Programmable power supplies for cellular base stations and related methods of reducing power loss in cellular systems

• US 10,423,180 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chamberlain, John Charles, Guerin, Michael R
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louis-Fils, Nicole
• Application Number:
  US15/898,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20180176861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 584 Days
• Field of Search: 455572
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/62 using bucking or boosting dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/008 Using DC/DC converters DC/DC converters per se H02M3/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods of powering a radio that is mounted on a tower of a cellular base station are provided in which a direct current (“DC”) power signal is provided to the radio over a power cable and a voltage level of the output of the power supply is adjusted so as to provide a substantially constant voltage at a first end of the power cable that is remote from the power supply. Related cellular base stations and programmable power supplies are also provided.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first power supply configured to generate a first DC power;

a second power supply coupled to the first power supply, and configured to receive the first DC power and to generate an output voltage at an output which is coupled to a power cable;

wherein the second power supply has an input configured to receive a first signal derived from a measurement by a measurement circuit;

wherein the power cable, having a first conductor and a second conductor, is coupled between the second power supply and at least one remote radio head, where the at least one remote radio head is coupled to the measurement circuit, and where the measurement circuit and the at least one remote radio head are mounted on a mounting structure; and

wherein the second power supply is configured to use the first signal to determine a level of the output voltage of the second power supply that maintains the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at a constant level or within a range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the level of the output voltage of the second power supply maintains the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at the constant level or within the range so as to reduce power loss in the power cable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second power supply is configured to use the first signal to determine the level of the output voltage of the second power supply comprises the second power supply is configured to have its output voltage adjusted in response to the first signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

the second power supply comprises a DC-to-DC converter that is configured to output a voltage in response to the first signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the DC-to-DC converter comprises:

a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert a voltage of the first DC power signal to a different voltage; and

control circuitry that is configured to adjust parameters of the conversion circuit to convert a voltage of the first DC power signal to a different voltage.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises a current sensor coupled to the control circuitry.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the input is configured to be coupled to the measurement circuit by at least one wire.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement circuit comprises a voltage meter.

9. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an enclosure;

a first power supply, in the enclosure, configured to generate a first DC power;

a second power supply, in the enclosure, coupled to the first power supply, and configured to receive the first DC power and to generate an output voltage at an output which is coupled to a power cable;

wherein the second power supply has an input configured to receive a first signal derived from a measurement by a measurement circuit;

wherein the power cable, having a first conductor and a second conductor, is coupled between the second power supply and at least one remote radio head, where the at least one remote radio head is coupled to the measurement circuit, and where the measurement circuit and the at least one remote radio head are mounted on a mounting structure; and

wherein the second power supply is configured to use the first signal to determine a level of the output voltage of the second power supply that maintains the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at a constant level or within a range.

10. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein the level of the output voltage of the second power supply maintains the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at the constant level or within the range so as to reduce power loss in the power cable.

11. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein the second power supply is configured to use the first signal to determine the level of the output voltage of the second power supply comprises the second power supply is configured to have its output voltage adjusted in response to the first signal.

12. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein

the second power supply comprises a DC-to-DC converter that is configured to output a voltage in response to the first signal.

13. The equipment enclosure of claim 12, wherein the DC-to-DC converter comprises:

a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert a voltage of the first DC power signal to a different voltage; and

control circuitry that is configured to adjust parameters of the conversion circuit to convert a voltage of the first DC power signal to a different voltage.

14. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein the input is configured to be coupled to the measurement circuit by at least one wire.

15. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein the measurement circuit comprises a voltage meter.

16. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, further comprising a baseband unit in the enclosure.

17. A method, comprising:

generating DC power in a first power supply;

providing the DC power to a second power supply;

receiving, from a measurement circuit, at least one parameter measured at a first end of a power cable proximate to at least one remote radio head coupled to the first end of the power cable;

using the at least one parameter, determining a voltage level of an output of the second power supply, coupled to the second end of the power cable, that maintains the voltage at the first end at a constant level or within a range; and

providing the determined voltage level at the output of the second power supply.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein maintaining the voltage at the first end at the constant level or within the range comprises maintaining the voltage at the first end at a constant level or within the range so as to reduce power loss in the power cable.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein using the at least one parameter, determining the voltage level of the output of the second power supply comprises adjusting the voltage level of the output in response to the received at least one parameter.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving, from a measurement circuit, the at least one parameter comprises receiving, from a measurement circuit, the at least one parameter at an input of the second power supply.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving, from a measurement circuit, the at least one parameter at the input of the second power supply comprises receiving, from a measurement circuit, the at least one parameter from a measurement circuit by at least one wire coupled to the input of the second power supply.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving, from a measurement circuit, the at least one parameter comprises receiving, from a voltage meter, the at least one parameter.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein using the at least one parameter, determining the level of the output voltage of the second power supply comprises using the at least one parameter, determining a voltage level of an output of a DC-to-DC converter, where the second power supply comprises the DC-to-DC converter.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving the at least one parameter comprises receiving at least one voltage level.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving at least one voltage level (a) from a measurement circuit by at least one wire coupled to an input of a power supply including a power supply coupled to a DC-to-DC converter, and (b) measured at a first end of a power cable proximate to at least one remote radio head coupled to the first end of the power cable;

wherein the power supply is configured to generate a DC voltage, and the DC-to-DC converter is configured to receive the DC voltage; and

using the at least one voltage level, determining a voltage level of an output of the DC-to-DC converter, coupled to the second end of the power cable, that maintains the voltage at the first end at a constant level or within a range.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein maintaining the voltage at the first end at the constant level or within the range comprises maintaining the voltage at the first end at a constant level or within the range so as to reduce power loss in the power cable.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein using the at least one voltage level, determining the voltage level of the output of the DC-to-DC converter comprises adjusting the voltage level in response to the received at least one voltage level.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving at least one voltage level (a) from the measurement device by the at least one wire coupled to the input of the power supply including the power supply coupled to the DC-to-DC converter comprises receiving at least one voltage level (a) from the measurement device by the at least one wire coupled to an input of the DC-to-DC converter.