Cellular signal booster with multiple signal chains

• US 10,153,826 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Cook, Patrick, Ashworth, Christopher Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka, Philip
• Application Number:
  US15/354,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 455 7- 25
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• 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: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/245 taking into account received signal strength

Abstract

A technology is described for a signal booster. The signal booster can include a selected number of uplink transmission paths. Each uplink transmission path can be configured to amplify an uplink signal at a selected band. The signal booster can include a selected number of downlink transmission paths. Each downlink transmission path can be configured to amplify a downlink signal at a selected band. The selected number of uplink transmission paths in the signal booster may not equal the selected number of downlink transmission paths in the signal booster.

Claims

1. A signal booster, comprising:

a selected number of uplink transmission paths, wherein each uplink transmission path is configured to amplify an uplink signal on a selected band; and

a selected number of downlink transmission paths, wherein each downlink transmission path is configured to amplify a downlink signal on a selected band, wherein one or more of the selected number of uplink transmission paths or the selected number of downlink transmission paths include multiple parallel signal paths that are redundant for a same selected band, respectively,

wherein the selected number of uplink transmission paths in the signal booster does not equal the selected number of downlink transmission paths in the signal booster,

wherein the signal booster includes separate antenna ports for each of the multiple parallel signal paths that are redundant for the same selected band.

2. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to perform network protection by adjusting a gain or noise power for each band in the selected number of uplink transmission paths based on data from each band in the selected number of downlink transmission paths.

3. The signal booster of claim 2, wherein the data from each band in the selected number of downlink transmission paths includes a booster station coupling loss (BSCL) or a received signal strength indication (RSSI).

4. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to protect a cellular network from overload or noise floor increase, the controller configured to:

identify a booster station coupling loss (BSCL) for each band in the selected number of downlink transmission paths;

identify one or more downlink transmission paths that correspond to a minimum BSCL for each band as compared to other downlink transmission paths in the signal booster; and

adjust an uplink gain or noise power for each band in the selected number of uplink transmission paths based on the minimum BSCL for each band.

5. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to protect a cellular network from overload or noise floor increase, the controller configured to:

identify a received signal strength indication (RSSI) for each band in the selected number of downlink transmission paths;

identify one or more downlink transmission paths that correspond to a maximum RSSI for each band as compared to other downlink transmission paths in the signal booster; and

adjust an uplink gain or noise power for each band in the selected number of uplink transmission paths based on the maximum RSSI for each band.

6. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein an uplink transmission path is communicatively coupled between a first antenna and a second antenna.

7. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein a downlink transmission path is communicatively coupled between a first antenna and a second antenna.

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

one or more first antennas configured to communicate with an access point in a wireless communication network; and

one or more second antennas configured to communicate with a mobile radio device in the wireless communication network.

9. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising multiple antennas communicatively coupled to at least one of the selected number of uplink transmission paths and the selected number of downlink transmission paths in order to increase data transfer rates, signal integrity, or coverage area.

10. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein:

an uplink transmission path includes a selected number of amplifiers and a selected number of band pass filters for a selected band; and

a downlink transmission path includes a selected number of amplifiers and a selected number of band pass filters for a selected band.

11. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the signal booster comprises one uplink transmission path and one downlink transmission path, wherein additional downlink transmission paths are included in a secondary signal booster that communicates data to the signal booster for maintenance of network protections.

12. The signal booster of claim 11, wherein the signal booster and the secondary signal booster are included in a single package.

13. The signal booster of claim 1, further comprising a dual polarized antenna configured to receive downlink signals from an access point and transmit uplink signals to a mobile radio device.

14. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the signal booster is included in a sleeve that is attached to a wireless device.

15. The signal booster of claim 1, wherein the uplink signal and the downlink signal are communicated in at least one of:

band 4 (B4), band 2 (B2), band 25 (B25), band 12 (B12), band 13 (B13) or band 5 (B5).

16. A multi-chain signal booster, comprising:

at least one signal booster configured to amplify a signal of a selected band; and

a device in the signal booster configured to report a base station coupling loss (BSCL) to a booster station controller,

wherein the at least one signal booster includes a selected number of uplink transmission paths or a selected number of downlink transmission paths that include multiple parallel signal paths that are redundant for a same selected band,

wherein the selected number of uplink transmission paths does not equal the selected number of downlink transmission paths,

wherein the multi-chain signal booster includes separate antenna ports for each of the multiple parallel signal paths that are redundant for the same selected band.

17. The multi-chain signal booster of claim 16, wherein the device is configured to communicate the BSCL or a received signal strength indication (RSSI) for each band in one or more downlink transmission paths in the signal booster to the booster station controller to enable the booster station controller to adjust a gain or noise power for each band in one or more uplink transmission paths located in the signal booster.

18. The multi-chain signal booster of claim 16, wherein each booster path in the signal booster includes a selected number of amplifiers and a selected number of band pass filters for a selected band.

19. The multi-chain signal booster of claim 16, wherein each booster path in the signal booster is communicatively coupled between a first antenna and a second antenna.

20. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon for performing network protection at a controller of a signal booster, the instructions when executed perform the following:

identifying, using the controller in the signal booster, a booster station coupling loss (BSCL) for each band of a selected number of downlink transmission paths in the signal booster;

identifying, using the controller in the signal booster, one or more downlink transmission paths that correspond to a minimum BSCL for each band as compared to other downlink transmission paths in the signal booster; and

adjusting, using the controller in the signal booster, an uplink gain or noise power for each band of a selected number of uplink transmission paths in the signal booster based on the minimum BSCL for each band,

wherein one or more of the selected number of downlink transmission paths or the selected number of uplink transmission paths include multiple parallel signal paths that are redundant for a same selected band,

wherein the selected number of uplink transmission paths does not equal the selected number of downlink transmission paths.

21. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the selected number of uplink transmission paths in the signal booster does not equal the selected number of downlink transmission paths in the signal booster.

22. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein each band of the selected number of downlink transmission paths and each band of the selected number of uplink transmission paths is one of:

band 4 (B4), band 2 (B2), band 25 (B25), band 12 (B12), band 13 (B13) or band 5 (B5).