US 11,888,215 B2
Antenna system and method of operating an antenna system
Paul Mattheijssen, Boxtel (NL); Konstantinos Doris, Amsterdam (NL); Dominicus Martinus Wilhelmus Leenaerts, Riethoven (NL); and Mark Tomesen, Wychen (NL)
Assigned to NXP B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed by NXP B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed on May 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/314,477.
Claims priority of application No. 20174717 (EP), filed on May 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0359396 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01Q 1/24 (2006.01); H01Q 3/36 (2006.01); G01S 7/41 (2006.01); G01S 13/86 (2006.01); G01S 13/89 (2006.01); H01Q 3/24 (2006.01); H04W 36/32 (2009.01)
CPC H01Q 1/246 (2013.01) [G01S 7/411 (2013.01); G01S 13/867 (2013.01); G01S 13/89 (2013.01); H01Q 1/247 (2013.01); H01Q 3/24 (2013.01); H01Q 3/36 (2013.01); H04W 36/32 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a mobile network comprising a base station including an antenna system, the antenna system comprising an antenna array for beamforming, the antenna array configurable as any of an imaging radar sensor, an RF communications antenna or a combined imaging radar sensor and RF communications antenna, the method comprising:
in a radar mode, configuring a part of the antenna system as an imaging radar sensor;
in a radar mode, transmitting a radar signal and receiving the reflected radar signal via the imaging radar sensor;
determining a radar image of the surroundings of the mobile communications base station from the reflected radar signal;
determining at least one of a location of objects and a classification of objects from the radar image;
in a communications mode, configuring the part of the antenna system as an RF communications antenna; and
in the communications mode, wirelessly transmitting and/or receiving at least one communications signal via the RF communications antenna.