Wideband digitization systems and methods for cellular radiotelephones

Claim 2

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area; a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area and a second receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area and wherein said first and second pluralities of receive channels include the one common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first and second channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first and second wideband receivers for separating said first and second pluralities of receive cellular communications channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first and second channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first and second channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein each of said receive cellular communications channel operates on a predetermined cellular frequency and said first and second pluralities of receive cellular communications channels each comprise receive channels operating on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies.

Claim 3

A base station according to claim 1 wherein said first receive antenna receives signals having a first polarization and said second receive antenna receives signals having a second polarization different from said first polarization, and wherein said diversity combiner comprises a polarization diversity combiner.

Claim 4

A base station according to claim 2 wherein said first polarization comprises right-hand-circular polarization and said second polarization comprises left-hand-circular polarization.

Claim 5

A base station according to claim 2 wherein said first and second receive antennas are adjacent receive antennas.

Claim 6

A base station according to claim 1 further comprising: a third receive antenna defining a third receive coverage area overlapping portions of said first and second receive coverage areas; a third wideband receiver operatively connected to said third receive antenna, wherein said third wideband receiver receives a third plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said third receive coverage area and wherein said third plurality of receive cellular communications channels includes the common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; a third channel splitter operatively connected to said third wideband receiver for separating said third plurality of receive channels; and wherein said diversity combiner is operatively connected to said first, second, and third channel splitters for combining said common receiver cellular communications channel from said first, second, and third channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station.

Claim 7

A base station according to claim 1 wherein said first wideband receiver receives said first plurality of receive cellular communications channels operating on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 1 l to ƒ n , and wherein said second wideband receiver receives said second plurality of receive cellular communications channels operating on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 2 to ƒ n+1 .

Claim 8

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area: a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area and a second receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area and wherein said first and second pluralities of receive channels include the one common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first and second channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first and second wideband receivers for separating said first and second pluralities of receive cellular communications channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first and second channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first and second channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein said first receive antenna receives signals having a first polarization and said second receive antenna receives signals having a second polarization different from said first polarization, and wherein said diversity combiner comprises a polarization diversity combiner; and wherein said first antenna defines a first transmit coverage area and transmits signals having said second polarization, and wherein said second antenna defines a second transmit coverage area and transmits signals having said first polarization.

Claim 9

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area: a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area and a second receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area and wherein said first and second pluralities of receive channels include the one common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first and second channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first and second wideband receivers for separating said first and second pluralities of receive cellular communications channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first and second channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first and second channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein said first receive antenna receives signals having a first polarization and said second receive antenna receives signals having a second polarization different from said first polarization, and wherein said diversity combiner comprises a polarization diversity combiner; and wherein said first antenna defines a first transmit coverage area and transmits signals having said second polarization, and wherein said second antenna defines a second transmit coverage area and transmits signals having said first polarization.

Claim 10

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area; a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area, a second receive antenna adjacent said first receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area, and a third receive antenna adjacent said second receive antenna defines a third receive coverage area overlapping portions of said first and second receive coverage areas; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area; a third wideband receiver operatively connected to said third receive antenna, wherein said third wideband receiver receives a third plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said third receive coverage area and wherein said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels include the common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first, second, and third channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first, second, and third wideband receivers for separating said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first, second, and third channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first, second, and third channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein said first and third receive antennas receive signals having a first polarization and said second receive antenna receives signals having a second polarization different from said first polarization, and wherein said diversity combiner comprises a polarization diversity combiner; wherein said first and third antennas define respective first and third transmit coverage areas and transmit signals having said second polarization, and wherein said second antenna defines a second transmit coverage area and transmits signals having said first polarization.

Claim 11

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area; a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area, a second receive antenna adjacent said first receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area, and a third receive antenna adjacent said second receive antenna defines a third receive coverage area overlapping portions of said first and second receive coverage areas; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area; a third wideband receiver operatively connected to said third receive antenna, wherein said third wideband receiver receives a third plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said third receive coverage area and wherein said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels include the common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first, second, and third channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first, second, and third wideband receivers for separating said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first, second, and third channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first, second, and third channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein said first and third receive antennas receive signals having a first polarization and said second receive antenna receives signals having a second polarization different from said first polarization, and wherein said diversity combiner comprises a polarization diversity combiner; wherein said first and third antennas define respective first and third transmit coverage areas and transmit signals having said second polarization, and wherein said second antenna defines a second transmit coverage area and transmits signals having said first polarization.

Claim 12

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area; a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area, a second receive antenna adjacent said first receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area, and a third receive antenna adjacent said second receive antenna defines a third receive coverage area overlapping portions of said first and second receive coverage areas; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area; a third wideband receiver operatively connected to said third receive antenna, wherein said third wideband receiver receives a third plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said third receive coverage area and wherein said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels include the common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first, second, and third channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first, second, and third wideband receivers for separating said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first, second, and third channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first, second, and third channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein each of said receive channels operates on a predetermined frequency and said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels each comprise receive channels operating on consecutive frequencies.

Claim 13

A cellular base station for communicating with a mobile station in a cellular communications system over one of a plurality of cellular communications channels, said base station comprising: a plurality of receive antennas for receiving signals from the mobile station over the cellular communications channel wherein each receive antenna is oriented to define a respective receive coverage area; a support structure for supporting said plurality of receive antennas so that a first receive antenna defines a first receive coverage area, a second receive antenna adjacent said first receive antenna defines a second receive coverage area overlapping a portion of said first receive coverage area, and a third receive antenna adjacent said second receive antenna defines a third receive coverage area overlapping portions of said first and second receive coverage areas; a first wideband receiver operatively connected to said first receive antenna, wherein said first wideband receiver receives a first plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said first receive coverage area; a second wideband receiver operatively connected to said second receive antenna, wherein said second wideband receiver receives a second plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said second receive coverage area; a third wideband receiver operatively connected to said third receive antenna, wherein said third wideband receiver receives a third plurality of receive cellular communications channels from said third receive coverage area and wherein said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels include the common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; first, second, and third channel splitters operatively connected to said respective first, second, and third wideband receivers for separating said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels; and a diversity combiner operatively connected to said first, second, and third channel splitters for combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first, second, and third channel splitters to produce an enhanced quality output receive channel from the mobile station; wherein each of said receive channels operates on a predetermined frequency and said first, second, and third pluralities of receive channels each comprise receive channels operating on consecutive frequencies.

Claim 14

A base station according to claim 9 wherein first and third receive antennas receive signals having a first polarization and said second receive antenna receives signals having a second polarization different from said first polarization, and wherein said diversity combiner comprises a polarization diversity combiner.

Claim 15

A base station according to claim 10 wherein said first polarization comprises right-hand-circular polarization and said second polarization comprises left-hand-circular polarization.

Claim 16

A base station according to claim 9 wherein said first wideband receiver receives said first plurality of receive cellular communications channels operating on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 1 to ƒ n , wherein said second wideband receiver receives said second plurality of receive cellular communications channels operating on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 2 to ƒ n+1 , and wherein said third wideband receiver receives said third plurality of receive cellular communications channels operating on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 3 to ƒ n+2 .

Claim 21

A method according to claim 14 wherein said step of receiving said first plurality of receive channels comprises receiving said first plurality of receive channels having a first polarization, and wherein said step of receiving said second plurality of receive channels comprises receiving said second plurality of receive channels having a second polarization different from said first polarization.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 15 wherein said first polarization comprises right-hand-circular polarization and said second polarization comprises left-hand-circular polarization.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 14 further comprising the steps of: receiving a third plurality of receive cellular communications channels from a third receive coverage area which overlaps portions of said first and second receive coverage areas, and wherein said third plurality of receive cellular communications includes said common receive cellular communications channel from the mobile station; separating said third plurality of receive cellular communications channels; and wherein said combining step further comprises combining said common receive cellular communications channel from said first, second, and third channel splitters.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 14 wherein said first plurality of receive cellular communications channels operate on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 1 to ƒ n , and wherein said second plurality of cellular communications channels operate on consecutive predetermined cellular frequencies ranging from ƒ 2 to ƒf n+1 .