AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL CONFIGURATION FOR A WIDEBAND DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A distributed antenna system comprising:
- a hub unit configured to receive an original downlink signal comprising a plurality of downstream frequency bands, each of the plurality of downstream frequency bands associated with a respective radio frequency channel; and
a remote antenna unit that is communicatively coupled to the hub unit;
wherein the hub unit is configured to communicate a downstream transport signal from the hub unit to the remote antenna unit, wherein the transport signal is derived from the original downlink signal received at the hub unit;
wherein the remote antenna unit uses the downstream transport signal to generate a downstream radio frequency signal for radiation from an antenna associated with the remote antenna unit, wherein the downstream radio frequency signal comprises at least a subset of the plurality of downstream frequency bands;
wherein the remote antenna unit comprises automatic gain control functionality operable to automatically control at least one of a gain in the remote antenna unit and a slope in the remote antenna unit; and
wherein the remote antenna unit uses a data structure comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries associating at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the remote antenna unit with a target level for a pilot tone included in the downstream transport signal;
wherein at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the remote antenna unit is derived from;
a first interpolation between;
a first data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a first one of the plurality of entries; and
a second data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a second one of the plurality of entries; and
a second interpolation between;
a third data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the first one of the plurality of entries; and
a fourth data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the second one of the plurality of entries.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment is directed to a distributed antenna system in which a setting for automatic gain control functionality in at least one unit included in the system (for example, in a hub unit or a remote unit) is determined by interpolating between two detected levels measured at that unit while the automatic gain control functionality is operating in two respective predetermined configurations and by interpolating between two target levels that are associated with the two respective predetermined configurations. In one example, the intersection of the two resulting interpolations is used to determine the setting for the automatic gain control functionality.
78 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A distributed antenna system comprising:
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a hub unit configured to receive an original downlink signal comprising a plurality of downstream frequency bands, each of the plurality of downstream frequency bands associated with a respective radio frequency channel; and a remote antenna unit that is communicatively coupled to the hub unit; wherein the hub unit is configured to communicate a downstream transport signal from the hub unit to the remote antenna unit, wherein the transport signal is derived from the original downlink signal received at the hub unit; wherein the remote antenna unit uses the downstream transport signal to generate a downstream radio frequency signal for radiation from an antenna associated with the remote antenna unit, wherein the downstream radio frequency signal comprises at least a subset of the plurality of downstream frequency bands; wherein the remote antenna unit comprises automatic gain control functionality operable to automatically control at least one of a gain in the remote antenna unit and a slope in the remote antenna unit; and wherein the remote antenna unit uses a data structure comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries associating at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the remote antenna unit with a target level for a pilot tone included in the downstream transport signal; wherein at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the remote antenna unit is derived from; a first interpolation between; a first data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a first one of the plurality of entries; and a second data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a second one of the plurality of entries; and a second interpolation between; a third data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the first one of the plurality of entries; and a fourth data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the second one of the plurality of entries. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for distributing a first radio frequency signal comprising a plurality of frequency bands, each of the plurality of frequency bands associated with a respective radio frequency channel, the system comprising:
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a first unit configured to receive a first signal derived from the first radio frequency signal; and a second unit that is communicatively coupled to the first unit; wherein the first unit is configured to communicate a transport signal from the first unit to the second unit, wherein the transport signal is derived from the first signal received at the first unit; wherein the second unit uses the transport signal to generate a second radio frequency signal for radiation from an antenna associated with the second unit, wherein the second radio frequency signal comprises at least a subset of the plurality of frequency bands; wherein the second unit comprises automatic gain control functionality operable to automatically control at least one of a gain in the second unit and a slope in the second unit; and wherein the second unit uses a data structure comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries associating at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the second unit with a target level for a pilot tone included in the transport signal; wherein at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the second unit is derived from; a first interpolation between; a first data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a first one of the plurality of entries; and a second data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a second one of the plurality of entries; and a second interpolation between; a third data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the first one of the plurality of entries; and a fourth data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the second one of the plurality of entries. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A system for distributing a first radio frequency signal comprising a plurality of frequency bands, each of the plurality of frequency bands associated with a respective radio frequency channel, the system comprising:
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a first unit configured to receive the first radio frequency signal from an antenna associated with the first unit; a second unit that is communicatively coupled to the first unit; wherein the first unit is configured to communicate a transport signal from the first unit to the second unit, wherein the transport signal is derived from the first radio frequency signal received at the first unit; wherein the second unit uses the transport signal to generate a second signal for communication to a base station, wherein the second signal comprises at least a subset of the plurality of frequency bands; wherein the second unit comprises automatic gain control functionality operable to automatically control at least one of a gain in the second unit and a slope in the second unit; and wherein the second unit uses a data structure comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries associating at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the second unit with a target level for a pilot tone included in the transport signal; wherein at least one setting for the automatic gain control functionality in the second unit is derived from; a first interpolation between; a first data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a first one of the plurality of entries; and a second data point that is associated with a detected level for the at least one pilot tone while the automatic gain control functionality is configured in accordance with a second one of the plurality of entries; and a second interpolation between; a third data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the first one of the plurality of entries; and a fourth data point that is associated with a target level for the at least one pilot tone stored in the second one of the plurality of entries. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of characterizing a signal path in a system operable to distribute radio frequency signals having a plurality of frequency bands, the method comprising:
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sweeping a signal through a frequency range that includes the plurality of frequency bands; measuring a corresponding swept response; calculating an equivalent length for a communication medium associated with the system; adjusting a gain setting based on the equivalent length; and storing at least one setting associated with the signal path for use in configuring the system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification