Antenna apparatus and direction method

Claim 2

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said switch means (220) is manually operable.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said antenna means (102,102') comprises two monopole antennas, and said system further includes phase shift means (230) operable with said switch means (220) for establishing a desired signal phase relationship between the two monopole antennas to adapt said antenna means (102,102') so as to generate a desired one of said antenna patterns.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said antenna means (102,102') comprises more than two monopole antennas, and phase shift means (230) are provided operable with said switch means (220) for establishing a desired signal phase relationship between said monopole antennas.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said antenna means (102,102') comprises two monopole elements, and the apparatus further includes comparator means (250) connected to said antenna means (102,102') and operable by way of said switch means (220) for determining an optimum one of said antenna patterns which provides a maximum signal amplitude of said first signal received from said remote station, phase shift means (230) connected to said antenna means (102,102') for establishing a desired signal phase relationship between each of said monopole elements; and wherein said switch means is responsive to said comparator means (250) and operable with said phase shift means (230) for selecting the antenna pattern (250) which provides maximum signal strength of said first signal received from said remote station.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said switch means (220) can periodically select each of said antenna patterns in a cyclical fashion to determine which one of said antenna patterns provides said maximum signal strength of said first signal received from said remote station.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein said second signal is transmitted via the one of said antenna patterns used to receive the most recent said first signal.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein said plurality of antenna patterns comprises two antenna patterns wherein each of said antenna patterns is bidirectional and consists substantially of two opposingly situated lobes, each of said antenna patterns is oriented approximately 90 degrees to each other, a first one of said antenna patterns is generated by establishing a first phase relationship of 0 degrees, and a second one of said antenna patterns is generated by establishing a second said phase relationship of 180 degrees.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein said plurality of antenna patterns comprises antenna N patterns in which each of said antenna patterns consists substantially of a unidirectional lobe oriented approximately 360/N degrees to an adjacent lobe, and each of said antenna patterns is generated by establishing an appropriate phase relationship between the antennas.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said remote station periodically transmits a locator message pair comprising a first instance of a locating message followed by a second instance of said locating message, and further comprising memory means (255) for storing a signal strength value detection means (420) interconnected between said antenna means (102,102') and said switch means (220) for detecting said first instance of said locating message, storing a value representing the signal strength of said first instance in said memory means (255), causing said switch means (220) to select an alternate one of said antenna patterns in response to detection of said first locating message, and for detecting said second instance of said locating message, and wherein said comparator means (250) is arranged to compare said value stored in said memory means (255) with the signal strength of said second instance, and to operate said switch means (220) to select one of the antenna patterns which provides greater signal strength of said locating message.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said remote station comprises a base station located in a first cell of a cellular communications network, and wherein a handoff protocol is used to transmit a handoff message to a succeeding base station in a second cell of said network when said second signal from said transceiver is stronger in said second cell than in said first cell, said apparatus further including memory means (255) for storing a signal strength value, detection means (420) interconnected between said antenna means (102, 102') and said switch means (220) for detecting said handoff message, storing a value representing the signal strength of said first signal in said memory, and causing said switch means (220) to select an alternative one of said antenna patterns in response to said detected message, and wherein said comparator means (250) is arranged to compare said value stored in said memory means (255) with the signal strength of said first signal received by said alternative one of said antenna patterns and to operate said switch means (220) to select one of the antenna patterns which provides greater signal strength of said first signal.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1-11, wherein said antenna means comprises two monopole antennas (102,102') having a first configuration in which a first phase relationship exists between said monopole elements and said apparatus further comprising phase shift means (230) for establishing a second configuration in which a second phase relationship exists between said monopole elements, comparator means (250) for determining a relative signal strength of two signals and two RF receiver means (510,510') each of which is connected between a different one of each of said antennas (102,102') and said comparator means (250), wherein said comparator means (250)operable with said switch means (220) to connect said transceiver (210) to the configuration which provides the stronger relative signal strength.

Claim 14

A method as claimed in Claim 13 and including the step of periodically selecting each of said antenna patterns in a cyclical fashion to determine which said antenna pattern provides said maximum signal strength of said first signal received from said remote station.

Claim 15

A method as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, wherein said remote station periodically transmits a locator message pair comprising a first instance of a locating message followed by a second instance of said locating message and including the step of periodically transmitting, from said remote station, a locator message pair consisting of a first instance of a locating message followed by a second instance of said locating message, and, at a transceiver site, detecting said first instance of said locating message, storing a value representing the signal strength of said first instance in memory selecting an alternative antenna pattern in response to detection of said first locating message, detecting said second instance of said locating message, comparing said value stored in said memory with the signal strength of said second instance, and selecting one of the antenna patterns which provides greater signal strength of said locating message.

Claim 16

A method as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, wherein said remote station comprises a base station located in a first cell of a cellular communications system, and wherein a handoff protocol is used to transmit a handoff message to a succeeding base station in a second cell when said second signal from said transceiver is stronger in said second cell than in said first cell, and further including the steps of detecting said handoff message, storing a value representing the signal strength of said first signal in memory, selecting an alternative one of said antenna patterns in response to said detecting, comparing said value stored in said memory with the signal strength of said first signal received by said alternative one of said antenna patterns and selecting one of the antenna patterns which provides greater signal strength of said first signal.