Method and System for Real Time Control of an Active Antenna Over a Distributed Antenna System

• US 20100099451A1
• Filed: 06/20/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications Wireless Ltd. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mobileaccess Networks Limited (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Saban, Ofer, Harel, Dror, Berlin, Igor, Shapira, Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48095 Kinked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85065 being reducing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85075 being inert
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00015 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed as prior art
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01001 Hydrogen [H]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01007 Nitrogen [N]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/005 using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method and system for supporting wireless medical telemetry services (MTS) on a Distributed Antenna System (DAS). A DAS can support a many wireless services, including voice and data services using the same physical equipment. WMTS systems can include one or more active antenna units which can be controlled by the MTS access point. The DAS can include one or more control channels for transferring the MTS control and status information between the MTS access point and the antenna. The control channels can be transferred over a separate cable. Alternatively, the control channel signals can be transferred using one or more intermediate frequency signal that is transferred over the existing cables of the DAS between the MTS access point and the antenna. The control channels can be used to configure and control and receive status from the managed components of the DAS including active antennae, control in real time the amplifiers used to process TDD signals, and control in real time the switching of the diversity antenna systems. The original frequency of the WMTS can be converted to an IF signal in order to be combined without interfering with the other services transferred over the DAS. The DAS can also carry a reference clock signal that can be used to synchronize the frequency conversion to and from an IF signal for transmission over the DAS without interfering with other signals. The reference clock signal can be used to control the operation of the antenna units, including controlling the operation of diversity antenna configurations and controlling antenna broadcast operations to reduce interference when two or more antenna units broadcast on the same frequency band at the same time.

Claims

1. A distributed antenna system comprising:

at least one cable run connecting the first combining unit to at least one antenna unit;

the first combining unit including a base station connection capable of connecting a base station to the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring signals corresponding to a first wireless service between the base station and the cable run;

at least one wireless service access point connected to the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring signals corresponding to a second wireless service between the at least one wireless access point and the cable run;

a first interface module connected to the wireless service access point and capable of converting a control signal sent from the wireless service access point to an intermediate frequency (IF) control signal and transferring the IF control signal between the wireless service access point and the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring the IF control signal between the first interface module and the cable run; and

a second combining unit connected to the cable run and capable of receiving the IF control signal and converting the IF control signal back to the control signal and transferring the control signal to the at least one antenna unit of the distributed antenna system.

2. A distributed antenna system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a reference clock signal generator connected to the first combining unit and capable of generating a reference clock signal, the first combining unit being capable of receiving the reference clock signal and transmitting the reference clock signal over the cable run to at least one antenna unit.

4. A distributed antenna system according to claim 2, wherein the first combining unit uses the reference clock signal to convert a signal received from the access point corresponding to the second wireless service to an intermediate frequency signal and transfers the intermediate frequency signal over the cable run to at least one antenna unit.

6. A distributed antenna system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one antenna unit is a diversity antenna having two or more antenna elements and the control signal and the reference clock signal are used by the diversity antenna to select which antenna element is used to broadcast signals corresponding to the second wireless service.

7. A distributed antenna system according to claim 2, wherein the distributed antenna system includes two or more antenna units and the reference clock signal is used by each of the two or more antenna units to synchronize broadcasting sequentially to avoid interference.

8. A distributed antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the second wireless service is a medical telemetry service.

5. A distributed antenna system according to claim 3, wherein the second combining unit uses the reference clock signal to convert the intermediate frequency signal received from the first combining unit to the signal corresponding to the second wireless service and transfers the signal corresponding to the second wireless service to at least one antenna unit.

9. A distributed antenna system comprising:

at least one cable run connecting the first combining unit to at least one antenna unit;

the first combining unit including a base station connection capable of connecting a base station to the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring signals corresponding to a first wireless service between the base station and the cable run;

at least one wireless service access point coupled to the first combining unit and capable of providing a second wireless service over the distributed antenna system, the wireless service access point including a control signal port and being adapted to generate a control signal for controlling an antenna unit;

a second cable run connecting the control signal port of the at least one wireless service access point to at least one antenna unit and capable of transferring control signals to the at least one antenna unit; and

a second service combiner connected to the cable run and capable of receiving signals corresponding to the first wireless service and signals corresponding to the second wireless service and transferring the signals corresponding to the first wireless service and signals corresponding to the second wireless service between the cable run and at least one antenna unit of the distributed antenna system.

10. A distributed antenna system according to claim 9 further comprising:

a reference clock signal generator connected to the first combining unit and capable of generating a reference clock signal, the first combining unit being capable of receiving the reference clock signal and transmitting the reference clock signal over the cable run to at least one antenna unit.

11. A distributed antenna system according to claim 10, wherein the first combining unit uses the reference clock signal to convert a signal received from the access point corresponding to the second wireless service to an intermediate frequency signal and transfers the intermediate frequency signal over the cable run to at least one antenna unit.

12. A distributed antenna system according to claim 11, wherein the second combining unit uses the reference clock signal to convert the intermediate frequency signal received from the first combining unit to the signal corresponding to the second wireless service and transfers the signal corresponding to the second wireless service to at least one antenna unit.

13. A distributed antenna system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one antenna unit is a diversity antenna having two or more antenna elements and the control signal and the reference clock signal are used by the diversity antenna to select which antenna element is used to broadcast signals corresponding to the second wireless service.

14. A distributed antenna system according to claim 11, wherein the distributed antenna system includes two or more antenna units and the reference clock signal is used by each of the two or more antenna units to synchronize broadcasting sequentially to avoid interference.

15. A distributed antenna system according to claim 9, wherein the second wireless service is a medical telemetry service.

17. A distributed antenna system according to claim 15, further comprising a reference clock port capable of connecting a reference clock generator to the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring a reference clock signal received from the reference clock generator over the cable run to the second combining unit, and

wherein the second combining unit includes a connection to the interface module capable of transferring the reference clock signal between the cable run and interface module.

18. A distributed antenna system according to claim 17, wherein the distributed antenna system includes two or more antenna units and the reference clock signal is used by each of the two or more antenna units to synchronize broadcasting sequentially to avoid interference.

16. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a cable run connecting the first combining unit to at least one antenna unit;

the first combining unit including a base station connection capable of connecting a base station to the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring signals corresponding to a first wireless service between the base station and the cable run;

a network port capable of connecting a second wireless service network to the first combining unit and the first combining unit being capable of transferring signals corresponding to the second wireless service between the second wireless service network and the cable run; and

a second combining unit connected to the cable run and the second combining unit being capable of receiving first signals corresponding to the first wireless service and second signals corresponding to the second wireless service and transferring the signals corresponding to the first wireless service between the cable run and at least one antenna connected to the second combining unit; and

an interface module connected to the second combining unit, the interface module being capable of connecting the second combining unit to at least one wireless service access point and transferring the second signals corresponding to the second wireless service between the second combining unit and the at least one wireless access point.

19. A distributed antenna system according to claim 16, further comprising a power port capable of connecting a power source to the first combining unit, the first combining unit being capable of transferring a power signal received from the power source over the cable run to the second combining unit, and

wherein the second combining unit includes a connection to the interface module capable of transferring the power signal between the cable run and interface module.

20. A distributed antenna system according to claim 16, wherein the signals corresponding to the second wireless service include network data signals and control signals, and

the control signals are capable of controlling a function of the wireless service access point.

21. A distributed antenna system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one antenna unit is a diversity antenna having two or more antenna elements and the control signal and the reference clock signal are used by the diversity antenna to select which antenna element is used to broadcast signals corresponding to the second wireless service.