conditions.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
38.
WIRELESS NETWORK CONFIGURATION USING PATH LOSS DETERMINATION BETWEEN NODES
A method and corresponding apparatus are provided for network configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes. A subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes are configured to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node. Measurement reports are received from the subset of nodes, each measurement report comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength. A path loss is determined in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs. Then a directional configuration is selected for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes to use in data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
39.
MANAGING EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE IN A WIRELESS NETWORK
A method and corresponding apparatus are provided for configuring a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes to mitigate effects of an external interference source. A subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes are configured to simultaneously participate in an external interference sampling process in which each node of the subset of nodes samples signals received by an antenna array of that node. A measurement report, comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength, is received from a node. A location of the external interference source is firstly estimated using the measurement report received from the node. The external interference source is then characterised using the estimated location of the external interference source and the received signal strength to calculate for the external interference source at least one of: a source power; a beam width; an antenna bearing; and a front-to-back transmission ratio. Finally the plurality of nodes are configured to mitigate the effects of the external interference source in dependence on a result of the characterising step.
Antenna apparatus and a method of operating the antenna apparatus are provided. The antenna apparatus comprises a directional antenna comprising a plurality of antenna array components, a plurality of RF chains connected to the plurality of antenna array components, and a transceiver connected to the plurality of RF chains. Each RF chain comprises in sequence: a switching stage having switching circuitry selectively to connect an antenna array component, a phase shifting stage having phase shifting circuitry, and a summation stage having summation circuitry, wherein at least two of the RF chains share phase shifting circuitry and at least two of the RF chains share summation circuitry. The at least partial sharing of the RF chains, an in particular of the phase shifting circuitry provides a compact and cheap antenna apparatus, which is nonetheless capable of degree of configurability in direction and beam pattern to enable it to operate in a busy and changing environment.
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
41.
Managing external interference in a wireless network
A method and apparatus configures a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes to mitigate effects of an external interference source. A subset of the nodes simultaneously participate in an external interference sampling process in which each node of the subset samples signals received by an antenna array of that node. A measurement report, comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength, is received from a node. A location of the external interference source is estimated using the measurement report. The external interference source is then characterized using the estimated location of the external interference source and the received signal strength to calculate for the external interference source at least one of: a source power; a beam width; an antenna bearing; and a front-to-back transmission ratio. The nodes are configured to mitigate effects of the external interference source in dependence on a result of the characterizing step.
A method and corresponding apparatus are provided for network configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes. A subset of the nodes are configured to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node. Measurement reports are received from the subset of nodes, each measurement report comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength. A path loss is determined in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs. Then a directional configuration is selected for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes for data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
H01Q 1/02 - Arrangements for de-icingArrangements for drying-out
H01Q 3/04 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
H01Q 21/06 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
H01Q 21/08 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a rectilinear path
H01Q 21/20 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a curvilinear path
H01Q 21/28 - Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
H01Q 25/00 - Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04W 28/02 - Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
H04W 88/04 - Terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
H05K 7/20 - Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
H04L 12/24 - Arrangements for maintenance or administration
H04L 29/08 - Transmission control procedure, e.g. data link level control procedure
H04W 4/00 - Services specially adapted for wireless communication networksFacilities therefor
H04W 40/22 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
H04W 72/08 - Wireless resource allocation based on quality criteria
H01Q 1/24 - SupportsMounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
H01Q 1/50 - Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
H01Q 3/10 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation to produce a conical or spiral scan
G01S 3/04 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves Details
G01S 19/24 - Acquisition or tracking of signals transmitted by the system
H01Q 1/36 - Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella
H01Q 1/42 - Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
H01Q 3/12 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
H01Q 3/02 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
H01Q 3/36 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the phase by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
H01Q 21/24 - Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction
H04B 7/0456 - Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices for antenna weighting
F16M 11/06 - Means for attachment of apparatusMeans allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
H04W 48/06 - Access restriction performed under specific conditions based on traffic conditions
H04W 84/04 - Large scale networksDeep hierarchical networks
H04W 84/02 - Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
Antenna apparatus and a method of operating the antenna apparatus are provided. The antenna apparatus comprises a directional antenna comprising antenna array components, RF chains connected to the antenna array components, and a transceiver connected to the RF chains. Each RF chain comprises in sequence: a switching stage having switching circuitry selectively to connect an antenna array component, a phase shifting stage having phase shifting circuitry, and a summation stage having summation circuitry, wherein at least two of the RF chains share phase shifting circuitry and at least two of the RF chains share summation circuitry. The at least partial sharing of the RF chains, an in particular of the phase shifting circuitry provides a compact and cheap antenna apparatus, which is nonetheless capable of degree of configurability in direction and beam pattern to enable it to operate in a busy and changing environment.
F16M 11/06 - Means for attachment of apparatusMeans allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
G01S 3/04 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves Details
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G01S 19/24 - Acquisition or tracking of signals transmitted by the system
H01Q 1/24 - SupportsMounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
H01Q 1/36 - Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella
H01Q 1/42 - Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
H01Q 1/50 - Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
H01Q 3/02 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
H01Q 3/04 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H01Q 3/10 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation to produce a conical or spiral scan
H01Q 3/12 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
H01Q 3/26 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
H01Q 3/36 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elementsArrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture varying the phase by electrical means with variable phase-shifters
H01Q 21/06 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
H01Q 21/08 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a rectilinear path
H01Q 21/20 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a curvilinear path
H01Q 21/24 - Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction
H01Q 21/28 - Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems
H01Q 25/00 - Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
H04B 7/0456 - Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices for antenna weighting
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
H04L 12/24 - Arrangements for maintenance or administration
H04W 40/22 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
H04W 48/06 - Access restriction performed under specific conditions based on traffic conditions
H04W 72/08 - Wireless resource allocation based on quality criteria
H04W 88/04 - Terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
H05K 7/20 - Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04W 84/02 - Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
H04W 84/04 - Large scale networksDeep hierarchical networks
An antenna apparatus is provided for operating as a base station in a wireless network, along with a method of configuring a transmission beam within such an antenna apparatus. The antenna apparatus has a rotatable antenna assembly that can employ transmission beam patterns selected from a plurality of transmission beam patterns, and has a controller to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly in order to alter an azimuth direction of the rotatable antenna assembly. During a configuration mode, a sweep operation is performed in order to rotate the rotatable antenna assembly to each of multiple selected azimuth directions. Quality metric determination circuitry then determines, for each selected azimuth direction, a link quality metric for each of a plurality of wireless terminals based on communication between the plurality of wireless terminals and the base station whilst the rotatable antenna assembly is at that selected azimuth direction. Transmission beam determination circuitry then determines, from the link quality metrics determined for the plurality of wireless terminals at each selected azimuth direction, both a transmission beam pattern and an azimuth direction to be used for subsequent communication with the plurality of wireless terminals. This provides a particularly efficient mechanism for the antenna apparatus to self configure its transmission beam pattern and azimuth direction.
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
45.
AN ANTENNA APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PERFORMING SPATIAL NULLING WITHIN THE ANTENNA APPARATUS
An antenna apparatus is provided for use as a base station in a wireless network, and additionally a method is provided for performing spatial nulling within such an antenna apparatus. The antenna apparatus has an antenna assembly that employs a reception beam pattern selected from a plurality of reception beam patterns. During a nulling test operation, a reception beam pattern controller is arranged to cause the antenna assembly to employ each of the plurality of reception beam patterns. Quality metric determination circuitry then determines, for each reception beam pattern employed during the nulling test operation, a link quality metric for each of a plurality of wireless terminals, based on communication between those wireless terminals and the base station whilst the antenna assembly is employing that reception beam pattern. Reception beam determination circuitry is then arranged to determine, from the various link quality metrics, a reception beam pattern from amongst the plurality of reception beam patterns that is to be used for a subsequent communication with the plurality of wireless terminals. By such an approach, it is possible to alter a reception beam pattern so as to seek to reduce the effects of an interference source whilst also seeking to maintain an appropriate level of link quality in respect of each of the various wireless terminals that are communicating with the base station.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
A feeder terminal comprises backhaul communication circuitry to connect to a communications network via a wireless backhaul, and provide an access base station with access to the wireless backhaul. Backhaul information circuitry determines congestion information relating to the wireless backhaul and communication circuitry enables communication with an access base station and provides the congestion information to the access base station. In response to a demand message from the access base station comprising quality of service requirements, the communication circuitry forwards the demand message to the communications network. Additionally, an access base station comprises communication circuitry to enable communication with a feeder terminal. Backhaul communication circuitry connects to a communications network via a wireless backhaul provided by the feeder terminal, and provides the user equipment with access to the wireless backhaul. Requirement determination circuitry determines at least one quality of service requirement from the user equipment; and access control circuitry selectively controls usage of the wireless backhaul by the user equipment. The communication circuitry provides a quality of service demand message to the feeder terminal based on the at least one quality of service requirement and receives congestion information relating to the wireless backhaul from the feeder terminal. The access control circuitry controls usage of the wireless backhaul by the user equipment in dependence on the congestion information.
There is provided a node for use in a network, the node comprising: communication circuitry to communicate with a management server. Bootstrap circuitry initially identifies an intermediate node from at least one available node in the network in response to the communication circuitry being unable to communicate with the management server directly. The communication circuitry is arranged to communicate with the management server indirectly via the intermediate node when unable to communicate with the management server directly. Role assignment circuitry assigns a role to be performed by the node in the network based on whether the communication circuitry communicates with the management server directly, or indirectly via an intermediate node.
A rotatable antenna apparatus is provided that has both a fixed unit for attachment of the apparatus to an external structure, and a rotatable unit mounted on the fixed unit and comprising an antenna assembly and processing circuitry coupled to the antenna assembly for performing signal processing operations. An interface unit is coupled to both the fixed unit and the rotatable unit, and is used to route a cable to provide a wired connection from the fixed unit to the processing circuitry. The interface unit includes a cable housing within which a length of the cable is enclosed in a coiled arrangement. A control mechanism that is coupled to the interface unit is then arranged to constrain the amount to which the length of cable is wound and unwound within the cable housing so as to inhibit application of a stretching stress on the cable during rotation of the rotatable unit. This provides a very efficient and cost effective mechanism for providing a wired connection to the processing circuitry included within the rotatable unit.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H01Q 3/04 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
H02G 11/02 - Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts using take-up reel or drum
49.
A CONFIGURABLE ANTENNA AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH A CONFIGURABLE ANTENNA
An antenna apparatus for use in a wireless network and method of operating such an antenna apparatus are provided. Moreover a wireless network controller to provide a configuration of such an antenna apparatus, a method of operating such a wireless network controller, and a resulting wireless network are also provided. The antenna apparatus comprises a directional antenna and a uniform circular antenna array. The directional antenna can be rotatably positioned about an axis with respect to a fixed mounting portion of the apparatus in dependence on wireless signals received by the uniform circular antenna array. The uniform circular antenna array allows the antenna apparatus to receive wireless signals isotropically and thus to accurately monitor the wireless signal environment in which it finds itself. The antenna apparatus can thus monitor and characterise incoming signals, both from external interference sources and from other network nodes, and the directional antenna can then be positioned in rotation to improve the network throughput.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H01Q 21/20 - Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along, or adjacent to, a curvilinear path
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
An antenna apparatus for use in a wireless network and method of operating such an antenna apparatus are provided. The antenna apparatus has plural omnidirectional antenna elements and plural RF chains, where there are fewer RF chains than omnidirectional antenna elements. A subset of the plural omnidirectional antenna elements are coupled to the plural RF chains and sampling circuitry coupled to the plural RF chains samples the signals received by the subset of the plural omnidirectional antenna elements. This forms part of a signal detection process in which different subsets of the plural omnidirectional antenna elements are iteratively coupled to the plural RF chains. A signal sample spatial covariance matrix for the plural omnidirectional antenna elements is constructed from the signals sampled by the sampling circuitry at each iteration and a beamforming algorithm applied to the signal sample spatial covariance matrix parameterises the signals received by the plurality of omnidirectional antenna elements.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
51.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING MODULATION CONTROL INFORMATION AND A REFERENCE SIGNAL DESIGN TO BE USED BY A TRANSMITTER NODE
A method and system are provided for determining modulation control information and a reference signal design to be used by a transmitter node when generating a transmit signal to transmit from a transmitter(logical antenna)of the transmitter node over a channel of a wireless link to a recipient node. The modulation control information is used by the transmitter node to convert source data into an information bearing signal, and the information bearing signal is combined with a reference signal conforming to the reference signal design in order to produce the transmit signal. The method comprises (a) selecting a candidate reference signal design from a plurality of candidate reference signal designs, (b) determining channel state information for the channel, (c) determining, from the channel state information, signal to noise ratio information for said channel, and (d) for each of a plurality of candidate modulation control information, using the signal to noise ratio information to determine a quality indication for said channel. Steps (a) to (d) are then repeated for each candidate reference signal design in said plurality. Thereafter a winning quality indication is selected from the determined quality indications, and the combination of candidate reference signal design and candidate modulation control information associated with the winning quality indication is then output to the transmitting node.By such an approach, quality indications can be established for each combination of possible reference signal design and possible modulation control information, and hence not only is the inherent channel estimation accuracy achievable using each possible reference signal design considered, but also the data transmission efficiency and robustness to channel effects of each possible modulation control information is also taken into account.
A Doherty power amplifier including a main amplifier, an auxiliary amplifier and a controller governing the operation of the auxiliary amplifier, the controller being operative to switch the operational state of the auxiliary amplifier between an operational state and a non-operational state as a function of input signal voltage supplied to the power amplifier such that the auxiliary amplifier is inoperative when the input voltage is below an input voltage threshold and is operative when the input voltage is above the input voltage threshold.
A wireless feeder network comprises feeder base stations coupled to the communications network and feeder terminals coupled to associated access base stations of the access network. A group of wireless network components form elements of a feeder cluster and the elements of the feeder cluster are connected by an additional communications resource configured to be operated in parallel with the wireless resource of the wireless feeder network. Both a primary and secondary element of the feeder cluster seek to decode at least one resource block allocated to the primary element for reception of data. Information derived from the secondary decoded data is transmitted from the secondary element to the primary element via the additional communications resource. The primary element then performs a revised decoding process additionally using the information received from said secondary element to improve its own decode probability.
A system and method are provided for determining a communications schedule for routing data between a plurality of relay nodes forming a wireless relay network. The communications schedule interconnects the plurality of relay nodes by an ordered sequence of communications links, with the communications links being established over a wireless resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks. The method comprises generating a plurality of candidate connectivity patterns for the ordered sequence of communications links and, for each candidate connectivity pattern, generating a plurality of candidate resource allocations for providing the ordered sequence of communications links in accordance with that candidate connectivity pattern. For each candidate connectivity pattern, a level of a performance characteristic is then calculated for a selected combination of the candidate resource allocations associated with that candidate connectivity pattern. Based on a desired level of the performance characteristic, one of the candidate connectivity patterns and its associated selected combination of candidate resource allocations whose calculated level of the performance characteristic meets the desired level is then selected as the communications schedule to be used. In response to a trigger condition, the performance level evaluation process and the selection process are repeated in order to re- select one of the candidate connectivity patterns and its associated selected combination of candidate resource allocations to be used as the communications schedule. Such an approach provides a particularly flexible and adaptive mechanism for seeking to optimise the performance of a wireless relay network.
H04W 40/22 - Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
55.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A WIRELESS NETWORK
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling a wireless network for connecting network users to a communications network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of network components, the network components comprising a plurality of base stations connected to the communications network and a plurality of terminals connected to the network users, each terminal having a link with a base station to form a base station/terminal pair, and the links being established over a wireless resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks. The method comprises the steps of: determining, for each base station/terminal pair, a set of resource utilisation fractions indicating probabilities for establishing the link between that base station and that terminal via each of the plurality of resource blocks; determining a set of co-channel interference matrices, a co-channel interference matrix being determined for each network component, the co-channel interference matrix indicative of an expected interference from other network components, for each of the plurality of resource blocks, when that network component receives network traffic via that resource block, wherein the expected interference is probabilistically determined in dependence on the sets of resource utilisation fractions; distributing, to each base station, corresponding elements from the sets of resource utilisation fractions and the sets of co-channel interference matrices; suppressing, in each network component, co-channel interference in dependence on the co-channel interference matrix determined for that network component; and in each base station, when exchanging network traffic with the plurality of terminals, dynamically establishing the links as required to handle the network traffic for that base station by selecting from the resource blocks in accordance with the resource utilisation fractions.
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling a wireless feeder network used to couple access base stations of an access network with a communications network, the wireless feeder network connecting a plurality of feeder base stations coupled to the communications network and a plurality of feeder terminals coupled to associated access base stations, each feeder terminal having a feeder link with a feeder base station, and the feeder links being established over a wireless resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks. The method comprises the steps of: allocating resource blocks for use by the plurality of feeder base stations and the plurality of feeder terminals to establish the feeder links, wherein the resource blocks are allocated between a centrally administered schedule in which each resource block is associated with a predetermined feeder link and at least one feeder base station administered schedule in which a set of resource blocks is associated with a predetermined feeder base station, the predetermined feeder base station being configured to implement the feeder base station administered schedule dynamically by using the set of resource blocks in dependence on current traffic requirements of the predetermined feeder base station; monitoring network traffic being carried by the feeder links to determine at least one characteristic of the network traffic; and re-allocating the resource blocks between the centrally administered schedule and the at least one feeder base station administered schedule in dependence on the at least one characteristic of the network traffic.
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling a wireless feeder network used to couple access base stations of an access network with a communications network. The wireless feeder network comprises a plurality of feeder base stations coupled to the communications network and a plurality of feeder terminals coupled to associated access base stations. Each feeder terminal has a feeder link with a feeder base station, and the feeder links are established over a wireless resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks. Sounding data obtained from the wireless feeder network is used to compute an initial global schedule to allocate to each feeder link at least one resource block, and the global schedule is distributed whereafter the wireless feeder network operates in accordance with the currently distributed global schedule to pass traffic between the communications network and the access base stations. Using traffic reports received during use, an evolutionary algorithm is applied to modify the global schedule, with the resultant updated global schedule then being distributed for use. This enables the allocation of resource blocks to individual feeder links to be varied over time taking account of traffic within the wireless feeder network, thereby improving spectral efficiency.
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling a wireless feeder network which connects access base stations to a communications network. The wireless feeder network comprises a plurality of feeder base stations connected to the communications network and a plurality of feeder terminals connected to the plurality of access base stations. A sounding schedule is determined for the wireless feeder network in dependence on a visibility matrix,the visibility matrix indicative of visibility via the wireless feeder network between each of the plurality of feeder base stations and each of the plurality of feeder terminals. Then a sounding procedure within the wireless feeder network is controlled in accordance with the sounding schedule. The visibility matrix enables a coordinated sounding procedure to be carried out, allowing more accurate channel metrics for the wireless channels of the network to be determined which are not adversely affected by interference between elements of the network.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Telecommunications equipment, namely, electronic hardware and computer software for providing wireless connectivity to telecommunications subscribers and a variety of vertical markets.
60.
POINT TO MULTIPOINT DEVICE FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A PLURALITY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNITS
A point to multipoint device for use in a wireless network to provide wireless communication with a plurality of telecommunications units is described. The point to multipoint device has training sequence storage for storing a training sequence indication indicating a training sequence associated with the point to multipoint device. Repetition rate storage is also provided for storing a repetition rate at which the training sequence is to be repeated in the sequence of communication channels, the repetition rate being the same for all point to multipoint devices in the wireless network. An interface receives a synchronisation signal issued to all point to multipoint devices in the wireless network, with the synchronisation signal being used to determine a time at which a first occurrence of the training sequence is to occur within the sequence of communication channels.
H04B 7/08 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the receiving station
H04L 1/06 - Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by diversity reception using space diversity
61.
POINT TO MULTIPOINT DEVICE FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A PLURALITY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNITS
A point to multipoint device being operable to employ multiple sets of beams, at any point in time one set being used. The point to multipoint device comprises beam set generation logic for generating the multiple sets of beams arranged into one or more groups, each group comprising one beam from each set . Within each group the beams of that group are orthogonal with respect to each other, and each beam within each set is generated randomly with respect to other beams in that set. An interface is provided for receiving a synchronisation signal issued to all point to multipoint devices in the wireless network. Beam switching logic is then used to determine, having regard to the synchronisation signal, switch times at which the point to multipoint device switches from one set of beams to another set of beams, the switch times being the same for all point to multipoint devices in the wireless network.
H04B 7/06 - Diversity systemsMulti-antenna systems, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
62.
Handling transfer of management data to and from a telecommunications unit of a telecommunications system
A telecommunications unit (for example a subscriber terminal or a base station) is arranged to communicate over a wireless link with a further telecommunications unit of a telecommunications system in order to allow traffic data to be passed between the telecommunications unit and the further telecommunications unit. The telecommunications unit comprises a management processor operable to handle management data, and inductive loop logic coupled to the management processor and operable to allow management data to be passed between the management processor and a portable management unit via a separate wireless link between the inductive loop logic and external inductive loop logic associated with the portable management unit. This provides a particularly efficient technique for the transmission of management data between the telecommunications unit and the portable management unit, without the need for a physical contact to be provided on the exterior surface of the telecommunications unit.
