EP1356539B1 - Mobile radio telephone antenna for setting a different downtilt angle - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has control electronics and an electric motor (51) and is preferably activated by a device or command device. The controller with the electronics is mounted in a control housing separate from the antenna's protective cover or forms a complete unit or module. The motor is coupled to an actuation element so that the actuating elements inside the protective cover for setting the slope radiation angle can be operated. Independent claims are also included for the following: an antenna and a method of varying a slope angle.

Description

The invention relates to a mobile radio antenna for setting a different Absenkwinkels.

As is known, the mobile radio network is designed in the form of a cell, wherein each cell is assigned a corresponding base station with at least one mobile radio antenna for transmission and reception. The antennas are constructed so that they usually radiate downward at a certain angle relative to the horizontal, whereby a certain cell size is determined.

In addition to the main transmission frequencies of the 900 MHz band and the 1800 MHz band (in the US, for example, the 1900 MHz band) acquired for the next generation of the mobile network, the so-called UMTS network, the 2000 MHz band significance. Depending on the size of the individual covered by a base station cell as well as, for example, depending on the network in question (for example, the upcoming UMTS network), the antennas must be set with different angles of inclination become.

Finally, it is also known that the emission angle, which is also referred to in the following as drop-down or tilt angle or downtilt angle, with which a mobile radio antenna of a base station radiates downward relative to the horizontal, can be set by phase shifters, for example. By changing the phase difference of a plurality of superimposed individual radiators, the inclination angle of the radiation pattern is changed. The phase shifters can be adjusted accordingly, which usually requires that the setting must be made manually on the mobile radio antenna. In addition, existing protective devices must be dismantled or re-assembled. This is naturally associated with a considerable installation effort.

Therefore, according to WO 96/14670 has also been proposed to be able to adjust the downtilt angle by means of an electrical control device differently, the controller of such a control device, for example, in the base of such an antenna device can be mounted or used as a mobile control device, the If necessary, it can be connected via a plug-in connection to control lines led out of the antenna, in order to actuate the adjusting device, which is installed underneath the protective housing, for adjusting the downtilt angle.

Antennas with differently adjustable Absenkwinkeln are basically also known from US 5,512,914. It is an antenna with adjustable inclination of the radiation lobe. Outside the antenna, one ends up inside the antenna extending drive shaft. At the end of the drive shaft located outside the protective sheath, for example, a hexagon key can be inserted in order to rotate the axis. As a result, a radiator arrangement is moved longitudinally inside, whereby ultimately the Absenkwinkel is adjusted.

Furthermore, US Pat. No. 6,078,824 discloses an electromagnetic circuit device for carrying out a lowering of a radiation angle.

Finally, from "Patent Abstracts of Japan Vol. 1998, No. 09, 31 July 1998 (1998-07-31) - & JP 10 098899 A (Hitachi Ltd), 14 April 1998 (1998-04-14)" to take a housed in a housing stepper motor with associated pulse generator and stepping motor drive circuit as known.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved mobile radio antenna with the possibility of different setting of a Absenkwinkels.

The object is achieved according to the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The mobile radio antenna according to the invention is characterized in that it is connected to an antenna; In particular, at a mobile radio base station outside the protective housing (radome) for the radiator elements can be mounted retrofitted. Preference is therefore not provided that already extensive mechanical and / or electronic Facilities must be provided in the manufacture or delivery of a corresponding mobile radio antenna to ensure retrofitting.

The manual adjustment from the outside is fundamentally state of the art. The control device according to the invention is preferably characterized by the fact that it interacts with cultivation outside the protective housing of the antenna exactly with that control element, via which otherwise the adjustment can be made manually.

The antenna described in more detail with reference to embodiments uses a basically known transmission element, which can be manually operated outside the antenna protective cover, and which extends through a corresponding opening into the interior below the protective housing of the antenna to there, for example via a transmission linkage the one or to actuate the plurality of phase shifters for adjusting the downtilt angle. This guided from the outside to the inside through the protective housing, so a part of the rear or side plate or the support and / or protective cover of the antenna actuator preferably consists of a spindle which is rotatably guided in a corresponding threaded sleeve. By turning thus the threaded spindle can be adjusted in the axial direction between two end or extreme positions.

The antenna control device is preferably completely or substantially as a complete unit or complete module. It can therefore be easily handled and mounted, and not only - as described above - in interaction with an outside of the cover housing the antenna device provided actuator. Rather, the invention also provides that the complete unit or the complete module can also be mounted below the protective cover as a simple and easily manageable complete module if necessary and can be retrofitted if necessary. Also in this case, the retrofittable antenna control device is coupled to a corresponding actuator below the protective cover to adjust the phase angle of the antennas differently. As a significant advantage, it turns out that the antenna control device according to the invention can be mounted as a complete solution simply outside or inside the protective cover of the antenna. An assembly of a plurality of individual components possibly even at different locations below the protective cover of the antenna, as in the prior art, so falls away.

As low proves now that the adjustment of the downtilt angle can ultimately be done both manually and by means of a suitable control device. In manual operation eliminates the entire control unit, so that the adjustment of the downtilt angle ultimately only by adjusting the actuator, preferably by rotation of a setting or Spindelzahnrades can be made about what about the rotatable spindle then, for example, the phase shifter for changing the downtilt angle can be adjusted accordingly.

If a corresponding electronic or electrical control device is retrofitted, it is preferably mounted only outside the protective housing of the antenna. This then acts directly with the actuating transmission member, ie in particular that for the manual Setting provided spindle gear together, about which a rotation of the spindle gear can be made via the belonging to the control device motor drive.

The control device according to the invention comprises an interface leading to the outside. It is possible to carry out individual, but preferably all setting and monitoring functions at the command level via this interface. To control a special controller or a computer with appropriate control software or even, for. the base station will be used.

As low has also proven to provide no limit switches or limit switches, but jamming end stops. These are thus provided on the spindle and fixed to the housing so that the movement of the spindle in the respective extreme or end position is secured against further rotation by an end stop. The end stop thus makes it possible that in a subsequent movement in the opposite direction substantially no additional release forces are needed. This contributes to the fact that comparatively small engines with low power outputs can be used.

In a preferred embodiment, it is further provided that the control electronics assigns two absolute position values to the two end stops. The absolute positioning can then be carried out at least in one of these two positions. For this purpose, the actuator should preferably be moved in the form of the spindle only in the respective direction until reaching the end stop. Reaching the end stop can also be detected and evaluated electrically / electronically by the control electronics.

Particularly favorable proves a provided within the scope of the invention device for self-calibration. If the transmission or actuator is preferably initially moved in the form of the spindle to at least one of the two end stops and then moved back to the other end stop, the maximum displacement path can be detected by way detection, preferably in the form of the counted rotational pulses, via the two end stops a maximum Lowering angle assigned and above each interim angle, if necessary, also be interpolated by means stored in a table support values. As a result, any positions between the extreme positions can be absolutely controlled.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to relatively control certain setting positions within the permissible setting range. For this purpose, the respective current setting value can be stored in a non-volatile memory, in order then to carry out the relative adjustment when the adjustment is made again from this value.

In one embodiment of the invention, the mechanical and electrical / electronic parts of the control device are coupled in fixed relationship with each other. This requires no special addressing of the control unit. Preferably, however, the control unit can also operate in a mode "with addressing". This opens up the possibility of controlling a plurality of electronic control units from a central point via only one command interface, ie to set several angles correspondingly to different antennas.

Figur 1 :

eine Darstellung einer unterhalb eines Abdeck- oder Schutzgehäuses angeordneten Mobilfunkantenne mit extern angebauter Antennensteuerungsvorrichtung;

Figur 2 :

eine auszugsweise Seitenansicht auf eine entsprechende Mobilfunkantenne mit abgenommenem Schutzgehäuse und nach außen geführter Betätigungseinrichtung;

Figur 3 :

eine vergrößerte Detaildarstellung der mit einer manuellen Einstellmöglichkeit grundsätzlich ausgestatteten Mobilfunkantenne für eine Basis-Station;

Figur 4 :

eine entsprechende Darstellung zu Figur 3 bei angebauter Antennensteuerungsvorrichtung;

Figur 5 :

eine vergrößerte Darstellung eines Details aus Figur 4;

Figur 6 :

eine Seitenansicht der in Figur 4 gezeigten Nachrüsteinheit im demontierten Zustand in schematischer Querschnittsdarstellung;

Figur 7 :

eine um 90° gedrehte Seitenansicht bezüglich der Darstellung gemäß Figur 4, und

Figur 8:

eine schematische Darstellung einer Basisstation mit Mast und elektronisch absenkbarer Mobilfunkantenne.

Further details, advantages and features emerge below from the embodiment illustrated with reference to drawings. Show in detail

FIG. 1:

a representation of a arranged below a cover or protective housing mobile radio antenna with externally mounted antenna control device;

FIG. 2:

a partial side view of a corresponding mobile radio antenna with removed protective housing and outwardly guided actuator;

FIG. 3:

an enlarged detail of basically equipped with a manual adjustment cell phone antenna for a base station;

FIG. 4:

a corresponding representation of Figure 3 with attached antenna control device;

FIG. 5:

an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 4;

FIG. 6:

a side view of the retrofit unit shown in Figure 4 in the disassembled state in a schematic cross-sectional view;

FIG. 7:

a rotated by 90 ° side view with respect to the representation of Figure 4, and

FIG. 8:

a schematic representation of a base station with mast and electronically lowerable mobile phone antenna.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic extractively perspective view of a mobile radio antenna for a base station. Usually arranged in a corresponding vertical orientation or slightly inclined downward in the circumferential direction lying several antenna cells radiating into different cells on a not shown in the drawings antenna mast.

Such a mobile radio antenna may have a plurality of radiators which can radiate in different frequency bands, wherein a different angle of inclination, a so-called downtilt angle, can be adjusted by changing the phase distances between the individual vertically stacked radiators 1, with which the mobile radio antenna 3 opposite the horizontal radiates downwards. As is known, this takes place via corresponding settings of phase shifter elements, reference being made in this respect to the previously known solutions. FIG. 8 shows a base station 71 with an antenna mast 73, to which a corresponding mobile radio antenna 3 is attached, which is controlled by the base station or the command device via lines 75, and via which the emission direction is electronically more or less strong in an angular range α can be lowered.

A corresponding mobile radio antenna 3 includes, for example, a mounting or mounting plate 5, which may also include a reflector with or at least carry a reflector, wherein the mounting or mounting plate preferably lie in their down coming side is provided with a transversely projecting terminal plate 7, to which the corresponding terminals 9 are provided for connecting coaxial cables for the operation of the plurality of individual radiators.

On the mounting or mounting plate 5 a generally made of FRP plastic protective cover 11 is further attached, below which the individual radiator elements are arranged sitting in front of a reflector.

In the extractive perspective view of FIG. 1, the control device 13 which can be retrofitted outside the protective cover 11 is also already shown, with which the radiation angle of the antennas can be controlled or set automatically.

Before going into detail on the control device 13 shown in FIG. 1 in the installed state, reference is first made to the schematic plan view according to FIG. 2, in which a first radiator 17 is seated in front of a reflector 15 at the lower end of the reflector 15, with the protective cover 11 removed to the connection plate 7 can be seen, wherein an actuating opening 19 is provided laterally to the terminals 9 in the connection plate 7, namely formed by a connecting plate 7 passing through and tightly connected thereto connecting piece 23. This connection piece 23 is penetrated by a threaded sleeve 21 , So in other words, the corresponding opening 19 in the connection plate 7 passes through. Within the fixed connecting piece 23 is a threaded sleeve 21 rotatably mounted about its axial axis, but held axially immovable. At the outwardly projecting portion of the rotatably mounted connection sleeve 21, an adjusting element 25 is provided, which is formed in the embodiment shown in the form of a spindle gear 25 '.

The threaded sleeve 21 is penetrated by an actuating device 29, which is also referred to below as an actuating element, which in the embodiment shown consists of a spindle 29 '. The external thread 29 "of the spindle 29 'cooperates with the internal thread of the threaded sleeve 21, ie the internal thread of the spindle gear 25' together, so that by rotating the spindle gear 25 'depending on the direction of rotation, the non-rotatable spindle 29' further into the interior of the protective cover 11 axially in or out is adjusted.

As can be seen in particular from Figures 2 to 5, the inner end of the formed in the form of a spindle 29 'actuating element 29 is connected to a corresponding transmission means 31 in the form of a transmission linkage, wherein at the other not shown end of the transmission linkage then one or the a plurality of phase shifters for changing the inclination angle of the antennas can be set. By the intended non-rotatable connection 33 is also ensured that the spindle 29 'can not turn itself.

From the enlarged detail illustration according to FIG. 3, it can also be seen that the adjusting element 25 in the form of the spindle toothed wheel 25 'is on the outwardly facing side to the longitudinal axial axis offset radially outwards with a first actuating end stop 35 and below the protective cover 11, that is internally provided on the connection plate 7 with an oppositely oriented also to the central axis of the spindle radially offset second actuating end stop 35 '. These end stops are each aligned in circumferential and thus rotational direction, wherein the outer adjustment end stop 35 with the outer on the spindle 29 'formed actuating end stop 37 and the inner adjustment end stop 35' with the inner actuating end stop 37 'cooperates , which are also aligned in the radial direction. In Figure 3, the spindle is in the one end stop position, namely in the most extended position, in which the two stops 35 ', 37' abut each other.

Only by manual rotation of the spindle gear 25 'so the spindle 29' between two end positions so far axially be adjusted through the connection plate 7 through until each of the outer actuating end stop 37 abuts the outer adjustment end stop 35 or vice versa, the inner adjustment End stop, 35 'with the inner actuating end stop 37' of the spindle 29 cooperates.

The downtilt angle of such an antenna can thus be easily changed manually and reset by the setting element 25, in other words, the spindle gear 25 'is rotated accordingly in the circumferential direction, thereby adjusting the spindle in the axial direction. In cooperation with the transmission linkage provided underneath the protective cover, the phase shifters and thus the downtilt angle can be adjusted accordingly be set.

Such an antenna is also easily retrofitted with a described control device for motorized lowering of the mobile radio antenna 3, for example by means of remote control.

For this purpose only one e.g. already apparent in Figure 1 and reproduced in Figures 4 to 6 reproduced in more detail control device 13, which may be equipped with the corresponding electrical or electronic components and, above all, includes the necessary drive elements for mechanical adjustment.

The control device 13 comprises (FIG. 6) a control housing 43 with a connecting piece 45, whose connection cap ring 47, which is held over the housing 43 or the connecting piece 45 and provided with an internal thread, is firmly screwed onto a raised ring portion 23 'of the connecting piece 23 of the connecting plate 7 , The mentioned spindle gear 25 'then comes to lie in the interior of the control housing 43, namely immediately adjacent to a corresponding drive gear 49, which is driven by an electric motor 51.

As is also apparent from the schematic diagrams, inside the control housing 43 of the control device 13, the control electronics 41 are provided with various control boards 53 which comprise the electrical / electronic components for control, whose operation will be discussed below.

For example, via a transmitter not shown - since the control device 13 comprises a receiving device - the control device 13 are operated accordingly. After an initial assembly or, for example, after a reset, the spindle gear 25 ', which meshes with the drive gear 49 driven by the electric motor, is rotated by the electric motor 51 until the spindle 29', for example, in its innermost, i. is moved into the protective housing 11 furthest retracted position, so until it moves with the spindle gear 25 'co-moving, outer adjustment end stop 35 in the circumferential direction for rotation on the outer mounted on the spindle actuating end stop 37 abuts. Subsequently, the drive motor 51 is actuated in the reverse direction until the inner with the threaded sleeve 21 and the spindle gear 25 'co-rotating adjustment end stop 35' on the inner mounted on the spindle and thus axially co-moving actuating end stop 37 'abuts. These two end positions are assigned by the electronics two angle settings. A back and forth movement between the end stops can not lead to a blockage, since no wedging and clamping forces between the end stops occur, which strike each other virtually at 90 ° angle to each other.

By assigning the end positions to two predetermined by the electronics or two on (not shown in the drawings) cable connections or preferably via remote controllable devices transmitted end Absenkwinkel provided on one of the control boards 53 integrated electronics or evaluation electronics perform a self-calibration. Between the adjusting movement between the two end stops can also, for example, the angular momentum by means of a counter be counted so that a path-dependent signal is given about it. The two end positions and the path-dependent signal then serve to enable interpolation by means of the electronics, whereby each intermediate value between the end stops can be controlled. For this purpose, the controller can calculate from the desired position, the number of angular momentum required for the position in question and drive the electric motor correspondingly long. Instead of the mentioned interpolation, the desired intermediate values may possibly also be read out of a table by means of master values.

The control can be carried out in the sense of an absolute control by first moved back in the direction of an end stop and then in the opposite direction, a corresponding adjustment to the desired absolute position of the spindle 29 'is made. However, a relative adjustment can also be made in such a way that the relative value last set in each case, which corresponds to a specific lowering angle of the antenna, is preferably stored in a non-volatile intermediate memory. The electronics then calculate, with respect to a next value, which distance has to be taken based on the current setting.

The control device 13 thus comprises in particular with the electric motor 51 electromechanical control elements and also an electronic control unit 41 for evaluation, calculation, etc. This so-called "intelligent" control electronics 41 preferably has an interface over which all setting / monitoring functions can be performed on a command level , For adjustment can be a special controller or a calculator be used with appropriate control software. The communication can be wired or wireless between one. Command device (for example, a computer) and the control device 13, or done by the base station itself.

For example, when using a Kommandogerätes this can also, if the individual control devices 13 and the associated control electronics 41 are addressed, several different control devices 13 control.

The address modes (with and without address) can be changed at any time during operation. Possibly. can also be provided that addresses can even be configured later.

The command interface to the control electronics 41 is accessible from außen.her, for example via plug or cable or it is wirelessly accessible.

The invention has been described for an antenna control device which can be retrofitted as a complete device or as a complete module outside the protective cover of the antenna. The same device with basically the same construction can also be used as a complete device or as a complete unit or module within the antenna device, i. be mounted below the protective device of the antennas and are coupled in the same or comparable manner with a transmission device to adjust the phase angle of the antenna elements differently. Due to the modular design or complete construction, easy and problem-free retrofitting is possible in both cases.

Claims (14)

1. Mobile radio antenna for setting a different depression angle, having the following features:

   - the mobile radio antenna (3) comprises a plurality of antenna elements (1), at least one phase shifter and a protective housing,

   - a different depression angle can be set for the mobile radio antenna (3) by adjustment of the at least one phase shifter,

   - the antenna elements (1) and the at least one phase shifter are accommodated in the interior of the protective housing,

   - a control apparatus (13) is provided,

   - the control apparatus (13) comprises an electric motor (51) and control electronics (41),

   - the control apparatus (13) is accommodated with its control electronics (41) in a control housing (43) which is separated or isolated from the protective housing,

   - the control housing (43) of the control apparatus (13) is mounted outside the protective housing,

   - an operating element (29) is provided, which is passed out of the interior (which is covered by the protective housing) of the mobile radio antenna (3) via an operating opening (19), or is inserted into the interior of the protective housing via the operating opening (19), or is located in the interior of the protective housing,

   - the operating element (29) is in this case passed axially into a threaded sleeve (21), which is mounted such that it can rotate and passes through the protective housing,

   - an adjusting element (25) which is arranged outside the protective housing is provided on the threaded sleeve (21) which is mounted such that it can rotate,

   - the electric motor (51) is provided with a drive wheel (49) which interacts with the adjusting element (25) such that rotation of the threaded sleeve (21) causes the operating element (29) to be moved axially in order, via it, to operate the at least one phase shifter, which is provided in the interior of the protective housing, in order to set the different depression angle.
2. Mobile radio antenna according to Claim 1, characterized in that this control apparatus is provided with an adapter device, by which means the control apparatus can be fitted, in such a manner that it can be retrofitted, to the mobile radio antenna, preferably without opening the protective housing for the mobile radio antenna (3).
3. Mobile radio antenna according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive wheel (49) comprises a drive toothed wheel which interacts with an antenna-side adjusting element (25) in the form of a toothed wheel (25'), which is arranged outside the protective housing, in order to adjust the operating element (29).
4. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control housing (43) has an opening by means of which it can be attached or screwed to a connecting plate (7) of a base mounting plate (5) and/or of a protective cover (11) for the protective housing, to be precise holding the antenna-side adjusting element (25) or toothed wheel (25'), and/or for holding at least part of the associated operating element (29), in order to carry out an adjustment of the depression angle of the mobile radio antenna (3).
5. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control electronics (41) comprise means in order to carry out self-calibration, such that the operating device (29) can be moved by means of the control electronics (41) between two extreme or limit positions by means of the electric motor (51), and these limit positions can be associated with maximum and minimum values of the depression level of the mobile radio antenna (3), and the control electronics (41) can interpolate intermediate relative positions between the two extreme or limit positions as a function of the movement.
6. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a memory is provided in which the respective setting value of the operating element (29) and hence a predetermined depression angle of the mobile radio antenna (3) can be stored, and in that means are provided such that the corresponding values can be interpolated.
7. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the movement-dependent adjustment of the operating element (29) can be carried out in the form of a rotation speed impulse measurement.
8. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control electronics (41) have an interface, via which all the setting and/or monitoring functions can be carried out by a command appliance, a computer or the base station itself.
9. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the command appliance is the base station, or is integrated in the base station.
10. Mobile radio antenna according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the command appliance comprises a computer which processes software, a specific controller, or the base station itself.
11. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the respectively currently set depression position of the depression angle can be stored in a non-volatile memory, and in that it is possible to move to a next desired angle relatively from the current value of the downtilt angle.
12. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the control apparatus (13) or the control electronics (41) is or are addressable, via which a number of control apparatuses can be driven by means of one command appliance in order to set a number of antennas to different depression angles.
13. Mobile radio antenna according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the control apparatus (13) can be operated by means of an appliance or command appliance (59).
14. Mobile radio antenna according to Claim 6 in conjunction with at least one other of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory comprises a non-volatile memory.

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