System and method for switching between antennas in a radio frequency booster

• US 5,168,574 A
• Filed: 11/08/1991
• Issued: 12/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen Telecom LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Orion Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Leslie, Samuel A., Evans, Michael W., Gordon, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEOUGH, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US07/790,266
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 455/277, 455/8, 455/9, 455/15, 455/20, 455/23
• US Class Current: 455/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• 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

A diversity receiving apparatus includes first and second antennas and circuitry for selecting one antenna or the other. Control circuitry analyzes signal strength received from the selected antenna and determines when the antennas should be switched. The antennas are switched when the received signal strength falls below a running average thereof; the received signal strength falls below a threshold value; or a predetermined time has elapsed since the antennas have been switched. The antennas are switched when the received signal strength falls below a running average thereof; the received signal strength falls below a threshold value; or a predetermined time has elapsed since the antennas have been switched.

Claims

1. A method of retransmitting, via an antenna, a plurality of electro-magnetic signals in a radio telephone system wherein the signals originate at one or more sources, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of retransmitting communications channels;

detecting one or more received electro-magnetic signals from a first orientation relative to a respective source;

detecting the one or more received electro-magnetic signals form a second orientation relative to the source;

selecting as an input to each of the retransmitting communications channels one of the electro-magnetic signals detected from one of the orientations;

determining a value of a selected parameter of the selected input to each of the communications channels from said selected orientation;

determining independently for each channel if the electro-magnetic signal being retransmitted should be detected from the other orientation by comparing said value of said parameter to a selected value corresponding to one of a running average of previously determined parameter values associated with said selected orientation or a predetermined threshold value and radiating via the antenna the electro-magnetic signals form the retransmitting communications channels.

2. An apparatus for receiving electromagnetic signals from a remote source and for retransmitting one or more selected electromagnetic signals comprising:

at least first and second antennas usable for receiving the electromagnetic signals;

means, coupled to said antennas, for selecting one antenna or the other;

means, coupled to said selecting means, for sensing one or more selected signals received from the selected antenna;

means, coupled to said selecting and said sensing means, for determining which of said antennas is to be selected, said determining means including timing means for selecting one antenna during a first time interval and then the other during a second time interval after said first time interval and means for comparing a parameter associated with a received signal sensed using said one of said antennas during said first time interval to a corresponding parameter associated with said received signal sensed using said other antenna during said second time interval and for then selecting the one of said two antennas associated with a larger parameter value;

means, coupled to said sensing means, for forming a group including one or more of said signals received from said selected antenna as candidates for retransmission pursuant to a predetermined group forming criterion;

means for selecting one or more members from said group pursuant to a predetermined retransmission criterion; and

means for retransmitting said selected members.

3. A method of receiving electromagnetic signals from a remote source and for retransmitting one or more selected electromagnetic signals comprising:

providing at least first and second antennas usable for receiving the electromagnetic signals;

selecting one antenna and determining a parameter value of a selected signal received from that antenna and then selecting the other after a predetermined time interval, determining a corresponding parameter value of the selected signal received from the other antenna and comparing the parameter value associated with a received signal sensed using one of the antennas to the corresponding parameter value associated with the received signal sensed using the other antenna and then selecting the one of the two antennas associated with the larger parameter value;

sensing one or more signals received from the selected antenna;

identifying one or more of said signals as candidates for retransmission pursuant to a predetermined criterion;

selecting one or more identified members pursuant to a predetermined retransmission criterion; and

retransmitting said selected members.