Patent ID: 9072002
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, into a measurement antenna positioned at a tower-top of a cellular base station, an output signal wirelessly transmitted from a base station antenna at the tower-top, wherein the output signal represents an input signal received for transmission by the base station antenna, wherein the input signal has an input signal power, wherein the base station antenna is configured to transmit with a radiation pattern (a) that has an expected gain at the measurement position and (b) that defines a main lobe region including (i) a main beam region and (ii) a lateral region, and wherein the measurement antenna is located at a measurement position within the lateral region; measuring the received output signal to determine an output signal power; determining an actual gain of the base station antenna by comparing the determined output signal power to the input signal power; determining a difference between the determined actual gain and the expected gain at the measurement position; and generating, in response to the determined difference being greater than a predetermined threshold tolerance, an indication that the base station antenna gain is below a tolerable level.