Abstract: A base station antenna includes a first set of radiating elements that are configured to generate a first antenna beam that has a first peanut-shaped antenna pattern in an azimuth plane and a second set of radiating elements that are configured to generate a second antenna beam that has a second peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane. A longitudinal axis of the first peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane is rotated approximately ninety degrees from a longitudinal axis of the second peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane.

Abstract: Printed circuit boards for a base station antenna include a substrate layer, and a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace which are printed on the substrate layer and cross each other. The first conductive trace has two trace sections separated by the second conductive trace. Adjacent ends of the two trace sections separated by the second conductive trace are connected electrically by a jumper. The jumper has an electrical conductor, is isolated electrically from the second conductive trace and is fixed on the printed circuit board. The electrical conductor and the two trace sections are connected electrically at adjacent ends. The printed circuit board allows flexible wiring of the conductive traces on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A method of configuring an antenna that includes a plurality of RET units that are associated with respective ones of a plurality of arrays of radiating elements is provided in which, for each array in a subset that includes at least one of the arrays, setting an output of the RET unit associated with the array to a position that corresponds to a pre-selected electronic downtilt for the array. A first RET unit configuration file is loaded into a memory of the antenna, where the first RET unit configuration file does not include configuration data for the RET units associated with the arrays that are included in the subset. A second RET unit configuration file is provided that includes configuration data for all of the RET units.

Abstract: A base station antenna includes a first set of radiating elements that are configured to generate a first antenna beam that has a first peanut-shaped antenna pattern in an azimuth plane and a second set of radiating elements that are configured to generate a second antenna beam that has a second peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane. A longitudinal axis of the first peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane is rotated approximately ninety degrees from a longitudinal axis of the second peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane.

Abstract: Base station antennas include a plurality of multiplexer filters and a multi-column array of radiating elements that includes a plurality of sub-arrays. Each filter may have a first and second ports that are configured to pass RF signals in respective first and second frequency bands and a third common port that is coupled to a respective one of a plurality of sub-arrays. These antennas also include first frequency band ports that are coupled to the first ports of respective subsets of the multiplexer filters and second frequency band ports that are coupled to the second ports of at least some of the multiplexer filters. The antenna may operate as a MIMO sector antenna in the first frequency band and as a sector-splitting antenna in the second frequency band.

Abstract: A base station antenna includes a reflector having a plurality of pairs of opposed faces, a connector port, a plurality of radiating elements mounted to extend outwardly from the respective faces of the reflector, where each of the radiating elements is coupled to the connector port, and a plurality of RF lenses, each RF lens mounted outwardly of a respective one of the radiating elements and associated with the respective radiating element. The number of radiating elements coupled to the connector port is equal to the number of faces on the reflector.

Abstract: Base station antennas are provided herein. A base station antenna includes consecutive first, second, third, and fourth columns of radiating elements that are configured to transmit in a first frequency band. In some embodiments, the first and third columns are further configured to transmit in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band as a first MIMO pair, and the second and fourth columns are further configured to transmit in the second frequency band as a second MIMO pair. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the first and second columns are fed together and are further configured to transmit in a second frequency band as a first MIMO pair, and the third and fourth columns are fed together and are further configured to transmit in the second frequency band as a second MIMO pair. Related methods of operation are also provided.

Abstract: Methods that include detecting cables connected to telecommunications network equipment are provided herein. In particular, a method that includes detecting connections of respective cables to ports of telecommunications network equipment may be performed using image recognition. Moreover, in some embodiments, the method may include detecting, using image recognition, respective positions of the ports. Related systems are also provided.

Abstract: A base station antenna includes a first set of radiating elements that are configured to generate a first antenna beam that has a first peanut-shaped antenna pattern in an azimuth plane and a second set of radiating elements that are configured to generate a second antenna beam that has a second peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane. A longitudinal axis of the first peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane is rotated approximately ninety degrees from a longitudinal axis of the second peanut-shaped antenna pattern in the azimuth plane.

Abstract: Base station antennas are provided herein. A base station antenna includes consecutive first, second, third, and fourth columns of radiating elements that are configured to transmit in a first frequency band. In some embodiments, the first and third columns are further configured to transmit in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band as a first MIMO pair, and the second and fourth columns are further configured to transmit in the second frequency band as a second MIMO pair. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the first and second columns are fed together and are further configured to transmit in a second frequency band as a first MIMO pair, and the third and fourth columns are fed together and are further configured to transmit in the second frequency band as a second MIMO pair. Related methods of operation are also provided.

Abstract: A low sidelobe beam forming method and dual-beam antenna schematic are disclosed, which may preferably be used for 3-sector and 6-sector cellular communication system. Complete antenna combines 2-, 3- or -4 columns dual-beam sub-arrays (modules) with improved beam-forming network (BFN). The modules may be used as part of an array, or as an independent 2-beam antenna. By integrating different types of modules to form a complete array, the present invention provides an improved dual-beam antenna with improved azimuth sidelobe suppression in a wide frequency band of operation, with improved coverage of a desired cellular sector and with less interference being created with other cells. Advantageously, a better cell efficiency is realized with up to 95% of the radiated power being directed in a desired cellular sector.

Abstract: Methods of operating a base station antennas involve receiving a first control signal at the base station antenna, activating a first actuator to move a first mechanical linkage in response to the first control signal and activating a second actuator to move a second mechanical linkage in response to the first control signal. Pursuant to these methods, base station antenna can be configured for both independent or common control of the first and second actuators.

Abstract: A multi-band antenna system includes an array of wide-band radiating elements and a multi-band electrical tilt circuit. The multi-band electrical tilt circuit includes a plurality of combiners, a first RF band variable phase shifter and a second RF band variable phase shifter implemented in a common medium. The common medium may comprise a PCB, a stripline circuit, or the like. Each combiner includes a combined port, a first RF band port, and a second RF band port. The combined ports are coupled to the radiating elements. The first RF band phase shifter has a first plurality of variably phase shifted ports connected to the first RF band ports of the combiners via transmission line, and the second RF band phase shifter has a second plurality of variably phase-shifted ports connected to the second RF band ports of the combiners via transmission line. The phase shifters are independently configurable.

Abstract: Antenna arrays include first and second radiating elements, which are responsive to respective first and second hybrid radio frequency (RF) signals, and a power divider circuit. The power divider circuit is configured to generate the first and second hybrid RF signals as power-reduced combinations of first and second RF input signals received at input terminals thereof. For example, the first hybrid RF signal may be generated as a combination of a 70-90 percent energy contribution of the first RF input signal with a 0.26-2.7 percent energy contribution of the second RF input signal. Similarly, the second hybrid RF signal may be generated as a 70-90 percent energy contribution of the second RF input signal with a 0.26-2.7 percent energy contribution of the first RF input signal.

Abstract: Antenna arrays include a first plurality of radiating elements in a first column thereof, which are responsive to a first plurality of RF feed signals derived from a first radio, and a second plurality of radiating elements in a second column thereof, which are responsive to a second plurality of RF feed signals derived from a second radio. A power divider circuit is provided, which is configured to drive a first one of the radiating elements at a first end of the second column of radiating elements with a majority of the energy associated with a first one of the first plurality of RF feed signals, and drive a first one of the radiating elements at a first end of the first column of radiating elements with a non-zero minority of the energy associated with the first one of the first plurality of RF feed signals.

Abstract: A base station antenna includes a backplane and a plurality of radiating elements that extend forwardly from the backplane. The antenna further includes a plurality of feed boards, and each of the feed boards has a respective group of one or more of the radiating elements mounted thereon. The antenna also includes a calibration port and a calibration circuit that has a calibration combiner that has an output that is coupled to the calibration port and a plurality of directional couplers that are coupled to the calibration combiner. At least a first portion of a first of the first directional couplers is implemented on a first of the feed boards.

Abstract: Base station antennas include a plurality of multiplexer filters and a multi-column array of radiating elements that includes a plurality of sub-arrays. Each filter may have a first and second ports that are configured to pass RF signals in respective first and second frequency bands and a third common port that is coupled to a respective one of a plurality of sub-arrays. These antennas also include first frequency band ports that are coupled to the first ports of respective subsets of the multiplexer filters and second frequency band ports that are coupled to the second ports of at least some of the multiplexer filters. The antenna may operate as a MIMO sector antenna in the first frequency band and as a sector-splitting antenna in the second frequency band.

Abstract: Base station antennas are provided herein. A base station antenna includes a plurality of vertical columns of low-band radiating elements configured to transmit RF signals in a first frequency band. The base station antenna also includes a plurality of vertical columns of high-band radiating elements configured to transmit RF signals in a second frequency band that is higher than the first frequency band. The vertical columns of high-band radiating elements extend in parallel with the vertical columns of low-band radiating elements in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A tilt adapter configured to facilitate a desired tilt of a first radio frequency (RF) band and a second RF band of an antenna is disclosed. The antenna supports two or more frequency bands, in which the vertical tilt of each of the supported frequency bands is separately controlled by a coarse level of phase shifting, but commonly controlled by a fine level of phase shifting.

Abstract: A low sidelobe beam forming method and dual-beam antenna schematic are disclosed, which may preferably be used for 3-sector and 6-sector cellular communication system. Complete antenna combines 2-, 3- or -4 columns dual-beam sub-arrays (modules) with improved beam-forming network (BFN). The modules may be used as part of an array, or as an independent 2-beam antenna. By integrating different types of modules to form a complete array, the present invention provides an improved dual-beam antenna with improved azimuth sidelobe suppression in a wide frequency band of operation, with improved coverage of a desired cellular sector and with less interference being created with other cells. Advantageously, a better cell efficiency is realized with up to 95% of the radiated power being directed in a desired cellular sector.