RF repeater for TDMA mobile telephone systems
First Claim
1. A method of exchanging time division multiple access (TDMA) signals between a base station and a mobile TDMA handset, comprising the steps of:
- supplying TDMA transmit signals from said base station through a signal conduit to a remote RF repeater;
detecting the timing of said transmit signals at said RF repeater;
broadcasting said transmit signals as radio signals from said RF repeater to said handset;
broadcasting TDMA receive signals from said handset to said RF repeater;
the timing of said receive signals being determined by said transmit signals at said handset;
receiving said receive signals at a pair of spaced-apart antennas connected to said RF repeater to provide corresponding first and second receive signals at said RF repeater;
employing the timing of said transmit signals to detect the signal levels of said first and second receive signals at said RF repeater;
processing said detected signal levels of said first and second receive signals to provide a control output;
employing said control output to alter the signal level of at least one of said first and second receive signals; and
supplying at least one of said receive signals from said RF repeater to said base station.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An RF repeater for exchanging time division multiple access (TDMA) transmit and receive signals between a mobile handset and a CATV plant or other signal conduit has a signal timing detector responsive to the timing of transmit signals being broadcast to the handset to provide timing information indicative of the timing of receive signals being received from the handset. A signal level detector responsive to the signal level of the receive signals provides signal level information. A signal control device responsive to the timing information and the signal level information provides a signal level control output for time slotted control of the receive signals. The timing and signal level information may be used to effect diversity selection between receive signals from two spaced antennas at the repeater and/or diversity selection may be effected between two versions of the receive signal at a base station after passing through the signal conduit.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of exchanging time division multiple access (TDMA) signals between a base station and a mobile TDMA handset, comprising the steps of:
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supplying TDMA transmit signals from said base station through a signal conduit to a remote RF repeater; detecting the timing of said transmit signals at said RF repeater; broadcasting said transmit signals as radio signals from said RF repeater to said handset; broadcasting TDMA receive signals from said handset to said RF repeater; the timing of said receive signals being determined by said transmit signals at said handset; receiving said receive signals at a pair of spaced-apart antennas connected to said RF repeater to provide corresponding first and second receive signals at said RF repeater; employing the timing of said transmit signals to detect the signal levels of said first and second receive signals at said RF repeater; processing said detected signal levels of said first and second receive signals to provide a control output; employing said control output to alter the signal level of at least one of said first and second receive signals; and supplying at least one of said receive signals from said RF repeater to said base station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6)
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4. A method of exchanging time division multiple access signals between a base station and a mobile handset, comprising the steps of:
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supplying transmit signals from said base station through a signal conduit to a RF repeater; detecting the timing of said transmit signals at said RF repeater; broadcasting said transmit signals as radio signals from said RF repeater to said handset; broadcasting receive signals from said handset to said RF repeater; the timing of said receive signals being determined by said transmit signals at said handset; receiving said receive signals at a pair of spaced-apart antennas connected to said RF repeater to provide corresponding first and second receive signals at said RF repeater; frequency converting said first and second receive signals to different first and second frequencies at said RF repeater; supplying both of said first and second receive signals at said first and second frequencies from said RF repeater through said signal conduit to said base station; and effecting diversity selection of the first and second receive signals at said base station.
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7. A cordless time division multiple access (TDMA) telephone system, comprising:
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a mobile TDMA handset; an RF repeater for exchanging TDMA transmit and receive signals as radio signals with said handset; a signal conduit connected to said RF repeater; a base station interfacing with a public switched telephone network; a remote antenna signal processor (RASP) connected between said base station and said signal conduit; said RF repeater having a signal timing detector device responsive to transmit signals sent from said RASP through said signal conduit to a remote antenna driver for detecting the timing of said transmit signals and a pair of spaced-apart antennas for broadcasting said transmit signals to said handset and for receiving receive signals from said handset and first and second signal paths connected to respective ones of said antennas; said first and second signal paths including signal level detectors for detecting the signal levels of said receive signals; and a processor connected to said signal timing detector and to said signal level detectors and responsive to said transmit signal timing and to said signal levels to provide a control output; and each of said first and second signal paths having a signal control device responsive to said processor for controlling to level of the receive signal in the respective signal path. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A cordless time division multiple access (TDMA) telephone system, comprising:
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a mobile TDMA handset; an RF repeater for exchanging TDMA transmit and receive signals as radio signals with said handset; a signal conduit connected to said RF repeater; a base station interfacing with a public switched telephone network; a remote antenna signal processor (RASP) connected between said base station and said signal conduit; said RF repeater having a signal timing detector device responsive to transmit signals sent from said RASP through said signal conduit to said RF repeater for detecting the timing of said transmit signals; said RF repeater having a pair of spaced-apart antennas for broadcasting said transmit signals to said handset and for receiving receive signals from said handset and first and second signal paths connected to respective ones of said antennas; said first and second signal paths including a pair of frequency converters for converting said receive signals on said first and second signal paths to first and second frequencies, respectively, for transmission as separate signal channels through said signal conduit; and said base station comprising means for effecting diversity selection of said signal channels.
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13. An RF repeater arrangement for exchanging time division multiple access (TDMA) telephone signals with a mobile handset, comprising:
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a RF repeater for broadcasting a TDMA transmit signal to said handset as a radio signal and receiving a TDMA receive signal, as a radio signal, from said handset; a signal conduit connected to said RF repeater for transporting said transmit signal to said RF repeater and for transporting said receive signal from said RF repeater in a predetermined frequency band; an amplifier connected to said signal conduit for amplifying said receive signal; a squelch circuit connected to said signal conduit upstream from said amplifier; said squelch circuit being operable to squelch said predetermined frequency band; a timing detector for detecting the timing of said transmit signal as an indication of the timing of said receive signal; a signal level detector responsible to the presence and absence of said receive signal; and a processor connected to said timing detector, said level detector and said squelch circuit and responsive to absence of said receive signal for causing said squelch circuit to squelch said predetermined frequency band.
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14. A method of reducing noise in a signal conduit employed for transporting time division multiple access (TDMA) telephone signals, comprising:
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detecting the timing of a transmit signal on said signal conduit as an indication of the timing of a receive signal broadcast to said signal conduit from a mobile handset which determines the timing of said receive signals in accordance with said transmit signal, said receive signal being within a predetermined frequency band; detecting absence of said receive signals in said signal conduit; and squelching said predetermined frequency band in response to the absence of said receive signal in said signal conduit.
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Specification