Booster with detectable boost operation

• US 5,023,930 A
• Filed: 05/16/1988
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen Telecom Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Orion Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Leslie, Samuel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Ralph
• Application Number:
  US07/194,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11, 455/12, 455/18, 455/20, 455/22, 455/23, 455/33, 455/34, 455/53, 455/54, 455/56, 455/68, 455/89, 455/67, 455/226, 455/10
• US Class Current: 455/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for selecting a number of cellular radio channels to be boosted in a given geographical area provides either F1-F1 or F1-F2 operation. The signals can be boosted at the same frequency with input to output isolation being achieved by the use of directive transmit and receive antennas physically positioned to achieve sufficient isolation. Each signal is individually filtered, amplified, and recombined for transmission. Any number of signals may be accommodated depending upon the number of retransmission channels available. Apparatus is also provided to retransmit a signal at a different frequency from that at which it is received. A tag, typically an audio tone or diminished signal amplitude gap, may be selectively applied to boosted retransmitted signals in order that they may be recognized as such.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the relative contributions to a composite received signal of a signal communicated from a transmitter to a receiver across a first, signal path and the signal simultaneously communicated from the same transmitter to the same receiver across a second, different signal path which includes a booster transceiver having a coverage area, the method comprising:

modifying the signal within the booster transceiver with an information tag;

detecting at the receiver the information tag within the composite received signal;

detecting the strength of the tag relative to the strength of the composite signal, the detected tag strength being usable for determining the coverage area of the booster transceiver.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the modifying step includes modulating the signal in the second path.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the modulating includes:

phase angle modulating.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the modulating includes frequency modulating.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the modulating is at a sufficiently low level so as to not substantially degrade receipt at the receiver of other information that is modulated onto the second signal by the transmitter.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the modifying step comprises:

creating in the booster transceiver a periodic null gap, or time duration of null signal, within a boosted second signal.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the duty cycle of the periodic null gap is less than 50%.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the duty cycle of the periodic null gap is on the range of 162/3% to 331/3%.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the modifying comprises:

creating a periodic low amplitude gap in a boosted second signal.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the duty cycle of the periodic low amplitude gap is less than 50%.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the duty cycle of the periodic low amplitude gap is in the range of 162/3% to 331/3%.

12. A boosted signal radio communication system comprising:

mobile radio transmitter-receivers for transmitting radio signals and for receiving radio signals and boosted radio signals;

at least one fixed radio transmitter-receiver for transmitting radio signals and for receiving radio signals and boosted radio signals;

at least one signal-boosting signal repeater means for receiving radio signals from the mobile radio transmitter-receivers and from the fixed radio transmitter-receiver, for amplifying the received radio signals to produce boosted radio signals, and for retransmitting the boosted radio signals, and including means for tagging the radio signals received from at least some of the mobile radio transmitter-receivers upon retransmission as boosted radio signals; and

a portable receiver means for receiving the tagged, boosted, radio signals including means for distinguishing the boosted, tagged signals and usable for determining a coverage retransmission area of said repeater means.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the repeater means includes means for tagging at least some of the radio signals received from the fixed radio transmitter-receiver upon retransmission as boosted radio signals in order that the tagged, boosted, radio signals may thereafter be detected upon receipt by the portable receiver means.

14. The system according to claim 12 wherein the tagging means includes means for modulating with an audio tone.

15. The system according to claim 12 wherein the tagging means includes means for amplitude modulating to create gaps of reduced signal amplitude.

16. A boosted signal radio communication system comprising:

mobile radio transmitter-receivers for transmitting radio and for receiving radio and boosted radio;

at least one fixed radio transmitter-receiver for transmitting radio signals and for receiving radio signals and boosted radio signals;

at least one signal-boosting signal repeater for receiving radio signals from the mobile radio transmitter-receivers and from the fixed radio transmitter-receiver, for amplifying the received radio signals to produce boosted radio signals, and for retransmitting the boosted radio signals; and

for tagging the radio signals received from the fixed radio transmitter-receiver upon retransmission as boosted radio signals in order that the tagged boosted radio signals may thereafter be distinguished upon receipt at a selected mobile radio transmitter-receiver from the radio signals received directly, and means for detecting, audibly tagged and non-tagged signals.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the repeater includes further means for tagging the radio signals received from the mobile radio transmitter-receivers upon retransmission as boosted radio signals in order that the tagged boosted radio signals may thereafter be distinguished upon receipt at the fixed radio transmitter-receiver from the radio signals received directly.

18. The system according to claim 16 wherein the repeater'"'"'s tagged boosted radio signals are modulated with an audio tone.

19. The system according to claim 16 wherein the repeater'"'"'s tagged boosted radio signals are amplitude gated to create gaps of reduced signal amplitude.

20. An apparatus for receiving and retransmitting one or more selected electro-magnetic signals with at least some of the signals carrying audibly presentable information comprising:

means for sensing one or more selected signals;

means for forming a list identifying one or more of said selected signals as candidates for retransmission pursuant to a predetermined list forming criterion; and

means for retransmitting said selected one or more members as electro-magnetic signals bearing the information of said one or more sensed signals plus an indication that said electromagnetic signals are retransmitted, and are not the identical selfsame one or more sensed signals.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the means for retransmitting includes means for adding an indication to said electromagnetic signals which indication is audible when said information of said electromagnetic signals is audibly presented to the human hearing.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said means for adding modulates at least some said electromagnetic signals at an audio frequency.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said means for adding inserts a gap in said information carried by said electromagnetic signals.

24. A method of receiving a plurality of electro-magnetic signals and for retransmitting selected ones thereof comprising:

sensing a plurality of electro-magnetic signals;

comparing a first indicium of each sensed signal to a predetermined threshold;

recording a second indicium for each sensed signal that exceeds the threshold;

selecting one or more sensed signals from among the recorded second indicia; and

retransmitting only the selected one or more sensed signals each with an impressed signal modification that is thereafter detectable to evidence that the signals are retransmitted, and are not the selfsame identical one or more sensed signals.

25. An apparatus for receiving and retransmitting one or more selected electro-magnetic signals comprising:

means for sensing plurality of signals;

means for sequentially measuring at least selected ones of said sensed signals and for generating an indicium corresponding to each of selected of said measured signals;

means for comparing each said indicium to a preset threshold;

means for selecting one or more of said sensed signals each having an indicium with a value that exceeds said threshold; and

means for retransmitting at least some of said measured signals corresponding to at least some of said selected indicia, including means for adding a signal modification that is thereafter detectable upon receipt of said retransmitted signals to indicate that the signals have been retransmitted.

26. A booster usable in a radio system between a fixed transmitter-receiver and one or more adjacent mobile transceivers, the booster comprising:

means for receiving signals simultaneously from two or more mobile transceivers;

means for measuring a predetermined characteristic of each said received mobile signal;

means for selecting one or more of said received mobile signals in response to said measured characteristics;

a plurality of parallel coupled, adjustable filter means for simultaneously amplifying at least portions of each of said selected mobile signals; and

means for adding selected indicia to at least some of said amplified signals; and

means for transmitting said amplified signals to the transmitter-receiver.

27. A method of retransmitting to a receiver a plurality of information carrying electro-magnetic signals from a source comprising:

sensing the plurality of signals;

measuring a selected characteristic for each member of the plurality;

selecting one or more members of the plurality for retransmission in response to the results of the measuring steps;

impressing a supplementary indicium upon at least one of the selected signals in a manner that is not substantially destructive of the information carried thereby;

retransmitting the selected signals; and

receiving the retransmitted selected signal and recovering the information therein, including the impressed indicium.

28. A method of extending coverage of a fixed radio transmitter-receiver to selected mobile transceivers in a predetermined graphical area, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of signal repeaters;

spacing the signal repeaters throughout at least part of the geographical area such that at least one repeater is in radio communication with the transmitter and a second repeater is in radio communication with the first repeater; and

sensing a signal from a mobile transceiver at the second repeater, retransmitting that signal modified by a tag to the first repeater, sensing that modified tagged signal at the first repeater and retransmitting it to the fixed receiver.