Wireless architecture using multiple air interface
First Claim
1. A method for operating a wireless communications system comprising the steps of:
- providing an intermediate RF element between a base station of said wireless communications system and an end user device of said system, said intermediate RF element being operative to maintain a communications link with said base station via a first air interface and with said end user device via a second air interface, and being further operative to translate a signal between said first and said second air interfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless architecture is disclosed based on the use of two separate air interfaces on two separate sets of uplinks and downlinks. In particular, the multiple air interface architecture of the invention incorporates a re-radiator that employs two different air interface protocols. One air interface protocol is used for “backhaul” reception and transmission to the serving network base station, and is deployed between the fixed network base station and the re-radiator. This air interface protocol is optimized for transmission over a long distance and for sharing among multiple users. A second air interface protocol is used for local re-radiation between the re-radiator and a served end user device. This second air interface is optimized for very short distances. The reradiator itself is placed at a fixed location allowing it to take advantage of antenna directionality and antenna gain, and also to meet certain requirements regarding fixed terminals.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for operating a wireless communications system comprising the steps of:
providing an intermediate RF element between a base station of said wireless communications system and an end user device of said system, said intermediate RF element being operative to maintain a communications link with said base station via a first air interface and with said end user device via a second air interface, and being further operative to translate a signal between said first and said second air interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A wireless system comprising:
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a base station interconnected with a terrestrial communications network and operative to establish and maintain a wireless communications path via a first air interface;
an end user device operative to establish and maintain a wireless communications path via a second air interface; and
an intermediate RF element disposed in proximity to said end user device and operative to effect an interconnection between (1) a communications path between said intermediate RF element and said end user device via said second air interface and (2) a communications path between said intermediate RF element and said base station via said first air interface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21)
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18. A wireless architecture comprising:
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a fixed base station operative to establish and maintain a wireless communications path via a first air interface;
an end user device operative to establish and maintain a wireless communications path via a second air interface; and
an intermediate RF element established to communicate with said base station via said first air interface and with said end user device via said second air interface and operative to translate a signal from said first air interface to said second air interface.
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Specification