Abstract: There is provided a mobile radio device and a method of operating a mobile radio device. The mobile radio device is provided with storage circuitry to store location information defining locations of a first plurality of base stations. The mobile radio device is further provided with connection circuitry to make an attempt to connect to a candidate base station of the first plurality of base stations using a beam steered in a direction of the candidate base station, and to receive signals from the direction of the candidate base station. The mobile radio device is further provided with calculation circuitry to generate, based on the received signals, status information defining a connectivity characteristic of each of a second plurality of base stations, and to calculate a ranked list of candidate base stations from the first plurality of base stations and the second plurality of base stations.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for use with a moving vehicle. The apparatus comprises antenna circuitry for communicating with a main cell using an antenna configuration. Configuration circuitry performs an analysis process in which the antenna configuration is changed to communicate with and create a measurement of each of a plurality of candidate cells including the main cell, and to provide a result of the analysis process to the main cell. Control circuitry causes the configuration circuitry to perform the analysis process with a predetermined period. The control circuitry is configured to dynamically change the predetermined period based on at least one characteristic of a received signal of the main cell.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for performing a handover analysis. The apparatus comprises base station location identifying circuitry to obtain base station location information for a plurality of base stations that provide a wireless network for communication with a moving vehicle. In addition, moving vehicle tracking circuitry is provided to obtain position and velocity information for the moving vehicle. Handover metrics computation circuitry is then used to generate at least one handover metric computed from the position and velocity information for the moving vehicle and the base station location information, for use in determining a target base station in said plurality to be used when performing a handover procedure to transition communication with the moving vehicle from the current base station in said plurality to the target base station.

Abstract: There is provided a network comprising antenna circuitry to receive incoming signals and transmit outgoing signals. Remote modem circuitry, connected to the antenna circuitry by analog cabling, demodulates a first incoming signal of the incoming signals to produce first incoming data and control circuitry, remote from the remote modem circuitry and connected to the remote modem circuitry via digital cabling, controls a behaviour of the remote modem circuitry and receives the first incoming data from the remote modem circuitry.

Abstract: A cellular communication apparatus includes antenna circuitry. A transceiver receives or transmits a signal using the antenna circuitry on a chosen channel of a portion of a radio spectrum. The portion of the radio spectrum is divided into one or more channels including the chosen channel each occupying a bandwidth of the portion of the radio spectrum. Control circuitry dynamically changes a configuration of the one or more channels of the radio spectrum and communication circuitry communicates the configuration of the one or more channels of the radio spectrum to one or more items of user equipment.

Abstract: An antenna apparatus is provided that has a strip of antenna elements extending in a first dimension, and a signal processing interface for connection to signal processing circuitry. A plurality of beamforming networks are also provided, wherein each beamforming network is arranged, when coupled to the strip of antenna elements, to cause an associated beam pattern of the beamforming network to be generated by the strip of antenna elements. Switching circuitry is used to enable any one of the plurality of beamforming networks to be inserted between the strip of antenna elements and the signal processing interface. Each beamforming network couples a first node of the beamforming network with multiple second nodes of the beamforming network in accordance with a coupling pattern of that beamforming network.

Abstract: A wireless communication system for a moving vehicle, and a method of operation of a wireless communication system for a moving vehicle, are described. The wireless communication system comprises an antenna system configured to receive a received signal from a further antenna system and to transmit a transmitted signal to the further antenna system, communication control circuitry to control operation of the antenna system, and analysis circuitry. The analysis circuitry is configured to obtain at least one item of information from the received signal, and perform a Doppler adjustment process to determine, based on the at least one item of information, an adjusted transmitted frequency (ft) to be used for transmission of the transmitted signal from the antenna system, such that an observed frequency of the transmitted signal at the further antenna system is a predetermined uplink frequency (fUL).

Abstract: An antenna system for a moving vehicle, the antenna system comprising: a main antenna to generate a main beam; a measurement antenna to generate a measurement beam; and control circuitry to perform an adjustment process by: rotating the main beam to an initial bearing angle; rotating the measurement beam independently of the main beam to receive signals at positions to either side of the initial bearing angle; comparing at least one metric measured for the signals received by the measurement antenna at the positions to either side of the initial bearing angle to generate a comparison output; and determining, based on the comparison output, a correction to be applied to the initial bearing angle of the main beam.

Abstract: 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 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.

Abstract: An apparatus is described, comprising circuitry to obtain base station location information for a plurality of base stations that provide a wireless network for communication with a moving vehicle, the plurality of base stations comprising a current base station and one or more other base stations, circuitry to obtain moving vehicle tracking information for the moving vehicle, circuitry to determine, based on the moving vehicle tracking information and the base station location information, transmission adjustment control information associated with each other base station, and an interface configured to transmit, for reception by the moving vehicle, the transmission adjustment control information associated with at least a selected other base station, to enable the moving vehicle to adjust a signal transmitted to the selected other base station when a handover procedure is performed to transition communication with the moving vehicle from the current base station to the selected other base station.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for performing timing adjustment within a wireless communication system for a moving vehicle. The wireless communication system has an antenna system for communicating with a further antenna system, and communication control circuitry for performing a sign-on procedure to seek to establish a communication link with the further antenna system. During the sign-on procedure, the communication control circuitry issues via the antenna system a connection setup signal for receipt by the further antenna within an identified timing window. The wireless communication system also has location specifying circuitry for identifying a current location of the wireless communication system, and distance computation circuitry for obtaining location information specifying a location of the further antenna system, and for determining a separation distance between the antenna system and the further antenna system.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A communication apparatus, terminal apparatus, system and method are provided for performing wireless communication. The communication apparatus supports a plurality of component carriers, wherein one of the plurality of component carriers is designated as a current primary component and at least one of the plurality of component carriers is designated as a current secondary component carrier providing at least downlink communication. The communication apparatus comprises control circuitry for controlling a component carrier testing procedure for one or more component carriers. The testing procedure comprises, for each component carrier: establishing an uplink connection from the terminal apparatus to the communication apparatus using the component carrier; and determining a quality of the uplink connection for the component carrier.

Abstract: Antenna elements support RF communication over a communication link using frequency channels, RF processing circuits, and configuration circuitry to apply a selected configuration. Each configuration identifies processing circuit to antenna element couplings, and which frequency channel is allocated to each RF processing circuit. A reinforcement learning process is applied to dynamically alter which configuration to apply as a currently selected configuration. The reinforcement learning process maintains a future rewards record having entries that maintain, for an associated combination of link state and configuration, an estimated future rewards indication determined using a discounted rewards mechanism. A selection policy selects 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An apparatus is described, comprising circuitry to obtain base station location information for a plurality of base stations that provide a wireless network for communication with a moving vehicle, the plurality of base stations comprising a current base station and one or more other base stations, circuitry to obtain moving vehicle tracking information for the moving vehicle, circuitry to determine, based on the moving vehicle tracking information and the base station location information, transmission adjustment control information associated with each other base station, and an interface configured to transmit, for reception by the moving vehicle, the transmission adjustment control information associated with at least a selected other base station, to enable the moving vehicle to adjust a signal transmitted to the selected other base station when a handover procedure is performed to transition communication with the moving vehicle from the current base station to the selected other base station.

Abstract: A wireless communication system for a moving vehicle, and a method of operation of a wireless communication system for a moving vehicle, are described. The wireless communication system comprises an antenna system configured to receive a received signal from a further antenna system and to transmit a transmitted signal to the further antenna system, communication control circuitry to control operation of the antenna system, and analysis circuitry. The analysis circuitry is configured to obtain at least one item of information from the received signal, and perform a Doppler adjustment process to determine, based on the at least one item of information, an adjusted transmitted frequency (ft) to be used for transmission of the transmitted signal from the antenna system, such that an observed frequency of the transmitted signal at the further antenna system is a predetermined uplink frequency (fUL).

Abstract: A method for performing a handover analysis is provided. The method can include obtaining base station location information for a plurality of base stations that provide a wireless network for communication with a moving vehicle, obtaining position and velocity information for the moving vehicle, and generating at least one handover metric computed from the position and velocity information and the base station location information, for use in determining a target base station to be used when performing a handover procedure to transition communication with the moving vehicle from the current base station to the target base station. This enables a variety of handover metrics to be generated that take into account the deployment of the wireless network, which can be useful in systems such as Air to Ground (ATG) systems where the moving vehicles have a relatively high velocity, and the base stations may be relatively far apart.

Abstract: A wireless communication system for a moving vehicle, and a method of operation of a wireless communication system for a moving vehicle, are described. The wireless communication system comprises an antenna system configured to receive a received signal from a further antenna system and to transmit a transmitted signal to the further antenna system, communication control circuitry to control operation of the antenna system, and analysis circuitry. The analysis circuitry is configured to obtain at least one item of information from the received signal, and perform a Doppler adjustment process to determine, based on the at least one item of information, an adjusted transmitted frequency (ft) to be used for transmission of the transmitted signal from the antenna system, such that an observed frequency of the transmitted signal at the further antenna system is a predetermined uplink frequency (fUL).

Abstract: 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.