Cellular base station subsystem

• US 20070161348A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Asbridge, Harold, Gribben, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US11/327,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161348A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/13.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method of operating a cellular base station subsystem such as a smart bias tee. The method comprising: modulating a first control data signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal; multiplexing said first modulated carrier signal with a first RF antenna signal onto a feed line; demultiplexing a second RF antenna signal and a second modulated carrier signal from said feed line; demodulating the second modulated carrier signal to generate a second control data signal; analyzing at least one of said signals to generate diagnostic data; and outputting said diagnostic data. The subsystem also has an addressable memory adapted to provide data on request from said subsystem.

Claims

1. A method of operating a cellular base station subsystem, the method comprising:

modulating a first control data signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal;

multiplexing said first modulated carrier signal with a first RF antenna signal onto a feed line;

demultiplexing a second RF antenna signal and a second modulated carrier signal from said feed line;

demodulating the second modulated carrier signal to generate a second control data signal;

analyzing at least one of said signals to generate diagnostic data; and

outputting said diagnostic data.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising analyzing the first or second control data signal to generate said diagnostic data.

3. A method according to claim 1 comprising analyzing the first or second modulated carrier signal to generate said diagnostic data.

4. A method according to claim 3 comprising measuring the signal strength of the first or second modulated carrier signal to generate said diagnostic data.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising storing said diagnostic data in an addressable memory of said subsystem.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising multiplexing a DC bias signal onto said feed line.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising demultiplexing a DC bias signal from said feed line.

8. A cellular base station subsystem comprising:

a modulator adapted to modulate a first control data signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal;

a multiplexer adapted to multiplex said first modulated carrier signal with a first RF antenna signal onto a feed line;

a demultiplexer adapted to demultiplex a second RF antenna signal and a second modulated carrier signal from said feed line;

a demodulator adapted to demodulate the second modulated carrier signal to generate a second control data signal; and

a monitor adapted to analyze at least one of said signals to generate diagnostic data and output said diagnostic data.

9. A method of operating a cellular base station subsystem, the method comprising:

modulating a first control data signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal;

multiplexing said first modulated carrier signal with a first RF antenna signal onto a feed line;

demultiplexing a second RF antenna signal and a second modulated carrier signal from said feed line;

demodulating the second modulated carrier signal to generate a second control data signal;

requesting data from said subsystem; and

providing data from a memory of said subsystem in response to the request.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising assigning a network address to the subsystem, storing the network address in the memory;

and requesting data from the memory using the network address.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the subsystem is part of a point-to-multipoint network between a controller and a plurality of controlled devices;

and the data is requested from the memory in order to perform a continuity check of the network.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the point-to-multipoint network comprises two of said subsystems, and wherein the method comprises requesting data from a memory of each of said subsystems in order to perform a continuity check of the network.

13. A method according to claim 11 further comprising isolating the subsystem from said plurality of controlled devices;

and requesting data from said memory when said subsystem is isolated from said plurality of controlled devices.

14. A method according to claim 9 further comprising multiplexing a DC bias signal onto said feed line.

15. A method according to claim 9 further comprising demultiplexing a DC bias signal from said feed line.

16. A cellular base station subsystem comprising:

a modulator adapted to modulate a first control data signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal;

a multiplexer adapted to multiplex said first modulated carrier signal with a first RF antenna signal onto a feed line;

a demultiplexer adapted to demultiplex a second RF signal and a second modulated carrier input signal from said feed line;

a demodulator adapted to demodulate the second modulated carrier signal to generate a second control data signal; and

an addressable memory adapted to provide data on request from said subsystem.