WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND LIFT SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME

• US 20080261520A1
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CONSISTEL (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
• Original Assignee: CONSISTEL (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
• Inventors: Bassiri, Masoud, Jeevarathinam, Ravikumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,014,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3461 between the elevator control system and remote or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15535 Control of relay amplifier gain amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A wireless communication system for providing a radio frequency (RF) link between an enclosed environment that is at least substantially shielded from RF signals, and the outside of the enclosed environment is disclosed. The wireless communication system includes at least one gateway antenna arranged at an entrance point of the enclosed environment. The gateway antenna radiates downlink RF signals into and receives uplink RF signals from, the enclosed environment, respectively. The system also includes at least one auxiliary repeater arranged within the enclosed environment, a donor antenna and a server antenna. Both the donor and the server antenna are coupled to the auxiliary repeater. The auxiliary repeater relays the downlink and the uplink RF signals using the donor antenna and the server antenna. A lift system including the wireless communication system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for improving a radio frequency (RF) link in a wireless communication system between an enclosed environment that is at least substantially shielded from RF signals, and the outside of the enclosed environment, the method comprising:

providing at least one gateway antenna at an entrance point of the enclosed environment;

the gateway antenna radiating downlink RF signals into the enclosed environment or receiving uplink RF signals from the enclosed environment;

providing at least one auxiliary repeater within the enclosed environment;

providing a donor antenna coupled to the auxiliary repeater;

providing a server antenna coupled to the auxiliary repeater;

the auxiliary repeater relaying the downlink and uplink RF signals using the donor antenna and the server antenna.

2. The method according to claim 1, providing the auxiliary repeater mounted on a mobile conveyance movable in the enclosed environment with the donor antenna located outside the mobile conveyance and the server antenna located inside the mobile conveyance.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the enclosed environment is in a lift shaft, the mobile conveyance is a lift car and the gateway antenna is arranged at a ceiling of the lift shaft.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary repeater comprises a bidirectional amplifier having a gain that is adjustable based on a distance between the mobile conveyance and the gateway antenna.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of auxiliary repeaters arranged spaced apart from each other in a cascade within the enclosed environment.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of auxiliary repeaters comprises a first group and a second group of auxiliary repeaters, wherein the auxiliary repeaters in the first group are mounted to respective mobile conveyances of a train of mobile conveyances movable in the enclosed environment, with the donor antenna, coupled to at least a leading auxiliary repeater or a trailing auxiliary repeater of the auxiliary repeaters in the first group, being arranged outside the mobile conveyance, the donor antennas coupled to the other auxiliary repeaters in the first group and the server antennas coupled to the auxiliary repeaters in the first group arranged inside the respective mobile conveyance, and the auxiliary repeaters in the second group are arranged to be stationary in the enclosed environment outside the mobile conveyances.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the enclosed environment is the inside of a tunnel.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

providing a plurality of gateway antennas arranged at respective entrance points of the enclosed environment.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first interface that is coupled to a control station for converting downlink control data into corresponding downlink control RF signals and for converting uplink signaling RF signals into corresponding uplink signaling data;

providing a first combiner/decombiner that is coupled to the first interface for combining the downlink RF signals with the downlink control RF signals for transmission by the gateway antenna, and for separating uplink RF signals from the uplink signaling RF signals received by the gateway antenna;

providing a second interface that is coupled to a signaling and driving system for converting the downlink control RF signals into driver signals and for converting signaling signals into the uplink signaling RF signals; and

providing a second combiner/decombiner that is coupled to the second interface for combining the uplink RF signals with the uplink signaling RF signals for transmission by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater, and for separating the downlink RF signals from the downlink control RF signals received by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing the signaling and driving system arranged in the mobile conveyance comprising a driver for controlling the mobile conveyance based on the driver signals, and a sensor for producing the signaling signals based on a status of the mobile conveyance.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

providing a signal generator being operable by an operator of the mobile conveyance in the signaling and driving system.

12. The method according to claim 1, used in a lift system, the lift system comprising:

a lift shaft;

a lift car that is moveable within the lift shaft;

at least one gateway antenna arranged at a ceiling of the lift shaft so as to radiate downlink RF signals into and receive uplink RF signals from inside, the lift shaft, respectively;

an auxiliary repeater mounted on the lift car;

a donor antenna coupled to the auxiliary repeater and located outside of the lift car; and

a server antenna coupled to the auxiliary repeater and located inside the lift car;

wherein the auxiliary repeater relays the uplink and downlink RF signals between outside and inside of the lift car using the donor antenna and the server antenna.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing a first interface that is coupled to a control station for converting downlink control data into corresponding downlink control RF signals and for converting uplink signaling RF signals into corresponding uplink signaling data;

providing a first combiner/decombiner that is coupled to the first interface for combining the downlink RF signals with the downlink control RF signals for transmission by the gateway antenna, and for separating uplink RF signals from the uplink signaling RF signals received by the gateway antenna;

providing a second interface that is coupled to a signaling and driving system for converting the downlink control RF signals into driver signals and for converting signaling signals into the uplink signaling RF signals; and

providing a second combiner/decombiner that is coupled to the second interface for combining the uplink RF signals with the uplink signaling RF signals for transmission by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater, and for separating the downlink RF signals from the downlink RF control signals received by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater.

14. The method according to claim 13, providing the signaling and driving system being arranged in the lift car and comprising a driver for controlling the lift car based on the driver signals, and a sensor for producing the signaling signals based on the status of the lift car.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

providing a signal generator being operable by a user of the lift car in the signaling and driving system.

16. The method according to claim 15, providing the sensor such that it is adapted to provide information about the location of the lift car within the lift shaft, the sensor being connected to the auxiliary repeater so that the information can be used thereby for controlling the gain of an amplifier of the auxiliary repeater, and to the first interface so that the information can be used by the control station to control the location of the lift car in the lift shaft.