Apparatus and method for frequency shifting of a wireless signal and systems using frequency shifting
First Claim
1. An apparatus for faithful frequency shifting of a first spread-spectrum signal without any protocol conversion from a first frequency band to a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band, said apparatus comprising:
- a first port for receiving the first spread-spectrum signal in the first frequency band;
a first I/Q demodulator coupled to said first port to receive the first spread-spectrum signal from said first port, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the first spread spectrum signal;
a first I/Q modulator coupled to said first I/Q demodulator to receive the first spread spectrum signal I and Q component signals, said first I/Q modulator being operative to reconstruct first spread-spectrum signal and to frequency shift the first spread-spectrum signal to the second frequency band; and
a second port coupled to said first I/Q modulator to receive the frequency shifted signal from said first I/Q modulator, for outputting the frequency shifted first spread spectrum signal in the second frequency band.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus for improving the coverage of a wireless network based on frequency shifting scheme. A wireless signal in a frequency band is shifted to another distinct band, and carried in the shifted band, using wired or wireless mediums to another location, wherein the wireless signal is shifted back to the original frequency band. The frequency shifting may make use of a conventional frequency shifting schemes such as mixer/filter and heterodyne. In one embodiment the wireless signal is frequency shifted by converting it to other representing signals (such as I/Q components) and forming the frequency-shifted signal from the representations. The system is may be used to increase in-door or outdoor coverage, as well as bridging between in-door and outdoor networks. The medium may use dedicated wiring or existing service wiring in a residence or building, including LAN, telephone, AC power and CATV wiring. The system (in whole or in part) may be enclosed as a stand-alone unit, housed in integrated form as part of a service outlet or as a snap-on/plug-in module. Methods and other systems with different advantageous configurations are also described. This abstract is not intended to limit or construe the scope or meaning of the claims.
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Citations
124 Claims
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1. An apparatus for faithful frequency shifting of a first spread-spectrum signal without any protocol conversion from a first frequency band to a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band, said apparatus comprising:
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a first port for receiving the first spread-spectrum signal in the first frequency band;
a first I/Q demodulator coupled to said first port to receive the first spread-spectrum signal from said first port, for deriving the I and Q component signals of the first spread spectrum signal;
a first I/Q modulator coupled to said first I/Q demodulator to receive the first spread spectrum signal I and Q component signals, said first I/Q modulator being operative to reconstruct first spread-spectrum signal and to frequency shift the first spread-spectrum signal to the second frequency band; and
a second port coupled to said first I/Q modulator to receive the frequency shifted signal from said first I/Q modulator, for outputting the frequency shifted first spread spectrum signal in the second frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A network for wireless communication of a first wireless signal carried in a first frequency band between first and second wireless units, said network comprising:
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a first frequency shifter for wireless communication of the first wireless signal with the first wireless unit, said first frequency shifter being operative to frequency shift the first wireless signal between the first frequency band and a second frequency band distinct from the first frequency band; and
a second frequency shifter for wireless communication of the first wireless signal with the second wireless unit, said second frequency shifter being operative to frequency shift said first wireless signal between said first frequency band and said second frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for frequency shifting without any protocol conversion between a wireless signal in a wireless frequency band carried by a wireless medium and a wired signal in a wired frequency band carried by a wired medium, said apparatus comprising:
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an antenna for receiving and transmitting the wireless signal;
a wiring connector for connecting to the wired medium;
a down frequency shifter for down frequency shifting a signal from the wireless frequency band to the wired frequency band;
an up frequency shifter for up frequency shifting of a signal from the wired frequency band to the wireless frequency band;
an RF switch coupled between said antenna, said down frequency shifter and said up frequency shifter, said RF switch having first and second states, wherein in the first state said antenna is coupled to said down frequency shifter and in the second state said antenna is coupled to said up frequency shifter; and
a wired frequency band switch coupled between said wiring connector, said down frequency shifter and said up frequency shifter, said wired frequency band switch having first and second states, wherein in the first state said wiring connector is coupled to said down frequency shifter and in the second state said connector is coupled to said up frequency shifter;
wherein said apparatus is switchable into distinct first and second states, wherein in the first state of said apparatus, said RF switch is in its said first state and said wired frequency band switch is in its said first state for receiving the wireless signal from the antenna, down frequency shifting the wireless signal and transmitting the shifted wireless signal to the wiring connector; and
wherein in the second state of said apparatus, said RF switch is in its said second state and said wired frequency band switch is in its said second state for receiving the frequency shifted wireless signal from said wiring connector, up frequency shifting to reconstruct the wireless signal and transmitting the wireless signal to the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A network for wireless communication of wireless signals among a plurality of wireless units, the wireless signals being carried in a wireless frequency band, the wireless units being interconnected by a wired medium for carrying wired signals in a wired frequency band distinct from and lower in frequency than the wireless frequency band, said network comprising a plurality of frequency shifters each connected to the wired medium, and said network having two distinct states, wherein:
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in the first state, one of said frequency shifters is operative to wirelessly receive a first wireless signal from one of the wireless units, down frequency shift the received wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and couple the shifted wireless signal to the wired medium, while wherein all other frequency shifters receive the shifted wireless signal from the wired medium, up frequency shift the received shifted wireless signal to the wireless frequency band to reconstruct the first wireless signal, and transmit the reconstructed first wireless signal; and
in the second state, one of said frequency shifters is operative to wirelessly receive a second wireless signal from a wireless unit, down frequency shift the received wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and couple the shifted wireless signal to the wired medium, while all other frequency shifters receive the shifted wireless signal from the wired medium, up frequency shift the received shifted wireless signal to the wireless frequency band to reconstruct the second wireless signal, and transmit the reconstructed second wireless signal. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. An apparatus for coupling a wireless signal to a plurality of wired mediums, for use with a wireless unit having an antenna connector and operative to receive and transmit the wireless signal in a wireless frequency band, and with a plurality of distinct wired mediums, each operative for conducting signals in a wired frequency band, said apparatus comprising:
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a coaxial connector for connecting to the antenna connector of the wireless unit for receiving and transmitting the wireless signal in the wireless frequency band;
a plurality of wiring connectors each for connecting to a distinct wired medium;
a frequency shifter connected for frequency shifting between the wireless frequency band and the wired frequency band;
an RF attenuator coupled between said coaxial connector and said frequency shifter for substantially attenuating the signal in the wireless frequency band; and
a wired band splitter connected to said frequency shifter and having multiple ports, each port connected to a wiring connector, said splitter being operative to share a signal in the wired frequency band with all devices connected thereto. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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101. A network for wireless communication of a wireless signal in a wireless frequency band among a plurality of wireless units interconnected by a plurality of distinct wired mediums, the wired mediums providing a wired frequency band distinct from, and lower in frequency than, the wireless frequency band, each wired medium having first and second ends, said network comprising:
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a center device coupled to a selected wireless unit and connected to the first end of each of the wired mediums, said center device being operative to frequency shift the wireless signal between the wireless frequency band and the wired frequency band; and
a plurality of remote devices, each connected to a second end of one of a respective one of the wired mediums and each coupled to a respective wireless unit, each of said remote devices being operative to frequency shift a signal between the wireless frequency band and the wired frequency band, wherein;
said network is operative to the allow said center device to receive the wireless signal in the wireless band from the selected wireless unit, to down frequency shift the wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and to transmit the shifted wireless signal to all connected wired mediums;
each of said remote devices is operative to up frequency shift shifted wireless signal from said center device to the wireless frequency band, to reconstruct the wireless signal, and to transmit the reconstructed wireless signal to the respective wireless unit;
said network is operative to allow one of said remote devices to receive a wireless signal in the wireless band from one of the wireless units coupled thereto, to down frequency shift the received wireless signal to the wired frequency band, and to transmit the shifted wireless signal to the connected wired medium; and
said center device is operative to up frequency shift the received shifted wireless signal to the wireless frequency band to reconstruct the wireless signal, and to transmit the reconstructed first wireless signal to the coupled wireless unit. - View Dependent Claims (102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
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Specification