METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PICOCELL DISTRIBUTED RADIO HEADS PROVIDING MACROCELL CAPABILITIES

• US 20110236024A1
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Network Communications Incorporated (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Mao, Nien-Tai Kai
• Granted Patent: US 8,422,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25752 Optical arrangements for wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for telecommunications includes a base band unit, a backhaul network, a shared network, a cascaded chain of remote radio heads, and an optical node coupled to the cascaded chain of remote radio heads. The backhaul network is coupled to the base band unit and to the shared network. The cascaded chain includes a first remote radio head coupled to a first set of antennas, a second remote radio head coupled to a second set of antennas. The second remote radio head is coupled to the first remote radio head through the shared network. The cascaded chain of remote radio heads is coupled to the shared network. The second remote radio head is configured to receive signals from the second set of antennas and communicate the signals to the first remote radio head. The first remote radio head is configured to receive signals from the first set of antennas, receive signals from the from the second remote radio head, and transmit the signals to the base band unit. The base band unit, the first remote radio head, and the second remote radio head communicate through a digital radio interface. The optical node is configured to communicate signals between the backhaul network and data subscribers accessing the shared network.

Claims

1. A system for telecommunications, comprising:

a base band unit;

a backhaul network, the backhaul network coupled to the base band unit;

a shared network, the shared network coupled to the backhaul network;

a cascaded chain of remote radio heads, comprising;

a first remote radio head coupled to a first set of one or more antennas;

a second remote radio head coupled to a second set of one or more antennas, the second remote radio head coupled to the first remote radio head through the shared network; and

,

wherein the cascaded chain of remote radio heads is coupled to the shared network;

an optical node coupled to the cascaded chain of remote radio heads; and

wherein;

the second remote radio head is configured to receive signals from the second set of antennas and communicate the signals to the first remote radio head;

the first remote radio head is configured to receive signals from the first set of antennas, receive signals from the from the second remote radio head, and transmit the signals to the base band unit;

the base band unit, the first remote radio head, and the second remote radio head communicate through a digital radio interface; and

,

the optical node is configured to communicate signals between the backhaul network and one or more data subscribers accessing the shared network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cascaded chain of remote radio heads further comprises a sector of a wireless communications network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital radio interface is CPRI.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first remote radio head is further configured to add the signals from the first set of antennas to the signals from the second remote radio head to form a resultant signal and transmit the resultant signal to the base band unit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first remote radio head if further configured to compensate for delays associated with signals from the second remote radio head.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic transmission line, the electromagnetic transmission line coupled to the data subscribers and to the optical node.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the signals that the optical node is configured to communicate between the backhaul network and the one or more data subscribers accessing the shared network comprise telephony.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the signals that the optical node is configured to communicate between the backhaul network and the one or more data subscribers accessing the shared network comprise multimedia data.

9. A method of telecommunications, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal through an antenna in a first remote radio head;

transmitting the first signal to a second remote radio head using a digital radio interface over a shared network;

receiving a second signal through an antenna in the second remote radio head;

transmitting the first signal and the second signal to a base band unit across the shared network using the digital radio interface; and

,

in parallel, receiving or transmitting a third signal across the shared network to one or more service subscribers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital radio interface is CPRI.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

adding the first signal to the second signal to form a resultant signal; and

,

transmitting the resultant signal to a base band unit.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of compensating for delays associated with signals from the first remote radio head.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the shared network is coupled to a backhaul network.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving or transmitting a third signal further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the third signal over the shared network to an optical node;

converting the third signal for use on an electromagnetic transmission line; and

,

transmitting the third signal over the electromagnetic transmission line to one or more land-based service subscribers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the shared network is coupled to a backhaul network, the backhaul network coupled to a service provider, and further comprising the step of transmitting the third signal from the service provider to the one or more service subscribers.

16. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to;

receive a first signal through an antenna in a first remote radio head;

transmit the first signal to a second remote radio head using a digital radio interface over a shared network;

receive a second signal through an antenna in the second remote radio head;

transmit the first signal and the second signal to a base band unit using the digital radio interface over a shared network; and

in parallel, receive or transmit a third signal across the shared network to one or more service subscribers.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein the radio interface is CPRI.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein the processor is further caused to:

add the first signal to the second signal to form a resultant signal; and

,

transmit the resultant signal to a base band unit.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein the processor is further caused to compensate for delays associated with signals from the first remote radio head.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the shared network is coupled to a backhaul network, and causing the processor to receive or transmit a third signal further comprises causing the processor to:

transmit the third signal over the shared network to an optical node;

convert the third signal for use on an electromagnetic transmission line; and

,

transmit the third signal over the electromagnetic transmission line to one or more land-based service subscribers.