Methods and systems for wireless communications using auxiliary base stations

• US 10,326,522 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHAZR, Inc. (JMA LLC)
• Original Assignee: PHAZR, Inc. (JMA LLC)
• Inventors: Khan, Farooq, Balasubramanian, Sidharth
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H
• Application Number:
  US15/916,705
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 3703102, 370328, 370338, 370349, 370350, 370279, 370281
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2675 Frequency synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2678 Time synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

A method of wireless communication includes receiving a plurality of first downlink signals at a first radio base station, where the plurality of first downlink signals each has a different frequency. The method further includes down-converting the plurality of first downlink signals to a plurality of second downlink signals, where the plurality of second downlink signals have a same frequency. The method also includes transmitting the plurality of second downlink signals to associated user equipments (UEs).

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving a plurality of first downlink signals at a first radio base station, wherein the plurality of first downlink signals each has a different frequency;

down-converting the plurality of first downlink signals to a plurality of second downlink signals, wherein the plurality of second downlink signals having a same frequency;

transmitting the plurality of second downlink signals to associated user equipments (UEs);

receiving at the first radio base station a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and secondary synchronization signal (SSS) from the first downlink signals; and

synchronizing a time division duplex (TDD) timing of the first radio base station with a TDD timing of a second radio base station using the PSS and SSS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second downlink signals having the same frequency are transmitted in different directions to the associated UEs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first downlink signals are transmitted from a second base station, and wherein the second base station is connected to the Internet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein synchronizing the TDD timing comprises:

setting a first switch at the first radio base station in a receive mode when the first radio base station is receiving downlink physical channels and downlink physical signals from the second radio base station; and

setting a second switch at the first radio base station in a transmit mode when the first radio base station is transmitting the downlink physical channels and downlink physical signals to the associated UEs.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second switches are concurrently set to the receive and transmit modes, respectively.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second downlink signals have respective first and second bandwidths, and wherein the first bandwidth is larger than the second bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first radio base station receives the first downlink signals having M channels and transmits the second downlink signals having N channels, where M>

N.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first downlink signals have 52.6 GHz or higher frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second downlink signals have a frequency range of 24.2 GHz-52.6 GHz.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

amplifying the received first downlink signals at the first radio base station;

splitting the amplified first downlink signals into a plurality of first signal streams each having a different frequency;

down-converting the first signal streams into a plurality of second signal streams having a same frequency;

amplifying the plurality of second signal streams; and

transmitting the amplified second signal streams to the associated UEs.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first base station comprises a plurality of sectors each configured to down-convert one of the first signal streams into a second signal stream and configured to amplify the second signal stream prior to transmission to one of the associated UEs.

12. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving a plurality of first uplink signals at a first radio base station, wherein the plurality of first uplink signals having a same frequency;

up-converting the plurality of first uplink signals to a plurality of second uplink signals, wherein the plurality of second uplink signals each has a different frequency;

transmitting the plurality of second uplink signals to a second base station;

receiving at the first radio base station a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS); and

synchronizing a time division duplex (TDD) timing of the first radio base station with a TDD timing of the second radio base station using the PSS and SSS.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first uplink signals are transmitted by associated user equipments (UEs).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second base station is connected to the Internet.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein synchronizing the TDD timing comprises:

setting a first switch at the first radio base station in a transmit mode when the first radio base station is transmitting the second uplink signals to the second radio base station; and

setting a second switch at the first radio base station in a receive mode when the first radio base station is receiving the first uplink signals from the associated UEs.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second uplink signals have respective first and second bandwidths, and wherein the first bandwidth is less than the second bandwidth.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first radio base station receives the first uplink signals having M channels and transmits the second uplink signals having N channels, where N>

M.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first uplink signals are in 24.2 GHz-52.6 GHz frequency range.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the first uplink signals are in sub-7 GHz frequency band.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the second uplink signals have 52.6 GHz or higher frequency.

21. A radio base station, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of first downlink signals, wherein the plurality of first downlink signals each has a different frequency;

means for down-converting the plurality of first downlink signals to a plurality of second downlink signals, wherein the plurality of second downlink signals have a same frequency;

means for transmitting the plurality of second downlink signals to associated user equipments (UEs);

means for receiving at the first radio base station a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) from the first downlink signals; and

means for synchronizing a time division duplex (TDD) timing of the first radio base station with a TDD timing of a second radio base station using the PSS and SSS.

22. The radio base station of claim 21, wherein the first downlink signals are transmitted by a second radio base station, wherein the second radio base station is connected to the Internet.

23. A radio base station, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of first uplink signals at a first radio base station, wherein the plurality of first uplink signals have a same frequency;

means for up-converting the plurality of first uplink signals to a plurality of second uplink signals, wherein the plurality of second uplink signals has a different frequency;

means for transmitting the plurality of second uplink signals to a second base station;

means for receiving at the first base station a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS); and

means for synchronizing a time division duplex (TDD) timing of the first radio base station with TDD timing of the second radio base station using the PSS and SSS.