Base Station for a Cellular Communication System

Abstract

A base station for a cellular communication system is provided. The base station includes a transceiver and a phased-array antenna. The phased-array antenna includes a plurality of sectors, each of which includes a plurality of vertically-arranged antenna panels, each of which includes a plurality of radiators arranged in columns. The vertical spacing between the radiators in each column is a predetermined value, and the vertical spacing between the radiators in adjacent columns is one-half of the predetermined value.

1 . A base station for a cellular communication system, comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a phased-array antenna, coupled to the transceiver, having a plurality of sectors, each sector having a plurality of vertically-arranged antenna panels, each antenna panel having a plurality of radiators arranged in columns,   wherein the vertical spacing between the radiators in each column is a predetermined value, and the vertical spacing between the radiators in adjacent columns is one-half of the predetermined value.   
     
     
         2 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is approximately one wavelength. 
     
     
         3 . The base station of  claim 2 , wherein each column includes at least eight transverse quadrilateral crossed dipole radiators. 
     
     
         4 . The base station of  claim 3 , wherein a line drawn between the center of two radiators in adjacent columns forms about a 45 degree angle with respect to a centerline of the antenna panel. 
     
     
         5 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sectors includes at least six sectors. 
     
     
         6 . The base station of  claim 5 , wherein each sector includes at least eight antenna panels. 
     
     
         7 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein each sector forms a directional antenna beam having a horizontal beam width of approximately 7° to approximately 65°, and a vertical beam width of approximately 0.66° to approximately 2°. 
     
     
         8 . The base station of  claim 7 , wherein each sector forms a directional antenna beam having a horizontal beam width of approximately 30° to approximately 45°. 
     
     
         9 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the phased-array antenna broadcasts a signal that has a near zone field strength, a middle zone field strength and a far zone field strength, and wherein the near zone is located approximately 0 km to 1 km, the middle zone is located approximately 1 km to 5 km, and the far zone is located approximately 5 km to 30 km. 
     
     
         10 . The base station of  claim 9 , wherein the phased-array antenna near zone field strength is approximately 10 dB less than a conventional cellular antenna field strength, and the phased-array antenna far zone field strength is approximately 17 dB to 27 dB greater than the conventional cellular antenna field strength. 
     
     
         11 . The base station of  claim 1 , further comprising a passive feed system that distributes a predetermined signal power and a predetermined signal phase to and from each antenna panel. 
     
     
         12 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein each antenna panel includes a passive feed system that distributes a predetermined signal power and a predetermined signal phase to and from each antenna radiator. 
     
     
         13 . The base station of  claim 12 , wherein the passive feed system is a stripline. 
     
     
         14 . A method for broadcasting cellular signals using a base station, comprising:
 forming a vertically-shaped beam using a plurality of vertically-arranged antenna panels, each antenna panel having a plurality of radiators arranged in columns, the vertical spacing between the radiators in each column being a predetermined value and the vertical spacing between the radiators in adjacent columns being one-half of the predetermined value; and   transmitting a power distribution that has an essentially uniform field strength over a near zone, a middle zone and at least a portion of a far zone.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each column includes at least eight transverse quadrilateral crossed dipole radiators and the predetermined value is approximately one wavelength. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the near zone is located approximately 0 km to 1 km, the middle zone is located approximately 1 km to 5 km, and the far zone is located approximately 5 km to 30 km. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the near zone field strength is approximately 10 dB less than a conventional cellular antenna field strength, and the far zone field strength is approximately 17 dB to 27 dB greater than the conventional cellular antenna field strength. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the horizontal beam width is approximately 7° to approximately 65°, and the vertical beam width is approximately 0.66° to approximately 2°. 
     
     
         19 . A cellular base station, comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a phased-array antenna, coupled to the transceiver, having a plurality of sectors, each sector having a plurality of radiators arranged in columns,   wherein the vertical spacing between the radiators in each column is about one wavelength, and the vertical spacing between the radiators in adjacent columns is about one-half wavelength.   
     
     
         20 . The cellular base station of  claim 19 , wherein the phased-array antenna broadcasts a signal that has a near zone field strength, a middle zone field strength and a far zone field strength, and wherein the near zone is located approximately 0 km to 1 km, the middle zone is located approximately 1 km to 5 km, and the far zone is located approximately 5 km to 30 km.