Apparatus and method for driving a sectored antenna

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the arranging for the each of the M outputs of the each of the N FTM devices to be coupled to the one of N antenna elements in the each of M antenna arrays further comprises arranging for the M outputs of any one of the N FTM devices to be coupled to antenna elements where a first of the antenna elements is expected to be driven with a different average power level than a second of the antenna elements.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the arranging for the each of the M outputs of the each of the N FTM devices to be coupled to the one of N antenna elements in the each of M antenna arrays further comprises arranging for the M outputs of each of the N FTM devices to be coupled to antenna elements such that a total expected power for a first FTM device does not vary more than 2 dB from a second FTM device.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the arranging for the each of the M outputs of the each of the N FTM devices to be coupled to the one of N antenna elements in the each of M antenna arrays further comprises arranging for an m th output of an n th FTM to be coupled to an (n+m) th , modulo M, antenna element of an mth antenna array, for m from 0 to M−1 and n from 0 to N−1.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein the arranging for the each of the M outputs of the each of the N FTM devices to be coupled to the one of N antenna elements in the each of M antenna arrays further comprises arranging for each of 3 outputs of each of 4 FTM devices to be coupled to one of 4 antenna elements in each of 3 antenna arrays, with a remaining output of each of the 4 FTM devices coupled to a load.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the M outputs of any one of the N FTM devices is arranged to be coupled to antenna elements where a first of the antenna elements is expected to be driven with a different average power level than a second of the antenna elements.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the M outputs of each of the N FTM devices are arranged to be coupled to the antenna elements such that a total expected power for a first FTM device does not vary more than 2 dB from a second FTM device.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein an m th output of an n th FTM is arranged to be coupled to an (n+m) th , modulo M, antenna element of an mth antenna array, for m from 0 to M−1 and n from 0 to N−1.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of 3 outputs of each of 4 FTM devices are arranged to be coupled to one of 4 antenna elements in each of 3 antenna arrays, with a remaining output of each of the 4 FTM devices coupled to a load.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first output and the second output are arranged to be coupled, respectively, to a first element of the first antenna array and a second element of the second antenna array, the first element and the second element disposed, respectively, at different positions within the first antenna array and the second antenna array.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first element and the second element, by virtue of the different positions within the first antenna array and the second antenna array will be driven at different expected power levels and with different signals having near zero correlation.

Claim 17

A transmitter for driving a multi beam antenna configuration, the transmitter comprising: a plurality of input Fourier Transform Matrix (FTM) devices, each with a plurality of first inputs and a plurality of first outputs; a plurality of radio frequency amplifiers, each with an input and an output with the input of one of the plurality of radio frequency amplifiers coupled to each of the plurality of first outputs of the plurality of input FTM devices; and a plurality of output FTM devices, each output FTM device having a plurality of second inputs and a plurality of second outputs, each of the plurality of second inputs coupled to the output of a radio frequency amplifier, the plurality of second outputs of each of the plurality of output FTM devices including a first output and a second output arranged to be coupled, respectively to a first antenna array and a second antenna array, the first antenna array and the second antenna array included in a plurality of antenna arrays collectively comprising the multi beam antenna configuration with the first antenna array and the second antenna array corresponding to a first beam and a second beam; wherein a signal at each of the plurality of second outputs is not correlated with a signal at any other of the plurality of second outputs for any one of the output FTM devices, thus facilitating level loading of the plurality of radio frequency amplifiers.

Claim 18

A transmitter for driving a multi beam antenna configuration, the transmitter comprising: a plurality of input Fourier Transform Matrix (FTM) devices, each with a plurality of first inputs and a plurality of first outputs; a plurality of radio frequency amplifiers, each with an input and an output with the input of one of the plurality of radio frequency amplifiers coupled to each of the plurality of first outputs of the plurality of input FTM devices; and a plurality of output FTM devices, each output FTM device having a plurality of second inputs and a plurality of second outputs, each of the plurality of second inputs coupled to the output of a radio frequency amplifier, the plurality of second outputs of each of the plurality of output FTM devices including a first output and a second output arranged to be coupled, respectively to a first antenna array and a second antenna array, the first antenna array and the second antenna array included in a plurality of antenna arrays collectively comprising the multi beam antenna configuration with the first antenna array and the second antenna array corresponding to a first beam and a second beam; wherein a signal at each of the plurality of second outputs is not correlated with a signal at any other of the plurality of second outputs for any one of the output FTM devices, thus facilitating level loading of the plurality of radio frequency amplifiers.

Claim 19

The transmitter of claim 14 wherein the first output and the second output are arranged to be coupled, respectively, to a first element of the first antenna array and a second element of the second antenna array, the first element and the second element disposed, respectively, at different positions within the first antenna array and the second antenna array.

Claim 20

The transmitter of claim 15 wherein the first element and the second element, by virtue of the different positions within the first antenna array and the second antenna array will be driven at different expected power levels and with different signals having near zero correlation.

Claim 21

The transmitter of claim 14 wherein the plurality of second outputs of each of the output FTM devices corresponds to the plurality of antenna arrays.

Claim 22

The transmitter of claim 17 wherein the plurality of second outputs of any one of the plurality of output FTM devices is arranged to be coupled to antenna elements where a first of the antenna elements is expected to be driven with a different average power level than a second of the antenna elements.

Claim 23

The transmitter of claim 17 wherein each of the plurality of antenna arrays includes a plurality of antenna elements that corresponds to the plurality of output FTM devices.

Claim 24

The transmitter of claim 19 wherein the plurality of second outputs of each of the plurality of output FTM devices are arranged to be coupled to the antenna elements such that a total expected power output for a first output FTM device does not vary more than 2 dB from a second output FTM device.

Claim 25

The transmitter of claim 19 wherein an m th second output of an n th output FTM device is arranged to be coupled to an (n+m) th , modulo M, antenna element of an mth antenna array, for m from 0 to M−1 and n from 0 to N−1.

Claim 26

The transmitter of claim 14 wherein each of 3 second outputs of each of 4 output FTM devices are arranged to be coupled to one of 4 antenna elements in each of 3 antenna arrays, with a remaining output of each of the 4 FTM devices coupled to a load.