Self-configuring communication node arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10170821-B2
Application number	US-201415525980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication node arrangement comprising at least two antenna units. Each antenna unit comprises at least one signal port and at least one antenna element, where each signal port is connected to at least one corresponding antenna element. Each antenna unit comprises at least one sensor unit arranged to sense its orientation relative a predetermined reference extension. The communication node arrangement comprises at least one control unit and is arranged to feed a respective test signal into each of at least two different signal ports. For each such test signal, the communication node arrangement is arranged to receive the test signal via at least one other signal port. The communication node arrangement being arranged to determine relative positions of said antenna units based on the received test signals, and to determine relative orientations of said antenna units based on data received from the sensor units.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication node arrangement comprising:
at least two antenna units, where each antenna unit comprises at least one signal port and at least one antenna element, each signal port being at least indirectly connected to at least one corresponding antenna element,
wherein each antenna unit comprises at least one sensor unit arranged to sense its orientation relative a predetermined reference extension;

at least one control unit arranged to feed a respective test signal into each of at least two different signal ports,
wherein for each such test signal, the communication node arrangement is arranged to receive the test signal via at least one other signal port, and the communication node arrangement is arranged to determine relative positions of said antenna units based on the received test signals, and to determine relative orientations of said antenna units based on data received from the sensor units, and
wherein said control unit is arranged to control at least one ventilation arrangement in dependence of said determined relative positions and said determined relative orientations.

2. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the communication node arrangement is arranged to feed a respective test signal into one signal port at a time.

3. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is arranged to form a scattering matrix from the received test signals, and to extract a positioning matrix from the scattering matrix, where the positioning matrix comprises the relative positions of said antenna units.

4. A communication node arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein said control unit is arranged to extract a positioning matrix from the scattering matrix by comparing the scattering matrix with a set of predefined scattering matrixes with corresponding positioning matrixes, and then choose the predefined scattering matrix and corresponding positioning matrix that best matches the scattering matrix formed from the received test signals.

5. A communication node arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein said control unit is arranged to extract a positioning matrix from the scattering matrix by determining transmission properties from comparisons between amplitude and phase of transmitted test signals as well as amplitude and phase of received test signals, and by determining distances between transmitting antenna units and receiving antenna units based on said comparisons.

6. A communication node arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein each test signal comprises a previously known data sequence, and wherein said control unit is arranged to extract a positioning matrix from the scattering matrix based on a correlation of all transmitted test signals with all received test signals, and detected time differences between transmitted test signals and received test signals.

7. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one antenna unit comprises at least one transceiver arrangement, where each signal port of said at least one antenna unit is arranged to transmit and receive digital baseband signals.

8. A communication node arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein, for at least one antenna unit, a separate transceiver arrangement is connected to each antenna element.

9. A communication node arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein, for each of said at least one antenna unit, the communication node arrangement is arranged to feed a respective test signal to each of at least two different antenna elements via a corresponding signal port, and for each such test signal the communication node arrangement is arranged to receive the test signal from at least one other antenna element via a corresponding signal port, where the communication node arrangement further is arranged to determine relative positions of said antenna elements based on the received test signals, and to determine relative orientations of said antenna elements based on data received from the sensor units.

10. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one antenna unit is connected to at least one transceiver arrangement, where each signal port of said at least one antenna unit is arranged to transmit and receive RF, radio frequency, signals.

11. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the communication node arrangement comprises at least one baseband processing unit, where each of said at least one baseband processing unit comprises a first set of ports and a second set of ports, and is arranged to connect at least two first set ports, comprised in the first set of ports, to at least two second set ports, comprised in the second set of ports, in dependence of the acquired data, where each port in the first set of ports at least indirectly is connected to a signal.

12. A communication node arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein said control unit is arranged to detect to which signal ports the first set of ports at least indirectly are connected.

13. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the test signal is modulated signal.

14. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the test signal is at least one of a single CW, continuous wave, a modulated UTRA, UMTS, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, Terrestrial Radio Access, signal, an E-UTRA, Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access, signal, or a signal with correlation properties for calculating time difference.

15. A communication node arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is arranged to combine said determined relative positions and said determined relative orientations to form a total matrix, where said control unit is arranged to compare the total matrix with a set of predefined antenna matrixes and to choose the predefined antenna matrix that best corresponds to the total matrix.

16. A method for determining relative positions and relative orientations between at least two antenna units, where each antenna unit uses at least one signal port, wherein the method comprises:
feeding a respective test signal into each of at least two different signal;
for each such test signal, receiving said test signal via at least one other signal port;
determining relative positions of said antenna units based on the received test signals; and
determining relative orientations of said antenna units based on data received from sensor units used in each antenna unit for sensing its orientation relative a predetermined reference extension,
wherein said determined relative positions and said determined relative orientations are used when controlling at least one ventilation arrangement.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the method comprises feeding a respective test signal into one signal port at a time.

18. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the method comprises forming a scattering matrix from the received test signals, and extracting a positioning matrix from the scattering matrix, where the positioning matrix comprises the relative positions of said antenna units.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein the step of extracting a positioning matrix from the scattering matrix comprises comparing the scattering matrix with a set of predefined scattering matrixes with corresponding positioning matrixes, and choosing the predefined scattering matrix and corresponding positioning matrix that best matches the scattering matrix formed from the received test signals.

20

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Persson Lars
• Elfström Torbjörn

Classifications

• H04B17/14

  of the whole transmission and reception path, e.g. self-test loop-back · CPC title

• H01Q1/246 Primary

  specially adapted for base stations · CPC title

• H04B17/19

  Self-testing arrangements · CPC title

• H04B17/21

  for calibration; for correcting measurements · CPC title