Radio with spatially-offset directional antenna sub-arrays
An intelligent backhaul radio that has an advanced antenna system for use in PTP or PMP topologies. The advanced antenna system includes a plurality of directional antenna arrays, wherein each directional antenna array includes a plurality of directional antenna sub-arrays, and wherein each directional antenna sub-array includes a plurality of directional antenna elements. At least one of the plurality of directional antenna arrays includes at least one first directional antenna sub-array, said first directional antenna sub-array including a first number of directional antenna elements. At least one of the plurality of directional antenna arrays includes at least one second directional antenna sub-array, said second directional antenna sub-array including a second number of directional antenna elements. The first number is different than the second number.
1. A radio comprising:
a plurality of directional antenna arrays, wherein each directional antenna array comprises a plurality of directional antenna sub-arrays, and wherein each directional antenna sub-array comprises a plurality of directional antenna elements;
wherein at least one of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises at least one first directional antenna sub-array, said first directional antenna sub-array comprising a first number of directional antenna elements, and at least one second directional antenna sub-array, said second directional antenna sub-array comprising a second number of directional antenna elements, and wherein the first number is different than the second number, and
wherein each of the directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays is oriented with respect to an azimuthal antenna pattern at a same azimuthal direction relative to at least one other of the directional antenna sub-arrays within its respective one of the plurality of directional antenna arrays and is oriented with respect to an azimuthal antenna pattern at a different azimuthal direction relative to at least one directional antenna sub-array within at least one other of the plurality of directional antenna arrays.
2. The radio of claim 1 , wherein the first number is four and the second number is five.
3. The radio of claim 1 , wherein at least one directional antenna sub-array is spatially offset relative to at least one other directional antenna sub-array.
4. The radio of claim 1 , wherein a total number of directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within the plurality of directional antenna arrays exceeds either or both of a number of receive symbol streams or a number of transmit symbol streams.
5. The radio of claim 1 , wherein a total number of directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within the plurality of directional antenna arrays exceeds either or both of a number of receive chain output signals or a number of transmit chain input signals.
6. The radio of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of directional antenna arrays are arranged on a plurality of facets with one or more directional antenna arrays per facet, and wherein each facet is horizontally offset relative to at least one other facet.
7. The radio of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of directional antenna arrays are arranged on a plurality of facets with one or more directional antenna arrays per facet, and wherein each facet is vertically offset relative to at least one other facet.
8. The radio of claim 1 , wherein an antenna pattern beamwidth of at least one of the directional antenna sub-arrays is narrower in elevation than in azimuth.
9. The radio of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises two directional antenna sub-arrays.
10. The radio of claim 9 , wherein a first one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays has a first polarization, and wherein a second one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays has a second polarization that is substantially orthogonal to the first polarization.
11. The radio of claim 10 , wherein said first one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises a plurality of patch antenna elements with each patch antenna element excited in the first polarization, and wherein said second one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises the same said plurality of patch antenna elements with each patch antenna element excited in the second polarization.
12. The radio of claim 11 , wherein each of said plurality of patch antenna elements comprises a first orthogonal probe feed for excitation in the first polarization for said first one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays, a second orthogonal probe feed for excitation in the second polarization for said second one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays, and a shorting pin at the center of each said patch antenna element.
13. The radio of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of directional antenna elements comprises one of a patch antenna element, a slot antenna element, or a printed dipole antenna element.
14. The radio of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of directional antenna sub-arrays is comprised of one or more columns of a plurality of patch, slot or dipole directional antenna elements.
15. The radio of claim 14 , wherein a number of columns for the one or more columns is less than a number of directional antenna elements within each of the one or more columns.
16. The radio of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of directional antenna arrays are arranged as a first subset of one or more directional antenna arrays that are coupled to or couplable to at least one of a plurality of transmit RF chains but not to any of a plurality of receive RF chains and a second subset of one or more directional antenna arrays that are coupled to or couplable to at least one of the plurality of receive RF chains but not to any of the plurality of transmit RF chains.
17. The radio of claim 16 , wherein a number of directional antenna arrays within either of the first subset or the second subset is one.
18. The radio of claim 17 , wherein a number of directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within at least one directional antenna array within either of the first subset or the second subset is two.
19. The radio of claim 18 , wherein at least one transmit antenna pattern corresponding to selected ones of the directional antenna sub-arrays within the first subset is set independently of at least one receive antenna pattern corresponding to selected ones of the directional antenna sub-arrays within the second subset.
20. A radio comprising:
a plurality of directional antenna arrays, wherein each directional antenna array comprises a plurality of directional antenna sub-arrays, and wherein each directional antenna sub-array comprises a plurality of directional antenna elements;
wherein at least one of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises at least one first directional antenna sub-array, said first directional antenna sub-array comprising a first number of directional antenna elements, and at least one second directional antenna sub-array, said second directional antenna sub-array comprising a second number of directional antenna elements, and wherein the first number is different than the second number,
wherein each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises two directional antenna sub-arrays,
wherein a first one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays has a first polarization, and wherein a second one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays has a second polarization that is substantially orthogonal to the first polarization, and
wherein said first one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises a plurality of patch antenna elements with each patch antenna element excited in the first polarization, and wherein said second one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays comprises the same said plurality of patch antenna elements with each patch antenna element excited in the second polarization.
21. The radio of claim 20 , wherein the first number is four and the second number is five.
22. The radio of claim 20 , wherein at least one directional antenna sub-array is spatially offset relative to at least one other directional antenna sub-array.
23. The radio of claim 20 , wherein a total number of directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within the plurality of directional antenna arrays exceeds either or both of a number of receive symbol streams or a number of transmit symbol streams.
24. The radio of claim 20 , wherein a total number of directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within the plurality of directional antenna arrays exceeds either or both of a number of receive chain output signals or a number of transmit chain input signals.
25. The radio of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of directional antenna arrays are arranged on a plurality of facets with one or more directional antenna arrays per facet, and wherein each facet is horizontally offset relative to at least one other facet.
26. The radio of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of directional antenna arrays are arranged on a plurality of facets with one or more directional antenna arrays per facet, and wherein each facet is vertically offset relative to at least one other facet.
27. The radio of claim 20 , wherein an antenna pattern beamwidth of at least one of the directional antenna sub-arrays is narrower in elevation than in azimuth.
28. The radio of claim 20 , wherein each of said plurality of patch antenna elements further comprises a first orthogonal probe feed for excitation in the first polarization for said first one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays, a second orthogonal probe feed for excitation in the second polarization for said second one of the two directional antenna sub-arrays in each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays, and a shorting pin at the center of each said patch antenna element.
29. The radio of claim 20 , wherein each of the directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within each of the plurality of directional antenna arrays is oriented with respect to an azimuthal antenna pattern at a same azimuthal direction relative to at least one other of the directional antenna sub-arrays within its respective one of the plurality of directional antenna arrays and is oriented with respect to an azimuthal antenna pattern at a different azimuthal direction relative to at least one directional antenna sub-array within at least one other of the plurality of directional antenna arrays.
30. The radio of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of directional antenna arrays are arranged as a first subset of one or more directional antenna arrays that are coupled to or couplable to at least one of a plurality of transmit RF chains but not to any of a plurality of receive RF chains and a second subset of one or more directional antenna arrays that are coupled to or couplable to at least one of the plurality of receive RF chains but not to any of the plurality of transmit RF chains.
31. The radio of claim 30 , wherein a number of directional antenna arrays within either of the first subset or the second subset is one.
32. The radio of claim 31 , wherein a number of directional antenna sub-arrays comprised within at least one directional antenna array within either of the first subset or the second subset is two.
33. The radio of claim 32 , wherein at least one transmit antenna pattern corresponding to selected ones of the directional antenna sub-arrays within the first subset is set independently of at least one receive antenna pattern corresponding to selected ones of the directional antenna sub-arrays within the second subset.