Method and system for controlling remote multipoint stations

• US 6,212,397 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Langston, James L., Marin, James S., Weiner, Douglas B., Myers, William K., Black, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Persino, Raymond B.
• Application Number:
  US08/996,270
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 455/500, 455/446, 455/260, 455/72, 455/35.1, 455/20, 455/343, 455/265, 455/255.1, 455/71, 455/68, 455/61, 455/92, 455/234.1, 370/281, 375/200, 375/376
• US Class Current: 455/500
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/005 Control by a pilot signal H03G3/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/065 the counter or frequency divider being used in a phase locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control

Abstract

Multipoint Stations are controlled by one or more pilot tones broadcasted by a base station. The pilot tones are used to control the local oscillators of the remote stations both for receive and for transmit. The pilot tone is also used to control the input gain and the transmit gain of the remote station.

Claims

1. A point-to-multipoint communications system comprising:

a nodal transmitter transmitting alternating polarization payload signals at the same frequency band about a node;

said nodal transmitter transmitting over each sector a pilot signal of the same polarization as the payload signals;

a plurality of transceivers located at multipoints about each sector each adapted to receive said pilot signal; and

said transceivers responsive to said pilot signal for controlling the amplitude level of the incoming signal received at the multipoint transceiver and for controlling the amplitude level of the transmitted signal from the multipoint transceivers back to the nodal transmitter.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transceiver is responsive to said pilot signal for controlling the local oscillator frequency for both transmit and receive.

3. A point-to-multipoint communications system comprising:

a nodal transmitter transmitting alternating polarization payload signals at the same frequency band about a node;

said nodal transmitter transmitting over each sector a pair of pilot signals of the same polarization as the payload signals, said pilot signals separated by a fixed frequency;

a plurality of transceivers located at multipoints about each sector each adapted to receive said pilot signals; and

said transceivers responsive to one of said pair of pilot signals for controlling the amplitude level of the incoming signal received at the multipoint transceiver and for controlling the amplitude level of the transmitted signal from the multipoint transceivers back to the nodal transmitter.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said transceiver is responsive to said pair of pilot signals for controlling the local oscillator frequency for both transmit and receive.