EP3057179B1

EP3057179B1 - Antenna system and base station

Info

Publication number: EP3057179B1
Application number: EP14852403.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jianping Zhao
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-10-12
Filing date: 2014-08-13
Publication date: 2019-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2034-08-13
Also published as: EP3057179A4; WO2015051668A1; EP3057179A1; CN104577356B; CN104577356A

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relate to communications technologies, and in particular, to an antenna system and a base station.

BACKGROUND

With the development of communications technologies, antenna deployment is faced with dual challenges: limited space and a small capacity of a site. It has become an inevitable trend that an antenna supports multiple systems. For example, an antenna supports a Global System for Mobile Communications (Global System For Mobile Communications, hereinafter referred to as GSM), a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, hereinafter referred to as UMTS), and a Long Term Evolution (Long Term Evolution, hereinafter referred to as LTE) system. In an existing technology of deploying closely-spaced multi-column antennas, a single beam is split into multiple beams to implement space division multiple access, thereby achieving an objective of improving an antenna capacity.
However, this antenna deployment technology can provide only narrow beam coverage, which cannot satisfy a requirement that an antenna system should provide both a wide beam and a narrow beam.
WO 01/01582 A2 discloses to install a sector antenna and an adaptive phased-array antenna for a cellular radio base station in a single antenna cartridge.
US 5 907 816 A discloses a high gain antenna system for cellular use. The antenna system comprises a sector antenna and a multi-beam antenna, wherein the multi-bean antenna covers the same sector with a plurality of narrower beams.
WO 98/421 50 A2 also describes an antenna system comprising a first, second and a third antenna array. The first and third antenna arrays each comprising a single column of antennas are placed on either side of the second antenna array which comprises several columns of antennas.

SUMMARY

The present invention has as its object to provide an antenna system and a base station, to resolve a problem that close-spaced multi-column antennas can provide only a narrow beam, and to satisfy a requirement that an antenna system should provide both a wide beam and a narrow beam. This object is solved by an antenna system of claim 1 and by a base station of claim 3. Further advantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention are listed in the dependent claims. Hereinafter, before coming to a detailed description of the embodiments, first some aspects of the invention are highlighted.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an antenna system, including:
a first antenna array configured to form wide beam coverage and a second antenna array configured to form narrow beam coverage, where:

the first antenna array includes at least two adjacent columns of antennas, where each column of antennas provide at least one wide beam port; the second antenna array includes at least two adjacent columns of antennas, and the second antenna array provides three narrow beam ports, and
wherein a column interval of the first antenna array is greater than the column interval of the second antenna array.

With reference to the first aspect an interval between the first antenna array and the second antenna array is greater than a column interval of the second antenna array.
With reference to the first aspect, the antenna system further includes a multi-band combiner, where the multi-band combiner is connected to one of the at least one narrow beam port and/or one of the at least one the wide beam port.
With reference to the first aspect, one of the at least one narrow beam port is connected to one multi-band combiner; and one of the at least one wide beam port is connected to another multi-band combiner.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a base station, including:
the antenna system according to the first aspect and at least one radio frequency module, where:
the at least one radio frequency module is connected to the antenna system by using at least one wide beam port and/or at least one narrow beam port.
With reference to the first aspect, the at least one wide beam port is connected to one first radio frequency the other of the at least one wide beam port are connected to at least two third radio frequency modules by using the multi-band combiner, and the at least one narrow beam port is connected to the at least two third radio frequency modules by using a multi-band combiner.
The examples of the present invention provide an antenna system and a base station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or in the prior art more clearly, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a first non claimed example of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an example of a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to the first non claimed example.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a wide beam in an antenna system according to the first non claimed example.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a narrow beam in an antenna system according to the first non claimed example of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a second non claimed example of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a third non claimed example
FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a fourth non claimed example.
FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a first non claimed example.
FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a second non claimed example.
FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a third non claimed example.
FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system and a base station according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a wide/narrow beam configuration 1 in a base station according to the embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a wide/narrow beam configuration 2 in a base station according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Further below, an embodiment of the invention as claimed is described with reference to FIG. 11. The examples described above and further explained below do not directly relate to the embodiment of the invention but contribute to the understanding of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a first example. As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna system 10 in this example may include: a first antenna array 11 and a second antenna array 12, where the first antenna array 11 is configured to form wide beam coverage, and the second antenna array 12 is configured to form narrow beam coverage. The first antenna array 11 includes at least one column of antennas, where each column of antennas provide at least one wide beam port 112; the second antenna array 12 includes at least two columns of antennas, and the second antenna array 12 provides at least one narrow beam port 122.
FIG. 2 is an example of a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to the first example. As shown in FIG. 2, the antenna system 10 includes a first antenna array 11 and a second antenna array 12, where the first antenna array 11 includes one column of antennas 111 and provides a wide beam port 112; the second antenna array 12 includes four columns of antennas 121, and provides three narrow beam ports: 122a, 122b, and 122c. A narrow beam is led out through a narrow beam port.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a wide beam in an antenna system according to the first example. As shown in FIG. 3, a wide beam formed by one column of antennas 111 of the first antenna array 11 in FIG. 2, that is, an omnidirectional beam, may cover a relatively large range. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a narrow beam in an antenna system according to the first example. As shown in FIG. 4, the four columns of antennas 121 of the second antenna array 12 in FIG. 2 form coverage of three narrow beams, which are respectively led out through the three narrow beam ports 122a, 122b and 122c of the second antenna array 12. A coverage range of each narrow beam is less than a coverage range of a wide beam. By using a technology of deploying close-spaced multi-column antennas, the second antenna array 12 splits a single beam into multiple beams to implement space division multiple access, thereby improving an antenna capacity.
The antenna system according to this example includes a first antenna array configured to form a wide beam and a second antenna array configured to form a narrow beam. The first antenna array includes at least one column of antennas, where each column of antennas provide at least one wide beam port; the second antenna array includes at least two columns of antennas, and the second antenna array provides at least one narrow beam port. The wide beam formed by the antenna system is led out through the at least one wide beam port, and the narrow beam formed by the antenna system is led out through the at least one narrow beam port. In this way, a problem that close-spaced multi-column antennas can provide only a narrow beam is resolved, and a requirement that an antenna system should provide both a wide beam and a narrow beam is satisfied.
Further, on the basis of the antenna structure shown in FIG. 1, in the antenna system 10 according to this example, an interval between the first antenna array 11 and the second antenna array 12 is greater than a column interval of the second antenna array 12, and/or, an isolation apparatus is disposed between the first antenna array 11 and the second antenna array 12, to reduce mutual coupling between the first antenna array 11 and the second antenna array 12. FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a second example. As shown in FIG. 5, on the basis of the antenna structure shown in FIG. 1, further, an isolation apparatus 21 is disposed between the first antenna array 11 and the second antenna array 12, where the isolation apparatus 21 is configured to reduce mutual coupling between the first antenna array 11 and the second antenna array 12, thereby ensuring beam quality of a wide beam. For example, the isolation apparatus 21 may be an isolation wall or an isolation plate, which is not specifically limited in this example.
Further, when the first antenna array 11 includes at least two columns of antennas, a column interval of the first antenna array 11 is greater than the column interval of the second antenna array 12.
In this example, the first antenna array forms wide beam coverage by setting a column interval of multiple columns of antennas of a first antenna array to be greater than a column interval of a second antenna array. A greater column interval of the first antenna array may reduce interference between the columns of antennas that provide the wide beam coverage.
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a third example. As shown in FIG. 6, on the basis of the antenna structure shown in the foregoing two examples, the antenna system 10 according to this example may further include a multi-beam forming device 31, where the multi-beam forming device 31 is connected to the second antenna array 12, the second antenna array 12 forms at least one narrow beam by using the multi-beam forming device 31, and the at least one narrow beam is led out through the narrow beam port 122.
In this example, the second antenna array 12 is configured to form coverage of a narrow beam, where a specific direction, a specific coverage area, a specific quantity of beams, and the like of the narrow beam may be controlled by the multi-beam forming device 31. For example, the multi-beam forming device 31 may adjust parameters such as a phase and an amplitude of an antenna array, thereby forming coverage of multiple narrow beams.
In this example, a multi-beam forming device is integrated into an antenna system, and no multi-beam forming device needs to be additionally configured for the antenna system; therefore, a function of forming wide and narrow beams by the antenna system becomes more intelligent. In addition, in the antenna system, a wide beam is led out through a wide beam port and a narrow beam is led out through a narrow beam port, so that the antenna system can provide only a wide beam or only a narrow beam as required, or provide both a wide beam and a narrow beam.
FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna system according to a fourth example. On the basis of the antenna structure shown in FIG. 1, the antenna system 10 according to this example may further include a multi-band combiner 41, where the multi-band combiner 41 is connected to a wide beam port and/or a narrow beam port, and the antenna system 10 combines signals of different frequency bands into a mixed signal by using the multi-band combiner 4 or divides the mixed signal into the signals of the different frequency bands.
In this example, the multi-band combiner 41 may combine signals of different frequency bands into a mixed signal, or divide the mixed signal into the signals of the different frequency bands, so that the antenna system can perform processing on the signals of the different frequency bands simultaneously. For example, the antenna system can combine a signal of a frequency band supported by a GSM system and a signal of a frequency band supported by an LTE system, and feed a combined signal into the antenna system, thereby implementing processing of the two signals of the different frequency bands by the antenna system.
In this example, a multi-band combiner is integrated into an antenna system, and a port for transmitting a mixed signal is directly provided for a radio frequency module, thereby simplifying a connection structure between the antenna system and the radio frequency module.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the multi-band combiner 41 may be integrated into the antenna system and serve as a component of the antenna system, or may not be integrated into the antenna system, but serve as an independent structure, and be connected to the antenna system 10, which is not specifically limited herein.
FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a first example. As shown in FIG. 8, a base station of this example includes an antenna system 10 and at least one radio frequency module 20, where the antenna system 10 may use a structure of any one of the antenna system examples in FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 (except FIG. 3 and FIG. 4), and the radio frequency module 20 is connected to the antenna system 10 by using at least one wide beam port and/or at least one narrow beam port.
By using several specific examples, the following describes in detail the structure of the base station in the example shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a second example. As shown in FIG. 9, the antenna system 10 includes a first antenna array 11 and a second antenna array 12, where the first antenna array 11 includes one column of antennas 111a and another column of antennas 111b, the column of antennas 111a provides a wide beam port 112a, and the column of antennas 111b provides a wide beam port 112b; the second antenna array 12 includes four columns of antennas 121, and provides three narrow beam ports 122a, 122b, and 122c, where three narrow beams formed by the second antenna array 12 are led out through the narrow beam ports 122a, 122b, and 122c, respectively.
The antenna system is connected to a first radio frequency module by using a wide beam port. A connection manner may be that a wide beam port is connected to one first radio frequency module, or that a wide beam port is connected, by using a multi-band combiner, to two or more first radio frequency modules that support different frequency bands. In this example, a first radio frequency module is connected to a wide beam port; therefore, the first radio frequency module is a radio frequency module that supports a wide beam. As shown in FIG. 9, in this example, there are three first radio frequency modules that support different frequency bands, which are a first radio frequency module 21 that supports a frequency band 1, a first radio frequency module 22 that supports a frequency band 2, and a first radio frequency module 23 that supports a frequency band 3, respectively.
In this example, the wide beam port 112a is connected to the first radio frequency module 21 that supports the frequency band 1 and the first radio frequency module 22 that supports the frequency band 2 by using a multi-band combiner 40, and the other wide beam port 112b is connected to the first radio frequency module 23 that supports the frequency band 3. In this connection manner, the column of antennas 111a can receive and send a mixed signal obtained by combining a signal of the frequency band 1 and a signal of the frequency band 2, the column of antennas 111b can receive and send a signal of the frequency band 3, where the frequency band 1, the frequency band 2, and the frequency band 3 herein may be any communication frequency band, which is not specifically limited herein. In the foregoing connection manner, the antenna system can provide coverage of wide beams of different frequency bands, and a coverage range of the wide beams may be a range shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a third example. As shown in FIG. 10, an antenna system 10 includes a first antenna array 11 and a second antenna array 12, where the first antenna array 11 includes one column of antennas 111a and another column of antennas 111b, the column of antennas 111a provides a wide beam port 112a, and the column of antennas 111b provides a wide beam port 112b; the second antenna array 12 includes four columns of antennas 121, and provides three narrow beam ports 122a, 122b, and 122c, where three narrow beams formed by the second antenna array 12 are led out through the narrow beam ports 122a, 122b, and 122c, respectively.
The antenna system is connected to a second radio frequency module by using a wide beam port. A connection manner may be that a narrow beam port is connected to one second radio frequency module, or that a narrow beam port is connected, by using a multi-band combiner, to two or more second radio frequency modules that support different frequency bands. In this example, a second radio frequency module is connected to a narrow beam port; therefore, the second radio frequency module is a radio frequency module that supports a narrow beam. As shown in FIG. 10, in this example, there are three second radio frequency modules that support different frequency bands, which are a second radio frequency module 31 that supports a frequency band 1, a second radio frequency module 32 that supports a frequency band 2, and a second radio frequency module 33 that supports a frequency band 3, respectively.
In this example, the narrow beam port 122a is connected to the second radio frequency module 31 that supports the frequency band 1, the second radio frequency module 32 that supports the frequency band 2, and the second radio frequency module 33 that supports the frequency band 3 by using a multi-band combiner 40a, the narrow beam port 122b is connected to the second radio frequency module 31 that supports the frequency band 1, the second radio frequency module 32 that supports the frequency band 2, and the second radio frequency module 33 that supports the frequency band 3 by using a multi-band combiner 40b, and the narrow beam port 122c is connected to the second radio frequency module 31 that supports the frequency band 1, the second radio frequency module 32 that supports the frequency band 2, and the second radio frequency module 33 that supports the frequency band 3 by using a multi-band combiner 40c. In this connection manner, the second antenna array 12 can receive and send a mixed signal obtained by combining a signal of the frequency band 1, a signal of the frequency band 2, and a signal of the frequency band 3, where the frequency band 1, the frequency band 2, and the frequency band 3 herein may be any communication frequency band, which is not specifically limited herein. In the foregoing connection manner, the antenna system can provide coverage of narrow beams of different frequency bands, and a coverage range of the narrow beams may be a range shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, an antenna system 10 includes a first antenna array 11 and a second antenna array 12, where the first antenna array 11 includes one column of antennas 111a and another column of antennas 111b, the column of antennas 111a provides a wide beam port 112a, and the column of antennas 111b provides a wide beam port 112b; the second antenna array 12 includes four columns of antennas 121, and provides three narrow beam ports 122a, 122b, and 122c, where three narrow beams formed by the second antenna array 12 are led out through the narrow beam ports 122a, 122b, and 122c, respectively.
Both a wide beam port and a narrow beam port of the antenna system are connected to a third radio frequency module. A connection manner may be that both a wide beam port and a narrow beam port are connected to one third radio frequency module, or that a wide beam port is connected, by using a multi-band combiner, to two or more third radio frequency modules that support different frequency bands, and a narrow beam port is connected, by using a multi-band combiner, to the foregoing two or more third radio frequency modules that support the different frequency bands. In the embodiment, a third radio frequency module is connected to both a wide beam port and a narrow beam port; therefore, the third radio frequency module is a radio frequency module that supports both a wide beam and a narrow beam. As shown in FIG. 11, in the embodiment, there are three third radio frequency modules that support different frequency bands, which are a third radio frequency module 41 that supports a frequency band 1, a third radio frequency module 42 that supports a frequency band 2, and a third radio frequency module 43 that supports a frequency band 3.
In the embodiment, the wide beam port 112a is connected to the third radio frequency module 41 that supports the frequency band 1, and the other wide beam port 112b is connected to the third radio frequency module 42 that supports the frequency band 2 and the third radio frequency module 43 that supports the frequency band 3 by using a multi-band combiner 40a; the narrow beam port 122a is connected to the third radio frequency module 41 that supports the frequency band 1 and the third radio frequency module 42 that supports the frequency band 2 by using a multi-band combiner 40b, and the other two narrow beam ports 122b and 122c are both connected to the third radio frequency module 43 that supports the frequency band 3. In this connection manner, the column of antennas 111a can receive and send a signal of the frequency band 1, and the column of antennas 111b may receive and send a mixed signal obtained by combining a signal of the frequency band 2 and a signal of the frequency band 3, where the frequency band 1, the frequency band 2, and the frequency band 3 may be any communication frequency band, which is not specifically limited herein. In the foregoing connection manner, the antenna system can provide coverage of wide beams of different frequency bands, and both the third radio frequency module 41 that supports the frequency band 1 and the third radio frequency module 42 that supports the frequency band 2 are connected to the narrow beam port 122a; therefore, a coverage range of wide and narrow beams provided by the antenna system to the two third radio frequency modules may be a range shown in FIG. 12. A wide beam provides a larger coverage area, and a narrow beam led out through the narrow beam port 122a provides key area coverage. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a wide/narrow beam 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The third radio frequency module 42 that supports the frequency band 3 is connected to both the narrow beam ports 122b and 122c; therefore, a coverage range of wide and narrow beams provided by the antenna system to the third radio frequency module may be a range shown in FIG. 13. A wide beam provides a larger coverage area, and narrow beams led out through the narrow beam ports 122b and 122c provide key area coverage. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a wide/narrow beam 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or some of the steps of the method embodiments may be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program runs, the steps of the method embodiments are performed. The foregoing storage medium includes: any medium that can store program code, such as a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

Claims

An antenna system (10), comprising:
1.1 a first antenna array (11) configured to form wide beam coverage, and

1.2 a second antenna array (12) configured to form narrow beam coverage,
wherein:
1.3 the first antenna array (11) comprises a first and a second adjacent column of antennas (111a, 111b), wherein the first and second column of antennas provides a first and second wide beam port (112a, 112b); and

1.4 the second antenna array (12) comprises first to fourth adjacent columns of antennas (121), and the second antenna array provides three narrow beam ports (122a, 122b, 122c), wherein

1.5 a column interval of the first antenna array (11) is greater than a column interval of the second antenna array (12); and

1.6 wherein an interval between the first antenna array (11) and the second antenna array (12) is greater than the column interval of the second antenna array (12); wherein

1.7 the second column (111b) of the first antenna array (11) is adjacent to the first column of the second antenna array (12);

1.8 the antenna system further comprises a first, a second and a third radio frequency module (41, 42, 43) supporting different frequency bands 1, 2, 3 and a first and second multi-band combiner (40b, 40a), wherein

1.8.1 the first wide beam port (112a) is connected to the first radio frequency module (41) and the second wide beam port (112b) is connected to the second radio frequency module (42) and the third radio frequency module (43) by using the first combiner (40a);

1.8.2 the first narrow beam port (122a) is connected to the first radio frequency module (41) and the second radio frequency module (42) by using the second multi-band combiner (40b); and

1.8.3 the second and third narrow beam ports (122b, 122c) are both connected to the third radio frequency module (43).
The antenna system (10) according to claim 1, wherein an isolation apparatus (21) is disposed between the first antenna array (11) and the second antenna array (12).
Abase station, comprising the antenna system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and at least one radio frequency module (20).
The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the narrow beam radiation pattern (122b, 122c) is within the boundary of the wide beam radiation pattern.