DISTRIBUTION OF TIME-DIVISION MULTIPLEXED (TDM) MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN A DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM, AND RELATED COMPONENTS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A central unit for providing communications signals and management signals in a distributed antenna system configured to:
- receive a plurality of downlink management signals from at least one management controller for distribution to a respective plurality of remote units;
time-division multiplex (TDM) the plurality of downlink management signals into time slots of the respective plurality of remote units to form a TDM downlink management frame signal;
receive downlink RF communication signals of at least one RF communications frequency band for at least one RF communications service;
combine the TDM downlink management frame signal with the downlink RF communication signals; and
send the combined TDM downlink management frame signal and the downlink RF communications signals to the respective plurality of remote units over a downlink communications link.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Distribution of management services in distributed antenna systems having a central unit and remote units configured to time-division multiplex (TDM) downlink and/or uplink management signals into time slots to form a TDM management frame signal. In this manner, collision will not occur between multiple management signals communicated over a common communications medium at the same time in the distributed antenna system. Collision detection and management mechanism can add design complexity, cost by requiring additional components, and require additional area on electronic boards. The TDM management frame signal may also be modulated at a carrier frequency before being combined with RF communications signals so that the combined signals are within a linear range of shared certain communications components to reduce cost and area.
16 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A central unit for providing communications signals and management signals in a distributed antenna system configured to:
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receive a plurality of downlink management signals from at least one management controller for distribution to a respective plurality of remote units; time-division multiplex (TDM) the plurality of downlink management signals into time slots of the respective plurality of remote units to form a TDM downlink management frame signal; receive downlink RF communication signals of at least one RF communications frequency band for at least one RF communications service; combine the TDM downlink management frame signal with the downlink RF communication signals; and send the combined TDM downlink management frame signal and the downlink RF communications signals to the respective plurality of remote units over a downlink communications link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A distributed antenna system comprising:
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at least one central unit configured to; receive a plurality of downlink management signals from at least one management controller for distribution to a respective plurality of remote units; time-division multiplex (TDM) the plurality of downlink management signals into time slots of the respective plurality of remote units to form a TDM downlink management frame signal; receive downlink RF communication signals of at least one RF communications frequency band for at least one RF communications service; combine the TDM downlink management frame signal with the downlink RF communication signals; and send the combined TDM downlink management frame signal and the downlink RF communications signals to the plurality of remote units over a downlink communications link; and the plurality of remote units each configured to; receive a plurality of uplink management signals from at least one client device; time-division multiplex (TDM) the plurality of uplink management signals into individual time slots to form a TDM uplink management frame signal; receive uplink RF communication signals of at least one RF communications frequency band for at least one RF communications service; combine the TDM uplink management frame signal with the uplink RF communication signals; and send the combined TDM uplink management frame signal and the uplink RF communications signals to the at least one central unit over an uplink communications link. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification