Patent ID: 8423028

Claim:
An active antenna array for a mobile communication network comprising: a plurality of antenna elements for relaying at least first protocol radio signals wherein at least a subset of the plurality of antenna elements are further adapted to relay second protocol radio signals at least one first port connected to at least one individual first protocol relay path; the first port relaying a general first protocol receive signal to a first protocol link; a first DC voltage supply providing a first DC voltage to at least a portion of the first protocol link; at least one DC voltage extractor located in the at least one individual first protocol relay path, the DC voltage extractor being adapted to extract at least one individual DC voltage to supply at least one signal processing element located in the at least one individual first relay path; at least one first splitter located in the at least one individual first protocol relay path, the at least one first splitter being adapted to forward at least one of the at least one individual first protocol receive signals and the at least one individual second protocol receive signal in a receive direction from the plurality of antenna elements to an at least one amplifier; the at least one first splitter further being adapted to forward at least one individual first protocol transmit signal in a transmit direction; and at least one second coupler adding at least one individual second protocol transmit signal to the at least one individual first protocol transmit signal.