Wireless architecture having redistributed access functions

• US 5,896,568 A
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Tseng, Stone, Basu, Kalyan, Zhu, Yixin, Elsayed, Khaled
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US08/708,971
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/435, 455/436, 455/462, 455/463, 455/464, 455/465, 455/423, 455/427, 455/38.3, 455/69, 455/445, 455/446, 370/335, 370/336, 370/337, 370/339
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A wireless access architecture, having redistributed wireless access functions, comprises a plurality of cell sites connected to a main switching point. The cell sites communicate with cellular users within their respective cell site areas and comprise a communication segment for exchanging communication signals with the cellular users. The main switching point controls the communication with the cellular users and the communication segment and includes a processing segment for processing the communication signals from the cell sites. The processing segment includes a segment for modulating and demodulating the communication signals, and a segment for bit stream processing the communication signals.

Claims

1. A method of communicating via a wireless access architecture comprising a plurality of cell sites coupled to main switching point means and a digital broadband backhaul connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means, the method comprising the steps of:

executing first operations at the cell sites on communication signals communicated with cellular users, the first operations comprising the steps of

transmitting communication signals to and receiving communication signals from the cellular users,

amplifying the communication signals,

converting the communication signals between digital and analog signals, and

communicating with the main switching point means through the digital broadband backhaul using the communication signals; and

executing second operations on the communication signals from the cell sites at the main switching point means, the second operations comprising the steps of

modulating or demodulating the communication signals, and

bit steam processing the communication signals.

2. A method of communicating via a wireless access architecture comprising a plurality of cell sites coupled to main switching point means and an analog fiber backhaul connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means, the method comprising the steps of:

executing first operations at the cell sites on communication signals communicated with cellular users, the first operations comprising the steps of

transmitting communication signals to and receiving communication signals from the cellular users,

amplifying the communication signals, and

communicating with the main switching point means through the analog fiber backhaul using the communication signals; and

executing second operations on the communication signals from the cell sites at the main switching point means, the second operations comprising the steps of

converting the communication signals between digital and analog signals,

modulating or demodulating the communication signals, and

bit steam processing the communication signals.

3. A wireless access architecture, comprising:

a plurality of cell sites for servicing cellular users, each of the plurality of cell sites comprising

communication means for exchanging communication signals with the cellular users;

main switching point means, connected to the plurality of cell sites, for controlling communication with the cellular users and the communication means, the main switching point means comprising

means for processing the communication signals from the cell sites, the processing means including means for modulating and demodulating the communication signals, and means for bit stream processing the communication signals; and

backhaul means connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means.

4. A method of communicating via a wireless access architecture comprising a plurality of cell sites coupled to main switching point means and a digital broadband backhaul connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means, the method comprising the steps of:

executing first operations at the cell sites on communication signals communicated with cellular users, the first operations comprising the steps of

transmitting communication signals to and receiving communication signals from the cellular users,

amplifying the communication signals, and

communicating with the main switching point means through the digital broadband backhaul using the communication signals; and

executing second operations on the communication signals from the cell sites at the main switching point means, the second operations comprising the steps of

modulating or demodulating the communication signals, and

bit steam processing the communication signals.

5. A method of communicating via a wireless access architecture comprising a plurality of cell sites coupled to main switching point means and an analog fiber backhaul connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means, the method comprising the steps of:

executing first operations at the cell sites on communication signals communicated with cellular users, the first operations comprising the steps of

transmitting communication signals to and receiving communication signals from the cellular users,

amplifying the communication signals, and

communicating with the main switching point means through the analog fiber backhaul using the communication signals; and

executing second operations on the communication signals from the cell sites at the main switching point means, the second operations comprising the steps of

modulating or demodulating the communication signals, and

bit steam processing the communication signals.

6. A wireless access architecture, comprising:

a plurality of cell sites for servicing cellular users, each of the plurality of cell sites comprising

communication means for exchanging communication signals with the cellular

IF means, connected to the communication means, for converting the communication signals between digital and analog signals;

main switching point means, connected to the plurality of cell sites, for controlling communication with the cellular users and the cell sites, the main switching point means comprising

means for processing the communication signals from the cell sites, the processing means including means for modulating and demodulating the communication signals, and means for bit stream processing the communication signals; and

backhaul means connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means.

7. The wireless access architecture of claim 6, wherein the communication means comprises

at least one antenna for transmitting and receiving the communication signals, and

RF means, connected to the at least one antenna, for amplifying the communication signals.

8. The wireless access architecture of claim 6, wherein the main switching point means is a base station controller.

9. The wireless access architecture of claim 6, wherein the main switching point means is a mobile switching center.

10. The wireless access architecture of claim 6, wherein the main switching point means is a centralized DSP server.

11. The wireless access architecture of claim 6, wherein the backhaul means comprises a digital broadband backhaul.

12. The wireless access architecture of claim 11, wherein the digital broadband backhaul comprises ATM adaption layer protocol means and ATM means.

13. A wireless access architecture, comprising:

a plurality of cell sites for servicing cellular users, each of the plurality of cell sites comprising

communication means for exchanging communication signals with the cellular users;

main switching point means, connected to the plurality of cell sites, for controlling communication with the cellular users and the communication means, the main switching point means comprising

IF means for converting the communication signals from the cell sites between digital and analog signals, and

means for processing the communication signals, the processing means including means for modulating and demodulating the communication signals, and means for bit stream processing the communication signals; and

backhaul means connected between the plurality of cell sites and the main switching point means.

14. The wireless access architecture of claim 13, wherein the communication means comprises

at least one antenna for transmitting and receiving the communication signals, and

RF means, connected to the at least one antenna, for amplifying the communication signals.

15. The wireless access architecture of claim 13, wherein the main switching point means is a base station controller.

16. The wireless access architecture of claim 13, wherein the main switching point means is a mobile switching center.

17. The wireless access architecture of claim 13, wherein the main switching point means is a centralized DSP server.

18. The wireless access architecture of claim 13, wherein the backhaul means comprises an analog fiber backhaul.

19. The wireless access architecture of claim 18, wherein the analog fiber backhaul comprises wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) means.