Simulcast with hierarchical cell structure overlay

• US 6,122,529 A
• Filed: 03/17/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Transcept, Inc. (Crown Castle International Corporation)
• Inventors: Greenwood, Kenneth C., Sabat, John Jr., Johnson, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Application Number:
  US09/042,950
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.1, 455/6.1, 455/11.1, 455/422, 455/426, 455/432, 455/436, 455/446, 455/449, 455/560, 455/561, 455/562, 455/14, 455/523, 348/6, 348/8, 348/12, 348/13
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

Apparatus and a method are disclosed for a wireless telephony system to eliminate blind areas where signal coverage is weak or non-existent by providing remote transceivers that are physically located in the blind areas. A central transceiver located with a base telephone station and tower mounted antenna receives wireless telephony signals being transmitted by the antenna to a wireless telephone and forwards it over either an dedicated or existing broadband distribution network, such as a cable television distribution network, to the remote transceiver which transmits the same telephony signals in the blind area to a wireless telephone operating in the blind area. Telephony signals originating from a wireless telephone operating in the blind area are received by the remote transceiver and forwarded over either the dedicated or existing broadband distribution network to the central transceiver which inputs the telephony signals to the base telephone station.

Claims

1. In a wireless telephone system that utilizes base transceiver stations, each having a tower mounted antenna, to carry telephony signals in assigned areas between wireless telecommunications devices and a telephone system, apparatus associated with each base transceiver station comprising:

a central transceiver connected to said base transceiver station via a directional coupler; and

a remote transceiver located in a part of said base transceiver station assigned area, wherein said remote transceiver is connected to said central transceiver via a broadband distribution network, and wherein said remote transceiver and said central transceiver cooperate with said base transceiver station to provide adequate wireless telephony communications in said part of said assigned area.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein telephony signals normally transmitted by said base transceiver stations and tower mounted antenna to a wireless telecommunications device located in said assigned area are also sent by said central transceiver to said remote transceiver to be transmitted to said wireless telecommunications device in said part of said assigned area.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein telephony signals transmitted by said wireless telecommunications device operating in said part of said assigned area are received by said remote transceiver and sent to said central transceiver, said central transceiver sending said telephony signals from said wireless telecommunications device to said base transceiver station.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said broadband distribution network is used to carry telephony signals between said central transceiver and said remote transceiver.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, wherein said broadband distribution network includes a dedicated cable connected between said central transceiver and said remote transceiver.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tower mounted antenna is connected to said base transceiver station via said directional coupler.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6, wherein said central transceiver is connected to said base transceiver station via a plurality of directional couplers.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7, wherein said central transceiver includes a plurality of channel circuits, and wherein each said channel circuit is connected to a channel circuit of said base transceiver station via one of said plurality of directional couplers.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, wherein said tower mounted antenna includes a set of antennas, wherein each antenna of said set of antennas is connected to one of said plurality of channel circuits of said base transceiver station via one of said plurality of directional couplers.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 4, wherein said broadband distribution network includes a hybrid fiber coaxial cable connected between said central transceiver and said remote transceiver.

11. The invention in accordance with claim 4, wherein said broadband distribution network includes a dedicated fiber optic cable connected between said central transceiver and said remote transceiver.

12. A method for providing wireless telephone service in an area in which wireless telephony service is provided by a base transceiver station with a tower mounted antenna which carries telephony signals between wireless telecommunications devices operating in said area and a telephone system, said method comprising:

transmitting a telephony signal from said base transceiver station to a remote transmitter physically located in a part of said area at the same time said telephony signal is transmitted to a wireless telecommunications device that is operating in said part of said area using said tower mounted antenna; and

re-transmitting said telephony signal to said wireless telecommunications device using said remote transmitter.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a telephony signal that originated from said wireless telecommunications device using said remote transmitter; and

sending said received telephony signal from said remote transceiver to a central transmitter to be forward to said base transceiver station while the telephony signal that originated from said wireless telecommunications device is received by said tower mounted antenna.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

providing the telephony signal from said wireless telecommunications device and received by said tower mounted antenna to said base transceiver station; and

forwarding said telephony signal being transmitted to said wireless telecommunications device using said tower mounted antenna to said central transceiver to be forwarded to said remote transceiver for transmission to said wireless telecommunications device.