Independent band detection for network protection

• US 10,148,341 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2018
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Nordgran, Casey James, Ashworth, Christopher Ken, Cook, Patrick Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US15/887,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20180219610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/111 the amplifier being a dual or triple band amplifier, e.g. 900 and 1800 MHz, e.g. switched or not switched, simultaneously or not
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15535 Control of relay amplifier gain amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/245 taking into account received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

Technology for a cellular signal booster operable to amplify cellular signals is disclosed. The cellular signal booster can include a downlink cellular signal path configured to amplify and filter a received downlink cellular signal in a plurality of selected bands. The downlink signal path can combine at least a first band and a second band in the plurality of selected bands. The cellular signal booster can include a controller operable to perform network protection by adjusting an uplink gain or noise power for at least one of a first band or a second band in an uplink signal path. The uplink gain or noise power can be adjusted for the first band in the uplink signal path or the second band in the uplink signal path using a signal strength associated with the received downlink cellular signal on the downlink cellular signal path.

Claims

1. A signal booster, comprising:

a first signal path that includes one or more amplifiers and one or more band pass filters, wherein the first signal path is configured to amplify and filter first signals in one or more selected bands;

a second signal path that includes one or more amplifiers and one or more band pass filters, wherein the second signal path is configured to amplify and filter received second signals in a plurality of selected bands, wherein the second signal path combines at least a first band and a second band in the plurality of selected bands; and

a controller operable to perform network protection by adjusting a gain or noise power for at least one of a first band or a second band in the first signal path, wherein the gain or noise power is adjusted for the first band in the first signal path using control information associated with a received signal in the first band of the second signal path, wherein the gain or noise power is adjusted for the second band in the first signal path using control information associated with a received signal in the second band of the second signal path.

2. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the control information associated with the received signal in the first band of the second signal path and the control information associated with the received signal in the second band of the second signal path includes a received signal strength indication (RSSI).

3. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising a signal detector operable to:

detect the control information associated with the received signal in the first band of the second signal path; and

detect the control information associated with the received signal in the second band of the second signal path,

wherein the signal booster is configured to switch two or more bandpass filters (BPFs) in and out to enable the signal detector to detect control information associated with different received signals in different bands.

4. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the two or more BPFs are switched in and out in the first signal path or the second signal path in order to detect the control information.

5. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal detector operable to detect the control information associated with the received signal in the first band of the second signal path; and

a second signal detector operable to detect the control information associated with the received signal in the second band of the second signal path.

6. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the gain or noise power for the first band in the first signal path is controlled independent of the gain or noise power for the second band in the first signal path.

7. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein:

the first band of the first signal path and the first band of the second signal path is band 12 (B12); and

the second band of the first signal path and the second band of the second signal path is band 13 (B13).

8. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the second signal path is configured to direct a signal in the first band to a bandpass filter associated with the second band when a power level of the signal is greater than a defined threshold, wherein the bandpass filter associated with the second band causes a reduction in the power level of the signal to avoid performing automatic gain control (AGC) for the first band.

9. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein:

the second signal path is configured to direct a signal in the first band to a signal detector via a bandpass filter associated with the first band, wherein a power level of the signal in relation to a defined threshold causes the controller to perform network protection for the first band in the first signal path;

or

the second signal path is configured to direct the signal in the second band to the signal detector via a bandpass filter associated with the second band, wherein a power level of the signal in relation to a defined threshold causes the controller to perform network protection for the second band in the second signal path.

10. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the signal booster is a cellular signal booster configured to amplify cellular signals and retransmit amplified cellular signals.

11. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising:

an inside antenna to receive uplink signals from a mobile device; and

an outside antenna to transmit amplified and filtered uplink signals to a base station.

12. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising:

an outside antenna to receive downlink signals from a base station; and

an inside antenna to transmit amplified and filtered downlink signals to a mobile device.

13. A cellular signal booster operable to amplify cellular signals, comprising:

a downlink cellular signal path configured to amplify and filter a received downlink cellular signal in a plurality of selected bands, wherein the downlink signal path combines at least a first band and a second band in the plurality of selected bands; and

a controller operable to perform network protection by adjusting an uplink gain or noise power for at least one of a first band or a second band in an uplink signal path, wherein the uplink gain or noise power is adjusted for the first band in the uplink signal path or the second band in the uplink signal path using a signal strength associated with the received downlink cellular signal on the downlink cellular signal path.

14. The cellular signal booster of claim 13, further comprising a cellular signal detector operable to:

detect the signal strength associated with the received downlink cellular signal in the first band of the downlink signal path; and

detect the signal strength associated with the received downlink cellular signal in the second band of the downlink signal path,

wherein the cellular signal booster is configured to switch two or more bandpass filters (BPFs) in and out to enable the cellular signal detector to detect control information associated with different received downlink cellular signals in different bands.

15. The cellular signal booster of claim 13, further comprising:

a first cellular signal detector operable to detect the signal strength associated with the received downlink cellular signal in the first band of the downlink signal path; and

a second cellular signal detector operable to detect the signal strength associated with the received downlink cellular signal in the second band of the downlink signal path.

16. The cellular signal booster of claim 13, wherein:

the first band of the uplink signal path and the first band of the downlink signal path is band 12 (B12); and

the second band of the uplink signal path and the second band of the downlink signal path is band 13 (B13).

17. A system operable to transmit amplified signals, the system comprising:

an uplink signal path configured to amplify and filter uplink signals in one or more selected bands;

a downlink signal path configured to amplify and filter received downlink signals in two or more selected bands, wherein the downlink signal path combines a first band and a second band; and

a controller operable to perform network protection by adjusting an uplink gain or noise power for at least one of a first band in the uplink signal path or a second band in the uplink signal path, wherein the uplink gain or noise power is adjusted for the first band in the uplink signal path using control information associated with a received downlink signal in the first band of the downlink signal path, wherein the uplink gain or noise power is adjusted for the second band in the uplink signal path using control information associated with a received downlink signal in the second band of the downlink signal path.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control information associated with the received downlink signal in the first band of the downlink signal path and the control information associated with the received downlink signal in the second band of the downlink signal path includes a received signal strength indication (RSSI).

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the uplink gain or noise power for the first band in the uplink signal path is controlled independent of the uplink gain or noise power for the second band in the uplink signal path.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an outside antenna configured to receive downlink signals from a base station and transmit amplified and filtered uplink signals to the base station; and

an inside antenna configured to receive uplink signals from a mobile device and transmit amplified and filtered downlink signals to the mobile device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the first band of the uplink signal path and the first band of the downlink signal path is band 12 (B12); and

the second band of the uplink signal path and the second band of the downlink signal path is band 13 (B13).