REPEATER SYSTEM FOR EXTENDED CELL COVERAGE

• US 20110117834A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Martin, Andrew C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• 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

Abstract

A repeater system for extending cell coverage, including a frequency band translation repeater for transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals to and receiving RF signals from a base station and translating between the frequency band of THE RF signals and a different frequency band for RF transmission directly between the repeater and user equipment.

Claims

1. A repeater system for extending cell coverage, including a frequency band translation repeater for transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals to and receiving RF signals from a base station and translating between the frequency band of said RF signals and a different frequency band for RF transmission directly between the repeater and user equipment.

2. A repeater system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system extends an area of said cell coverage of said base station to another area.

3. A repeater system as claimed in claim 2, including another frequency band translation repeater for transmitting and receiving said RF signals at said different frequency band and translating between said different frequency band and another frequency band for RF transmission directly between said another repeater and user equipment.

4. A repeater system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said another frequency band is the frequency band of said base station.

5. A repeater system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system provides coverage at said different frequency band within an area of said cell coverage of said base station.

6. A repeater system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said coverage at said different frequency band is for said user equipment which does not operate at said frequency band of said base station.

7. A repeater system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frequency band and the different frequency band are bands of a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

8. A repeater system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user equipment is for a UMTS network and communicates at said different frequency band.

9. A repeater system including a repeater, including:

a donor port for a frequency band of a base station of a mobile telecommunications network;

a service port for a different frequency band, the different frequency band including a carrier frequency for communication with user equipment of the network; and

a repeater circuit for converting signals on the donor port and the service port between the bands.

10. A repeater system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the repeater circuit includes a downlink circuit for translation from the first band to the second band, and an uplink circuit for translation from the second band to the first band.

11. A repeater system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the downlink circuit and the uplink circuit include a gain amplifier controlled based on a power level determined from signals received on the donor port and the service port, respectively.

12. A repeater system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system extends an area of cell coverage of said base station to another area.

13. A repeater system as claimed in claim 12, including another repeater for converting said signals at said different frequency band and to another frequency band for communication directly between the another repeater and user equipment.

14. A repeater system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said another frequency band is the frequency band of said base station.

15. A repeater system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system provides coverage at said different frequency band within an area of cell coverage of said base station.

16. A repeater system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said coverage at said different frequency band is for said user equipment which does not operate at said frequency band of said base station.

17. A repeater system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the frequency band and the different frequency band are bands of a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network.

18. A repeater system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the user equipment is for a UMTS network and communicates at said different frequency band.

19. A method of extending cell coverage for a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, including:

retransmitting signals on the UMTS operating band of the network as signals on one or more different UMTS operating bands; and

retransmitting signals of the one or more different UMTS operating bands as signals on the operating band of the network.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said method is performed at a site in the UMTS network by a frequency band translation repeater circuit.