Antenna port identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414224-B1
Application number	US-201213674598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2012
Priority date	Nov 12, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media, for facilitating identification of antenna ports. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a test signal transmitted through a physical path to an antenna port. Upon receiving a test signal, a response can be provided that includes an indication of the antenna port that received the test signal. Such a response signal can be provided in any number of manners.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for facilitating identification of antenna ports, the method comprising:
receiving a test signal transmitted through a tangible physical path from a radio to an antenna port of a first antenna at a radio tower, wherein the first antenna is connected to a plurality of physical paths by a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port of the plurality of antenna ports corresponding to one physical path; and
providing a response signal that includes an indication of one antenna port that received the test signal via one corresponding physical path, such that the one antenna port identified is distinguishable from the plurality of antenna ports of the first antenna.

2. The media of claim 1 further comprising referencing the indication of the one antenna port.

3. The media of claim 1 , wherein the test signal has a frequency that differs from one or more frequencies supported by the antenna for device communications.

4. The media of claim 1 , wherein the response signal is provided using the one antenna port and the corresponding tangible physical path through which the test signal was received.

5. The media of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the one antenna port comprises an antenna port identifier that is specific to the one antenna port, a location of the one antenna port, or a combination thereof.

6. The media of claim 1 further comprising generating the response signal including the indication of the one antenna port that received the test signal.

7. A system for facilitating identification of antenna ports, the system comprising:
a radio comprising a transceiver that transmits and receives signals, wherein the radio transmits test signals via a plurality of tangible physical paths; and
a first antenna having a plurality of antenna ports at a radio tower, the first antenna connected to the plurality of tangible physical paths by a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port of the plurality of antenna ports corresponding to one tangible physical path, wherein each antenna port of the plurality has an identification device, each identification device configured to:
identify a test signal received at one corresponding antenna port from the radio via one of the plurality of tangible physical paths and
provide an indication of the one antenna port that received the test signal.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the radio generates the test signals transmitted via the plurality of tangible physical path.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the radio generates the test signals based on an indication received from a base station.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein a first test signal is transmitted in accordance with a first designated physical path, and a second test signal is transmitted in accordance with a second designated physical path.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the radio has a plurality of radio ports, each of the radio ports connecting one of the tangible physical paths to the radio.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein each of the identification devices of the plurality of antenna ports comprises an electronic component or an integrated circuit chip.

13. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a base station that is used to initiate transmission of the test signals.

14. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a base station manager that is used to initiate transmission of the test signals by way of a base station in communication with the radio.

15. A method for facilitating identification of antenna ports, the method comprising:
transmitting a test signal that indicates an intent to identify an antenna port within a first antenna that receives the test signal, wherein the test signal is transmitted at least from a radio to the first antenna at a radio tower via a first tangible physical path, wherein the first antenna is connected to a plurality of tangible physical paths by a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port of the plurality of antenna ports connecting one tangible physical path of the plurality of tangible physical paths to the first antenna; and
receiving an indication of a first antenna port that received the test signal via the first tangible physical path corresponding to the first antenna port.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating the test signal based on a user indication to perform an antenna port identification.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the test signal is transmitted in accordance with a tangible physical path or a radio port designated by the user.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the test signal is initiated by a user at a base station or a base station manager.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the indication of the first antenna port comprises a unique antenna port identifier, an antenna port location, an antenna port orientation, or a combination thereof, such that the first antenna port is distinguishable from the plurality of antenna ports of the first antenna.

Assignees

• Sprint Communications Co Lp

Inventors

• Schmidt Patrick Jacob
• Koenig Joshua Torey

Classifications

• H04B5/0031

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/008

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• H04W12/02 Primary

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04M2250/04

  including near field communication means, e.g. RFID · CPC title