A multi-beam-former for an antenna array is described, the multi-beam former comprises N transceiver terminals for connecting a transmitter and/or receiver and N antenna terminals for connecting to a respective antenna and a plurality of couplers and matrix phase shifters arranged in an N×N Butler matrix configuration between the N transceiver terminals and the N antenna terminals. At least some of the matrix phase shifters include a switchable matrix phase shifter configured to switch between a respective first phase shift value and a respective second phase shift value; a plurality of bypassable phase shifters arranged between at least some of the couplers and the antenna terminals and configured to switch between a respective further phase shift value and a zero phase shift. The multi-beam former is operable to select one of M different beam angles for a signal, wherein M is greater than N.

A method of assembling an antenna aperture from a plurality of antenna aperture segments is described. The method may include placing a first aperture segment relative to a second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture. Furthermore, an overlap of the first aperture segment overlaps a complementary underlap of the second aperture segment at a seam. The method may also include joining the overlap of the first aperture segment to the underlap of the second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture.

A method of assembling an antenna aperture from a plurality of antenna aperture segments is described. The method may include placing a first aperture segment relative to a second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture. Furthermore, an overlap of the first aperture segment overlaps a complementary underlap of the second aperture segment at a seam. The method may also include joining the overlap of the first aperture segment to the underlap of the second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture.

A sector-splitting base station antenna includes a plurality of RF ports, a plurality of columns of radiating elements, a first beamforming network that is coupled between a first subset of the RF ports and a first antenna array that comprises a first subset of the columns of radiating elements, and a second beamforming network that is coupled between a second subset of the RF ports and a second antenna array that comprises a second subset of the columns of radiating elements. The first beamforming network and the first antenna array are configured to generate a first plurality of antenna beams that provide coverage to a first side of a sector of a cell of a cellular communications system but not to a second side of the sector, and the second beamforming network and the second antenna array are configured to generate a second plurality of antenna beams that provide coverage to the second side of the sector but not to the first side of the sector.

A signal distribution system includes: a first signal divider arranged to generate a first output oscillating signal according to a first input oscillating signal; a second signal divider arranged to generate a second output oscillating signal according to the first input oscillating signal; a first transmitting channel coupled to the first signal divider and the second divider for transmitting the first input oscillating signal to the first signal divider and the second signal divider; and a second transmitting channel coupled to the first signal divider and the second divider for transmitting a second input oscillating signal to the first signal divider and the second signal divider; wherein the first input oscillating signal has a first frequency, the second input oscillating signal has a second frequency, and the second frequency is smaller than the first frequency.

A wireless receiver is disclosed. The wireless receiver includes a phased array antenna panel having a plurality of antennas, and a low resolution analog-to-digital (A/D) converter coupled to each of the plurality of antennas, where the low resolution A/D converter is configured to provide a digital output based on comparing a reference value with a sum of noise value and signal value of an analog input received by the corresponding one of the plurality of antennas. Noise signals received by the plurality of antennas are uncorrelated, and a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the analog input can be less than one. The low resolution A/D converter can be a one-bit A/D converter. The one-bit A/D converter can be a comparator receiving the sum of noise value and signal value as one comparator input, and receiving the reference value as another comparator input.

The present invention relates to a directional antenna module comprising: at least one antenna array having at least two antenna elements connected to a 180-degree hybrid providing an inphase summation signal and an out-of-phase summation signal of the antenna signals received from the antenna elements and a switching element adapted to switch between the inphase summation signal and the out-of-phase summation signal output by said 180-degree hybrid in response to a direction finding mode control signal (DFM-CRTL) to provide an antenna output signal at an antenna module output of said directional antenna module. The present invention further relates to a method for direction finding of a signal source.

A method and apparatus for communicating RF signals is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is evidenced by a multi-band integrated antenna assembly comprising a blade antenna having a conductive ground plane, a planar antenna array for communicating a second signal, and a signal processor. The planar antenna array transmits and receives signals using a passive Rotman lens beam former that can be utilized in environmentally challenging applications.

An antenna system has a two-dimensional field of view, yet can be implemented on a surface, such as on electronic or photonic integrated circuits. The antenna system includes an array of antennas disposed in a predetermined non-linear pattern and a two-dimensional beamforming network (BFN). The antenna system can be steered/selectively beamformed in two dimensions through beam port selection. The beamforming network is disposed entirely on a single first surface. The beamforming network has a one-dimensional array-side interface disposed on the first surface and a one-dimensional beam-side interface disposed on the first surface. The antennas of the array of antennas are individually communicably coupled to the array-side interface. Segments of the beam-side interface map to respective pixels in the two-dimensional field of view.

An antenna system has a two-dimensional field of view, yet can be implemented on a surface, such as on electronic or photonic integrated circuits. The antenna system includes an array of antennas disposed in a predetermined non-linear pattern and a two-dimensional beamforming network (BFN). The antenna system can be steered/selectively beamformed in two dimensions through beam port selection. The beamforming network is disposed entirely on a single first surface. The beamforming network has a one-dimensional array-side interface disposed on the first surface and a one-dimensional beam-side interface disposed on the first surface. The antennas of the array of antennas are individually communicably coupled to the array-side interface. Segments of the beam-side interface map to respective pixels in the two-dimensional field of view.