Hybrid data transport for a virtualized distributed antenna system

• US 10,063,319 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dali Wireless Inc. (Dali Systems Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Dali Systems Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Stapleton, Shawn Patrick, Trajkovic, Sasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US15/383,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20170104538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 398115, 398116, 398117, 398 66, 398 67, 398 68, 398 69, 398 70, 398 71, 398 72, 398 76, 398 79, 398 98, 398 99, 398100, 398 45, 398 46, 398 48, 398 49, 370328, 370329, 370338, 370352, 370312, 370389, 370392, 370468, 455445, 455422, 455424, 455450, 4555621, 455509
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25754 Star network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/27 Arrangements for networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A system for data transport in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) includes a plurality of remote Digital Access Units (DAUs) located at a Remote location. The plurality of remote DAUs are coupled to each other and operable to transport digital signals between the plurality of remote DAUs. The system also includes a plurality of central hubs. Each of the plurality of central hubs is in communication with one of the remote DAUs using an electrical communications path. The system further includes a plurality of transmit/receive cells. Each of the plurality of transmit/receive cells includes a plurality of remote hubs. Each of the remote hubs in one of the plurality of transmit/receive cells is in communication with one of the plurality of central hubs using an optical communications path.

Claims

1. A system for the transport of RF signals, the system comprising:

one or more Digital Access Units (DAUs) located at a first location, wherein each DAU at the first location comprises at least one radio frequency (RF) connection port and at least one optical connection port;

one or more DAUs located at a second location, wherein each DAU at the second location comprises at least one RF connection port and at least one optical connection port;

a first mux/demux located at the first location and coupled to the DAUs at the first location;

a second mux/demux located at the second location and coupled to the DAUs at the second location;

wherein the DAUs at the first location are configurable to receive a set of RF input signals from at least one base transceiver station (BTS) via one or more RF connection ports;

wherein the DAUs at the first location are further configurable to send a set of digitized signals that are representative of the set of RF input signals to the DAUs at the second location via one or more optical connection ports; and

wherein the DAUs at the second location are configurable to receive optical signals from the second mux/demux and send a set of RF output signals based on the received optical signals from the second mux/demux that are representative of the set of RF input signals to a plurality of remote units via one or more RF connection ports.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configurable to allow capacity shifting.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein any RF input signal can be sent to any remote unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location and second location are more than ten kilometers apart.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mux/demux and the second mux/demux comprise at least one of CWDM or DWDM systems.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the DAUs at the second location are configurable to send a set of RF output signals that are representative of the set of RF input signals to a plurality of remote units via a central hub.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central hub comprises:

a transmit path including an RF input and a plurality of optical outputs; and

a receive path including a plurality of optical inputs and an RF output.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a first server coupled to the central hub.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein DAUs at the first location are coupled to each other and operable to route signals between each other.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein DAUs at the second location are coupled to each other and operable to route signals between each other.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of RF input signals is identical to the set of RF output signals.

12. A method of transporting signals, the method comprising:

at a first set of digital access units (DAUs) at a first location, receiving a set of RF input signals from at least one base transceiver station (BTS);

at the first set of DAUs, providing a set of digitized signals that are representative of the set of RF input signals;

sending the set of digitized signals from the first set of DAUs to a second set of DAUs at a second location, wherein the second set of DAUs are configured to receive digitized signals from a mux/demux;

sending a set of RF output signals based on the received digitized signals from the mux/demux that are representative of the set of RF input signals from the second set of DAUs to a plurality of remote units.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

at the first set of DAUs, receiving a second set of RF input signals from at least one BTS;

at the first set of DAUs, providing a second set of digitized signals that are representative of the second set of RF input signals;

sending the second set of digitized signals from the first set of DAUs to a third set of DAUs at a third location;

sending a second set of RF output signals that are representative of the second set of RF input signals from the third set of DAUs to a plurality of remote units.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first location and second location are more than ten kilometers apart.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein sending a set of RF output signals that are representative of the set of RF input signals from the second set of DAUs to a plurality of remote units further comprises sending the set of RF output signals to the plurality of remote units via a central hub.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of RF input signals is identical to the set of RF output signals.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising capacity shifting.