DISTRIBUTING DYNAMICALLY FREQUENCY-SHIFTED INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY (IF) RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) COMMUNICATIONS SIGNALS IN DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS (DASS), AND RELATED COMPONENTS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A dynamic bandwidth control unit (DBCU) for controlling frequency conversion of radio frequency (RF) communications signals in a distributed antenna system (DAS) configured to:
- identify a plurality of RF communications signals;
sequentially assign an intermediate frequency (IF) for each of the plurality of RF communications signals, wherein assigning at least one IF is based on a previously assigned IF; and
determine a plurality of mixing frequencies for converting the plurality of RF communications signals into a plurality of IF signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Distributed antenna systems (DASs) distributing dynamically frequency-shifted intermediate frequency (IF) radio frequency (RF) communications signals are disclosed. In embodiments disclosed herein, a dynamic bandwidth control unit (DBCU) is configured to provide a plurality of IF RF communications signals for distribution over a communications medium to one or more remote units (RUs) in a DAS. The DBCU is configured to instruct a frequency conversion controller to shift a frequency of each of a plurality of RF communications signals to non-overlapping intermediate frequencies. For at least one of the plurality of RF communications signals, the shifted, intermediate frequency is dynamically selected by the DBCU based on the frequency of at least one other RF communications signals. In this manner, the frequencies of the RF communications signals may be shifted to dynamically selected IFs in order to optimize available bandwidth of the communications medium in the DAS.
98 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A dynamic bandwidth control unit (DBCU) for controlling frequency conversion of radio frequency (RF) communications signals in a distributed antenna system (DAS) configured to:
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identify a plurality of RF communications signals; sequentially assign an intermediate frequency (IF) for each of the plurality of RF communications signals, wherein assigning at least one IF is based on a previously assigned IF; and determine a plurality of mixing frequencies for converting the plurality of RF communications signals into a plurality of IF signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for controlling frequency conversion of radio frequency (RF) communications signals in a distributed antenna system (DAS), comprising:
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identifying a plurality of RF communications signals; sequentially assigning an intermediate frequency (IF) for each of the plurality of RF communications signals, wherein assigning at least one IF is based on a previously assigned IF; and determining a plurality of mixing frequencies for converting the plurality of RF communications signals into a plurality of IF signals. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A distributed antenna system (DAS) comprising:
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a dynamic bandwidth control unit (DBCU) for controlling frequency conversion of radio frequency (RF) communications signals configured to; identify a plurality of downlink RF communications signals; sequentially assign a downlink intermediate frequency (IF) for each of the plurality of downlink RF communications signals, wherein assigning at least one downlink IF is based on a previously assigned downlink IF; determine a plurality of mixing frequencies for converting the plurality of downlink RF communications signals into a plurality of downlink IF signals; and generate a management signal containing information regarding the plurality of downlink RF communications signals and the plurality of downlink IF signals; a head-end unit (HEU) associated with the DBCU configured to transmit the plurality of downlink IF signals; and at least one remote unit (RU), each RU configured to; receive the plurality of downlink IF signals; and convert the plurality of downlink IF signals to the plurality of downlink RF communications signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for directing a processor to perform a method for controlling frequency conversion of radio frequency (RF) communications signals in a distributed antenna system (DAS), the method comprising:
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identifying a plurality of RF communications signals; sequentially assigning an intermediate frequency (IF) for each of the plurality of RF communications signals, wherein assigning at least one IF is based on a previously assigned IF; and determining a plurality of mixing frequencies for converting the plurality of RF communications signals into a plurality of IF signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification