Reducing power consumption in a remote unit of a wireless distribution system (WDS) for intermodulation product suppression

• US 10,219,220 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2018
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications Wireless Ltd. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yakobi, Motti
• Primary Examiner(s): Ayotunde, Ayodeji O
• Application Number:
  US15/861,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20180132184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 455 631, 455 6713, 455574
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to reducing power consumption in a remote unit of a wireless distribution system (WDS) for intermodulation product suppression. Intermodulation products generated by a power amplifier circuit can leak from a downlink signal path into an uplink signal path to degrade sensitivity of the uplink signal path in a remote unit. In this regard, the remote unit is configured to measure a power of the leaked intermodulation products and enables a selected number of power amplifiers in the power amplifier circuit for reducing the measured power of the leaked intermodulation products to a predetermined threshold. By enabling only the selected number of power amplifiers based on the measured power of the leaked intermodulation products, it is possible to avoid enabling an excessive number of power amplifiers in the power amplifier circuit, thus helping to reduce power consumption for intermodulation product suppression.

Claims

1. A method for suppressing a leaked intermodulation product in an uplink signal path in a remote unit, comprising:

measuring a power of a leaked intermodulation product caused by at least one intermodulation product leaked from a downlink signal path into an uplink signal path;

determining a selected number of power amplifiers among a plurality of power amplifiers in a power amplifier circuit in the remote unit for reducing the measured power of the leaked intermodulation product to a predetermined threshold;

controlling the power amplifier circuit to enable the determined selected number of power amplifiers among the plurality of power amplifiers; and

not enabling more than the determined selected number of power amplifiers among the plurality of power amplifiers for reducing the measured power of the leaked intermodulation product to the predetermined threshold, wherein

the uplink signal path and the downlink signal path each comprise at least one optical fiber.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling power amplifiers among the plurality of power amplifiers that are not among the determined selected number of power amplifiers for reducing the measured power of the leaked intermodulation product to the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a balanced power amplifier circuit as the power amplifier circuit, wherein the balanced power amplifier circuit comprises at least four power amplifiers configured to be controlled by a control circuit to amplify a downlink RF signal.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising coupling the downlink signal path and the uplink signal path to an antenna in the remote unit.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a downlink RF signal from a signal generator; and

decoupling the antenna from the uplink signal path.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a downlink RF signal from a signal source communicatively coupled to the remote unit;

providing an uplink RF signal received from client devices via the antenna to the uplink signal path; and

measuring the power of the leaked intermodulation product between the leaked intermodulation product and the uplink RF signal received from the client devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote unit comprises at least one electrical-to-optical converter.

8. A method for suppressing a leaked intermodulation product in an uplink signal path in a remote unit, comprising:

measuring a power of a leaked intermodulation product caused by at least one intermodulation product leaked from a downlink signal path into an uplink signal path;

determining a selected number of power amplifiers among a plurality of power amplifiers in a power amplifier circuit in the remote unit for reducing the measured power of the leaked intermodulation product to a predetermined threshold;

controlling the power amplifier circuit to enable the determined selected number of power amplifiers among the plurality of power amplifiers; and

providing a balanced power amplifier circuit as the power amplifier circuit, wherein the balanced power amplifier circuit comprises at least four power amplifiers configured to be controlled by a control circuit to amplify a downlink RF signal, wherein

the uplink signal path and the downlink signal path each comprise at least one optical fiber.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising coupling the downlink signal path and the uplink signal path to an antenna in the remote unit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a downlink RF signal from a signal generator; and

decoupling the antenna from the uplink signal path.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a downlink RF signal from a signal source communicatively coupled to the remote unit;

providing an uplink RF signal received from client devices via the antenna to the uplink signal path; and

measuring the power of the leaked intermodulation product between the leaked intermodulation product and the uplink RF signal received from the client devices.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the remote unit comprises at least one electrical-to-optical converter.

13. A method for suppressing a leaked intermodulation product in an uplink signal path in a remote unit, comprising:

measuring a power of a leaked intermodulation product caused by at least one intermodulation product leaked from a downlink signal path into an uplink signal path;

determining a selected number of power amplifiers among a plurality of power amplifiers in a power amplifier circuit in the remote unit for reducing the measured power of the leaked intermodulation product to a predetermined threshold; and

controlling the power amplifier circuit to enable the determined selected number of power amplifiers among the plurality of power amplifiers; and

coupling the downlink signal path and the uplink signal path to an antenna in the remote unit, wherein

the uplink signal path and the downlink signal path each comprise at least one optical fiber.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the downlink signal path and the uplink signal path to an antenna in the remote unit.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a downlink RF signal from a signal generator; and

decoupling the antenna from the uplink signal path.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a downlink RF signal from a signal source communicatively coupled to the remote unit;

providing an uplink RF signal received from client devices via the antenna to the uplink signal path; and

measuring the power of the leaked intermodulation product between the leaked intermodulation product and the uplink RF signal received from the client devices.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote unit comprises at least one electrical-to-optical converter.