Method and apparatus for multiplexing in a wireless communication infrastructure

• US 20020186436A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NextG Networks
• Original Assignee: NextG Networks
• Inventors: Mani, Sanjay, Cutrer, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25755 Ring network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/00 Transmission systems characterised by the medium used for transmission, not provided for in groups H04B3/00 - H04B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0092 Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A network is provided that includes a plurality of antennas coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations. The network can be optical or constructed with RF microwave links. The base stations are configured to provide cellular transmission. A plurality of links couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations. At least one link of the plurality of links provides multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas. In one implementation, at least one link of the plurality of links is shared by at least two cellular operators on different transmission paths. In another implementation, at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed.

Claims

1. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the common location is a physical section of a facility that holds the plurality of base stations.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of antennas are coupled to a single base station.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of links are configured to provide selectable allocation of capacity to at least a portion of the plurality of base stations.

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the network employs two or more wavelength optical multiplexing.

7. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

a control switching system configured to provide selectable allocation of capacity to at least a portion of the plurality of base stations.

4. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas RF coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas.

8. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide digital transmissions which represent cellular signals; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed.

9. The network of claim 8 where at least one link of the plurality of links is shared by at least two operators.

10. The network of claim 8, wherein at least one of the links is a free space optical link configured to transmit at least two optical wavelengths which form multiple transmission paths.

11. The network of claim 8, where the plurality of links provide multiple transmission paths by time division multiplexing.

12. The network of claim 8, wherein the plurality of links are a plurality of optical fiber links.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein at least one of the links is configured to transmit at least two optical wavelengths which form multiple transmission paths.

14. The network of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of links are configured to provide selectable allocation of capacity to at least a portion of the plurality of base stations.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein the network employs two or more wavelength optical multiplexing.

17. The network of claim 16, wherein the at least two operators are at least two wireless operators.

18. The network of claim 16, wherein the at least two operators are different spectrum bands used by a same cellular operator.

19. The network of claim 16, wherein the at least two operators are different entities.

20. The network of claim 16, wherein the at least two operators have different wireless bands.

21. The network of claim 16, wherein the plurality of antennas are optically coupled over the network to the plurality of base stations.

22. The network of claim 21, wherein the at least two operators have non-sharedielectrical components.

23. The network of claim 21 where different operators employ different optical fiber strands.

24. The network of claim 16, wherein the plurality of antennas are RF coupled over the network to the plurality of base stations.

25. The network of claim 24 where the links are microwave links and the transmission paths are different RF frequency channels.

26. The network of claim 16 where the network is built to connect and take advantage of existing operator sites, in order to place other operators antennas on these sites connected to base stations at the original sites.

27. The network of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location, at least a portion of the antenna nodes are located for geographic coverage, and at least a portion of the antenna node locations are configured to be shared by multiple operators.

28. The network of claim 27, wherein the common location is shared between multiple operators.

30. The network of claim 29, wherein the plurality of antennas are optically coupled over the network to the plurality of base stations.

31. The network of claim 29, wherein the plurality of antennas are RF coupled over the network to the plurality of base stations.

16. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas; and

at least one link of the plurality of links is shared by at least two operators on different transmission paths.

29. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide transmissions which represent cellular signals; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations and antennas belong to different operators.

32. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of optical fiber links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths over at least two optical wavelengths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, where different operators employ different optical wavelengths.

33. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, wherein a transceiver capacity of at least a portion of base stations at selected network nodes is shared by at least a portion of antennas at selected network nodes.

34. The network of claim 33, wherein the plurality of antennas are optically coupled over the network to the plurality of base stations.

35. The network of claim 33, wherein the plurality of antennas are RF coupled over the network to the plurality of base stations.

37. The network of claim 36, wherein the at least a first control box is configured to route to selected base stations of the plurality of base stations according to a desired schedule.

40. The network of claim 39, wherein the plurality of links are optical fiber links.

41. The network of claim 39, wherein the plurality of links are free space links.

36. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas including at least a first control box coupled to each antenna of the plurality of antennas, the at least first control box configured to route to selected base stations of the plurality of base stations.

38. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of optical fiber links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, the plurality of links including at least one fiber cable with a plurality of fiber strands which form multiple transmission paths, wherein at least one link of the plurality of links is shared by at least two operators.

39. A network, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of optical links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths over at least two optical wavelengths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, wherein at least one link of the plurality of links is shared by at least two operators.

42. A network, comprising:

a plurality of remote units and a plurality of base units, wherein each of a remote unit is a radiating unit that has at least a portion of a functionality of a base station; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of remote units and the plurality of base units, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base units with at least a portion of the plurality of remote units, wherein at least one link of the plurality of links is shared by at least two operators

43. A network with a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a plurality of antennas optically coupled over the network to a plurality of base stations, the base stations configured to provide cellular transmission; and

a plurality of links that couple the plurality of antennas and the plurality of base stations, at least one link of the plurality of links providing multiple transmission paths between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas, wherein at least one base station and at least one antenna are at a same node.

44. A method of transmission, comprising:

providing a network that includes a plurality of links that couple a plurality of antennas with a plurality of base stations, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

transmitting digital signals over the network,

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

using DWDM multiplexing between at least a portion of the base stations with at least a portion of the antennas.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of antennas receive analog signals from the air, sample and digitize the analog signals and then transmit a digital stream to the network.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations represent the downlink cellular signal as a digital stream that is representative of a wireless spectrum band, and transmit that digital signal to the network.

48. A method of transmission, comprising:

providing a network that includes a plurality of links that couple a plurality of antennas with a plurality of base stations, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

using multiple optical wavelength carriers to carry multiple cellular signals.

49. A method of transmission, comprising:

providing a network that includes a plurality of links that couple a plurality of antennas with a plurality of base stations, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

placing different wireless telecommunications operators on different optical wavelengths.

50. A method of transmission, comprising:

providing a network that includes a plurality of links that couple a plurality of antennas with a plurality of base stations, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

using SONET routing over the network.

51. A method of transmission, comprising:

providing a network that includes a plurality of links that couple a plurality of antennas with a plurality of base stations, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of base stations are in a common location and at least a portion of the antennas are geographically disbursed; and

using IP routing over the network.