LOCALIZATION SERVICES IN OPTICAL FIBER-BASED DISTRIBUTED COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS, AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20130028606A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sauer, Michael, Baker, Kenneth R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/116
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• 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 10/25754 Star network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices

Abstract

Optical fiber-based distributed communications components and systems, and related methods to provide localization services for client devices are disclosed. The localization services allow the providing and/or determination of the location of client devices in communication with a component or components of the optical fiber-based distributed communications system. The location of client devices can be provided and/or determined based on knowledge of the location of the component or components in the optical fiber-based distributed communications system in communication with the client device. This information can be used to determine or provide a more precise area of location or area of location for client devices. The optical fiber-based distributed communications components and systems, and related methods disclosed herein may be well-suited for indoor environments where other methods of providing and/or determining location of client devices may be obstructed or not possible due to the indoor environment.

Claims

1. A distributed communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one first downlink input configured to receive downlink electrical radio frequency (RF) communications signals;

at least one uplink output configured to receive and communicate uplink electrical RF communications signals from a communications uplink; and

at least one optical interface (OI) configured to;

receive and convert the downlink electrical RF communications signals into downlink optical RF communications signals to be provided to at least one remote antenna unit (RAU); and

receive and convert uplink optical RF communications signals from at least one RAU on the communications uplink into uplink electrical RF communications signals provided to the at least one uplink output; and

at least one second downlink input configured to receive at least one electrical tracking signal;

wherein the at least one OI is further configured to receive and convert the at least one electrical tracking signal into at least one optical tracking signal to be provided to at least one RAU.

2. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical tracking signal is not split or combined.

3. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide the at least one optical tracking signal to at least one RAU.

4. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical tracking signal is comprised of a plurality of electrical tracking signals, wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide each of the plurality of electrical tracking signals to an RAU among a plurality of RAUs.

5. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of electrical tracking signals provides a distinct location zone.

6. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide the at least one optical tracking signal to a plurality of RAUs.

7. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI is further configured to receive and convert uplink optical RF signals containing client device identification information into uplink electrical RF communications signals provided to the at least one uplink output.

8. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide the downlink optical RF communication signals to at least one communications RAU.

9. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide the at least one optical tracking signal to the at least one communications RAU.

10. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide the at least one optical tracking signal to at least one tracking RAU.

11. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the at least one OI is configured to provide the downlink optical RF communication signals to at least one communications RAU;

and

further comprising a common antenna coupled to both the at least one communications RAU and the at least one tracking RAU.

12. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one downlink interface configured to receive the downlink electrical RF communications signals from at least one first downlink input; and

at least one uplink interface configured to receive the uplink electrical RF communications signals from the communications uplink and provide the uplink electrical RF signals to the at least one uplink output.

13. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one OI is configured to receive the at least one electrical tracking signal from at least one tracking signal input distinct from the at least one downlink input.

14. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one OI is comprised of:

at least one communications OI configured to receive and convert the downlink electrical RF communications signals into downlink optical RF communications signals to be provided to at least one communications RAU; and

at least one tracking OI configured to receive the at least one electrical tracking signal from the at least one tracking signal input and provide the at least one tracking signal to at least one tracking RAU.

15. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

first head-end equipment that includes the at least one downlink interface, the at least one uplink interface, and the least one communications OI; and

second head-end equipment that includes the at least one tracking signal input.

16. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI further comprises at least one downlink tap on a splitter input to a splitter configured to receive the at least one electrical tracking signal from the at least one second downlink input.

17. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI further comprises at least one uplink tap on a combiner output from a combiner configured to receive the uplink electrical RF communications signals.

18. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI further comprises at least one downlink tap on a splitter output from a splitter configured to receive the at least one electrical tracking signal from the at least one second downlink input.

19. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one OI further comprises at least one uplink tap on a combiner input to a combiner configured to receive the uplink electrical RF communications signals.

20. A distributed communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one first downlink input configured to receive downlink electrical radio frequency (RF) communications signals;

at least one uplink BTS output configured to receive and communicate uplink electrical RF communications signals from a communications uplink; and

an optical interface (01) configured to;

receive and convert the downlink electrical RF communications signals into downlink optical RF communications signals to be provided to at least one remote antenna unit (RAU); and

receive and convert uplink optical RF communications signals that include client device identification information from the at least one RAU on the communications uplink into uplink electrical RF communications signals provided to the at least one uplink output.

21. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one RAU is comprised of a plurality of RAUs, wherein the client device identification information can be associated to the location of an RAU among the plurality of RAUs.

22. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 21, wherein the uplink electrical RF communication signals from an RAU among the plurality of RAUs are not split or combined with uplink electrical RF communication signals from another RAU among the plurality of RAUs.

23. The distributed communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the client device identification information can be associated to the location of the at least one RAU supported by the OI, and wherein the uplink electrical RF communications signals from the OI are not split or combined with uplink electrical RF communications signals from another OI.