Method and apparatus for eliminating intermodulation interference in cellular telephone systems

• US 5,978,362 A
• Filed: 12/03/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Airtouch Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, William Chien-Yeh, Farrill, F. Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US08/759,782
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 370/315, 370/317, 370/320, 370/329, 370/330, 370/343, 370/344, 370/488, 370/492, 370/497, 370/328, 370/335, 375/211, 375/254, 375/284, 375/296, 375/346, 375/350, 455/295, 455/296, 455/422, 455/426, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.3, 455/63, 455/501
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71 the interference being narrowband interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures

Abstract

The invention describes method and apparatus for reducing intermodulation interference caused by reception of undesired signals in wireless receivers. The apparatus comprises an antenna for receiving the desired signal, a low noise amplifier for amplifying this signal, an adjustable attenuator, and a transmitting antenna to transmit the amplified signal to the wireless receiver. By increasing the strength of the desired signal, the present invention eliminates intermodulation distortion caused by the undesirable signals. The invention also describes an apparatus further comprising an adjustable filter for limiting the spectral content of the transmitted amplified signal, and an apparatus for selecting the characteristics of the adjustable filter in accordance with the measured characteristics of the desired and undesired signals.

Claims

1. A system for reducing intermodulation interference in a wireless receiver during reception of a first desired signal, comprising:

a first source of the first desired signal;

a second source of an interfering second signal, the second source located relative to the first source, thereby defining an intennodulation interference region;

a first antenna for receiving the first signal and 0 to 100 per cent of the second signal;

a filter for passing the first signal and for rejecting the second signal, coupled to the first antenna;

an amplifier, coupled to the filter, for amplifying the filtered signal; and

a second antenna, coupled to the amplifier, and located within the intermodulation interference region, for transmitting the amplified and filtered first signal to the wireless receiver to reduce intermodulation interference in the wireless receiver caused by the second signal.

2. The system in claim 1 wherein the filter is a notch filter tuned to reject the second signal.

3. The system in claim 1 wherein the second signal is stronger than the first signal.

4. The system in claim 1 wherein the first source is a cellular telephone transmitter for transmitting a desired signal.

5. The system in claim 1 wherein the second source is a cellular telephone transmitter for transmitting an undesired signal.

6. The system in claim 1 wherein the wireless receiver is a cellular telephone receiver.

7. An apparatus for reducing intermodulation interference in a wireless receiver during reception of a first signal transmitted by a first source in the presence of a second signal transmitted by a second source, wherein the relationship between the first source and the second source defines an intermodulation interference region, comprising:

a first antenna for receiving the first signal and 0 to 100 per cent of the second signal;

a filter for passing the first signal and for rejecting the second signal, coupled to the first antenna;

an amplifier, coupled to the filter, for amplifying the filtered signal; and

a second antenna, coupled to the amplifier, and located within the intermodulation interference region, for transmitting the amplified and filtered first signal to the wireless receiver to reduce intermodulation interference in the wireless receiver caused by the second signal.

8. The apparatus in claim 7 wherein the filter is a notch filter tuned to reject the second signal.

9. The apparatus in claim 7 wherein the second signal is stronger than the first signal.

10. The apparatus in claim 7 wherein the first source is a cellular telephone transmitter for transmitting a desired signal.

11. The apparatus in claim 7 wherein the second source is a cellular telephone transmitter for transmitting an undesired signal.

12. The apparatus in claim 7 wherein the wireless receiver is a cellular telephone receiver.