Auxiliary antenna systems and methods for wireless communications system base stations

Abstract

Auxiliary antenna systems can be used to increase a link margin of a wireless communications system that includes a base station. The auxiliary antenna system is positioned within a service region of the base station and spaced apart from the base station. Related systems, methods and components are described.

1 . An auxiliary antenna system for a wireless communications system that includes a base station, the auxiliary antenna system comprising:
 an antenna element that is configured to transmit information to a radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal;   wherein the auxiliary antenna system is located within a service region of the base station and is spaced apart from the base station; and   wherein the auxiliary antenna system is configured to increase a link margin of the base station, over at least a portion of the service region, responsive to a communication between the auxiliary antenna system and the base station.   
     
     
         2 . An auxiliary antenna system according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal transmits information using an OFDM/OFDMA protocol and wherein the antenna element that is configured to receive information from the radioterminal receives information using an OFDM/OFDMA protocol. 
     
     
         3 . An auxiliary antenna system according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal is located closer to an edge of the service region compared to a location of the base station. 
     
     
         4 . An auxiliary antenna system according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal is configured to be operative in a plurality of spatial dimensions. 
     
     
         5 . An auxiliary antenna system according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal comprises a plurality of antenna elements. 
     
     
         6 . An auxiliary antenna system according to  claim 1 , wherein the link margin that is increased comprises a forward link margin and/or a return link margin. 
     
     
         7 . An auxiliary antenna system according to  claim 1  wherein the auxiliary antenna system is configured to increase a link margin of the base station by allowing the base station to diversity combine the information that is transmitted to the radioterminal and/or received from the radioterminal, responsive to the communication between the auxiliary antenna system and the base station. 
     
     
         8 . A method of using an auxiliary antenna system to increase a link margin of a wireless communications system that includes a base station, the method comprising:
 positioning the auxiliary antenna system within a service region of the base station; wherein positioning the auxiliary antenna system within a service region of the base station comprises positioning the auxiliary antenna system within the service region of the base station and spaced apart from the base station;   transmitting information to a radioterminal from an antenna element of the auxiliary antenna system and/or receiving information from the radioterminal at an antenna element of the auxiliary antenna system;   communicating between the auxiliary antenna system and the base station; and   increasing the link margin, over at least a portion of the service region, responsive to said communicating.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said transmitting information comprises transmitting information using an OFDM/OFDMA protocol and wherein said receiving information comprises receiving information using an OFDM/OFDMA protocol. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said transmitting information and/or said receiving information occurs closer to an edge of the service region compared to a location of the base station. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said transmitting information comprises transmitting information in a plurality of spatial dimensions and/or said receiving information comprises receiving information in a plurality of spatial dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said transmitting information and/or said receiving information comprises using a plurality of antenna elements. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said increasing the link margin comprises increasing a forward link margin and/or increasing a return link margin. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said communicating comprises wireless and/or wireline communicating. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein increasing the link margin comprises diversity combining the information that is transmitted to the radioterminal and/or received from the radioterminal, responsive to the communicating between the auxiliary antenna system and the base station. 
     
     
         16 . A wireless communications system comprising:
 a base station including at least one main antenna that is configured to transmit information to a radioterminal that is located within a service region of the base station and/or receive information from the radioterminal:   an auxiliary antenna that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal, wherein the auxiliary antenna is located within the service region of the base station and is spaced apart from the base station; and   wherein the auxiliary antenna is configured to increase a link margin of the base station, over at least a portion of the service region, responsive to a communication between the auxiliary antenna and the base station.   
     
     
         17 . A wireless communications system according to  claim 16 , wherein the auxiliary antenna that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal transmits information using an OFDM/OFDMA protocol and wherein the auxiliary antenna that is configured to receive information from the radioterminal receives information using an OFDM/OFDMA protocol. 
     
     
         18 . A wireless communications system according to  claim 16 , wherein the auxiliary antenna that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal is located closer to an edge of the service region compared to a location of the base station. 
     
     
         19 . A wireless communications system according to  claim 16 , wherein the auxiliary antenna that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal is configured to be operative in a plurality of spatial dimensions. 
     
     
         20 . A wireless communications system according to  claim 16 , wherein the auxiliary antenna that is configured to transmit information to the radioterminal and/or receive information from the radioterminal comprises a plurality of auxiliary antenna elements. 
     
     
         21 . A wireless communications system according to  claim 16 , wherein the link margin that is increased comprises a forward link margin and/or a return link margin. 
     
     
         22 . A wireless communication system according to  claim 16  wherein the auxiliary antenna system is configured to increase a link margin of the base station by allowing the base station to diversity combine the information that is transmitted to the radioterminal and/or received from the radioterminal, responsive to the communication between the auxiliary antenna system and the base station.