Master reference for base station network interface sourced from distributed antenna system
First Claim
1. A distributed antenna system comprising:
- a first digital base station network interface unit configured to receive first downlink digital signals from a first external device external to the distributed antenna system across a cabled communication medium and to convert the first downlink digital signals into a first downlink data stream;
a second digital base station network interface unit configured to receive second downlink digital signals from a second external device external to the distributed antenna system and to convert the second downlink digital signals into a second downlink data stream;
a first remote antenna unit communicatively coupled to the first digital base station network interface unit and configured to receive at least one of the first downlink data stream from the first digital base station network interface unit and a first downlink signal derived from the first downlink data stream;
the first remote antenna unit having a first radio frequency converter configured to convert at least one of the first downlink data stream and the first downlink signal derived from the first downlink data stream into a first radio frequency band signal and a first radio frequency antenna configured to transmit the first radio frequency band signal to a first subscriber unit;
wherein a master reference clock is distributed between the first digital base station network interface unit, the second digital base station network interface unit, and the first remote antenna unit to keep the first digital base station network interface unit, the second digital base station network interface unit, and the first remote antenna unit locked to a single clock;
wherein the distributed antenna system is configured to transmit the master reference clock to the first external device through the first digital base station network interface unit and across the cabled communication medium by being configured to transmit first uplink digital signals to the first external device through the first digital base station network interface unit, wherein the first uplink digital signals are clocked using the master reference clock such that the master reference clock is embedded in the first uplink digital signals; and
wherein the first external device is configured to lock its clock to the master reference clock embedded in the first uplink digital signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed antenna system (DAS) includes: first base station network interface unit that receives first downlink signals from first external device and converts them into first downlink data stream; second base station network interface unit that receives second downlink signals from second external device and them into second downlink data stream; first remote antenna unit communicatively coupled to first base station network interface unit that receives at least one of first downlink data stream and first downlink signal derived from first downlink data stream. First remote antenna unit has first radio frequency converter configured to convert at least one of first downlink data stream and first downlink signal derived from first downlink data stream into first radio frequency band signal and first radio frequency antenna that transmits first radio frequency band signal to first subscriber unit. DAS is configured to transmit a master reference clock to the first external device.
147 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A distributed antenna system comprising:
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a first digital base station network interface unit configured to receive first downlink digital signals from a first external device external to the distributed antenna system across a cabled communication medium and to convert the first downlink digital signals into a first downlink data stream; a second digital base station network interface unit configured to receive second downlink digital signals from a second external device external to the distributed antenna system and to convert the second downlink digital signals into a second downlink data stream; a first remote antenna unit communicatively coupled to the first digital base station network interface unit and configured to receive at least one of the first downlink data stream from the first digital base station network interface unit and a first downlink signal derived from the first downlink data stream; the first remote antenna unit having a first radio frequency converter configured to convert at least one of the first downlink data stream and the first downlink signal derived from the first downlink data stream into a first radio frequency band signal and a first radio frequency antenna configured to transmit the first radio frequency band signal to a first subscriber unit; wherein a master reference clock is distributed between the first digital base station network interface unit, the second digital base station network interface unit, and the first remote antenna unit to keep the first digital base station network interface unit, the second digital base station network interface unit, and the first remote antenna unit locked to a single clock; wherein the distributed antenna system is configured to transmit the master reference clock to the first external device through the first digital base station network interface unit and across the cabled communication medium by being configured to transmit first uplink digital signals to the first external device through the first digital base station network interface unit, wherein the first uplink digital signals are clocked using the master reference clock such that the master reference clock is embedded in the first uplink digital signals; and wherein the first external device is configured to lock its clock to the master reference clock embedded in the first uplink digital signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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receiving a first downlink digital signal from a first external device external to a distributed antenna system across a cabled communication medium and via a first digital base station network interface unit of the distributed antenna system; converting the first downlink digital signal into a first downlink data stream at the first digital base station network interface unit; receiving a second downlink digital signal from a second external device external to the distributed antenna system via a second digital base station network interface unit of the distributed antenna system; converting the second downlink digital signal into a second downlink data stream at the second digital base station network interface unit; communicating the first downlink data stream from the first digital base station network interface unit to at least one of a first remote antenna unit and an intermediary device of the distributed antenna system; converting at least one of the first downlink data stream and a first downlink signal derived from the first downlink data stream at the intermediary device into a first radio frequency band signal at the first remote antenna unit; transmitting the first radio frequency band signal to a first subscriber unit at the first remote antenna unit; distributing a master reference block between the first digital base station network interface unit, the second digital base station network interface unit, and the first remote antenna unit to keep the first digital base station network interface unit, the second digital base station network interface unit, and the first remote antenna unit locked to a single clock; transmitting a master reference clock to the first external device through the first digital base station network interface unit and across the cabled communication medium at least in part by transmitting uplink digital signals to the first external device through the first digital base station network interface unit, wherein the uplink digital signals are clocked using the master reference clock such that the master reference clock is embedded in the uplink digital signals; and locking a reference clock of the first external device of the devices external to the distributed antenna system to the master reference clock embedded in the uplink digital signals. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A base station comprising:
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a digital base station network interface configured to be communicatively coupled to a corresponding digital base station network interface of a distributed antenna system across a cabled communication medium, the digital base station network interface configured to communicate digital signals with the distributed antenna system across the cabled communication medium; a clocking unit configured to receive a master clock signal from the distributed antenna system through the digital base station network interface and across the cabled communication medium at least in part by being configured to lock to the master clock embedded in an uplink digital signal received from the distributed antenna system through the digital base station network interface, wherein the master clock signal is distributed between various components of the distributed antenna system to keep the various components of the distributed antenna system locked to a single clock; and wherein the base station is further configured to synchronize itself with the distributed antenna system using the master clock signal from the distributed antenna system. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification