Patent ID: 7130663

Claim:
Transmitting apparatus which transmits a transmission signal to a receiving apparatus, comprising: an antenna array; a transmitter array connected to the antenna array; a beam former connected to the transmitter array, the beam former being operable to receive a transmission signal and to modify the transmission signal such that the antenna array produces a plurality of transmission beams in accordance with a transmission beam pattern, at least one of the transmission beams carrying the transmission signal, each transmission beam being distinguishable from each other and, when said receiving apparatus receives a plurality of transmission beams, each received transmission beam being distinguishable from another transmission beam received by said receiving apparatus; a receiver operable to receive from the receiving apparatus a feedback signal based on measures of a quality of the transmission beams received at the receiving apparatus; and a processor operable to control the beam former such that the transmission beam pattern is adjusted in dependence on the feedback signal; wherein the plurality of transmission beams comprises a main beam carrying the transmission signal and at least one auxiliary beam having an angular direction offset from that of the main beam; and wherein the processor is operable to adjust the angular direction of the beam pattern by a predetermined adjustment amount in the direction of an auxiliary beam when the feedback signal indicates that that auxiliary beam has best quality.