Enhanced Rank For Outdoor to Indoor Coverage

• US 20140206280A1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Nilsson, Andreas, Asplund, Henrik, Coldrey, Mikael
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/28 using the near field of leaky cables, e.g. of leaky coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0486 taking channel rank into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15514 for shadowing compensation for satellite mobile telephony service systems H04B7/18536
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a wireless outdoor-indoor multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications system for communicating with user equipment located inside a physical structure such as a building. The MIMO communication system is comprised of a node having at least two node antennas, wherein the node is configured for line of sight (LOS) wireless MIMO communication with at least two outdoor-indoor repeaters, and of at least two outdoor-indoor repeaters adapted for LOS wireless MIMO communication with the node. The repeaters have at least one repeater antenna each, provided outside the physical structure, for LOS MIMO communication with the node and at least two DASs each, provided inside the physical structure, for indoor MIMO communication with the user equipment located inside the physical structure. The repeaters are provided outside on the same physical structure and spaced well-apart, and each DAS of each repeater is provided such that they provide the same indoor coverage of the same interior space in the physical structure.

Claims

1. A wireless outdoor-indoor multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system for communicating with a user equipment located inside a physical structure, comprising:

a nod comprising at least two node antennas; and

at least two repeater having at least one repeater antenna each, said repeaters being located outside said physical structure, wherein said repeaters are each connected to at least one distributed antenna system (DAS) located inside said physical structure (110), wherein

said repeaters are adapted for LOS MIMO communication with said node over a first radio channel,

said repeaters are located outside on the same physical structure and spaced well-apart such that the first radio channel between the node and the repeaters support a rank that is equal to the number of repeater antennas, and

said at least two DASs are provided such that essentially the same indoor coverage of the same interior space in said physical structure is provided from each repeater, and adapted for indoor MIMO communication over a second radio channel-with user equipment located inside said physical structure.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said first radio channel and said second radio channel are the same radio channel.

3. The wireless communication system according claim 1, wherein said node antennas and said repeater antennas are dual-polarized antennas.

4. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said DASs are dual-polarized DASs.

5. A method for providing wireless MIMO communication between a node, located outside a physical structure, and user equipment, located inside said physical structure, the method comprising:

configuring said node for LOS wireless MIMO communication over a first radio channel with at least two repeaters located outside said physical structure;

configuring at least one repeater antenna on each said repeater, located outside said physical structure, for outdoor LOS MIMO communication over said first radio channel with said node;

configuring at least one DAS on each said repeater, located inside said physical structure

providing said repeaters outside on the same physical structure and spaced well-apart such that the first radio channel between the node and the repeaters support a rank that is equal to the number of repeater antennas; and

providing at least two DASs, adapted for indoor MIMO communication over a second radio channel with user equipment located inside said physical structure.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising configuring said node antennas and said repeater antennas for dual-polarization communication.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising configuring said DASs for dual-polarization communication.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising configuring said each repeater to comprise the same number of DASs as the number of repeater antennas.