Fiber optic antenna remoting for multi-sector cell sites
First Claim
1. A communication link for transmitting a plurality of radio frequency (RF) downlink signal bands, each including a plurality of RF transmit channels, from a base station to a remote cellular hub, and for transmitting a plurality of RF uplink signal bands, each including a plurality of RF cellular channels, from the remote cellular hub to the base station, comprising:
- downlink conversion means for converting each RF downlink signal band to a respective intermediate frequency (IF) downlink signal band;
downlink generation means for generating a downlink optical channel including said IF downlink signal bands;
downlink transmission means for optically transmitting said downlink optical channel over a first optical path;
downlink detection means at the remote cellular hub for detecting the downlink optical channel and recovering said RF downlink signal bands;
uplink conversion means for converting each RF uplink signal band to a respective IF uplink signal band;
uplink generation means for generating an uplink optical channel including said IF uplink signal bands;
uplink transmission means for optically transmitting said uplink optical channel over a second optical path; and
uplink detection means at the base station for detecting the uplink optical channel and recovering said RF uplink signal bands.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A base station in a cellular communications system is connected to a plurality of remote cellular sites by a communications link having a base terminal coupled to a remote terminal by two optical fibers. The base terminal receives RF downlink channels from the base station and optically transmits the RF channels as a non-overlapping composite signal to the remote terminal on a first fiber. The RF downlink channels are individually recovered at the remote terminal and distributed to disignated cell sites. The remote terminal also functions to receive RF uplink channels from the cell sites and optically transmit the RF channels as a non-overlapping composite signal to the base terminal on a second fiber. The RF uplink channels are indivicually recovered at the base terminal and forwarded to the base station.
553 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A communication link for transmitting a plurality of radio frequency (RF) downlink signal bands, each including a plurality of RF transmit channels, from a base station to a remote cellular hub, and for transmitting a plurality of RF uplink signal bands, each including a plurality of RF cellular channels, from the remote cellular hub to the base station, comprising:
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downlink conversion means for converting each RF downlink signal band to a respective intermediate frequency (IF) downlink signal band; downlink generation means for generating a downlink optical channel including said IF downlink signal bands; downlink transmission means for optically transmitting said downlink optical channel over a first optical path; downlink detection means at the remote cellular hub for detecting the downlink optical channel and recovering said RF downlink signal bands; uplink conversion means for converting each RF uplink signal band to a respective IF uplink signal band; uplink generation means for generating an uplink optical channel including said IF uplink signal bands; uplink transmission means for optically transmitting said uplink optical channel over a second optical path; and uplink detection means at the base station for detecting the uplink optical channel and recovering said RF uplink signal bands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A communications link between a plurality of mobile cell sites and a base station, comprising:
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receiver means coupled to receive a plurality of radio frequency (RF) cellular band receive signals from the mobile cell sites; conversion means for converting each RF cellular band receive signal to a corresponding intermediate frequency (IF) receive signal; multiplexer means for generating a composite IF signal including said IF receive signals; and transmission means for optically transmitting the composite IF signal over an optical medium adaptably coupled to the base station. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of communicating between a plurality of mobile cell sites and a base station, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of radio frequency (RF) cellular band receive signals from the mobile cell sites; converting each RF cellular band receive signal to a corresponding intermediate frequency (IF) receive signal; combining the IF receive signals into a composite IF signal; and optically transmitting the composite IF signal to the base station. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification