Active antenna array for a mobile communications network with a plurality of gain switches and a method for adjusting a signal level of individual radio signals

Abstract

An active antenna array for a mobile communications network and a method for receiving radio signals is disclosed. The active antenna array has a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals, a plurality of first amplifiers for amplifying a plurality of individual receive signals a plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and a plurality of first gain switches located between one of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and the plurality of first amplifiers. A digital signal processor is connected to outputs of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and has a common gain switch control line connected to at least two of the plurality of first switches for controlling the gain of the first gain switches.

1 . An active antenna array for a mobile communications network comprising:
 a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals;   a plurality of first amplifiers for amplifying a plurality of individual receive signals;   a plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters;   a plurality of first gain switches located between one of the plurality of antenna elements and the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters; and   a digital signal processor connected to outputs of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and having a common gain switch control line connected to at least two of the plurality of first switches.   
     
     
         2 . The active antenna array of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of first mixers connected between the outputs of the plurality of first amplifiers and the digital signal processor, the plurality of first mixers downconverting the plurality of individual receive signals from a first frequency to a second frequency.   
     
     
         3 . The active antenna array of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of second gain switches connected between the outputs of the plurality of first amplifiers and the plurality of first mixers and connected to the gain switch control line.   
     
     
         4 . The active antenna array of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of bandpass filters connected between the plurality of first mixers and the digital signal processor.   
     
     
         5 . The active antenna array of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 third gain switches connected between the plurality of first mixers and the plurality of bandpass filters.   
     
     
         6 . The active antenna array of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the plurality of analogue-to-digital converters is connected between the plurality of first amplifiers and the digital signal processor.   
     
     
         7 . The active antenna array of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 first local oscillator connected through a splitter to the plurality of first mixers.   
     
     
         8 . The active antenna array of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of second amplifiers connected between the plurality of first mixers and the digital signal processor.   
     
     
         9 . The active antenna array of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a plurality of second mixers connected between the plurality of the second amplifiers and the digital signal processor.   
     
     
         10 . The active antenna array of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second local oscillator connected to the plurality of second mixers through a second splitter.   
     
     
         11 . The active antenna array of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a plurality of third gain switches connected between the plurality of second mixers and the digital signal processor and connected to the gain switch control line.   
     
     
         12 . The active antenna array of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fourth gain switches connected between the plurality of first mixers and the plurality of second amplifiers and connected to the gain switch control line.   
     
     
         13 . The active antenna array of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of third splitters for splitting the plurality of individual receive signals into an I component and a Q component;   a plurality of third mixers for downconverting the I component and connected through a delay element to the first local oscillator; and   a plurality of fourth mixers for downconverting the Q component and connected through the delay element to the first local oscillator.   
     
     
         14 . The active antenna array of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fourth gain switches connected between the plurality of third mixers and the digital signal processor and being connected to the gain switch control line;   plurality of fifth gain switches connected between the plurality of fourth mixers and the digital signal processor and being connected to the gain switch control line.   
     
     
         15 . The active antenna array of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of delta-sigma converters being connected between the plurality of first gain switches and the digital signal processor.   
     
     
         16 . A method for receiving a plurality of individual radio signals comprising:
 concurrently receiving the plurality of individual radio signals;   centrally changing by a similar amount a signal level of at least two of the plurality of individual radio signals; and   converting the plurality of individual radio signals from the analogue domain to the digital domain.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 downconverting the plurality of individual radio signals from a first frequency to a second frequency prior to converting the plurality of radio signals.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 centrally reducing a signal level of the plurality of individual radio signals at the first frequency; and   centrally reducing a signal level of the plurality of individual radio signals at the second frequency.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising comparing the converted ones of the plurality of individual radio signals with a threshold value and adjusting the value of the similar amount dependent on the comparison. 
     
     
         20 . A chip set comprising:
 a plurality of first amplifiers for amplifying a plurality of individual receive signals;   a plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters   a plurality of first gain switches located prior to the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters; and   a digital signal processor connected to outputs of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and having a common gain switch control line connected to at least two of the plurality of first switches.   
     
     
         21 . A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to manufacture an active antenna array for a mobile communications network comprising:
 a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals;   a plurality of first amplifiers for amplifying a plurality of individual receive signals;   a plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters   a plurality of first gain switches located between one of the plurality of antenna elements and the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters; and   a digital signal processor connected to outputs of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and having a gain switch control line connected to at least one of the plurality of first switches.   
     
     
         22 . A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing an active antenna to execute a method for receiving a plurality of individual radio signals comprising:
 first computer readable code means for causing the active antenna array to concurrently receive the plurality of individual radio signals;   second computer readable code means for causing the active antenna array to centrally reduce a signal level of at least two of the plurality of individual radio signals; and   third computer readable code means for converting the plurality of individual radio signals from the analogue domain to the digital domain.