Delay based space and time coordinated repeater system

• US 20050130588A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Patrick Reed, Gill Pratt
• Original Assignee: David Patrick Reed, Gill Pratt
• Inventors: Reed, David Patrick, Pratt, Gill
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for dynamically routing a plurality of simultaneous point-to-point communications through an array of repeating transceivers. Each repeating transceiver may simultaneously act as each of a transmitter of origin for one communication, a final receiver for a second communication, and a repeater for a plurality of other communications. When acting as a repeater, each transceiver applies programmed delays to information before re-transmitting, and these delays are programmed so as to route a communication through the array of transceivers along a designed path along which multiple re-transmissions from local repeating transceivers are received, aligned in time for constructive reinforcement, and retransmitted after dynamically programmable time delays.

Claims

1. A method of routing a wireless signal between two points, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a wireless signal from an originating transmitter;

receiving said wireless signal at a first set of repeating transceivers;

in each said repeating transceiver, delaying said wireless signal by at least one predetermined delay and re-transmitting said wireless signal; and

receiving said re-transmitted wireless signals at a destination receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal received at each said repeating transceiver is mixed to an intermediate frequency before said re-transmitting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal received at each said repeating transceiver is digitized before said re-transmitting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal received at each said repeating transceiver is processed through an FIR filter before said re-transmitting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal received at each said repeating transceiver is converted to an analog signal before said re-transmitting.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal received at each said repeating transceiver is up-shifted in frequency before said re-transmitting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined delay is programmable.

8. An apparatus for dynamically routing wireless signals, said apparatus comprising:

an plurality of spatially disparate transceivers, wherein each said transceiver comprises;

a receiver for receiving a wireless signal;

an A/D converter for digitizing said wireless signal;

an FIR filter fed by said A/D converter;

a D/A converter fed by said FIR filter; and

a transmitter fed by said D/A converter;

wherein said transceiver re-transmits said wireless signal after a predetermined delay.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transceiver further comprises a frequency down-shifting mixer and a frequency up-shifting mixer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said frequency down-shifting mixer is connected between the output of said receiver and the input of said A/D converter.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said frequency up-shifting mixer is connected between the output of said D/A converter and the input of said transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said transmitter comprises said frequency up-shifting mixer.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said transceiver further comprises a local oscillator coupled to said down-shifting mixer for down-shifting the frequency of said wireless signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transceiver further comprises a low pass filter connected between the output of said receiver and the input of said A/D converter.

15. A transceiver for use in a system for dynamically routing wireless signals, said transceiver comprising:

means for receiving a wireless signal;

means for modulating said wireless signal, said modulating means coupled to said receiving means;

means for digitizing said wireless signal, said digitizing means coupled to said modulating means;

means for delaying transmission of said wireless signal, said delaying means coupled to said digitizing means;

means for amplifying said wireless signal, said amplifying means coupled to said delaying means; and

means for transmitting said wireless signal, said transmitting means coupled to said amplifying means.

16. A method of routing a wireless signal between two points, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a wireless signal as a plurality of wireless signals;

receiving said plurality of wireless signals at a repeating transceiver as a received plurality of wireless signals;

in said repeating transceiver, delaying each of said plurality of wireless signals by a separately predetermined delay to produce a set of delayed wireless signals;

combining said delayed wireless signals into a reconstituted wireless signal; and

re-transmitting said reconstituted wireless signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of said received plurality of wireless signals is mixed to an intermediate frequency before being delayed by said separately predetermined delay.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each wireless signal received at each said repeating transceiver is digitized before said re-transmitting.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein each wireless signal received at each said repeating transceiver is processed through an FIR filter before said re-transmitting.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein each wireless signal received at each said repeating transceiver is converted to an analog signal before said re-transmitting.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said reconstituted wireless signal at each said repeating transceiver is up-shifted in frequency before said re-transmitting.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein each of said separately predetermined delays is programmable.