Method for Selecting the Installation Position and Direction of Link Antenna in Inbuilding Radio Frequency Repeater and Cable Apparatus Used in the Same

• US 20080274693A1
• Filed: 08/11/2006
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KT Corporation
• Original Assignee: KT Corporation
• Inventors: Choi, Jin-Ho, Lee, Jung-Ho, Seo, Kyoung-Il
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/25
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for selecting an installation position of a link antenna of an in-building RF repeater, a cable device thereof, and a terminal. The method selects the position for measuring the greatest Ec/lo by using directivity of the link antenna in an area for installing the link antenna. The link antenna is installed at the selected position. The direction with the greatest Ec/lo that is measured by using directivity of the link antenna is fixed to be a desired direction from among target directions to be directed by the link antenna. In this instance, measurement of Ec/lo by using directivity of the link antenna is performed by a mobile station connected to the link antenna through an access cable. Accordingly, the link antenna can be installed at the optimized position and in the optimized direction. Hence, the Ec/lo within the building is substantially reduced.

Claims

1. A method for selecting an installation position of a link antenna of an in-building RF repeater in a terminal connected to the link antenna, the method comprising:

a) measuring a communication state value by using directivity of the link antenna at a predetermined position within a target area for installing the link antenna;

b) comparing a previously measured communication state value with the communication state value that is measured by repeating the measurement of a) at another position within the target area; and

c) selecting the position with the greatest communication state value as a position for installing the link antenna.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring of a communication state value by using directivity of the link antenna in a) is performed by a terminal connected to the link antenna through a predetermined access cable.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the terminal for measuring the communication state value generates mobile communication traffic through the link antenna.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication state value is one of the energy per chip over interface noise (Ec/Io), transmission power (Tx_pwr), and transmission adjust (Tx_adj) measured from the terminal.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined access cable is connected to a feeder of the link antenna, wherein the feeder connects a coaxial cable for the link antenna to transmit RF signals to a remote unit for providing a mobile communication service within the building.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined access cable is connected to an RF port for controlling RF transmitting/receiving to/from the terminal.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined access cable is an RF cable for controlling RF signal transmission between the link antenna and the terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) measuring a communication state value by using the directivity of the link antenna in a predetermined direction within a target direction to be directed by the link antenna that is installed at the position selected in c);

e) comparing a previously measured communication state value with the communication state value that is measured by repeating the measurement of d) in another direction within the target area; and

f) selecting the direction with the greatest communication state value measured in the target direction as a direction to be directed by the link antenna.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the link antenna is one of a Yagi antenna, a patch antenna, a sector antenna, and a parabolic antenna.

2. A method for selecting a direction of a link antenna of an in-building RF repeater in a terminal connected to the link antenna, the method comprising:

a) measuring a communication state value by using directivity of the link antenna in a predetermined direction within a target area to be directed by the link antenna;

b) comparing a previously measured communication state value with the communication state value that is measured by repeating the measurement of a) in another direction within the target area; and

c) selecting the direction with the greatest communication state value as a direction to be directed by the link antenna.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein the measuring of a communication state value by using directivity of the link antenna in a) is performed by a terminal connected to the link antenna through a predetermined access cable.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the terminal for measuring the communication state value generates mobile communication traffic through the link antenna.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication state value is one of the energy per chip over interface noise (Ec/Io), transmission power (Tx_pwr), and transmission adjust (Tx_adj) measured from the terminal.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined access cable is connected to a feeder of the link antenna, wherein the feeder connects a coaxial cable for the link antenna to transmit RF signals to a remote unit for providing a mobile communication service within the building.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the predetermined access cable is connected to an RF port for controlling RF transmitting/receiving to/from the terminal.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined access cable is an RF cable for controlling RF signal transmission between the link antenna and the terminal.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the link antenna is one of a Yagi antenna, a patch antenna, a sector antenna, and a parabolic antenna.

11. A cable device comprising:

an N-type connector connectable to a feeder of a link antenna of an in-building RF repeater;

an RF jack connectable to an RF port for controlling RF transmission with a terminal that generates mobile communication traffic through the link antenna; and

an RF cable connected between the N-type connector and the RF jack, wherein

the terminal transmits RF signals between the link antenna and the terminal to control measuring of communication state values by using directivity of the link antenna.

12. The cable device of claim 11, further comprising a protection tube for protecting parts connected to the N-type connector and the RF jack in the RF cable.

13. The cable device of claim 12, wherein the protection tube is a heat shrink tube for protecting the heat shrink of the RF cable.

14. The cable device of claim 11, wherein

the communication state value is one of the energy per chip over interface noise (Ec/Io), transmission power (Tx_pwr), and transmission adjust (Tx_adj) measured from the terminal

15. A terminal for selecting an installation position of a link antenna of an in-building RF repeater, the terminal comprising:

a keypad for receiving and transmitting a user instruction for selecting an installation position of the link antenna;

a display for displaying communication state values for displaying the terminal'"'"'s states and performance;

a link antenna connector connectable to the link antenna so that RF signals may be transmitted between the link antenna and the terminal;

a wireless transmitting/receiving unit for transmitting/receiving RF signals to/from the link antenna through the link antenna connector; and

a controller for measuring the terminal'"'"'s communication state value through the link antenna connected to the wireless transmitting/receiving unit through the link antenna connector when a user instruction is input through the keypad.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the controller measures the communication state value measured in the non-slot mode and displays the same through the display so as to initially select the position for installing the link antenna and the direction thereof.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller measures the communication state value in the traffic state and displays the same through the display so as to confirm the position for installing the link antenna and the direction thereof.

18. The terminal of claim 17, wherein the confirmed position for installing the link antenna and the direction thereof is selected from among the initially selected positions and directions.

19. The terminal of claim 17, wherein the keypad comprises a scan mode key for receiving a communication state value measuring instruction for the initial selection, and a conform mode key for receiving a communication state value measuring instruction for the confirmation.

20. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the controller divides the terminal sate into a plurality of states, converts the states into states that correspond to the plural states depending on the measured communication state value, and displays the converted states to the display.

21. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the wireless transmitting/receiving unit comprises a plurality of wireless transmitting/receiving means for performing wireless communication, and one of the wireless transmitting/receiving means is selected by the controller according to the user'"'"'s input through the keypad.