In-building radio frequency communications system with automatic failover recovery

• US 20060148468A1
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ernest Mann
• Original Assignee: Ernest Mann
• Inventors: Mann, Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength

Abstract

An improved in-building radio frequency communications system with automatic failover recovery comprising a primary external antenna and at least one ancillary external antenna, each antenna directed to a primary transmission tower and to at least one ancillary transmission tower, respectively, and a diversity site donor system capable of monitoring the strength and/or quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary transmission tower and switching communications between the primary transmission tower and the ancillary transmission tower(s) based on the strength and/or quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary transmission tower.

Claims

1. An in-building radio frequency communications system comprising

a primary external antenna, suitably configured to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, said primary external antenna located on an exterior of a structure and oriented towards a primary radio frequency signal transmission tower such that the primary external antenna is capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals to and from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower;

an ancillary external antenna, suitably configured to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, said ancillary external antenna located on the exterior of the structure and oriented towards an ancillary radio frequency signal transmission tower such that the ancillary external antenna is capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals to and from the ancillary radio frequency signal transmission tower;

a donor site diversity system, in connection with the primary external antenna and with the ancillary external antenna, said donor site diversity system suitably configured to monitor the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower and capable of switching between the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower and the ancillary radio frequency signal transmission tower based on the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower;

an internal antenna, suitably configured to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, said internal antenna located within an interior of the structure such that the internal antenna is capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals to and from one or more wireless communication devices located within the structure; and

a bi-directional amplifier, in connection with the donor site diversity system and with the internal antenna, said bi-directional amplifier suitably configured to increase the strength of radio frequency signals received from the radio frequency signal transmission towers through the external antennas and received from the wireless communication devices through the internal antenna.

2. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 1 wherein the donor site diversity system is connected with the primary external antenna and with the ancillary external antenna by coaxial cables and/or fiber optic cable, and the bi-directional amplifier is connected with the donor site diversity system and with the internal antenna by coaxial cables and/or fiber optic cable.

3. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 1 further comprising multiple internal antennas, each internal antenna suitably configured to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, with the multiple internal antennas distributed throughout the interior of the structure, such that each of the internal antennas is capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals to and from wireless communication devices located within the structure, and with each of the internal antennas in connection with the bi-directional amplifier.

4. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 3 wherein the multiple internal antennas are connected with the bi-directional amplifier by coaxial cables and/or fiber optic cable.

5. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 1 wherein the donor site diversity system comprises

a primary circuit, suitably configured to establish a connection between the primary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier such that radio frequency signals may travel between the primary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier;

an ancillary circuit, suitably configured to establish a connection between the ancillary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier such that radio frequency signals may travel between the ancillary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier;

a radio frequency signal switch, suitably configured to complete or interrupt the primary circuit and to complete or interrupt the ancillary circuit, with the radio frequency signal switch having a means to toggle between the primary circuit and the ancillary circuit such that the ancillary circuit is interrupted when the radio frequency signal switch toggle means is toggled to and completes the primary circuit and the primary circuit is interrupted when the radio frequency signal switch toggle means is toggled to and completes the ancillary circuit; and

a radio frequency signal detector/sensor, comprising

a monitoring means, said monitoring means suitably configured to monitor the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower, and

a logic processor, suitably configured to determine the sufficiency of the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower, said logic processor in connection with the radio frequency signal switch and further suitably configured to send a signal to the radio frequency signal switch directing the radio frequency signal switch toggle means to toggle between the primary circuit and the ancillary circuit based on the sufficiency of the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower,

whereby, when the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower are determined to be of sufficient strength and quality, the toggling means of the radio frequency signal switch is directed by the logic processor to complete the primary circuit and to interrupt the ancillary circuit, and when the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower are determined to be of insufficient strength and quality, the toggling means of the radio frequency signal switch is directed by the logic processor to complete the ancillary circuit and to interrupt the primary circuit.

6. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 5 wherein the monitoring means of the radio frequency signal detector/sensor is suitably configured to continuously monitor the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower.

7. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 5 wherein the donor site diversity system further comprises

an unequal power signal splitter having an input port, a high power output port, and a low power output port;

a two-way power divider having an input port, a first equal power distribution output port, and a second equal power distribution output port; and

a variable attenuator;

with the unequal power signal splitter located in-line with the primary circuit, whereby the unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the primary external antenna through the input port of the unequal power signal splitter, the unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the radio frequency signal switch through the high power output port of the unequal power signal splitter, the unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the two-way power divider through the low power output port of the unequal power signal splitter and the input port of the two-way power divider, the two-way power divider is in connection with a test port through the first equal power distribution output port of the two-way power divider, the two-way power divider is in connection with the variable attenuator through the second equal power distribution output port of the two-way power divider, and the variable attenuator is in connection with the radio frequency signal detector/sensor, such that radio frequency signals received by the primary external antenna are transmitted through the unequal power signal splitter and two-way power divider to both the radio frequency signal switch and the radio frequency signal detector/sensor.

8. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 1 further comprising

multiple ancillary external antennas, each said ancillary external antenna suitably configured to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, each said ancillary external antenna located on the exterior of the structure and oriented towards a corresponding ancillary radio frequency signal transmission tower, and each said ancillary external antenna oriented to a different ancillary radio frequency signal transmission tower, such that each said ancillary external antenna is capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals to and from the corresponding ancillary radio frequency signal transmission tower;

and

wherein the donor site diversity system further comprises connections with each of the multiple ancillary external antennas, said donor site diversity system capable of switching between the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower and each of the multiple ancillary radio frequency signal transmission towers.

9. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 8 wherein the donor site diversity system further comprises

a primary circuit, suitably configured to establish a connection between the primary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier such that radio frequency signals may travel between the primary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier;

multiple ancillary circuits, each said ancillary circuit suitably configured to establish a connection between a corresponding ancillary external antenna and the bi-directional amplifier, one said ancillary circuit per ancillary external antenna, such that radio frequency signals may travel between each ancillary external antenna and the bidirectional amplifier;

a radio frequency signal switch, suitably configured to complete or interrupt the primary circuit and to complete or interrupt each of the ancillary circuits, with the radio frequency signal switch capable of toggling between the primary circuit and each of the ancillary circuits, such that each of the ancillary circuits is interrupted when the radio frequency signal switch is toggled to and completes the primary circuit, and for each of the ancillary circuits, the primary circuit and all other ancillary circuits are interrupted when the radio frequency signal switch is toggled to and completes that ancillary circuit; and

a radio frequency signal detector/sensor, comprising

a monitoring means, said monitoring means suitably configured to monitor the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower and all but one of the ancillary radio frequency signal transmission towers, and

a logic processor, suitably configured to determine the sufficiency of the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from each of the monitored radio frequency signal transmission towers, and further configured to prioritize between the monitored radio frequency signal transmission towers, said logic processor in connection with the radio frequency signal switch and further suitably configured to send a signal to the radio frequency signal switch directing the radio frequency signal switch toggle means to toggle between the primary circuit and each of the ancillary circuits, based on the sufficiency of the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the monitored radio frequency signal transmission towers and the priority of the monitored radio frequency signal transmission towers,

whereby, when the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower are determined to be of sufficient strength and quality, the toggling means of the radio frequency signal switch is directed by the logic processor to complete the primary circuit and to interrupt all ancillary circuits, and when the radio frequency signals received from the primary radio frequency signal transmission tower are determined to be of insufficient strength and quality, the toggling means of the radio frequency signal switch is directed by the logic processor to complete the ancillary circuit corresponding to the ancillary radio frequency transmission tower having the highest priority and transmitting radio frequency signals of sufficient strength and quality, and to interrupt the primary circuit and all other ancillary circuits.

10. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 9 wherein the monitoring means of the radio frequency signal detector/sensor is suitably configured to continuously monitor the strength and quality of the radio frequency signals received from the monitored radio frequency signal transmission towers.

11. The in-building radio frequency communications system of claim 9 wherein the donor site diversity system further comprises multiple signal splitter means,

with one said signal splitter means having

an unequal power signal splitter having an input port, a high power output port, and a low power output port;

a two-way power divider having an input port, a first equal power distribution output port, and a second equal power distribution output port; and

a variable attenuator;

with the unequal power signal splitter located in-line with the primary circuit, whereby the unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the primary external antenna through the input port of the unequal power signal splitter, the unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the radio frequency signal switch through the high power output port of the unequal power signal splitter, the unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the two-way power divider through the low power output port of the unequal power signal splitter and the input port of the two-way power divider, the two-way power divider is in connection with a test port through the first equal power distribution output port of the two-way power divider, the two-way power divider is in connection with the variable attenuator through the second equal power distribution output port of the two-way power divider, and the variable attenuator is in connection with the radio frequency signal detector/sensor, such that radio frequency signals received by the primary external antenna are transmitted through the unequal power signal splitter and two-way power divider to both the radio frequency signal switch and the radio frequency signal detector/sensor,

and for each of the monitored ancillary external antennas, a different said signal splitter means, each having

a corresponding unequal power signal splitter having an input port, a high power output port, and a low power output port;

a corresponding two-way power divider having an input port, a first equal power distribution output port, and a second equal power distribution output port; and

a corresponding variable attenuator;

with the corresponding unequal power signal splitter located in-line with the ancillary circuit corresponding to that ancillary antenna, whereby the corresponding unequal power signal splitter is in connection with that ancillary external antenna through the input port of the corresponding unequal power signal splitter, the corresponding unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the radio frequency signal switch through the high power output port of the corresponding unequal power signal splitter, the corresponding unequal power signal splitter is in connection with the corresponding two-way power divider through the low power output port of the corresponding unequal power signal splitter and the input port of the corresponding two-way power divider, the corresponding two-way power divider is in connection with a corresponding test port through the first equal power distribution output port of the corresponding two-way power divider, the corresponding two-way power divider is in connection with the corresponding variable attenuator through the second equal power distribution output port of the corresponding two-way power divider, and the corresponding variable attenuator is in connection with the radio frequency signal detector/sensor, such that radio frequency signals received by that ancillary external antenna are transmitted through the corresponding unequal power signal splitter and corresponding two-way power divider to both the radio frequency signal switch and the radio frequency signal detector/sensor.