Distributed antenna communications system and methods of implementing thereof

• US 20080058018A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LGC Wireless Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Scheinert, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

The present invention provides a distributed antenna communications system and methods of implementing a distributed antenna communications system. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a distributed antenna system comprises: a base station configured for communication with a telecommunications network; a multi-port repeater hub connected to the base station to receive a communications signal from the base station and to distribute the communications signal to a plurality of ports of the multi-port repeater hub, the multi-port repeater hub comprising a scanner for scanning a plurality of frequency channels to identify one or more channels of the communications signal received from the base station; and a plurality of antenna units, each coupled to one of the ports of the multi-port repeater hub

Claims

1. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a base station configured for communication with a telecommunications network;

a multi-port repeater hub connected to the base station to receive a communications signal from the base station and to distribute the communications signal to a plurality of ports of the multi-port repeater hub, the multi-port repeater hub comprising a scanner for scanning a plurality of frequency channels to identify one or more channels of the communications signal received from the base station; and

a plurality of antenna units, each coupled to one of the ports of the multi-port repeater hub.

2. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the base station comprises a single-channel pico base station.

3. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-port repeater hub comprises a signal regenerator wherein the signal regenerator is configured to perform signal processing on the one or more identified channels.

4. The distributed antenna system according to claim 3, wherein a center frequency and bandwidth of the signal regenerator is configured for each of the identified channels.

5. The distributed antenna system according to claim 4, wherein the bandwidth is fixed for all of the channels.

6. The distributed antenna system according to claim 4, wherein the bandwidth is adjusted according to a detected channel width.

7. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-port repeater hub is coupled to one or more additional base stations, each having a communications signal comprising one or more respective channels, and wherein the multi-port repeater hub identifies the one or more respective channels of each base station.

8. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the communications signal is received by the multi-port hub at radio frequency and the antenna units receive the communications signal from the multi-port repeater hub at intermediate frequency.

9. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the communications signal is received by the multi-port hub at radio frequency and the antenna units receive the communications signal from the multi-port repeater hub at baseband.

10. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-port repeater hub comprises a wireless modem for communicating control and alarm messages between the multi-port repeater hub and a network operator.

11. The distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-port repeater hub comprises a network switch wherein the base station communicates with the telecommunications network via the network switch.

12. A multi-port repeater hub for a distributed antenna system comprising:

a base station interface port configured to communicate with a base station;

a scanner for scanning a plurality of frequency channels to identify one or more channels of a communications signal received from the base station; and

a plurality of distribution ports to which the communications signal received from the base station interface port is distributed, each distribution port being configured to communicate with a corresponding one of a plurality of antenna units.

13. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a base station configured for communication with a telecommunications network;

a multi-port repeater hub connected to the base station to receive a communications signal from the base station and to distribute the communications signal to a plurality of ports of the multi-port repeater hub, the multi-port repeater hub comprising a connection indictor for each port that indicates whether the port is correctly connected to its corresponding antenna; and

a plurality of antenna units, each coupled to one of the ports of the multi-port repeater hub.

14. The distributed antenna system according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of cables, wherein a respective one of the cables connects each antenna unit to the corresponding port of the multi-port repeater hub and wherein each antenna unit is configured to receive power via its respective cable.

15. The distributed antenna system according to claim 14, wherein the cables comprise CAT-5 cables having RJ-45 connectors.

16. The distributed antenna system according to claim 14, wherein the connection indicator for each port of the multi-port repeater hub indicates whether the antenna unit draws power from the multi-port repeater hub.

17. The distributed antenna system according to claim 16, wherein the connection indicator for each port of the multi-port repeater hub further indicates whether the whether the multi-port repeater hub is able to exchange communication messages with its respective antenna unit.

18. The distributed antenna system according to claim 14, wherein each antenna unit indicates whether it receives power via its respective cable.

19. The distributed antenna system according to claim 18, wherein each antenna unit further indicates whether it is able to exchange communication messages with the multi-port repeater hub.

20. A multi-port repeater hub for a distributed antenna system comprising:

a base station interface port configured to communicate with a base station;

a plurality of distribution ports to which a communications signal received from the base station interface port is distributed, each distribution port being configured to communicate with a corresponding one of a plurality of antenna units; and

a connection indictor for each distribution port that indicates whether the distribution port is correctly connected to its corresponding antenna.

21. A method for implementing a distributed antenna system comprising steps of:

connecting a multi-port repeater hub to a base station;

scanning a plurality of frequency channels to identify one or more channels of a communications signal received from the base station, said scanning performed automatically by the multi-port repeater hub;

connecting each of a plurality of antenna units to a corresponding one of a plurality of distribution ports of the multi-port repeater hub; and

providing an indication for each antenna unit as to whether the distribution port is correctly connected to its corresponding antenna unit.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the indication for each antenna unit is provided automatically by the multi-port repeater hub.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the indication for one or more of the antenna units is provided automatically by the one or more antenna units.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said connecting each of a plurality of antenna units to a corresponding one of a plurality of distribution ports of the multi-port repeater hub is performed using CAT-5 cables having RJ-45 connectors.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein each antenna unit is configured to receive power via its respective cable.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the indication for each antenna unit indicates whether the antenna units receives power via its respective cable.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the indication further indicates whether the antenna unit is able to exchange messages with the multi-port repeater hub.

28. The method according to claim 21, further comprising adjusting signal power at an antenna of each antenna unit automatically.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein signal power at each antenna is adjusted independently of signal power at the other antennas.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein the multi-port repeater hub automatically adjusts downlink transmit power for each antenna unit.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the multi-port repeater hub sends a message to each antenna unit that causes the antenna unit to set its uplink transmit power.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein downlink and uplink signal power for each antenna unit is adjusted independently of signal power at the other antenna units.

33. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a base station configured for communication with a telecommunications network;

a multi-port repeater hub connected to the base station to receive a communications signal from the base station and to distribute the communications signal to a plurality of ports of the multi-port repeater hub, the multi-port repeater hub comprising a network switch wherein the base station communicates with the telecommunications network via the network switch; and

a plurality of antenna units, each coupled to one of the ports of the multi-port repeater hub.

34. The distributed antenna system according to claim 33, wherein the multi-port repeater hub is configured to communicate control and alarm messages with a network operator via the network switch.

35. The distributed antenna system according to claim 33, wherein the base station comprises a single-channel pico base station.