Repeater and methods for use therewith

• US 10,341,008 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Robert, Henry, Paul Shala, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US16/124,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20190013859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/38 for signals in two different frequency ranges transmitted in opposite directions over the same transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• 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: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a repeater device having a first coupler to extract downstream channel signals from first guided electromagnetic waves bound to a transmission medium of a guided wave communication system. An amplifier amplifies the downstream channel signals to generate amplified downstream channel signals. A channel selection filter selects one or more of the amplified downstream channel signals to wirelessly transmit to the at least one client device via an antenna. A second coupler guides the amplified downstream channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as second guided electromagnetic waves. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A repeater device, comprising:

a first coupler configured to extract first channel signals from first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate without requiring an electrical return path along a transmission medium of a guided wave communication system;

an amplifier configured to amplify the first channel signals to generate amplified first channel signals;

an antenna configured to wirelessly transmit a subset the amplified first channel signals to at least one device and to receive a first subset of second channel signals from the at least one device;

a second coupler configured to guide the amplified first channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as second guided electromagnetic waves and to receive a second subset of the second channel signals based on fourth guided electromagnetic waves extracted from the transmission medium; and

a channel duplexer configured to transfer the amplified first channel signals to the antenna, and the second channel signals to the amplifier;

wherein the amplifier amplifies the second channel signals to generate amplified second channel signals;

wherein the first coupler guides the amplified second channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as a third guided electromagnetic waves; and

wherein the first channel signals correspond to a number of first frequency channels and the second channel signals correspond to a number of second frequency channels that is less than the number of the first frequency channels.

2. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium includes a bare wire.

3. The repeater device of claim 2, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves and the second guided electromagnetic waves are guided by an outer surface of the bare wire.

4. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first channel signals is formatted in accordance with a data over cable system interface specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

5. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first channel signals is formatted in accordance with an 802.11 protocol or a fourth generation or higher mobile wireless protocol.

6. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein the amplifier is a bi-directional amplifier.

7. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second channel signals is formatted in accordance with a data over cable system interface specification (DOCSIS) protocol, a 802.11 protocol or a fourth generation or higher mobile wireless protocol.

8. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein the channel duplexer includes a diplexer that operates via analog signal processing.

9. The repeater device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium includes an insulated wire.

10. The repeater device of claim 9, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves and the second guided electromagnetic waves are guided by an outer surface of the insulated wire.

11. A method comprising:

extracting, via a first coupler, first channel signals from first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate without requiring an electrical return path along a transmission medium of a guided wave communication system;

amplifying the first channel signals to generate amplified first channel signals;

wirelessly transmitting, via an antenna, a subset the amplified first channel signals to at least one device and to receive a first subset of second channel signals from the at least one device;

guiding, via a second coupler, the amplified first channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as second guided electromagnetic waves;

receiving, via the second coupler, a second subset of the second channel signals based on fourth guided electromagnetic waves extracted from the transmission medium; and

transferring, via a channel duplexer, the amplified first channel signals to the antenna and the second channel signals to the amplifier;

amplifying the second channel signals to generate amplified second channel signals; and

guiding, via the first coupler, the amplified second channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as a third guided electromagnetic waves;

wherein the first channel signals correspond to a number of first frequency channels and the second channel signals correspond to a number of second frequency channels that is less than the number of the first frequency channels.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmission medium includes a wire.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves and the second guided electromagnetic waves are guided by an outer surface of the wire.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the first channel signals is formatted in accordance with a data over cable system interface specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the first channel signals is formatted in accordance with an 802.11 protocol or a fourth generation or higher mobile wireless protocol.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the second channel signals is formatted in accordance with one of:

a data over cable system interface specification protocol, an 802.11 protocol or a fourth generation or higher mobile wireless protocol.

17. A repeater device comprising:

means for extracting first channel signals from first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate without requiring an electrical return path along a transmission medium of a guided wave communication system;

means for amplifying the first channel signals to generate amplified first channel signals;

means for wirelessly transmitting a subset the amplified first channel signals to at least one device and to receive a first subset of second channel signals from the at least one device;

means for guiding the amplified first channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as second guided electromagnetic waves;

means for receiving a second subset of the second channel signals based on fourth guided electromagnetic waves extracted from the transmission medium; and

means for amplifying the second channel signals to generate amplified second channel signals; and

means for guiding the amplified second channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as a third guided electromagnetic waves;

wherein the first channel signals correspond to a number of first frequency channels and the second channel signals correspond to a number of second frequency channels that is less than the number of the first frequency channels.

18. The repeater device of claim 17, wherein the transmission medium includes a bare wire and wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves and the second guided electromagnetic waves are guided by an outer surface of the bare wire.

19. The repeater device of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the first channel signals is formatted in accordance with a data over cable system interface specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

20. The repeater device of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the first channel signals is formatted in accordance with an 802.11 protocol or a fourth generation or higher mobile wireless protocol.