Narrowband signal detection for network protection

• US 10,356,732 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Cook, Patrick Lee, Ashworth, Christopher Ken, VanBuren, Vernon Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US15/479,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20170288766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• 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: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

Technology for a repeater is disclosed. The repeater can include a narrowband detector configured to detect one or more power levels that correspond to one or more signals communicated in one or more sub-bands of a selected band. The repeater can include a controller. The controller can select a signal from the one or more signals based on a power level of the selected signal. The controller can adjust a gain or output power of the repeater based on the power level of the selected signal communicated in the one or more sub-bands of the selected band.

Claims

1. A repeater, comprising:

a narrowband detector configured to detect one or more power levels that correspond to one or more signals communicated in one or more sub-bands of a selected band; and

a controller configured to;

select a signal from the one or more signals based on a power level of the selected signal; and

perform a network protection by adjusting a gain or output power of the repeater based on the power level of the selected signal communicated in the one or more sub-bands of the selected band, wherein the gain or output power is adjusted to protect a base station among a plurality of base stations, and the protected base station is not a shortest distance from the repeater among the plurality of base stations.

2. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the power level of the selected signal corresponds to a maximum power level of the one or more signals communicated in the selected band.

3. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a distance between the repeater and each base station that transmits the one or more signals in the selected band based on the one or more power levels that correspond to the one or more signals.

4. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust one or more of:

the gain, a transmitted noise power or the output power of the repeater to protect a base station that is a shortest distance from the repeater among a plurality of base stations.

5. The repeater of claim 4, wherein the base station that is the shortest distance from the repeater among the plurality of base stations communicates a signal with a maximum power level as compared to the one or more signals communicated from the plurality of base stations.

6. The repeater of claim 1, further comprising a second narrowband detector, wherein the narrowband detector is utilized for a selected downlink band and the second narrowband detector is used for a selected uplink band.

7. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the narrowband detector is configured to detect the one or more power levels by sweeping the selected band.

8. The repeater of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more sub-bands included in the selected band can range from 100 kilohertz (KHz) to 20 megahertz (MHz) depending on network conditions.

9. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the one or more sub-bands are associated with known cellular carriers.

10. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform one or more of:

automatic gain control or oscillation detection for the repeater.

11. The repeater of claim 1, further comprising a broadband detector configured to measure a composite power level of the selected band.

12. The repeater of claim 11, further comprising a single pole double throw (SPDT) switch or a single pole single throw (SPST) switch operable to switch between the broadband detector and the narrowband detector.

13. The repeater of claim 1, further comprising one or more signal paths to amplify and filter signals, wherein the signals include one or more of uplink signals or downlink signals.

14. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the one or more power levels include received signal strength indicator (RSSI) levels.

15. The repeater of claim 1, wherein a narrowband detection bandwidth of the narrowband detector is variable depending on network conditions.

16. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the gain or output power of the repeater to meet a network protection or government standard.

17. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the narrowband detector is one or more of:

a spectrum analyzer;

a variable bandwidth narrowband detector;

a digital narrowband detector;

or

a narrowband detector that includes a bandpass filter.

27. The repeater of claim 11, wherein the broadband detector and the narrowband detector are configured to operate at a same time.

18. A signal booster, comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors configured to;

identify one or more power levels that correspond to one or more signals communicated in one or more sub-bands of a selected band;

select a signal from the one or more signals based on a power level of the selected signal; and

perform a network protection by adjusting a gain or output power of the signal booster based on the power level of the selected signal communicated in the one or more sub-bands of the selected band, wherein the gain or output power is adjusted to protect a base station among a plurality of base stations, and the protected base station is not a shortest distance from the signal booster among the plurality of base stations.

19. The signal booster of claim 18, wherein the power level of the selected signal corresponds to a maximum power level of the one or more signals communicated in the selected band.

20. The signal booster of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a distance between the signal booster and each base station that transmits the one or more signals in the selected band based on the one or more power levels that correspond to the one or more signals.

21. The signal booster of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform the network protection by adjusting the gain or output power of the repeater to protect a base station that is a shortest distance from the signal booster among a plurality of base stations.

22. The signal booster of claim 18, wherein the one or more sub-bands are associated with known cellular carriers.

23. The signal booster of claim 18, wherein each of the one or more sub-bands included in the selected band can range from 100 kilohertz (KHz) or less to 20 megahertz (MHz) or more depending on network conditions.

24. A repeater, comprising:

at least one narrowband detector configured to detect one or more power levels that correspond to one or more signals communicated in one or more sub-bands of a selected band; and

a controller configured to;

select a power level from the one or more power levels, wherein the selected power level corresponds to one of the signals communicated in the one or more sub-bands of the selected band; and

adjust a gain or output power of the repeater based on the selected power level to meet a network protection or government standard, wherein the gain or output power is adjusted to protect a base station among a plurality of base stations, and the protected base station is not a shortest distance from the repeater among the plurality of base stations.

25. The repeater of claim 24, wherein the selected power level corresponds to a maximum power level among the one or more power levels.

26. The repeater of claim 24, wherein the at least one narrowband detector includes a narrowband detector for each selected uplink band and selected downlink band.