Communications System, Apparatus and Method

• US 20120322366A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airwave Solutions Ltd. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Airwave Solutions Ltd. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davies, Euros
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/08 each combination of signals in different channels being represented by a fixed frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

Communications apparatus is disclosed which is arranged to configure a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency from a transmit station, configure said signal for transmission on a second carrier frequency to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said first carrier frequency to form a repeated signal, and delay said signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency from a transmit station.

Claims

1. Communications apparatus, arranged to:

configure a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal.

2. The communications apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a user interface for configuring said delay in said signal for initial transmission.

3. The communications apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said user interface is configured to provide remote access for configuring said delay.

4. A repeater station comprising:

a local repeater station for communications apparatus, the communications apparatus arranged to;

configure a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency;

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal;

the repeater station configured to receive said signal on a third carrier frequency from said communications apparatus and retransmit said signal on said second carrier frequency.

5. The repeater station according to claim 4, comprising a user interface operative to configure said repeater station to introduce said delay through said first configuration path.

6. The repeater station according to claim 5, wherein said user interface is configured to provide remote access to said repeater station for configuring said delay.

7. A repeater station operative as a remote repeater station, comprising:

a communications receiver configured to receive a signal transmitted on a second carrier frequency; and

a communications transmitter configured to transmit on a third carrier frequency said signal received by said communications receiver on said second carrier frequency to form a repeated signal; and

said remote repeater station configurable to introduce a delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency.

8. The remote repeater station according to claim 7, further comprising a user interface operative to configure said delay in said signal to be transmitted on said first or third carrier frequency.

9. The remote repeater station according to claim 8, wherein said user interface is configured to provide remote access to said remote repeater station for configuring said delay.

10. A communications system, comprising:

a communications apparatus arranged to;

configure a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency,

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency, and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal;

a first remote repeater station configured to receive a local repeater station for communications apparatus, the communications apparatus arranged to;

configure a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency,

configure said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency, and

convert said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal,

the repeater station configured to receive said signal on a third carrier frequency from said communications apparatus and retransmit said signal on said second carrier frequency, and configured to receive a signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency and retransmit said signal on said third carrier frequency; and

a second remote repeater station, configured to receive a signal transmitted on said second carrier frequency and retransmit said signal on said third carrier frequency,

said first remote repeater is disposed a greater distance from said communications apparatus than said second remote repeater, and

said second remote repeater configured to introduce a synchronization delay in said signal for transmission on said first carrier frequency corresponding to the difference between the time taken for a signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said first remote repeater station from said local repeater station and the time taken for a signal on said second carrier frequency to reach said second remote repeater station from said local repeater station.

11. A communications method, comprising:

configuring a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency;

configuring said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

converting said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a user interface for configuring said delay in said signal for initial transmission.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising configuring said user interface to provide remote access for configuring said delay.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

operating a repeater station as a local repeater station and comprising receiving said signal on a third carrier frequency from said communications apparatus and retransmitting said signal on said second carrier frequency.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising configuring a user interface for introducing said delay through said first configuration path.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising providing remote access to said repeater station for configuring said delay.

17. A method for operating a remote repeater station, comprising:

receiving a signal transmitted on a second carrier frequency; and

transmitting on a third carrier frequency said signal received by said communications receiver on said second carrier frequency to form a repeated signal; and

introducing a delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising configuring said delay in said signal to be transmitted on said first or third carrier frequency via a user interface.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing remote access to said remote repeater station for configuring said delay.

20. A computer program comprising computer program elements operative in data processing apparatus to implement a method comprising:

configuring a signal for transmission on a first carrier frequency;

configuring said signal for transmission on a third carrier frequency; and

converting said third carrier frequency to a second carrier frequency for transmission to a remote repeater station for retransmission on said third carrier frequency to form a repeated signal.

21. The computer program of claim 20, wherein the computer program is stored on a computer readable storage medium.

23. The computer program of claim 21, wherein the computer program is stored on a computer readable storage medium.

22. A computer program comprising computer program elements operative in data processing apparatus to implement a method comprising:

operating a repeater station as a local repeater station and comprising receiving said signal on a third carrier frequency from said communications apparatus and retransmitting said signal on said second carrier frequency.

25. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the computer program is stored on a computer readable storage medium.

24. A computer program comprising computer program elements operative in data processing apparatus to implement a method comprising:

receiving a signal transmitted on a second carrier frequency; and

transmitting on a third carrier frequency said signal received by said communications receiver on said second carrier frequency to form a repeated signal; and

introducing a delay in said signal for transmission on said third carrier frequency.