SOFTWARE CONFIGURABLE DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING UPLINK NOISE

• US 20140072064A1
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dali Wireless Inc. (Dali Systems Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Dali Systems Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lemson, Paul, Stapleton, Shawn Patrick, Trajkovic, Sasa
• Granted Patent: US 8,817,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/267
• 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 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A distributed antenna system includes a master unit including a downlink RF input operable to receive an RF input signal from a downlink port of a base station, a first optical port, and a second optical port. The distributed antenna system also includes a first remote unit coupled to the first optical port. The first remote unit comprises a downlink antenna port and a first uplink antenna port and a second remote unit coupled to the second optical port of the master unit. The second remote unit comprises a downlink antenna port and a second uplink antenna port. The master unit is operable to transmit a first RF signal associated with the first RF uplink signal to a first uplink port of the base station and transmit a second RF signal associated with the second RF uplink signal to a second uplink port of the base station.

Claims

1. A distributed antenna system including:

a master unit including;

a downlink RF input operable to receive an RF input signal from a downlink port of a base station;

a first optical port; and

a second optical port;

a first remote unit coupled to the first optical port of the master unit, wherein the first remote unit comprises a downlink antenna port and a first uplink antenna port operable to receive a first RF uplink signal; and

a second remote unit coupled to the second optical port of the master unit, wherein the second remote unit comprises a downlink antenna port and a second uplink antenna port operable to receive a second RF uplink signal;

wherein the master unit is operable to;

transmit a first RF signal associated with the first RF uplink signal to a first uplink port of the base station; and

transmit a second RF signal associated with the second RF uplink signal to a second uplink port of the base station.

2. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first remote unit comprises a non-diversity remote unit including a single uplink antenna port.

3. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the second remote unit comprises a non-diversity remote unit including a single uplink antenna port.

4. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the master unit comprises a digital access unit.

5. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the base station comprises a diversity base station.

6. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the base station comprises a repeater device.

7. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first remote unit comprises a remote antenna unit.

8. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first remote unit further comprises a second uplink antenna port.

9. The distributed antenna system of claim 8 the first remote unit comprises a diversity remote unit.

10. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first remote unit is coupled to the first optical port of the master unit using a fiber optic connection.

11. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a first master unit including;

a downlink RF input operable to receive an RF input signal from a downlink port of a base station; and

a first plurality of optical ports;

a first plurality of remote units, each being coupled to one of the first plurality of optical ports via an optical fiber connection;

a second master unit including a second plurality of optical ports; and

a second plurality of remote units, each being coupled to one of the second plurality of optical ports via an optical fiber connection, wherein the second master unit is networked with the first master unit;

wherein the first master unit is operable to;

transmit a first RF signal associated with one or more RF uplink signals received by one or more of the first plurality of remote units to a first uplink port of the base station; and

transmit a second RF signal associated with one or more RF uplink signals received by one or more of the second plurality of remote units to a second uplink port of the base station.

12. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 wherein the master unit comprises a controller.

13. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 wherein the second master unit is networked with the first master unit using one of the first plurality of optical ports and one of the second plurality of optical ports.

14. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 wherein the second master unit is networked with the first master unit using a wired Ethernet connection.

15. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 further wherein the second master unit is operable to:

transmit a third RF signal associated with one or more RF uplink signals received by one or more of the second plurality of remote units to a first uplink port of a second base station;

transmit a fourth RF signal associated with one or more RF uplink signals received by one or more of the second plurality of remote units to a second uplink port of the second base station.

16. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 wherein one of the first plurality of remote units is networked to another of the first plurality of remote units.

17. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 wherein one or more of the first plurality of remote units or one or more of the second plurality of remote units comprises a plurality of RF uplink ports.

18. A method of operating a distributed antenna system, the method comprising:

providing a processor;

receiving a list of remote units, each of the remote units having an antenna port, wherein the list of remote units includes a number of non-diversity remote units;

computing, for a sector, a number of diversity remote units and a number of non-diversity remote units;

computing, using the processor, a percentage of the number of non-diversity remote units in the list of remote units;

assigning, for each of the remote units, the antenna port to either a first uplink port of a master unit or a second uplink port of the master unit;

transmitting the assignments to the remote units;

receiving a first RF uplink signal at an antenna port of a first remote unit;

receiving a second RF uplink signal at an antenna port of a second remote unit;

transmitting an RF signal associated with the first RF uplink signal to the first uplink port of the master unit; and

transmitting a second RF signal associated with the second RF uplink signal to the second uplink port of the master unit.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising transmitting the assignments to the master unit.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the distributed antenna system comprises one or more master units and a plurality of remote units.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the remote units comprise at least a diversity remote unit or a non-diversity remote unit.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the RF signal associated with the first RF uplink signal comprises information associated an RF uplink signal associated with another remote unit.