REMOTE CONTROL APPLICATION FOR WIRELESS BOOSTER

• US 20150011208A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Electronics LLC (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Extenders (Wilson Electronics Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Terry, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15535 Control of relay amplifier gain amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A remote control application for remotely a wireless signal booster is located on a remote device, such as a mobile telephone, tablet or computer. The remote control application utilizes a short-range communication interface, such as Bluetooth. This interface allows the user to autonomously register and remotely monitor the performance of the booster and can typically be used to configure, control, enable, shut down, and perform other operations related to the booster, such providing customer support, product registration, and other types of support for the booster operation. The system is most effective when the external device is a mobile device receiving telecommunication service through the repeater. In this case, the mobile device simultaneously displays two signal strength indicators, one for signals received by the mobile device itself and the other for signals received by the tower-side antenna of the wireless repeater.

Claims

1. A wireless repeater system comprising:

a wireless repeater comprising a short-range antenna associated with a short-range communication channel, a tower-side antenna, a mobile-side antenna, and a base unit comprising a bidirectional amplifier operative for amplifying and repeating duplex telecommunication signals transmitted over the tower-side and mobile-side antennas;

an external device operative to communicate with the wireless repeater via the short-range antenna;

a remote booster application running on the wireless repeater cooperatively operating with a remote booster application running on the external device via communications transmitted over the short-range antenna;

the remote booster application running on the external device and the remote booster application running on the wireless repeater operative for autonomous registration over the short-range communication; and

the wireless repeater operative for activating the bidirectional antenna in response to the autonomous registration, and deactivating the bidirectional antenna in response to absence of the autonomous registration for a predetermined period.

2. The wireless repeater system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal strength indicator located on the external device operative to display signal strength information received from the wireless repeater;

wherein the signal strength information is transmitted from the wireless repeater to the external device via the short-range antenna without utilizing the tower-side antenna or the mobile-side antenna.

3. The wireless repeater system of claim 2, wherein the first signal strength indicator displays signal strength information for communications received by the wireless repeater via the tower-side antenna.

4. The wireless repeater system of claim 1, wherein the external device is further operative to remotely control a gain setting of the wireless repeater via signals transmitted to the wireless repeater via the short-range antenna.

5. The wireless repeater system of claim 4 wherein:

the external device receives communications from the wireless repeater via the mobile-side antenna;

the external device further comprises a second signal strength indicator for displaying signal strength information for the communications received by the external device from the mobile-side antenna of the wireless repeater; and

the first and second signal strength indicators are displayed simultaneously on the external device.

6. The wireless repeater system of claim 5, wherein the remote booster application running on the external device implements remote control functionality allowing the external device to remotely control the wireless booster via communications transmitted over the short-range antenna without utilizing the tower-side antenna or the mobile-side antenna.

7. The wireless repeater system of claim 6, wherein the remote booster application running on the external device further operates as an intermediary communication entry point for accessing the booster via communications transmitted from the external device to the booster over the short-range antenna.

8. The wireless repeater system of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate with a remote support application via a communication link utilizing the tower-side and mobile-side antennas of the wireless booster.

9. The wireless repeater system of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate with the remote support application via a communication link without utilizing the tower-side and mobile-side antennas of the wireless booster.

10. A wireless repeater system comprising:

a wireless repeater comprising a short-range antenna associated with a short-range communication channel, a tower-side antenna, a mobile-side antenna, and a base unit comprising a bidirectional amplifier operative for amplifying and repeating duplex telecommunication signals transmitted over the tower-side and mobile-side antennas;

a mobile device operative to receive repeated and amplified communications from the wireless repeater via the mobile-side antenna while also receiving short-range communications from the wireless repeater via the short-range antenna;

a remote booster application running on the wireless repeater cooperatively operating with a remote booster application running on the external device via communications transmitted over the short-range channel;

a first signal strength indicator located on the mobile device operative to display signal strength information received from the wireless repeater via the short-range antenna indicating the strength of communications received by the wireless repeater via the tower-side antenna;

a second signal strength indicator for displaying signal strength information for the communications received by the mobile device from the mobile-side antenna of the wireless repeater;

wherein the mobile device is further operative to remotely control a gain setting of the wireless repeater via signals transmitted to the wireless repeater via the short-range antenna; and

wherein the first and second signal strength indicator are displayed simultaneously on the mobile device.

11. The wireless repeater system of claim 10, wherein the remote booster application running on the mobile device implements remote control functionality allowing the mobile device to remotely control the wireless booster via communications transmitted over the short-range antenna without utilizing the tower-side antenna or the mobile-side antenna.

12. The wireless repeater system of claim 10, wherein the remote booster application running on the mobile device further operates as an intermediary communication entry point for accessing the booster via communications transmitted from the mobile device to the booster over the short-range antenna.

13. The wireless repeater system of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate with a remote support application via a communication link utilizing the tower-side and mobile-side antennas of the wireless booster.

14. The wireless repeater system of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate with the remote support application via a communication link without utilizing the tower-side and mobile-side antennas of the wireless booster.

15. The wireless repeater system of claim 10, wherein:

the remote booster application running on the external device and the remote booster application running on the wireless repeater operative for autonomous registration over the short-range communication; and

the wireless repeater operative for activating the bidirectional antenna in response to the autonomous registration, and deactivating the bidirectional antenna in response to absence of the autonomous registration for a predetermined period.

16. A method for configuring a wireless repeater system comprising a short-range antenna associated with a short-range communication channel, a tower-side antenna, a mobile-side antenna, and a base unit comprising a bidirectional amplifier operative for amplifying and repeating duplex telecommunication signals transmitted over the tower-side and mobile-side antennas, comprising the steps of:

providing a remote booster application running on the wireless repeater configured to communicate signal strength information for the wireless repeater via the short-range channel;

providing a remote booster application running on an external device configured to operating cooperatively with the remote booster application running on the wireless repeater device via communications transmitted over the short-range channel;

transmitting signal strength information for communication received by the wireless repeater via the tower-side antenna from the wireless repeater to the external device over the short-range channel without utilizing the tower-side antenna or the mobile-side antenna;

transmitting control signals from the external device to the wireless repeater via the short-range channel;

adjusting a gain setting of the wireless repeater in response to the control signals; and

displaying a signal strength indicator on the external device indicating the signal strength information received from the wireless repeater.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting communication to the external device via the mobile-side antenna of the wireless repeater; and

displaying a second signal strength indicator on the external device indicating signal strength information for the communications transmitted to the external device via the mobile-side antenna of the wireless repeater.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

receiving configuration information for the wireless repeater at the external device from a remote support device; and

transmitting the configuration information from the external device to the wireless repeater via the short-range channel.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

autonomously registering the remote booster application running on the external device with the remote booster application running on the wireless repeater over the short-range communication channel; and

activating the bidirectional antenna in response to the autonomous registration.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of deactivating the bidirectional antenna in response to absence of the autonomous registration for a predetermined period.