Abstract: A phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control incorporates a tilt controller (62) for splitting an input signal into three intermediate signals, two of which are delayed by variable delays T1 and T2 relative to the third. A corporate feed (64) contains splitters S3 to S10 and hybrids H1 to H6 for processing the intermediate signals to produce drive signals for elements of an antenna array (66); the drive signals are fractions and vector combinations of the intermediate signals. The tilt controller (62) and the corporate feed (64) in combination impose relative phasing on the drive signals as appropriate for phased array beam steering in response to variable delay of two intermediate signals relative to the third intermediate signal.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control incorporates a tilt controller (62) for splitting an input signal into three intermediate signals, two of which are delayed by variable delays T1 and T2 relative to the third. A corporate feed (64) contains splitters S3 to S10 and hybrids H1 to H6 for processing the intermediate signals to produce drive signals for elements of an antenna array (66); the drive signals are fractions and vector combinations of the intermediate signals. The tilt controller (62) and the corporate feed (64) in combination impose relative phasing on the drive signals as appropriate for phased array beam steering in response to variable delay of two intermediate signals relative to the third intermediate signal.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control incorporates a tilt controller (62) for splitting an input signal into three intermediate signals, two of which are delayed by variable delays T1 and T2 relative to the third. A corporate feed (64) contains splitters S3 to S10 and hybrids H1 to H6 for processing the intermediate signals to produce drive signals for elements of an antenna array (66); the drive signals are fractions and vector combinations of the intermediate signals. The tilt controller (62) and the corporate feed (64) in combination impose relative phasing on the drive signals as appropriate for phased array beam steering in response to variable delay of two intermediate signals relative to the third intermediate signal.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system with multiple beams incorporates a CDMA base station (32) with multiple ports 341to 36N for positive and negative polarisation signals connected to ports 401 to 42N of an antenna assembly (44). The antenna assembly (44) is single stack and multi-port, and it provides multiple antenna beams with polarisation diversity and different vertical angles of electrical tilt which are fixed or variable. It is suitable for 3G mobile radio using CDMA. Different antenna beams may carry groups of data channels distinguished either by different channelisation process coding or by different scrambling process coding. An operator may use two or more beams simultaneously. Control of angle of electrical tilt of antenna beams may be implemented by introducing variable relative delay between signals associated with different antenna ports A(+) and B(+) and feeding them to a signal splitting and combining network providing antenna element signals.

Abstract: A diversity antenna system with electrical tilt has two dual polarized, tilt adjustable antenna stacks (44A) and (44B) with physical separation providing space diversity. Each antenna stack (44A) or (44B) has two polarizations associated with independently adjustable electrical tilt angles. The electrical tilt angles of each antenna stack (44A) or (44B) are controlled to be equal to those of the other antenna stack to provide co-polarization or anti-polarization tilt coupling. The antenna system (40) may operate with multiple carrier frequencies each associated with a respective pair of polarizations of different antenna stacks (44A) and (44B) with co-polarization or anti-polarization tilt coupling. Antenna tilt angles are controllable so that different carrier frequencies are associated with independently adjustable angles of electrical tilt. The system may be used with groups of both contiguous and non-contiguous carrier frequencies.

Abstract: An antenna system for shared operation has three antenna stacks each with two mutually orthogonal polarisations (+45 degree and ?45 degree). It is for use with multiple base stations. It combines on to a single feeder signals associated with like polarisation and with the base stations, and separates on to different feeders signals associated with different polarisations. This applies both to transmit and receive signals passing between antennas and base stations. Signal combining is achieved by band pass filtering. Each base station transmits and receives via a respective antenna stack, and so each can have an individual angle of electrical tilt. Two, three or four feeders may be used to route signals between antennas and base stations. With four feeders, transmit and receive signals and differing polarisation associations are separable, reducing intermodulation products. With two feeders, transmit and receive signals with like polarisation associations are combined.

Abstract: An electrically tilted antenna system with polarization diversity has a dual polarized, tilt adjustable antenna (32). The antenna (32) has dipoles (34, 36) of two orthogonal polarizations associated with independently adjustable electrical tilt angles. The tilt angles are implemented by relative delays between corporate feed input or output signals, the delays being introduced by an antenna tilt assembly (54). Two signal feeders (F21, F22) associated with different antenna polarizations connect the antenna tilt assembly (54) to a base station filter assembly (50): the base station filter assembly 50 routes transmit signals from base stations (BS21, BS22) to different antenna polarizations via respective feeders (F21, F22) and the antenna tilt assembly (54). This assembly also divides receive signals from feeders (F21, F22) between both base stations (BS21, BS22).

Abstract: An electrically tilted antenna system with polarisation diversity has a dual polarised, tilt adjustable antenna (32). The antenna (32) has dipoles (34, 36) of two orthogonal polarisations associated with independently adjustable electrical tilt angles. The tilt angles are implemented by relative delays between corporate feed input or output signals, the delays being introduced by an antenna tilt assembly (54). Two signal feeders (F21, F22) associated with different antenna polarisations connect the antenna tilt assembly (54) to a base station filter assembly (50): the base station filter assembly 50 routes transmit signals from base stations (BS21, BS22) to different antenna polarisations via respective feeders (F21, F22) and the antenna tilt assembly (54). This assembly also divides receive signals from feeders (F21, F22) between both base stations (BS21, BS22).

Abstract: An antenna system for sharing of operation employs contiguous transmit frequencies. Transmit frequencies are separated into non-contiguous sub-groups isolated from one another by filters 158(+) and 160(?) associated with positive and negative polarization. Received frequencies are filtered and split into five signals for input to base station receive ports. Non-contiguous transmit frequency sub-groups are combined by a quadrature hybrid 110 and pass with 90 degree relative phase shift to mutually orthogonal antenna stack ports P(+) and P(?) associated with orthogonally polarized sets of antenna elements AS(+) and AS(?): the ports P(+) and P(?) are isolated from one another by the hybrid 110. The 90 degree phase shift results in one transmit subgroup being radiated with left hand circular polarization and the other transmit subgroup being radiated with right hand circular polarization.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system with electrical tilt control incorporates a tilt controller (62) for splitting an input signal into three intermediate signals, two of which are delayed by variable delays T1 and T2 relative to the third. A corporate feed (64) contains splitters S3 to S10 and hybrids H1 to H6 for processing the intermediate signals to produce drive signals for elements of an antenna array (66); the drive signals are fractions and vector combinations of the intermediate signals. The tilt controller (62) and the corporate feed (64) in combination impose relative phasing on the drive signals as appropriate for phased array beam steering in response to variable delay of two intermediate signals relative to the third intermediate signal.

Abstract: A diversity antenna system with electrical tilt has two dual polarised, tilt adjustable antenna stacks (44A) and (44B) with physical separation providing space diversity. Each antenna stack (44A) or (44B) has two polarisations associated with independently adjustable electrical tilt angles. The electrical tilt angles of each antenna stack (44A) or (44B) are controlled to be equal to those of the other antenna stack to provide co-polarisation or anti-polarisation tilt coupling. The antenna system (40) may operate with multiple carrier frequencies each associated with a respective pair of polarisations of different antenna stacks (44A) and (44B) with co-polarisation or anti-polarisation tilt coupling. Antenna tilt angles are controllable so that different carrier frequencies are associated with independently adjustable angles of electrical tilt. The system may be used with groups of both contiguous and non-contiguous carrier frequencies.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system with multiple beams incorporates a CDMA base station (32) with multiple ports 341 to 36N for positive and negative polarisation signals connected to ports 401 to 42N of an antenna assembly (44). The antenna assembly (44) is single stack and multi-port, and it provides multiple antenna beams with polarisation diversity and different vertical angles of electrical tilt which are fixed or variable. It is suitable for 3G mobile radio using CDMA. Different antenna beams may carry groups of data channels distinguished either by different channelisation process coding or by different scrambling process coding. An operator may use two or more beams simultaneously. Control of angle of electrical tilt of antenna beams may be implemented by introducing variable relative delay between signals associated with different antenna ports A(+) and B(+) and feeding them to a signal splitting and combining network providing antenna element signals.

Abstract: An antenna installation for cellular radio has four antennas ANT 1A, ANT 1B, ANT 2 and ANT 3 mounted on respective sides of a rectangular support 48 and giving rise to four antenna coverage sectors 1A and 1B and sectors 2 and 3. A splitter/combiner unit (SCU) receives three signals (1, 2 and 3) from a base station, and splits signal 1 into two signals 1A and 1B of equal power. The splitter/combiner 5C1 acts as a splitter in transmit mode and a combiner in receive mode. The signals 1A, 1B, 2 and 3 are connected to antennas ANT 1A, ANT 1B ANT 2 and ANT 3 respectively. Split signal antennas ANT 1A, ANT 1B carrying the same transmit signal are not adjacent to one another: they are separated from one another by another sector associated with a different signal, and therefore do not overlap sufficiently to affect communications significantly. This avoids creation of signal interference regions in antenna coverage areas which would lead to signals being partially unobtainable there.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system with controllable electrical tilt generates two signals V2a and V2b with variable relative delay therebetween. The signals are converted into antenna element drive signals by a power distribution network. The network splits each of the two signals V2a and V2b into three signal components. Pairs of components of different signals are input respective hybrid coupling devices (hybrids), which provide vector sums and differences of their inputs and act as phase-to-power converters. Their outputs are distributed between further hybrids, which act as power-to-phase converters and provide antenna element drive signals with phase varying both with element array position and also with the variable relative delay between the two signals V2a and V2b. Antenna electrical tilt is therefore controllable by altering a single relative delay.

Abstract: An antenna system for sharing of operation employs contiguous transmit frequencies. Transmit frequencies are separated into non-contiguous sub-groups isolated from one another by filters 158(+) and 160(?) associated with positive and negative polarisation. Received frequencies are filtered and split into five signals for input to base station receive ports. Non-contiguous transmit frequency sub-groups are combined by a quadrature hybrid 110 and pass with 90 degree relative phase shift to mutually orthogonal antenna stack ports P(+) and P(?) associated with orthogonally polarised sets of antenna elements AS(+) and AS(?): the ports P(+) and P(?) are isolated from one another by the hybrid 110. The 90 degree phase shift results in one transmit subgroup being radiated with left hand circular polarisation and the other transmit subgroup being radiated with right hand circular polarisation.

Abstract: An antenna system for sharing of operation employs contiguous transmit frequencies. Transmit frequencies are separated into non-contiguous sub-groups isolated from one another by filters 158(+) and 160(?) associated with positive and negative polarisation. Received frequencies are filtered and split into five signals for input to base station receive ports. Non-contiguous transmit frequency sub-groups are combined by a quadrature hybrid 110 and pass with 90 degree relative phase shift to mutually orthogonal antenna stack ports P(+) and P(?) associated with orthogonally polarised sets of antenna elements AS(+) and AS(?): the ports P(+) and P(?) are isolated from one another by the hybrid 110. The 90 degree phase shift results in one transmit subgroup being radiated with left hand circular polarisation and the other transmit subgroup being radiated with right hand circular polarisation.

Abstract: An antenna system for use in transmitting and/or receiving at least two signals, whereby a first one of said signals is generated in a first operator frequency band by a first operator and a second one of said signals is generated in a second operator frequency band by a second operator wherein the antenna system comprises an antenna assembly having an adjustable angle of electrical tilt, and including a plurality of antenna elements (E1–En) for transmitting and/or receiving said signals, wherein the antenna elements are mounted upon an antenna carrier and are arranged in at least two sub-arrays, each sub-array including one or more of said elements, a control means for controlling electrically the phase of signals transmitted and/or received by said antenna assembly, thereby to control the angle of electrical tilt of said antenna assembly and a combiner means for enabling said antenna assembly to transmit and/or receive substantially simultaneously a first one of said signals at a first angle of electrical t

Abstract: An antenna system comprises an antenna assembly having an angle of electrical tilt and a plurality of antenna elements each arranged to receive signals through a respective transmission line. Each transmission line is shortened or lengthened by moving a coupling link along two transmission line parts which the link couples: this adjusts signal phase supplied to each antenna element individually, and controls the angle of electrical tilt of the antenna assembly.

Abstract: A transmit network for cellular mobile radio networks incorporates tow transmit multiplexers (122ABE) and (122CD): the first transmit multiplexer 122ABE receives a group of output signals from three transmitters (124A, 124B and 124E), and filters them in respective band-pass filters (126A, 126B and 126E); the second transmit multiplexer (122CD) receives a group of output signals from two further transmitters (124C and 124D), and filters them in respective band-pass filters (126C and 126D). The transmit frequencies in each signal group are non-adjacent, which improves isolation between transmitters provided by the filters (126). Filtered output signals from respective band-pass filters (126) are combined at filter outputs (128X and 128Y) from which signals are combined in a combiner (132) providing a degree of isolation between these outputs and enabling the signals to be combined with minimal distortion. Signals from the combiner (132) are fed via a duplexer to a transmit/receive antenna.

Abstract: An antenna system for use in transmitting and/or receiving at least two signals, whereby a first one of said signals is generated in a first operator frequency band by a first operator and a second one of said signals is generated in a second operator frequency band by a second operator. The antenna system comprises an antenna assembly having an adjustable angle of electrical tilt, and including a plurality of antenna elements (E1-En) for transmitting and/or receiving said signals, wherein the antenna elements are mounted upon an antenna carrier and are arranged in at least two sub-arrays, each sub-array including one or more of said elements. Control means are provided for controlling electrically the phase of signals transmitted and/or received by said antenna assembly, thereby to control the angle of electrical tilt of said antenna assembly.