U.S. patent application number 17/203255 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-22 for multipath filtering for wireless rf signals.
The applicant listed for this patent is Pivotal Commware, Inc.. Invention is credited to Timothy Hudson Mason, Srinivas Sivaprakasam.
Application Number | 20220302992 17/203255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006575796 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220302992 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sivaprakasam; Srinivas ; et
al. |
September 22, 2022 |
MULTIPATH FILTERING FOR WIRELESS RF SIGNALS
Abstract
Filtering for sampled data representing uplink wireless RF
signals monitored by a pair of antennas is provided to improve
accuracy in determining an angular location of an identified UE. An
extracted portion of the filtered sampled data is used to improve
accuracy in determining an angular location of the identified UE.
The extracted portion represents direct path uplink wireless RF
signals that have traveled by a line of sight between the pair of
antennas and the identified UE. Another portion of the filtered
sampled data is cancelled, which represents multiple path
(multipath) uplink wireless RF signals that have traveled a longer
distance than the direct path signals due to reflection from one or
more surfaces on multiple paths between the identified UE and the
pair of antennas.
Inventors: |
Sivaprakasam; Srinivas;
(Fremont, CA) ; Mason; Timothy Hudson; (Kirkland,
WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Pivotal Commware, Inc. |
Kirkland |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000006575796 |
Appl. No.: |
17/203255 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B 7/0854 20130101;
H04W 72/042 20130101; H04B 1/7117 20130101; H04B 7/0617
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04B 7/08 20060101
H04B007/08; H04B 7/06 20060101 H04B007/06; H04W 72/04 20060101
H04W072/04; H04B 1/7117 20060101 H04B001/7117 |
Claims
1. A device for communicating wireless signals with a plurality of
user devices (UE), comprising: a downlink detector component that
performs actions, including: monitoring downlink wireless RF
signals communicated by a base station to identify each UE that is
communicating uplink wireless RF signals with the base station; and
an antenna component that performs actions, including: employing
one or more pairs of antennas to monitor uplink wireless signals
communicated by each identified UE to the base station; and
providing sampled data representing the monitored uplink wireless
RF signals, wherein the sampled data includes a first portion
representing direct path uplink wireless RF signals and a second
portion representing multipath uplink wireless RF signals; and a
filter component that performs actions, including: generating a
shifted version of the sampled data, wherein a shifting of the
sampled data is based on a phase of the monitored uplink wireless
RF signals; generating a cross correlated matrix based on the
sampled data; generating another cross correlated matrix based on
the shifted version of the sampled data; and filtering the sampled
data by a comparison of the cross correlated matrix to the other
cross correlated matrix to extract the first portion of the sampled
data representing direct path uplink wireless RF signals and cancel
the second portion of the sampled data representing multipath
uplink wireless RF signals; and wherein the antenna component
employs the extracted first portion of the sampled data to
determine an angular location of each identified UE that includes
an azimuth and an elevation, and wherein the determined angular
location of an identified UE is employed to arrange a beam antenna
to generate a beam directed at the identified UE, and wherein the
beam communicates downlink wireless RF signals transmitted by the
base station to the identified UE.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the downlink detector component
performs further actions, including: determining a protocol for
monitored control wireless RF signals communicated by the base
station, wherein the determined protocol for the control wireless
RF signals is used to identify each UE that is allocated a time
period in a schedule for communicating downlink and uplink wireless
RF signals between the base station and each identified UE.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the filter component performs
further actions, comprising: in response to a physical proximity of
the identified UE to the one or more pairs of antennas being within
a range, employing the extracted first portion of the sampled data
to determine the angular location of each identified UE; and in
response to the physical proximity of the identified UE to the one
or more pairs of antennas being outside the range, employing
non-filtered sampled data to determine the angular location of each
identified UE.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein extraction of the first portion
of the sampled data further comprises: continuously sampling the
monitored uplink wireless RF signals for each identified UE to
provide the extracted first portion of the sampled data in real
time.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the filter component performs
further actions, including: in response to a physical proximity of
the identified UE to a physical location of the antenna component
being outside a range, employing sample data that is non-filtered
to determine the angular location of each identified UE.
6. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a controller
component that performs actions, including one or more of:
employing the angular location for each identified UE to arrange a
beam antenna to multiplex generation of separate beams of downlink
wireless RF signals in a determined direction of each identified
UE; or determining a physical distance between the antenna
component and each identified UE based on the angular location and
a gain of the uplink wireless RF signals that correspond to each
identified UE.
7. The device of claim 1, further comprising: one or more other
pairs of antennas to monitor uplink wireless RF signals
communicated by each identified UE to the base station, wherein the
one or more other pairs of antennas provide other sampled data
representing the monitored uplink wireless RF signals; and
employing the filter component to extract another filtered portion
that represents the direct path uplink wireless RF signals from the
other sampled data, wherein the additional other filtered portion
is employed to further improve accuracy in determining the angular
location of each identified UE.
8. A method for communicating wireless signals with a plurality of
user devices (UE), wherein one or more processors execute
instructions to perform actions, comprising: employing a downlink
detector component to perform further actions, including:
monitoring downlink wireless RF signals communicated by a base
station to identify each UE that is communicating uplink wireless
RF signals with the base station; and employing an antenna
component to perform actions, including: employing one or more
pairs of antennas to monitor uplink wireless signals communicated
by each identified UE to the base station; and providing sampled
data representing the monitored uplink wireless RF signals, wherein
the sampled data includes a first portion representing direct path
uplink wireless RF signals and a second portion representing
multipath uplink wireless RF signals; and employing a filter
component to perform further actions, including: generating a
shifted version of the sampled data, wherein a shifting of the
sampled data is based on a phase of the monitored uplink wireless
RF signals; generating a cross correlated matrix based on the
sampled data; generating another cross correlated matrix based on
the shifted version of the sampled data; and filtering the sampled
data by a comparison of the cross correlated matrix to the other
cross correlated matrix to extract the first portion of the sampled
data representing direct path uplink wireless RF signals and cancel
the second portion of the sampled data representing multipath
uplink wireless RF signals; and wherein the antenna component
employs the extracted first portion of the sampled data to
determine an angular location of each identified UE that includes
an azimuth and an elevation, and wherein the determined angular
location of an identified UE is employed to arrange a beam antenna
to generate a beam directed at the identified UE, and wherein the
beam communicates downlink wireless RF signals transmitted by the
base station to the identified UE.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the downlink detector component
performs further actions, including: determining a protocol for
monitored control wireless RF signals communicated by the base
station, wherein the determined protocol for the control wireless
RF signals is used to identify each UE that is allocated a time
period in a schedule for communicating downlink and uplink wireless
RF signals between the base station and each identified UE.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the filter component performs
further actions, comprising: in response to a physical proximity of
the identified UE to the one or more pairs of antennas being within
a range, employing the extracted first portion of the sampled data
to determine the angular location of each identified UE; and in
response to the physical proximity of the identified UE to the one
or more pairs of antennas being outside the range, employing
non-filtered sampled data to determine the angular location of each
identified UE.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein extraction of the first portion
of the sampled data further comprises: continuously sampling the
monitored uplink wireless RF signals for each identified UE to
provide the extracted first portion of the sampled data in real
time.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the filter component performs
further actions, including: in response to a physical proximity of
the identified UE to a physical location of the antenna component
being outside a range, employing sample data that is non-filtered
to determine the angular location of each identified UE.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising: a controller
component that performs actions, including one or more of:
employing the angular location for each identified UE to arrange a
beam antenna to multiplex generation of separate beams of downlink
wireless RF signals in a determined direction of each identified
UE; or determining a physical distance between the antenna
component and each identified UE based on the angular location and
a gain of the uplink wireless RF signals that correspond to each
identified UE.
14. The method of claim 8, further comprising: one or more other
pairs of antennas to monitor uplink wireless RF signals
communicated by each identified UE to the base station, wherein the
one or more other pairs of antennas provide other sampled data
representing the monitored uplink wireless RF signals; and
employing the filter component to extract another filtered portion
that represents the direct path uplink wireless RF signals from the
other sampled data, wherein the additional other filtered portion
is employed to further improve accuracy in determining the angular
location of each identified UE.
15. A system for communicating wireless signals with a plurality of
user devices (UE) over a network, comprising: a downlink detector
component that performs actions, including: monitoring downlink
wireless RF signals communicated by a base station to identify each
UE that is communicating uplink wireless RF signals with the base
station; and an antenna component that performs actions, including:
employing one or more pairs of antennas to monitor uplink wireless
signals communicated by each identified UE to the base station; and
providing sampled data representing the monitored uplink wireless
RF signals, wherein the sampled data includes a first portion
representing direct path uplink wireless RF signals and a second
portion representing multipath uplink wireless RF signals; and a
network computer, including: a memory for storing instructions; and
one or more processors that execute the instructions to perform
actions, comprising: employing a filter component to perform
further actions, including: generating a shifted version of the
sampled data, wherein a shifting of the sampled data is based on a
phase of the monitored uplink wireless RF signals; generating a
cross correlated matrix based on the sampled data; generating
another cross correlated matrix based on the shifted version of the
sampled data; and filtering the sampled data by a comparison of the
cross correlated matrix to the other cross correlated matrix to
extract the first portion of the sampled data representing direct
path uplink wireless RF signals and cancel the second portion of
the sampled data representing multipath uplink wireless RF signals;
and employing the extracted first portion of the sampled data to
determine an angular location of each identified UE that includes
an azimuth and an elevation; and employing the determined angular
location of an identified UE to arrange a beam antenna to generate
a beam directed at the identified UE, and wherein the beam
communicates downlink wireless RF signals transmitted by the base
station to the identified UE.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the downlink detector component
performs further actions, including: determining a protocol for
monitored control wireless RF signals communicated by the base
station, wherein the determined protocol for the control wireless
RF signals is used to identify each UE that is allocated a time
period in a schedule for communicating downlink and uplink wireless
RF signals between the base station and each identified UE.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the filter component performs
further actions, comprising: in response to a physical proximity of
the identified UE to the one or more pairs of antennas being within
a range, employing the extracted first portion of the sampled data
to determine the angular location of each identified UE; and in
response to the physical proximity of the identified UE to the one
or more pairs of antennas being outside the range, employing
non-filtered sampled data to determine the angular location of each
identified UE.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the filter component performs
further actions, including: in response to a physical proximity of
the identified UE to a physical location of the antenna component
being outside a range, employing sample data that is non-filtered
to determine the angular location of each identified UE.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors
execute the instructions to perform further actions, comprising:
employing the angular location for each identified UE to arrange a
beam antenna to multiplex generation of separate beams of downlink
wireless RF signals in a determined direction of each identified
UE; or determining a physical distance between the antenna
component and each identified UE based on the angular location and
a gain of the uplink wireless RF signals that correspond to each
identified UE.
20. The system of claim 15, further comprising: one or more other
pairs of antennas to monitor uplink wireless RF signals
communicated by each identified UE to the base station, wherein the
one or more other pairs of antennas provide other sampled data
representing the monitored uplink wireless RF signals; and wherein
the filter component extracts another filtered portion that
represents the direct path uplink wireless RF signals from the
other sampled data, wherein the additional other filtered portion
is employed to further improve accuracy in determining the angular
location of each identified UE.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates generally to employing one or more
antennas to radiate one or more beams of wireless RF signals for
communication with a plurality of wireless devices. Further, in
various embodiments, the invention provides for improved filtering
of angle of arrival information for uplink wireless RF signals
based on downlink wireless RF signals to a plurality of user
wireless devices (UEs).
BACKGROUND
[0002] User wireless devices (UEs), such as mobile smartphones, are
the primary mode of communication for the vast majority of people
worldwide. In the first few generations of wireless communication
networks, mobile devices were generally used for voice
communication, text messages, and somewhat limited internet access.
Each new generation of wireless communication networks has provided
substantially more bandwidth for different types services for
mobile device users, such as purchasing products, paying invoices,
streaming movies, playing video games, online learning, dating,
multimedia messaging, and more. Also, as wireless communication
networks have advanced from first generation technology to fourth
generation, the frequency and strength of the wireless RF signals
have increased to provide greater bandwidth with less latency.
Historically, omnidirectional and/or sector antennas have been used
to communicate wireless RF signals between wireless devices and for
each generation of wireless communication networks.
[0003] In modern 4G data systems, data rates are often limited by
the low directivity of sector antennas employed by base stations to
wirelessly communicate with UEs. However, holographic beam forming
antennas have high directivity, and these antennas can provide much
higher data rates by directly pointing a beam of wireless signals
at a UE. The more accurately the azimuth and the elevation can be
identified for a UE relative to a holographic beam forming antenna,
the more effectively the antenna can point the beam to provide
higher data rates. Also, if the holographic beam forming antenna is
providing separate beams corresponding to a plurality of UEs in
wireless communication with a remote base station, knowledge of a
protocol schedule is needed to identify when to point a separate
beam at each of the plurality of UEs according to the schedule.
[0004] Holographic beam forming systems often include an Angle of
Arrival detector that uses an array of antennas to sense a UE's
angular location based on a sampling of the UE's uplink wireless RF
signals. However, an accuracy of this angular location may be
compromised by the presence of a substantial amount of both direct
path uplink wireless RF signals and multiple path uplink wireless
RF signals received by the array of antennas. In the past,
increasing the number of antennas in the array has been tried to
improve the accuracy determining the angular location of a UE when
such conditions exist. Unfortunately, increasing the number of
antennas and their corresponding sampling has often provided
minimal improvement in the accuracy of determining an angular
location in the presence of substantial amounts of both direct path
and multiple path uplink wireless RF signals. Also, increasing the
number of antennas and the amount of data that is processed can
increase cost and energy consumption. Thus, there is a need to
improve accuracy in determining an angular location of a UE while
reducing cost, energy consumption, computational resources, and
minimizing the number of antennas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1A shown an embodiment of an exemplary surface
scattering antenna with multiple varactor elements arranged to
propagate electromagnetic waves in such a way as to form an
exemplary instance of holographic metasurface antennas (HMA);
[0006] FIG. 1B shows a representation of one embodiment of a
synthetic array illustrating a reference waveform and a hologram
waveform (modulation function) that in combination provide an
object waveform of electromagnetic waves;
[0007] FIG. 1C shows an embodiment of an exemplary modulation
function for an exemplary surface scattering antenna;
[0008] FIG. 1D shows an embodiment of an exemplary beam of
electromagnetic waves generated by the modulation function of FIG.
1C;
[0009] FIG. 1E shows a side view of another embodiment of an
exemplary arrangement of multiple instances of HMAs;
[0010] FIG. 1F shows a top view of yet another embodiment of an
exemplary arrangement of multiple instances of HMAs;
[0011] FIG. 2A shows a top view of an embodiment of an exemplary
environment, including an arrangement of a network operations
center, wireless RF signal base station, network and multiple
wireless user devices, in which various embodiments of the
invention may be implemented;
[0012] FIG. 2B shows an exemplary embodiment of an aimable beam
antenna system that is remotely located from a wireless base
station;
[0013] FIG. 2C shows an exemplary embodiment of an aimable beam
antenna system that provides an interface to directly couple RF
signal communicated by a separate wireless base station;
[0014] FIG. 2D shows an exemplary embodiment of an aimable beam
antenna system that is integrated with a wireless base station;
[0015] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an exemplary network computer
device that may be included in a system such as that shown in FIG.
2A;
[0016] FIG. 4A illustrates an embodiment of a logical flow diagram
for an exemplary method of improving downlink communication of
wireless RF signals from a remotely located base station to a
plurality of user wireless devices (UEs);
[0017] FIG. 4B shows an embodiment of a logical flow diagram for an
exemplary method of simultaneously multiplexing multiple downlink
wireless RF signals from a remotely located base station to two or
more user wireless devices (UEs);
[0018] FIG. 4C illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow diagram
for an exemplary method of cancelling out multipath uplink wireless
RF signals from sampled data representing uplink wireless RF
signals from one or more user wireless devices (UEs) that are
monitored by two antennas;
[0019] FIG. 5A shows a schematic view of a user wireless device
radiating uplink wireless RF signals that are monitored by two
remote antennas; and
[0020] FIGS. 5B and 5C illustrate equations that employ two
separate cross correlated matrices populated with either sampled
data or shifted sampled data to cancel out portion of the sampled
data representing multipath reflections of uplink wireless RF
signals and extract a filter portion of the sampled data
representing direct path uplink wireless RF signals monitored by
two antennas, in accordance with the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The present invention now will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form
a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific
embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. This invention
may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather,
these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be
thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art. Among other things, the
present invention may be embodied as methods or devices.
Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely
hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an
embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. The following
detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting
sense.
[0022] Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms
take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context
clearly dictates otherwise. The phrase "in one embodiment" as used
herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it
may. Similarly, the phrase "in another embodiment" as used herein
does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment, though it
may. As used herein, the term "or" is an inclusive "or" operator,
and is equivalent to the term "and/or," unless the context clearly
dictates otherwise. The term "based on" is not exclusive and allows
for being based on additional factors not described, unless the
context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, throughout the
specification, the meaning of "a," "an," and "the" include plural
references. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on."
[0023] The following briefly describes the embodiments of the
invention to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the
invention. This brief description is not intended as an extensive
overview. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements,
or to delineate or otherwise narrow the scope. Its purpose is
merely to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude
to the more detailed description that is presented later.
[0024] As used herein, "base station" refers to a network computing
device that facilitates wireless communication between a wireless
network and a plurality of different types of wireless computing
devices employed by users, which can also be referred to as user
equipment (UE). The wireless network can be employ any type of
wireless communication protocols or wireless technologies.
[0025] As used herein, "angle of arrival" (AoA) refers to a
direction from which a wireless signal is received from a remotely
located wireless computing device. Measurement of the AoA is
typically performed by determining the direction of propagation of
a wireless signal waveforms incident on an antenna array or
determined from maximum signal strength during rotation of an
antenna. The antenna array includes two or more antenna elements,
which may include one or different types of antenna, such as sector
antennas or omnidirectional antennas. Generally, the AoA may be
calculated by measuring a time difference of arrival (TDOA) between
individual antenna elements in the antenna array.
[0026] In one or more embodiments, the TDOA measurement is
determined by measuring the difference in the received phase of
each antenna element in the antenna array. For example, in AoA
determinations, the delay of arrival at each element is measured
directly and converted to an AoA measurement. One application of
AoA is in determining geolocation information for various types of
wireless remote user computing devices, such as mobile telephones,
wireless tablets, wireless modems, wireless notebooks, wireless
pagers, wireless electronic book readers, and the like. Typically,
multiple transceivers for a base station are employed to calculate
the AoA of a particular remote wireless computing device's signal,
and this AoA information is combined to determine the geolocation
of the device during transmission of wireless signals received by
the base station. In one or more embodiments, the AoA calculations
may be determined for a wide range of electromagnetic
frequencies.
[0027] Historically, Angle of Arrival (AoA) detection of a distant
wireless RF signal source is sensed using an array of antennas of
known geometry in which the wireless RF signal monitored at each
antenna is sampled and digitized over time. The time sampled data
from each antenna may be compared using pair wise complex dot
products to form a cross correlation matrix. Since the relative
phases of each antenna are expected to be functions of the incident
azimuth and elevation relative to the antenna array, the cross
correlation results may be analyzed to determine the azimuth and
elevation angle that best fits the measured relative phase
differences. However, the presence of a wave of coherent multiple
path reflections of an uplink wireless RF signal which, when
combined with a direct path (line of sight) wave, or additional
multiple path waves, can result in an uplink wireless RF signal for
which the best fit azimuth and elevation for the UE transmitting
the uplink wireless RF signal may be far removed from any expected
incident (line of sight--direct) wave. Further, an incorrect
sensing/determining of an actual angular location of the UE can
result in an incorrect pointing of a corresponding downlink
wireless RF signal communicated by the remotely located base
station to the UE.
[0028] Generally, since the shortest path for wireless RF signals
from a source to a receiver is a straight line offered by a direct
path (line of sight), wireless RF signals that reflect off surfaces
travel longer multiple paths before they arrive at the receiver.
Also, if the multiple paths of reflected wireless RF signals are
sufficiently long that these RF signals arrive at the receiver a
full sample period after the direct path wireless RF signals, then
the resulting sampled data at the receiver may also contain the
direct (line of sight) wireless RF signal, and added to this, a
copy of the multiple path (multipath) wireless RF signal time
shifted by one or more sample periods.
[0029] Unfortunately, conventional angle of arrival techniques to
determine an angular location are often less accurate when the
sampled data for monitored wireless RF signals includes significant
portions of both direct path wireless RF signals and multipath
wireless RF signals. Also, since the time sampling of data sums
together the direct path and the multipath uplink wireless RF
signals, a typical single cross correlation matrix may not provide
enough direct isolation/filtering of the two distinct types of
wireless RF signals to improve the accuracy of determining an
angular location.
[0030] Briefly stated, various embodiments of the novel invention
are directed to a method, apparatus, or a system that improves
wireless communication between a remotely located wireless base
station and a plurality of user wireless devices (UEs). The various
embodiments employ novel filtering for sampled data representing
uplink wireless RF signals monitored by each pair of antennas in an
M.times.N array of antennas to improve accuracy in determining an
angular location of an identified UE. An extracted portion of the
filtered sampled data is used to improve accuracy in determining an
angular location of the identified UE. The extracted portion
represents direct path uplink wireless RF signals that have
traveled by a line of sight between each pair of antennas and the
identified UE. Another portion of the filtered sampled data is
cancelled, which represents multiple path (multipath) uplink
wireless RF signals that have traveled a longer distance than the
direct path signals due to reflection from one or more surfaces on
multiple paths between the identified UE and each pair of
antennas.
[0031] In one or more of the various embodiments, the filtering
employs novel comparisons of a first cross correlation matrix of
sampled data and to another cross correlation matrix of shifted
sampled data to extract a filtered portion of the sampled data
corresponding to direct path uplink wireless RF signals and cancel
another filtered portion of the sampled data corresponding to
multipath uplink wireless RF signals. As shown in the exemplary
equations illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5C, a first cross correlation
matrix, R_00, contains a set of complex conjugate dot product
results of the sampled data for each pair of antennas. The extra
(second) cross correlation matrix, R_01 contains a similar matrix
except that for an antenna pair the correlation is performed on A_0
B_1, where A_0 is the data from antenna A, and B_1 is the data from
antenna B shifted by 1 sample. This extra (second) correlation
matrix isolates the multipath correlation contribution so that it
can be subtracted from the first correlation matrix.
[0032] In one or more of the various embodiments, the monitored
uplink wireless RF signals may be sampled in real time or stored
and sampled at a later time. Also, in one or more of the various
embodiments, a type of each pair of antennas in an M.times.N array
of antennas may be an omnidirectional antenna, or a sector
directional antenna. Further, in one or more embodiments, the
sampling of the data representing the uplink wireless RF signals
monitored by each pair of antennas may be performed synchronously,
asynchronously, continuously, periodically, and/or
intermittently.
[0033] In one or more of the various embodiments, one or more
additional pairs of antennas may be employed to monitor the uplink
wireless RF signals and provide other sampled data that is
additionally employed to improve an accuracy of determining the
angular location of each identified UE. Further, the other sampled
data may be employed to extract another filtered portion from the
other sampled data that represents the direct monitored uplink
wireless RF signals received by the additional other pairs of
antennas.
[0034] In one or more of the various embodiments, each pair of
antennas may be integrated with an Angle of Arrival (AoA) detector,
or may be remotely located from the AoA detector. Also, in one or
more of the various embodiments, the accuracy of an Angle of
Arrival detector determining the angular location of an identified
UE with a pair (two) of antennas based on sampling uplink wireless
RF signals from one or more identified UEs is improved with the
results of a comparison of a cross correlation matrix of sampled
data for uplink wireless RF signals to another (second) cross
correlation matrix of shifted sampled data. Also, in one or more of
the various embodiments, the use of a pair of antennas to monitor
and sample uplink wireless RF signals can reduce cost, energy
consumption, and computational resources. Further, the use of just
one pair of antennas may increase reliability by reducing the total
number of elements and devices employed to accurately determine an
angular location of an identified UE.
[0035] In one or more embodiments, the filtering of the sampled
data may not significantly improve an accuracy of the determined
angular location of the identified UE based on the physical
proximity of the UE to a pair of antennas being too close or too
far from each other, and/or a physical size of a waveform for the
uplink wireless RF signal. For example, an improvement in accuracy
might be negligible, e.g., 10% or less, when the physical distance
between the UE and the pair of antennas is short, e.g., 4 meters or
less. Similarly, when the physical distance between the UE and the
pair of antennas is long, e.g., 1000 feet or more, the improvement
in accuracy may be negligible, e.g., 10% or less. Thus, a range of
physical proximity between each pair of antennas and the identified
UE may be employed to determine when to employ filtering of sampled
data. In one or more embodiments, an exemplary range may have a low
limit, and a high limit. Thus, when a physical proximity of an
identified UE to a pair of antennas is within the range, a portion
of the sampled data may be extracted that represents just direct
path uplink wireless RF signals. This extracted portion may be
employed to improve the accuracy of determining the angular
location of the identified UE. Alternatively, when the physical
proximity of the identified UE to a pair of antennas is outside the
range, non-filtered sampled data may be employed to determine the
angular location of the identified UE. In this way, consumption of
computational resources and energy resources are decreased when an
improvement in accuracy is likely to be negligible by using
extracted sampled data representing direct path uplink wireless RF
signals to determine the angular location of an identified UE. In
one or more embodiments, the range of may be predetermined, static,
or dynamically determined to improve the accuracy of determining
the angular location of the identified UE.
[0036] In one or more embodiments the frequencies and waveforms of
the uplink and downlink wireless RF signals may be associated with
4G wireless RF signals, 5G wireless RF signals, and the like.
[0037] In one or more embodiments, the improved accuracy is
provided, in part, by filtering the sampled data generated by
synchronously sampling uplink wireless RF signals monitored by a
pair of antennas. The filtering of the synchronously sampled data
cancels multipath uplink wireless RF signals and extracts direct
path uplink wireless RF signals that are subsequently used to
accurately determine the angular location of an identified UE
communicating uplink wireless RF signals with a remotely located
base station. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, the
sampling of uplink wireless RF signals may be asynchronous.
[0038] In one or more embodiments, an integrated system may be
provided that includes an Angle of Arrival detector (that includes
one or more pairs of antennas in an M.times.N array of antennas) to
accurately identify each UE's angular location, a protocol decoder
to sniff the base station downlink channel and decode the transmit
and receive schedule for each UE, and a beam manager to apply this
information to effect an appropriate schedule for a holographic
beam forming antenna to communicate a beam of downlink wireless RF
signals to the identified UE at the angular location.
Illustrated Operating Environment
[0039] The data rates of legacy 4G data systems have been limited
by the relatively low directivity of sector antennas. However, the
introduction of 5G data systems is providing an opportunity for
higher directivities with millimeter waveforms communicated by
holographic beam forming (HBF) antennas, which can provide
significantly higher data rates to an identified UE by dynamically
pointing to the angular location of the UE as needed. The success
of the pointing relies upon accurate knowledge of the actual
angular location, e.g., azimuth and elevation, of an identified UE
relative to the HBF antenna. In one or more of the various
embodiments, an HBF system employs an Angle of Arrival detector to
more accurately determine each identified UE's angular location
based on a portion of sampled data that represents extracted direct
path uplink wireless RF signals with as few as one pair of antennas
monitoring uplink wireless RF signals.
[0040] FIG. 1A illustrates one embodiment of a holographic
metasurface antenna (HMA) which takes the form of a surface
scattering antenna 100 that includes multiple scattering elements
102a, 102b that are distributed along a wave-propagating structure
104 or other arrangement through which a reference wave 105 can be
delivered to the scattering elements. The wave propagating
structure 104 may be, for example, a microstrip, a coplanar
waveguide, a parallel plate waveguide, a dielectric rod or slab, a
closed or tubular waveguide, a substrate-integrated waveguide, or
any other structure capable of supporting the propagation of a
reference wave 105 along or within the structure. A reference wave
105 is input to the wave-propagating structure 104. The scattering
elements 102a, 102b may include scattering elements that are
embedded within, positioned on a surface of, or positioned within
an evanescent proximity of, the wave-propagation structure 104.
Examples of such scattering elements include, but are not limited
to, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,385,435; 9,450,310;
9,711,852; 9,806,414; 9,806,415; 9,806,416; and 9,812,779 and U.S.
Patent Applications Publication Nos. 2017/0127295; 2017/0155193;
and 2017/0187123, all of which are incorporated herein by reference
in their entirety. Also, any other suitable types or arrangement of
scattering elements can be used.
[0041] The surface scattering antenna may also include at least one
feed connector 106 that is configured to couple the
wave-propagation structure 104 to a feed structure 108 which is
coupled to a reference wave source (not shown). The feed structure
108 may be a transmission line, a waveguide, or any other structure
capable of providing an electromagnetic signal that may be
launched, via the feed connector 106, into the wave-propagating
structure 104. The feed connector 106 may be, for example, a
coaxial-to-microstrip connector (e.g. an SMA-to-PCB adapter), a
coaxial-to-waveguide connector, a mode-matched transition section,
etc.
[0042] The scattering elements 102a, 102b are adjustable scattering
elements having electromagnetic properties that are adjustable in
response to one or more external inputs. Adjustable scattering
elements can include elements that are adjustable in response to
voltage inputs (e.g. bias voltages for active elements (such as
varactors, transistors, diodes) or for elements that incorporate
tunable dielectric materials (such as ferroelectrics or liquid
crystals)), current inputs (e.g. direct injection of charge
carriers into active elements), optical inputs (e.g. illumination
of a photoactive material), field inputs (e.g. magnetic fields for
elements that include nonlinear magnetic materials), mechanical
inputs (e.g. MEMS, actuators, hydraulics), or the like. In the
schematic example of FIG. 1A, scattering elements that have been
adjusted to a first state having first electromagnetic properties
are depicted as the first elements 102a, while scattering elements
that have been adjusted to a second state having second
electromagnetic properties are depicted as the second elements
102b. The depiction of scattering elements having first and second
states corresponding to first and second electromagnetic properties
is not intended to be limiting: embodiments may provide scattering
elements that are discretely adjustable to select from a discrete
plurality of states corresponding to a discrete plurality of
different electromagnetic properties, or continuously adjustable to
select from a continuum of states corresponding to a continuum of
different electromagnetic properties.
[0043] In the example of FIG. 1A, the scattering elements 102a,
102b have first and second couplings to the reference wave 105 that
are functions of the first and second electromagnetic properties,
respectively. For example, the first and second couplings may be
first and second polarizabilities of the scattering elements at the
frequency or frequency band of the reference wave. On account of
the first and second couplings, the first and second scattering
elements 102a, 102b are responsive to the reference wave 105 to
produce a plurality of scattered electromagnetic waves having
amplitudes that are functions of (e.g. are proportional to) the
respective first and second couplings. A superposition of the
scattered electromagnetic waves comprises an electromagnetic wave
that is depicted, in this example, as an object wave 110 that
radiates from the surface scattering antenna 100.
[0044] FIG. 1A illustrates a one-dimensional array of scattering
elements 102a, 102b. It will be understood that two- or
three-dimensional arrays can also be used. In addition, these
arrays can have different shapes. Moreover, the array illustrated
in FIG. 1A is a regular array of scattering elements 102a, 102b
with equidistant spacing between adjacent scattering elements, but
it will be understood that other arrays may be irregular or may
have different or variable spacing between adjacent scattering
elements. Also, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) 109
is employed to control the operation of the row of scattering
elements 102a and 102b. Further, controller 110 may be employed to
control the operation of one or more ASICs that control one or more
rows in the array.
[0045] The array of scattering elements 102a, 102b can be used to
produce a far-field beam pattern that at least approximates a
desired beam pattern by applying a modulation pattern 107 (e.g., a
hologram function, H) to the scattering elements receiving the
reference wave (.psi..sub.ref) 105 from a reference wave source, as
illustrated in FIG. 1B. Although the modulation pattern or hologram
function 107 in FIG. 1B is illustrated as sinusoidal, it will be
recognized non-sinusoidal functions (including non-repeating or
irregular functions) may also be used. FIG. 1C illustrates one
example of a modulation pattern and FIG. 1D illustrates one example
of a beam generated using that modulation pattern.
[0046] In at least some embodiments, a computing system can
calculate, select (for example, from a look-up table or database of
modulation patterns) or otherwise determine the modulation pattern
to apply to the scattering elements 102a, 102b receiving the RF
energy that will result in an approximation of desired beam
pattern. In at least some embodiments, a field description of a
desired far-field beam pattern is provided and, using a transfer
function of free space or any other suitable function, an object
wave (.psi..sub.obj) 110 at an antenna's aperture plane can be
determined that results in the desired far-field beam pattern being
radiated. The modulation function (e.g., hologram function) can be
determined which will scatter the reference wave 105 into the
object wave 110. The modulation function (e.g., hologram function)
is applied to scattering elements 102a, 102b, which are excited by
the reference wave 105, to form an approximation of an object wave
110 which in turn radiates from the aperture plane to at least
approximately produce the desired far-field beam pattern.
[0047] In at least some embodiments, the hologram function H (i.e.,
the modulation function) is equal the complex conjugate of the
reference wave and the object wave, i.e.,
.psi..sub.ref*.psi..sub.obj. In at least some embodiments, the
surface scattering antenna may be adjusted to provide, for example,
a selected beam direction (e.g. beam steering), a selected beam
width or shape (e.g. a fan or pencil beam having a broad or narrow
beam width), a selected arrangement of nulls (e.g. null steering),
a selected arrangement of multiple beams, a selected polarization
state (e.g. linear, circular, or elliptical polarization), a
selected overall phase, or any combination thereof. Alternatively,
or additionally, embodiments of the surface scattering antenna may
be adjusted to provide a selected near field radiation profile,
e.g. to provide near-field focusing or near-field nulls.
[0048] The surface scattering antenna can be considered a
holographic beamformer which, at least in some embodiments, is
dynamically adjustable to produce a far-field radiation pattern or
beam. In some embodiments, the surface scattering antenna includes
a substantially one-dimensional wave-propagating structure 104
having a substantially one-dimensional arrangement of scattering
elements. In other embodiments, the surface scattering antenna
includes a substantially two-dimensional wave-propagating structure
104 having a substantially two-dimensional arrangement of
scattering elements. In at least some embodiments, the array of
scattering elements 102a, 102b can be used to generate a narrow,
directional far-field beam pattern, as illustrated, for example, in
FIG. 1C. It will be understood that beams with other shapes can
also be generated using the array of scattering elements 102a,
102b.
[0049] In at least some of the embodiments, the narrow far-field
beam pattern can be generated using a holographic metasurface
antenna (HMA) and may have a width that is 5 to 20 degrees in
extent. The width of the beam pattern can be determined as the
broadest extent of the beam or can be defined at a particular
region of the beam, such as the width at 3 dB attenuation. Any
other suitable method or definition for determining width can be
used.
[0050] A wider beam pattern (also referred to as a "radiation
pattern") is desirable in a number of applications, but the
achievable width may be limited by, or otherwise not available
using, a single HMA. Multiple instances of HMAs can be positioned
in an array of HMAs to produce a wider composite far-field beam
pattern. It will be recognized, however, that the individual beam
patterns from the individual HMAs will often interact and change
the composite far-field beam pattern so that, at least in some
instances, without employing the one or more embodiments of the
invention, the simple combination of the outputs of multiple
instances of HMAs produces a composite far-field beam pattern that
does not achieve the desired or intended configuration.
[0051] FIG. 1E illustrates an arrangement of HMAs 120a, 120b, 120c
that produce beams 122a, 122b, 122c where the middle beam 122b is
substantially different in size and shape from the other two beams
122a, 122c. FIG. 1F illustrates, in a top view, yet another
arrangement of HMAs 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d which form a
two-dimensional array.
[0052] Also, one or more particular shapes of beam patterns, such
as wide beam patterns, narrow beam patterns or composite beam
patterns, may be desirable in a number of applications at different
times for different conditions, but may not be practical or even
available using a single HMA. In one or more embodiments, multiple
instances of HMAs may be positioned in an array to produce a wide
variety of composite, near-field, and/or far-field beam patterns
without significant cancellation or signal loss. Since the object
waves of multiple instances of HMAs may interfere with each other,
adjustment to their object waves may be desirable to generate a
beam pattern "closer" to the desired shape of a particular beam
pattern. Any suitable methodology or metric can be used to
determine the "closeness" of a beam pattern to a desired beam
pattern including, but not limited to, an average deviation (or
total deviation or sum of the magnitudes of deviation) over the
entire beam pattern or a defined portion of the beam pattern from
the desired beam pattern or the like.
[0053] In one of more embodiments, a physical arrangement of HMAs
may be existing or can be constructed and coupled to a reference
wave source. In one or more embodiments, a hologram function can be
calculated, selected, or otherwise provided or determined for each
of the HMAs. Each of the HMAs includes an array of dynamically
adjustable scattering elements that have an adjustable
electromagnetic response to a reference wave from the reference
wave source. The hologram function for the HMA defines adjustments
of the electromagnetic responses for the scattering elements of the
HMA to produce an object wave that is emitted from the HMA in
response to the reference wave. The object waves produced by the
HMAs may be combined to produce a composite beam. Any suitable
method or technique can be used to determine or provide any
arrangement of HMAs to produce a composite beam, such as the
exemplary composite beams illustrated in FIGS. 1E and 1F.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 2A, an overview of system 200 is
illustrated for communicating data from one or more data centers
204 which employs one or more network operations centers 202 to
route the data to one or more remote wireless base stations 208
that communicate the data in the form of RF wireless signals to one
or more user wireless devices (UEs) 212 and 218. As shown, the data
is communicated from one or more data centers 204 and routed in
part by one or more NOCs 202 over network 206 to a plurality of
remote wireless base stations 208' that wirelessly communicate the
data directly with one or more UEs 218, or a plurality of remote
wireless base stations 208 that employ one or Aimable Beam Antenna
Systems 210 (ABAS) to multiplex communication with UEs 212. One or
more user wireless devices (UEs) 212 are in communication with ABAS
210 which is arranged to multiplex communication of one or more of
downlink wireless signals or uplink wireless signals communicated
between wireless base station 208 and one or more identified UEs
212. Also, one or more network computers 205 may execute an app
that provides remote analysis and control of the one or more ABAS
210. Although not shown, wireless base station 208 may also
communicate directly with one or more UEs, while also multiplexing
communication through ABAS 210 with the same or other UEs.
[0055] Although not shown, ABAS 210 may be a separate device that
employs an interface to directly communicate wireless signals with
base station 208 through a physical connection, such as a coaxial
fiber cable, waveguide, or other type of cable capable of
communicating at least uplink and downlink wireless signals between
the ABAS and the base station.
[0056] Network 206 may be configured to couple network operation
center computers with other computing devices, including wireless
base station 208. Network 206 may include various wired and/or
wireless technologies for communicating with a remote device, such
as, but not limited to, USB cable, Bluetooth.RTM., Wi-Fi.RTM., or
the like. In some embodiments, network 206 may be a network
configured to couple network computers with other computing
devices. In various embodiments, information communicated between
devices may include various kinds of information, including, but
not limited to, processor-readable instructions, remote requests,
server responses, program modules, applications, raw data, control
data, system information (e.g., log files), video data, voice data,
image data, text data, structured/unstructured data, or the like.
In some embodiments, this information may be communicated between
devices using one or more technologies and/or network
protocols.
[0057] In some embodiments, such a network may include various
wired networks, wireless networks, or various combinations thereof.
In various embodiments, network 206 may be enabled to employ
various forms of communication technology, topology,
computer-readable media, or the like, for communicating information
from one electronic device to another. For example, network 206 can
include--in addition to the Internet--LANs, WANs, Personal Area
Networks (PANs), Campus Area Networks, Metropolitan Area Networks
(MANs), direct communication connections (such as through a
universal serial bus (USB) port), or the like, or various
combinations thereof.
[0058] In various embodiments, communication links within and/or
between networks may include, but are not limited to, twisted wire
pair, optical fibers, open air lasers, coaxial cable, plain old
telephone service (POTS), wave guides, acoustics, full or
fractional dedicated digital lines (such as T1, T2, T3, or T4),
E-carriers, Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDNs), Digital
Subscriber Lines (DSLs), wireless links (including satellite
links), or other links and/or carrier mechanisms known to those
skilled in the art. Moreover, communication links may further
employ various ones of a variety of digital signaling technologies,
including without limit, for example, DS-0, DS-1, DS-2, DS-3, DS-4,
OC-3, OC-12, OC-48, or the like. In some embodiments, a router (or
other intermediate network device) may act as a link between
various networks--including those based on different architectures
and/or protocols--to enable information to be transferred from one
network to another. In other embodiments, remote computers and/or
other related electronic devices could be connected to a network
via a modem and temporary telephone link. In essence, network 206
may include various communication technologies by which information
may travel between computing devices.
[0059] Network 206 may, in some embodiments, include various
wireless networks, which may be configured to couple various
portable network devices, remote computers, wired networks, other
wireless networks, or the like. Wireless networks may include
various ones of a variety of sub-networks that may further overlay
stand-alone ad-hoc networks, or the like, to provide an
infrastructure-oriented connection for at least one wireless
communication device. Such sub-networks may include mesh networks,
Wireless LAN (WLAN) networks, cellular networks, or the like. In
one or more of the various embodiments, the system may include more
than one wireless network.
[0060] Network 206 may employ a plurality of wired and/or wireless
communication protocols and/or technologies. Examples of various
generations (e.g., third (3G), fourth (4G), or fifth (5G)) of
communication protocols and/or technologies that may be employed by
the network may include, but are not limited to, Global System for
Mobile communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Services (GPRS),
Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code
Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), High Speed Downlink
Packet Access (HSDPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (Ev-DO),
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), time
division multiple access (TDMA), Orthogonal frequency-division
multiplexing (OFDM), ultra-wide band (UWB), Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP), 5G New Radio (5G NR), 5G Technical Forum (5G TF),
5G Special Interest Group (5G SIG), Narrow Band Internet of Things
(NB IoT), user datagram protocol (UDP), transmission control
protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), various portions of the Open
Systems Interconnection (OSI) model protocols, session initiated
protocol/real-time transport protocol (SIP/RTP), short message
service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS), or various ones
of a variety of other communication protocols and/or
technologies.
[0061] In various embodiments, at least a portion of network 206
may be arranged as an autonomous system of nodes, links, paths,
terminals, gateways, routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers,
forwarders, repeaters, optical-electrical converters, base
stations, or the like, which may be connected by various
communication links. These autonomous systems may be configured to
self-organize based on current operating conditions and/or
rule-based policies, such that the network topology of the network
may be modified.
[0062] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary schematic overview 220 of
aimable beam antenna system (ABAS) 222, which is coupled to Angle
of Arrival (AoA) antenna array component 224, one or more optional
base station omnidirectional/sector directional antenna components
226, one or more optional UE omnidirectional/sector directional
antenna components 237, one or more UE beam antenna components 228,
and one or more radio frequency RF inputs (not shown) connected to
one or more base station radio frequency (RF) downlink ports 230.
In one or more embodiments, a physical connection between the one
or more RF inputs and the one or more base station downlink RF
ports 230 is provided by one of a coaxial fiber cable, a waveguide,
or another conductive component that is arranged to communicate
downlink RF signals between ABAS 222 and the base station.
[0063] ABAS 222 includes system controller 238 which manages the
operation of several components, including AoA detector component
232, downlink protocol decoder component 234, antenna controller
236, and optional orientation detector component 239. AoA detector
component 232 is coupled to AoA array antennas component 224.
[0064] As shown, AoA detector component 232 is arranged to employ
AoA antenna array 224 to determine an azimuth and an elevation that
best fits uplink wireless RF signals communicated to a base station
by remotely located UEs. Also, AoA detector component 232 may use a
schedule provided by downlink protocol decoder component 234 to
sort, in time and frequency, digitized data corresponding to the
wave forms of each of the received uplink wireless RF signals so
that the data received from each UE can be processed independently
and separately identify each UE that is communicating with the base
station at a scheduled time. AoA detector component 232 provides a
table of identifiers for each UE along with their azimuths and
elevations relative to AoA antenna array 234, which is associated
with the schedule provided by the downlink protocol decoder
component. Additionally, filter component 231 is employed to filter
out reflections of uplink wireless RF signals to improve accuracy
in determining the azimuth and elevations of each UE. Component 231
enables improved accuracy by time shifting cross correlated data
samples of uplink signals received by a minimum number of antennas
utilized by AoA antenna array 224, e.g., two antennas.
[0065] As shown, downlink protocol decoder component 234 employs
downlink RF signals communicated by the base station through one or
more RF inputs that are connected to one or more base station RF
downlink ports 230 to determine the schedule employed by the base
station to communicate with a plurality of identified UEs. Downlink
protocol decoder component 234 monitors the downlink RF signals for
control information by decoding its corresponding one or more
wireless communication protocols, which in some circumstances may
include a 4G protocol such as Long Term Evolution (LTE).
[0066] Additionally, an exemplary decoding process employed by
downlink protocol decoder component 234 for the LTE protocol
includes at least in part as follows: (1) synching to the primary
and secondary synchronization signals to determine a cellular ID
and time for synching for each UE; (2) decode a Management
Information Database (MIB) to determine the bandwidth of the base
station's communication with the UE; (3) extract Physical Control
Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) to determine control region
numerology that is used in the Physical Downlink Control Channel
(PDCCH); (4) blind decode each possible PDCCH to identify the
scheduling information; and (5) employ the physical download shared
channel (PDSCH) information to decode a system information block
that is used to determine the uplink bandwidth. The result of the
decoding process for the LTE protocol is determining a schedule
that identifies a time and a frequency allocation for each UE for
transmitting and receiving wireless RF signals with the base
station. In this way, downlink protocol decoder component 234 is
able to provide the determined schedule to AoA detector component
232 and antenna controller component 236. Additionally, a similar
decoding process, albeit different in some ways, may be employed to
decode other wireless communication protocols, such as other 4G
protocols and/or 5G protocols.
[0067] As shown, downlink protocol decoder component 234 employs an
RF input (not shown) connected to base station RF downlink port 230
to monitor downlink RF signals for control information broadcast by
the base station. In one or more embodiments, the control
information is not encrypted or encoded. Further, in one or more
embodiments, downlink protocol decoder component 234 does not
decrypt or read user data communicated between the base station and
one or more UEs. Further, in one or more embodiments, a wireless
service provider or carrier that controls the base station may not
know a location of each identified UE that is in communication with
the base station. Also, the control information may include a
schedule for the base station that allocates a time period when
each identified UE is enabled for communication of wireless signals
(uplink and downlink) with the base station.
[0068] Furthermore, downlink protocol decoder component 234 may
provide additional information regarding one or more of the
identified UEs in communication with the base station to the
carrier which controls the base station or another carrier for
different purposes, including emergency services, security
services, advertising or marketing. The provided information may
include one or more of azimuth, elevation, carrier, or a determined
location of one or more identified UEs, or a strength of wireless
signals communicated between the UE and a beam antenna operated by
antenna controller component 236.
[0069] In one or more embodiments, antenna controller component 236
generates a pointing schedule based on a combination of the
allocation schedule provided by downlink protocol decoder component
234 and the table provided by AoA detector component 232. The
pointing schedule includes the azimuth, elevation, and time
schedule for transmitting and receiving wireless signals with each
UE identified to be in communication with the base station. In one
or more embodiments, the pointing schedule may also include a
strength of uplink wireless signals communicated by identified UEs,
and one or more waveforms employed by a beam forming antenna to
radiate a beam of wireless signals in the direction of each
identified UE.
[0070] Also, in one or more embodiments, antenna controller
component 236 may employ the one or more waveforms to configure UE
beam forming antenna 228 to generate a beam of wireless downlink RF
signals broadcast by the base station at a scheduled time in the
direction defined by the azimuth and elevation corresponding to
each identified UE listed in the pointing schedule. Additionally,
in one or more embodiments, antenna controller component 236 may
provide a gain for the beam of wireless downlink RF signals
radiated in the direction of an identified UE based on a strength
of uplink wireless RF signals from identified UEs that are
monitored by AoA detector component 232 with AoA antenna array
224.
[0071] Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the antenna
controller component 236 may receive downlink wireless RF signals
communicated by the base station for each identified UE on the
schedule with one or more of the optional omnidirectional/sector
directional base station antennas 226. In this way, ABAS 222 may
employ base station antennas 226 to receive the downlink RF signals
wirelessly transmitted by one or more types of antennas (not shown)
employed by the base station (not shown). Further, the received
downlink RF signals may be retransmitted as a beam waveform that is
radiated in the direction of each identified UE at the
corresponding time periods allocated in the pointing schedule.
Also, the antenna controller 236 can receive downlink RF signals
communicated in 5G or 4G protocols from the base station, and then
multiplex the retransmission of the received downlink RF signals to
each identified UE. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, UE
beam antenna 228 may include one or more a holographic beam forming
(HBF) antenna, a parabolic antenna, a spherical antenna, a helical
antenna, a yagi antenna, a horn antenna, a phased array antenna, or
the like.
[0072] As shown, optional orientation detector component 239 may be
employed to identify a physical position of the ABAS 222 generally,
and more specifically the orientation and physical position of UE
beam antenna 228. Although not shown, orientation detector
component 239 may include one or more of an accelerometer,
gyroscope, compass, altimeter, or a global positioning system (GPS)
component.
[0073] Additionally, as shown, system controller component 238 is
in communication with AoA detector component 232, downlink protocol
decoder component 234, antenna controller component 236, and
optional orientation detector component 239. System controller
component 238 is employed to manage and coordinate the operation of
the other components. Also, in one or more embodiments, system
controller component 238 is employed to communicate with one or
more network computers (not shown) that are employed to remotely
manage the operation of ABAS 222.
[0074] Also, the system controller component 238 may provide
information regarding one or more of the identified UEs or
non-identified UEs to one or more of carriers, organizations, or
other entities, for different uses, e.g., emergency services,
security services, advertising or marketing. The provided
information may include one or more of azimuth, elevation, carrier
associated with a UE, or strength of wireless RF signals
communicated between the UE and the antenna controller component.
Also, the provided information may include a determined location of
a UE.
[0075] Additionally, in one or more embodiments (not shown in the
figures), system controller component 238 may include one or more
processor devices, or embedded logic hardware devices, such as, an
Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Programmable Array Logics (PALs),
or the like, or combination thereof. The one or more processor
devices or embedded logic hardware devices may directly execute one
or more of embedded logic or logic stored in a memory to perform
actions to manage the operation of other components. Also, in one
or more embodiments (not shown in the figures), system controller
component 238 may include one or more hardware microcontrollers
instead of processor devices. In one or more embodiments, the one
or more microcontrollers may directly execute their own embedded
logic or logic stored in memory to perform actions and access their
own internal memory and their own external Input and Output
Interfaces (e.g., hardware pins and/or wireless transceivers) to
perform actions, such as System On a Chip (SOC), or the like.
[0076] Additionally, in one or more embodiments, antenna controller
component 236 may employ two or more waveforms to configure UE beam
forming antenna component 228 to generate two or more separate
beams at the scheduled time in different directions defined by two
or more azimuth and elevation coordinate pairs that correspond to
two or more identified UE listed in the pointing schedule and
allocated a time period to communicate with the base station.
[0077] Further, in one or more embodiments, antenna controller
component 236 may employ two or more waveforms to configure two or
more separate UE beam forming antennas 228 to generate two or more
separate beams at the scheduled time in different directions
defined by two or more azimuth and elevation coordinate pairs that
correspond to two or more identified UE listed in the pointing
schedule and allocated a time period to communicate with the base
station.
[0078] Moreover, in one or more embodiments, antenna controller
component 236 may facilitate an arrangement of a two to one
Multiple Inputs Multiple Outputs (MIMO) antenna by using both UE
beam forming antenna 228 and optional UE omnidirectional/sector
directional antenna 237 to provide communication with an identified
UE during allocated time periods in the pointing schedule. In one
or more embodiments, antenna controller component 236 may employ
these two antennas to determine which antenna is able to provide
the optimal, e.g., best bandwidth with the lowest latency to
communicate downlink RF signals to an identified UE. Once the
optimal determination is made for the identified UE, antenna
controller component 236 may use the determined antenna for further
communication of downlink RF signals with the UE.
[0079] Further, in one or more embodiments, antenna controller
component 236 may employ both UE beam forming antenna 228 and
optional omnidirectional/sector directional antenna 237 to
simultaneously provide communication of wireless downlink RF
signals to at least two different identified UEs that are
simultaneously allocated time periods in the pointing schedule for
communication with the base station. Also, antenna controller
component 236 may be arranged to employ one or more policies to
determined which of these two antennas provides simultaneous
communication with each of the at least two UEs. For example, a
policy may prioritize communication by UE beam forming antenna 228
with a preselected UE, or the first UE to respond to wireless
control signals, when simultaneous communication with two or more
UEs occurs. Based on the policy, one UE may communicate via UE beam
forming antenna 228 and the other UE would communicate via optional
UE omnidirectional/sector directional antenna 237. Also, in one or
more embodiments, antenna controller component 236 may provide one
or more waveforms to the beam forming antenna to cause radiation of
wireless downlink RF signals omnidirectionally instead of in a
shaped beam for one or more identified UEs during an allocated time
period on the pointing schedule.
[0080] FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary schematic overview 220' of
aimable beam antenna system (ABAS) 222', which is coupled to Angle
of Arrival (AoA) antenna array component 224, one or more optional
UE omnidirectional/sector directional antenna component 237, one or
more UE beam antenna component 228, and base station 233.
[0081] ABAS 222' includes system controller 238 which manages the
operation of several components, including AoA detector component
232, downlink protocol decoder component 234, filter component 231,
antenna controller 236, base station radio frequency (RF) interface
component 235 and optional orientation detector component 239.
Also, AoA detector component 232 is coupled to AoA array antennas
component 224.
[0082] In this arrangement, ABAS 222' is directly coupled to RF
signals communicated by base station 233 through base station
interface 235, and operates substantially similar to ABAS 222,
albeit somewhat differently. In one or more embodiments, wireless
downlink RF signals directly monitored over base station interface
235 are used to determine the schedule for multiplexing
communication of downlink RF signals with identified UEs. Further,
interface 235 is arranged to directly communicate RF signals with
the base station through a direct coupling of the base station RF
interface 235 of ABAS 222' to base station 233.
[0083] FIG. 2D illustrates a schematic overview 240 of an aimable
beam antenna system (ABAS) 222'' that is integrated with base
station 242 and operates substantially similar to ABAS 222 and/or
222', albeit somewhat differently. Also, as shown, ABAS 222'' is
coupled to AoA antenna array component 224, one or more UE beam
antenna components 228, and one or more optional UE Omni/Sector
Antenna components 244.
[0084] In one or more embodiments, an antenna controller component
and the AoA component (neither shown) of ABAS 222'' is provided the
schedule for multiplexing communication with identified UEs
directly from the base station instead of employing a separate
download decoder protocol component to determine and the schedule
by monitoring downlink RF signals.
Illustrative Network Computer
[0085] FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of network computer 350 that may
include many more, or less, components than those shown. Network
computer 350 may represent, for example, at least one embodiment of
a computing employed by a network operations center, data center,
server, mobile device, user wireless device, or client device as
shown in FIG. 2A.
[0086] Network computer 350 may include processor 351 in
communication with memory 352 via bus 360. Network computer 350 may
also include power supply 361, network interface 362, audio
interface 374, display 371, keypad 372, illuminator 373, video
interface 367, input/output interface 365, haptic interface 378,
global positioning systems (GPS) receiver 375, open air gesture
interface 376, temperature interface 377, camera(s) 367, projector
370, pointing device interface 379, processor-readable stationary
storage device 363, and processor-readable removable storage device
364. Network computer 350 may optionally communicate with a base
station (not shown), an Aimable Beam Antenna System (not shown) or
directly with another computer. Power supply 361 may provide power
to network computer 350. A rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery
may be used to provide power. The power may also be provided by an
external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered docking
cradle that supplements or recharges the battery.
[0087] Network interface 362 includes circuitry for coupling
network computer 350 to one or more networks, and it is constructed
for use with one or more wired and/or wireless communication
protocols and technologies. Examples of various generations (e.g.,
third (3G), fourth (4G), or fifth (5G)) of communication protocols
and/or technologies may include, but are not limited to, Global
System for Mobile communication (GSM), General Packet Radio
Services (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple
Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000),
High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Long Term Evolution
(LTE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS),
Evolution-Data Optimized (Ev-DO), Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access (WiMax), time division multiple access (TDMA),
Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), ultra-wide band
(UWB), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), 5G New Radio (5G NR),
5G Technical Forum (5G TF), 5G Special Interest Group (5G SIG),
Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB IoT), user datagram protocol
(UDP), transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP),
various portions of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model
protocols, session initiated protocol/real-time transport protocol
(SIP/RTP), short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging
service (MMS), or various ones of a variety of other communication
protocols and/or technologies.
[0088] Audio interface 374 may be arranged to produce and receive
audio signals such as the sound of a human voice. For example,
audio interface 374 may be coupled to a speaker and microphone (not
shown) to enable telecommunication with others or generate an audio
acknowledgement for some action. A microphone in audio interface
374 can also be used for input to or control of network computer
350, e.g., using voice recognition, detecting touch based on sound,
and the like.
[0089] Display 371 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), gas
plasma, electronic ink, light emitting diode (LED), Organic LED
(OLED) or any other type of light reflective or light transmissive
display that can be used with a computer. Display 371 may also
include a touch interface 368 arranged to receive input from an
object such as a stylus or a digit from a human hand, and may use
resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave (SAW), infrared,
radar, or other technologies to sense touch or gestures.
[0090] Projector 370 may be a remote handheld projector or an
integrated projector that is capable of projecting an image on a
remote wall or any other reflective object such as a remote
screen.
[0091] Video interface 367 may be arranged to capture video images,
such as a still photo, a video segment, an infrared video, or the
like. For example, video interface 367 may be coupled to a digital
video camera, a web-camera, or the like. Video interface 367 may
comprise a lens, an image sensor, and other electronics. Image
sensors may include a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
(CMOS) integrated circuit, charge-coupled device (CCD), or any
other integrated circuit for sensing light.
[0092] Keypad 372 may comprise any input device arranged to receive
input from a user. For example, keypad 372 may include a push
button numeric dial, or a keyboard. Keypad 372 may also include
command buttons that are associated with selecting and sending
images.
[0093] Illuminator 373 may provide a status indication or provide
light. Illuminator 373 may remain active for specific periods of
time or in response to event messages. For example, when
illuminator 373 is active, it may backlight the buttons on keypad
372 and stay on while the network computer is powered. Also,
illuminator 373 may backlight these buttons in various patterns
when particular actions are performed, such as dialing another
network computer. Illuminator 373 may also enable light sources
positioned within a transparent or translucent case of the network
computer to illuminate in response to actions.
[0094] Further, network computer 350 may also comprise hardware
security module (HSM) 369 for providing additional tamper resistant
safeguards for generating, storing or using security/cryptographic
information such as, keys, digital certificates, passwords,
passphrases, two-factor authentication information, or the like. In
some embodiments, hardware security module may be employed to
support one or more standard public key infrastructures (PKI), and
may be employed to generate, manage, or store keys pairs, or the
like. In some embodiments, HSM 369 may be a stand-alone computer,
in other cases, HSM 369 may be arranged as a hardware card that may
be added to a network computer.
[0095] Network computer 350 may also comprise input/output
interface 365 for communicating with external peripheral devices or
other computers such as other network computers and network
computers. The peripheral devices may include an audio headset,
virtual reality headsets, display screen glasses, remote speaker
system, remote speaker and microphone system, and the like.
Input/output interface 365 can utilize one or more technologies,
such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), Infrared, WiFi, WiMax,
Bluetooth.TM., and the like.
[0096] Input/output interface 365 may also include one or more
sensors for determining geolocation information (e.g., GPS),
monitoring electrical power conditions (e.g., voltage sensors,
current sensors, frequency sensors, and so on), monitoring weather
(e.g., thermostats, barometers, anemometers, humidity detectors,
precipitation scales, or the like), or the like. Sensors may be one
or more hardware sensors that collect or measure data that is
external to network computer 350.
[0097] Haptic interface 378 may be arranged to provide tactile
feedback to a user of the network computer. For example, the haptic
interface 378 may be employed to vibrate network computer 350 in a
particular way when another user of a computer is calling.
Temperature interface 377 may be used to provide a temperature
measurement input or a temperature changing output to a user of
network computer 350. Open air gesture interface 376 may sense
physical gestures of a user of network computer 350, for example,
by using single or stereo video cameras, radar, a gyroscopic sensor
inside a computer held or worn by the user, or the like. One or
more cameras 366 may be used by an application to employ facial
recognition methods to identify a user, track the user's physical
eye movements, or take pictures (images) or videos.
[0098] GPS device 375 can determine the physical coordinates of
network computer 350 on the surface of the Earth, which typically
outputs a location as latitude and longitude values. GPS device 375
can also employ other geo-positioning mechanisms, including, but
not limited to, triangulation, assisted GPS (AGPS), Enhanced
Observed Time Difference (E-OTD), Cell Identifier (CI), Service
Area Identifier (SAI), Enhanced Timing Advance (ETA), Base Station
Subsystem (BSS), or the like, to further determine the physical
location of network computer 350 on the surface of the Earth. It is
understood that GPS device 375 can employ a gyroscope to determine
an orientation and/or an accelerometer to determine movement of the
network computer 350. In one or more embodiment, however, network
computer 350 may, through other components, provide other
information that may be employed to determine a physical location
of the network computer, including for example, a Media Access
Control (MAC) address, IP address, and the like.
[0099] Human interface components can be peripheral devices that
are physically separate from network computer 350, allowing for
remote input or output to network computer 350. For example,
information routed as described here through human interface
components such as display 371 or keypad 372 can instead be routed
through network interface 362 to appropriate human interface
components located remotely. Examples of human interface peripheral
components that may be remote include, but are not limited to,
audio devices, pointing devices, keypads, displays, cameras,
projectors, and the like. These peripheral components may
communicate over a Pico Network such as Bluetooth.TM., Zigbee.TM.
and the like. One non-limiting example of a network computer with
such peripheral human interface components is a wearable computer,
which might include a remote pico projector along with one or more
cameras that remotely communicate with a separately located network
computer to sense a user's gestures toward portions of an image
projected by the pico projector onto a reflected surface such as a
wall or the user's hand.
[0100] Network computer 350 may include analysis and control app
357 that may be configured to remotely manage operation of an ABAS
that is separate from a base station or the ABAS is integrated with
a base station such as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. App 357 may
provide information and metrics regarding communication of a remote
wireless base station with a plurality of identified UEs. Also, app
357 may authorize and enable different types of users (e.g.,
technicians, customers, and the like) to use a displayed interface
to quickly identify and troubleshoot technical problems, assist in
orientation of beam waveforms generated by beam antennas to provide
an optimal wireless communication downlink between a remote
wireless base station and a plurality of identified UEs. The app
may also enable adjustment of particular performance parameters to
improve one or more aspects of the operation of the beam antennas.
In one or more embodiments, app 357 may employ Bluetooth, wifi, or
any other wireless or wired communication link to communicate with
the RF communication device.
[0101] Network computer 350 may include filter app 380 that may be
configured to remotely filter out reflections of uplink wireless RF
signals to improve accuracy in determining the azimuth and
elevations of each UE. App 380 enables improved accuracy by time
shifting cross correlated data samples of uplink signals received
by a minimum number of antennas utilized by an AoA antenna array,
e.g., two antennas. In one or more of the various embodiments, app
380 may be configured to perform substantially similar, or all of
the actions associated with filter component 231 as shown in FIGS.
2B and 2C, and also the filter component claimed herein.
[0102] Network computer 350 may include web browser application 359
that is configured to receive and to send web pages, web-based
messages, graphics, text, multimedia, and the like. The network
computer's browser application may employ virtually any programming
language, including a wireless application protocol messages (WAP),
and the like. In one or more embodiment, the browser application is
enabled to employ Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML), Wireless
Markup Language (WML), WMLScript, JavaScript, Standard Generalized
Markup Language (SGML), HyperText Markup Language (HTML),
eXtensible Markup Language (XML), HTML5, and the like.
[0103] Memory 352 may include RAM, ROM, or other types of memory.
Memory 352 illustrates an example of computer-readable storage
media (devices) for storage of information such as
computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or
other data. Memory 352 may store BIOS 354 for controlling low-level
operation of network computer 350. The memory may also store
operating system 353 for controlling the operation of network
computer 350. It will be appreciated that this component may
include a general-purpose operating system such as a version of
UNIX, or LINUX.TM., or a specialized network computer communication
operating system such as Windows Phone.TM., Apple iOS.TM. or the
Symbian.RTM. operating system. The operating system may include, or
interface with a Java virtual machine module that enables control
of hardware components or operating system operations via Java
application programs.
[0104] Memory 352 may further include one or more data storage 355,
which can be utilized by network computer 350 to store, among other
things, applications 356 or other data. For example, data storage
355 may also be employed to store information that describes
various capabilities of network computer 350. The information may
then be provided to another device or computer based on any of a
variety of methods, including being sent as part of a header during
a communication, sent upon request, or the like. Data storage 355
may also be employed to store social networking information
including address books, buddy lists, aliases, user profile
information, or the like. Data storage 355 may further include
program code, data, algorithms, and the like, for use by a
processor, such as processor 351 to execute and perform actions. In
one embodiment, at least some of data storage 355 might also be
stored on another component of network computer 350, including, but
not limited to, non-transitory processor-readable removable storage
device 364, processor-readable stationary storage device 363, or
even external to the network computer.
[0105] Applications 356 may include computer executable
instructions which, when executed by network computer 350,
transmit, receive, or otherwise process instructions and data.
Applications 356 may include, for example, analysis and control app
357, filter app 380, other applications 358, web browser 359, or
the like. Network computers may be arranged to exchange
communications, such as, queries, searches, messages, notification
messages, event messages, alerts, performance metrics, log data,
API calls, or the like, combination thereof, with application
servers or network monitoring computers.
[0106] Other examples of application programs include calendars,
search programs, email client applications, IM applications, SMS
applications, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) applications,
contact managers, task managers, transcoders, database programs,
word processing programs, security applications, spreadsheet
programs, games, search programs, and so forth.
[0107] Additionally, in one or more embodiments (not shown in the
figures), network computer 350 may include one or more embedded
logic hardware devices instead of CPUs, such as, an Application
Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array
(FPGA), Programmable Array Logic (PAL), or the like, or combination
thereof. The embedded logic hardware devices may directly execute
embedded logic to perform actions. Also, in one or more embodiments
(not shown in the figures), network computer 350 may include one or
more hardware microcontrollers instead of CPUs. In one or more
embodiments, the microcontrollers may directly execute their own
embedded logic to perform actions and access their own internal
memory and their own external Input and Output Interfaces (e.g.,
hardware pins or wireless transceivers) to perform actions, such as
System On a Chip (SOC), or the like.
Generalized Operations
[0108] FIG. 4A illustrates a logical flow diagram of for an
exemplary method of improving downlink communication of wireless
signals from a remotely located base station to a plurality of user
wireless devices (UEs). Moving from a start block, the process
steps to block 402 where a download protocol decoder component
monitors base station wireless signals to determine an allocation
schedule for one or more of the UEs that are currently in wireless
communication with the remote base station.
[0109] At block, 404, the process monitors received uplink wireless
RF signals communicated by the one or more identified UEs to a
remotely located base station. The allocation schedule and the
monitored uplink wireless RF signals are employed to identify the
one or more UEs that are currently in wireless communication with
the base station. Additionally, the monitored uplink wireless RF
signals are digitally processed to generate sampled data. In one or
more embodiments, a pair (two) of antennas included in an AoA
detector are employed to monitor the uplink wireless RF signals
that are used to generate the sampled data. The monitored wireless
RF uplink signals can often include a portion of direct path uplink
wireless RF signals and another portion of multipath uplink
wireless RF signals. Thus, the sampled data is filtered by a
comparison of a cross correlated matrix populated with the sampled
data to another cross correlated matrix populated with another
version of the sampled data that is time shifted by a phase of the
monitored uplink wireless RF signals. This comparison filters the
sampled data to extract the portion representing the direct path
uplink wireless RF signals while cancelling the other portion
representing the multipath uplink wireless RF signals. See
exemplary equations in FIGS. 5B and 5C and their accompanying text
in this Specification for at least one embodiment of a mathematical
proof for the filtering of sampled data representing the monitored
uplink RF wireless signals. As shown, the proof teaches a
comparison of a cross correlated matrix of time shifted data to
another cross correlated matrix of non-time shifted data to extract
the resultant portion of the filtered sampled data representing
direct path uplink wireless RF signals.
[0110] Advancing to block 406, angle of arrival (AoA) information
for each identified UE is determined based on the extracted portion
of the sampled data, which is added to a table. This AoA
information may include an angular location, e.g., azimuth and
elevation, for each identified UE communicating with the remotely
located base station.
[0111] In one or more embodiments, the filtering of the sampled
data may not significantly improve an accuracy of the determined
angular location of the identified UE based on the physical
proximity of the UE and the two antennas being too close or too far
from each other, and a physical size of a waveform for the uplink
wireless RF signal. For example, an improvement in accuracy might
be negligible when there is a short physical distance between the
UE and the pair of antennas, e.g., 4 meters or less. Similarly,
when the physical distance between the UE and the pair antennas is
large, e.g., 1000 feet or more, the improvement in accuracy may be
negligible.
[0112] At block 408, the schedule is employed to receive downlink
wireless RF signals communicated to each identified UE during their
allocated time period on the schedule. Further, the process
advances to block 410 where the received downlink signals for each
identified UE are proxied and retransmitted as beam waveforms
radiated at the identified UE in a direction defined by the AoA
information during the corresponding allocated time periods in the
schedule.
[0113] Optionally, at block 412, different types of information may
be determined regarding one or more UEs that receive the
retransmitted downlink wireless signals in a beam waveform. The
different types of information may include a wireless service
provider/carrier associated with the one or more UEs, a determined
location of each UE, an amount and frequency of downlink wireless
signals retransmitted to each UE, or the like. Also, one or more of
the different types of information may optionally be provided to
third parties, such as wireless service providers/carriers, law
enforcement, fire departments. Next, the process returns to
performing other actions.
[0114] FIG. 4B illustrates a logical flow diagram of for an
exemplary method 420 of simultaneously multiplexing multiple
downlink wireless RF signals from a remotely located base station
to two or more user wireless devices (UEs). Moving from a start
block, the process steps to decision block 422, where a
determination is made as to whether two or more UEs are identified
for communication with the base schedule at overlapping time
periods allocated on a schedule. If false, the process loops at
decision block 422. However, once the determination at decision
block 422 is true, the process moves to block 424 and a beam
antenna is provided with two or more waveforms to multiplex two or
more separate beams.
[0115] Optionally, at block 426 a gain of one or both of the
separate beams is adjusted based on a strength of an uplink
wireless signal communicated by one or both of the identified UEs
that is less than a minimum threshold or greater than a maximum
threshold. For example, if a strength of the uplink wireless RF
signal communicated by an identified UE is below a minimum strength
threshold, the gain of the corresponding beam of wireless downlink
signals may be increased to compensate for a determined distance of
the identified UE from the antenna controller component which is
based in part on the determined lower strength of the uplink
wireless RF signal. Similarly, if the strength of the uplink
wireless RF signal communicated by an identified UE is above a
maximum strength threshold, the gain of the corresponding beam of
wireless downlink RF signals may be decreased to compensate for a
determined distance of the identified UE from the antenna
controller component which is based in part on the determined
higher strength of the uplink wireless RF signals.
[0116] Next, the process flows to block 428 where, at overlapping
time periods in a pointing schedule allocated for communication
with the base station, the two or more separate beams are radiated
in different directions defined by two or more azimuth and
elevation coordinate pairs that correspond to the two or more
identified UE. Further, in one or more embodiments, the beam
antenna may include N separate beam forming antennas that employ N
waveforms to generate and multiplex N separate beams in N different
directions defined by N azimuth and elevation coordinate pairs that
correspond to N identified UEs at overlapping time periods
allocated in the pointing schedule.
[0117] Optionally, in one or more embodiments, the beam antenna may
include both a beam forming antenna and an omnidirectional/sector
directional antenna to provide communication with an identified UE
from either antenna, or both, at the same allocated time in the
schedule. The process may employ the two antennas to determine
which antenna is able to provide optimal communication of wireless
downlink signals to an identified UE, e.g., highest bandwidth with
the lowest latency. Once the optimal determination is made for the
identified UE, the process may use the determined antenna for
further communication with the UE. Further, the process may
optionally employ both a beam forming antenna and an
omnidirectional/sector directional antenna to simultaneously
provide communication of downlink wireless RF signals to two
identified UEs that are allocated overlapping time periods in the
pointing schedule. Also, the process may employ one or more
policies to prioritize which of the two antennas provides
communication with each of two identified UEs that have overlapping
time periods allocated in the pointing schedule. Also, the process
may optionally employ N beam forming antennas and N
omnidirectional/sector directional antennas to simultaneously
provide communication of downlink wireless RF signals to N
identified UEs that are allocated overlapping time periods in the
pointing schedule.
[0118] Next, the process moves to the return block and returns to
performing other actions.
[0119] FIG. 4C illustrates a logical flow diagram of exemplary
method 430 for improving the accuracy of determining the angular
location of an identified user wireless device (UE) based on
received uplink wireless RF signals communicated by the identified
UE to a remote base station.
[0120] Moving from a start block, the process optionally steps to
decision block 432, where a determination is made as to whether a
physical proximity of the identified UE is within a range for
filtering multipath reflections of received uplink wireless RF
signals communicated by the identified UE to the remote base
station. If a physical size of a waveform radiating the uplink
wireless RF signal is greater than a physical distance between the
identified UE and at least two antennas of the AoA antenna array,
e.g., 4 meters or less, or a physical distance between the
identified UE and at least two antennas of the AoA antenna array is
much greater than the physical size of the waveform, e.g., 1000
feet or more, then the process continues to monitor the uplink
wireless RF signals until the physical proximity is within the
range for filtering the multipath reflections of uplink wireless RF
signals. Consequently, since an error in determining the angular
location of an identified UE caused by multipath reflections of the
uplink wireless RF signals may be relatively small outside the
multipath filtering range, the filtering may not be performed to
conserve computation resources and reduce energy consumption. In
this case, an AoA antenna array may be employed to determine the
angular location based on sampled data representing all of the
portions of the uplink wireless RF signals (no filtering).
[0121] On the other hand, if the determination at optional decision
block 432 is that a physical proximity/location of the identified
UE and the two antennas is within the multipath filtering range,
then the process advances to block 434. Alternatively, when
decision block 432 is not optionally considered, then the process
could move directly from the start block to block 434. In this way,
continuous filtering of sampled data for multipath reflections of
monitored uplink wireless RF signals would be performed without
consideration of a physical proximity of the identified UE to the
two antennas of the AoA antenna array.
[0122] At block 434, the two antennas are employed to sample data
representing the monitored uplink wireless RF signals and detect a
phase of the monitored uplink wireless RF signals. The monitored
wireless RF uplink signals typically include a portion of direct
path uplink wireless RF signals and another portion of multi-path
uplink wireless RF signals. Moving to block 436, the detected phase
is employed to time shift a version of the sampled data
representing the monitored uplink wireless RF signals.
[0123] Stepping to block 438, the sampled data is filtered by
comparing a separate cross correlated matrix populated with the
sampled data to another cross correlated matrix populated with
another version of the sampled data that is time shifted based at
least in part on a phase of the monitored uplink wireless RF
signals. The comparison results in the cancelling of sampled data
representing multi-path uplink wireless RF signals while extracting
a filtered version of the sampled data representing the direct path
uplink wireless RF signals. Generally, this filtering employs a
comparison of a cross correlated matrix of sampled data to another
cross correlated matrix of time shifted version of the sampled data
to extract the resultant filtered data.
[0124] At block 440, the remaining filtered data represents
non-reflected (line of sight) uplink wireless RF signals that are
used locally by an AoA antenna array detector, or remotely employed
by one or more computers, to determine various types of AoA
information that includes the angular location of the identified UE
associated with the monitored uplink wireless RF signals. Next, the
process returns to performing other actions.
[0125] Additionally, it will be understood that each block of the
flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the
flowchart illustrations, (or actions explained above with regard to
one or more systems or combinations of systems) can be implemented
by computer program instructions. These program instructions may be
provided to a processor to produce a machine, such that the
instructions, which execute on the processor, create means for
implementing the actions specified in the flowchart block or
blocks. The computer program instructions may be executed by a
processor to cause a series of operational steps to be performed by
the processor to produce a computer-implemented process such that
the instructions, which execute on the processor to provide steps
for implementing the actions specified in the flowchart block or
blocks. The computer program instructions may also cause at least
some of the operational steps shown in the blocks of the flowcharts
to be performed in parallel. Moreover, some of the steps may also
be performed across more than one processor, such as might arise in
a multi-processor computer system. In addition, one or more blocks
or combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustration may also be
performed concurrently with other blocks or combinations of blocks,
or even in a different sequence than illustrated without departing
from the scope or spirit of the invention.
[0126] Additionally, in one or more steps or blocks, may be
implemented using embedded logic hardware, such as, an Application
Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array
(FPGA), Programmable Array Logic (PAL), or the like, or combination
thereof, instead of a computer program. The embedded logic hardware
may directly execute embedded logic to perform actions some or all
of the actions in the one or more steps or blocks. Also, in one or
more embodiments (not shown in the figures), some or all of the
actions of one or more of the steps or blocks may be performed by a
hardware microcontroller instead of a CPU. In one or more
embodiment, the microcontroller may directly execute its own
embedded logic to perform actions and access its own internal
memory and its own external Input and Output Interfaces (e.g.,
hardware pins and/or wireless transceivers) to perform actions,
such as System On a Chip (SOC), or the like.
Illustrative Use Cases and Equations
[0127] FIG. 5A shows a schematic view 500 of user wireless device
(UE) 212 directly communicating uplink wireless RF signals P00 and
P01 via line of sight paths with two remotely located antennas 504
that are included in AoA Antenna array 502. Also, uplink wireless
RF signals P01 and uplink wireless RF signals P11 are communicated
indirectly to antennas 504 by different multiple paths (multipath)
caused by reflection from at least surface 506. Also, the lengths
of the multipath reflections traveled by uplink wireless RF signals
P01 and P011 are substantially greater than the lengths of line of
sight paths traveled by uplink wireless RF signals P00 and P01 to
reach antennas 504. In one or more embodiments, determining a
precise angular location of identified UE 212 is related to a size
of the difference in a physical distance traveled to reach the two
antennas by the direct path uplink wireless RF signals versus the
multipath uplink wireless RF signals.
[0128] FIGS. 5B and 5C illustrate exemplary equations for a
mathematical proof for the exemplary filtering of sampled data
representing monitored uplink wireless RF signals radiated by a UE
and received by two antennas. In one or more embodiments, the
exemplary filtering removes sampled data representing multipath
uplink wireless RF signals and the remaining sampled data
represents direct path uplink wireless RF signals to provide
improved accuracy in determining AoA information based on sampled
data representing uplink wireless RF signals monitored by two
antennas.
[0129] The equations create two cross correlation matrices. The
first, R_00, contains a set of complex conjugate dot product
results of each pair of antennas. The second, R_01 contains a
similar matrix except that for each antenna pair the correlation is
performed on A_0 B_1, where A_0 is the data from antenna A, and B_1
is the data from antenna B shifted by 1 sample. The extra
correlation matrix provides an additional algebraic constraint that
allows extraction of the direct path uplink wireless signal and
removal of the multipath uplink wireless signal from time sampled
data representing the uplink wireless RF signals detected by the
pair of antennas.
[0130] Although the equations are directed to cross correlating
shifted sampled data for uplink wireless RF signals detected by a
pair of antennas, the invention is not constrained to just two
antennas. In other embodiments, time sampled data for downlink
and/or uplink wireless RF signals detected by multiple pairs of
antennas may be filtered in substantially the same manner with
substantially similar cross correlated matrices and equations.
[0131] The above specification, examples, and data provide a
complete description of the manufacture and use of the invention.
Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention
resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
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