Wireless repeater using a single RF chain for use in a TDD wireless network

• US 20060052066A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cleveland, Joseph R., Nelson, Paul G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15571 by signal isolation, e.g. isolation by frequency or by antenna pattern, or by polarization

Abstract

A repeater for re-transmitting an incoming RF signal comprising: a first antenna array for receiving the incoming RF signal; a second antenna array for transmitting an outgoing RF signal; and a transceiver for down-converting the incoming RF signal to a down-converted signal, processing the down-converted signal, and up-converting the processed signal to produce the outgoing RF signal. The first antenna array is cross-polarized with respect to the second antenna array. The repeater also comprises an echo processor for attenuating in the down-converted signal an echo signal associated with the outgoing RF signal. The echo processor delays transmission of the outgoing RF signal in order to minimize the echo signal.

Claims

1. A repeater for re-transmitting an incoming RF signal comprising:

a first antenna array for receiving said incoming RF signal;

a second antenna array for transmitting an outgoing RF signal; and

a transceiver chain capable of down-converting said incoming RF signal to a down-converted signal, processing said down-converted signal, and up-converting said processed signal to thereby produce said outgoing RF signal, wherein said first antenna array comprises a first antenna element and said second antenna array comprises a second antenna element that is cross-polarized with respect to said first antenna element.

2. The repeater as set forth in claim 1, wherein a ground plane associated with said repeater is disposed between said first antenna array and said second antenna array to thereby provide isolation between said first and second antenna arrays.

3. The repeater as set forth in claim 2, wherein said transceiver chain further comprises an echo processor capable of attenuating in said down-converted signal an echo signal associated with said outgoing RF signal.

4. The repeater as set forth in claim 3, wherein said echo processor delays transmission of said outgoing RF signal in order to minimize said echo signal in said down-converted signal.

5. The repeater as set forth in claim 4, wherein said echo processor comprises an echo detector for detecting said echo signal in said down-converted signal.

6. The repeater as set forth in claim 5, wherein said echo processor further comprises an echo suppressor for suppressing at least a part of said echo signal from said down-converted signal.

7. The repeater as set forth in claim 6, wherein said echo processor comprises a delay buffer for delaying transmission of said outgoing RF signal.

8. The repeater as set forth in claim 7, wherein said echo processor further comprises a test signal generator capable of adding a known test signal to said outgoing RF signal.

9. The repeater as set forth in claim 8, wherein said echo processor is capable of detecting an echo of said test signal in said down-converted signal and using a delay associated with said test signal echo to determine a delay associated with said delay buffer.

10. The repeater as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a switching circuit capable of coupling said first antenna array to an input of said transceiver chain and said second antenna to an output of said transceiver chain in a first switch position and further capable of coupling said second antenna array to an input of said transceiver chain and said first antenna to an output of said transceiver chain in a second switch position.

11. A wireless network comprising:

a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage area of said wireless network; and

a repeater capable of re-transmitting forward channel signals from a first base station to a first mobile station and re-transmitting reverse channel signals from said first mobile station to said first base station, said repeater comprising;

a first antenna array for receiving an incoming RF signal;

a second antenna array for transmitting an outgoing RF signal; and

a transceiver chain capable of down-converting said incoming RF signal to a down-converted signal, processing said down-converted signal, and up-converting said processed signal to thereby produce said outgoing RF signal, wherein said first antenna array comprises a first antenna element and said second antenna array comprises a second antenna element that is cross-polarized with respect to said first antenna element.

12. The wireless network as set forth in claim 11, wherein a ground plane associated with said repeater is disposed between said first antenna array and said second antenna array to thereby provide isolation between said first and second antenna arrays.

13. The wireless network as set forth in claim 12, wherein said transceiver chain further comprises an echo processor capable of attenuating in said down-converted signal an echo signal associated with said outgoing RF signal.

14. The wireless network as set forth in claim 13, wherein said echo processor delays transmission of said outgoing RF signal in order to minimize said echo signal in said down-converted signal.

15. The wireless network as set forth in claim 14, wherein said echo processor comprises an echo detector for detecting said echo signal in said down-converted signal.

16. The wireless network as set forth in claim 15, wherein said echo processor further comprises an echo suppressor for suppressing at least a part of said echo signal from said down-converted signal.

17. The wireless network as set forth in claim 16, wherein said echo processor comprises a delay buffer for delaying transmission of said outgoing RF signal.

18. The wireless network as set forth in claim 17, wherein said echo processor further comprises a test signal generator capable of adding a known test signal to said outgoing RF signal.

19. The wireless network as set forth in claim 18, wherein said echo processor is capable of detecting an echo of said test signal in said down-converted signal and using a delay associated with said test signal echo to determine a delay associated with said delay buffer.

20. The wireless network as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a switching circuit capable of coupling said first antenna array to an input of said transceiver chain and said second antenna to an output of said transceiver chain in a first switch position and further capable of coupling said second antenna array to an input of said transceiver chain and said first antenna to an output of said transceiver chain in a second switch position.