Wireless telecommunications system architecture supporting receive diversity

• US 6,539,239 B1
• Filed: 02/13/1998
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Loughran, Kevin, Zappala, Christopher Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/023,469
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 455/562, 455/561, 455/560, 455/101, 455/102, 455/103, 455/104, 455/131, 455/132, 455/137, 455/272, 455/273, 455/504, 370/319, 370/334, 370/344
• US Class Current: 455/560
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence

Abstract

A technique for achieving receive diversity without multiple antennas per cell is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first antenna for receiving a first information-bearing signal at a first radio frequency; a first downconverter for downconverting the first information-bearing signal to a first intermediate frequency; a first transmitter for transmitting the first information-bearing signal at the first intermediate frequency over a first wireline; means for receiving the first information-bearing signal at the first intermediate frequency from the first wireline and for demodulating the first information-bearing signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first antenna for receiving a first information-bearing signal at a first radio frequency;

a first downconverter for downconverting said first information-bearing signal to a first intermediate frequency;

a first transmitter for transmitting said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency over a first wireline, wherein said first wireline is twisted-pair;

means for receiving said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency from said first wireline and for demodulating said first information-bearing signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second antenna for receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency;

a second downconverter for downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency;

a second transmitter for transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline;

means for receiving said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency from said first wireline and for demodulating said second information-bearing signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for diversity combining said first information-bearing signal and said second information bearing signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first transmitter and second transmitter frequency-division multiplex said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency and said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second antenna for receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency;

a second downconverter for downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency;

a second transmitter for transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over a second wireline;

means for receiving said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency from said first second and for demodulating said second information-bearing signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising means for diversity combining said first information-bearing signal and said second information bearing signal.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a first information-bearing signal at a first radio frequency with a first antenna;

downconverting said first information-bearing signal to a first intermediate frequency with a first downconverter;

transmitting said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency over a first wireline, wherein said first wireline is twisted-pair;

receiving said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency from said first wireline; and

demodulating said first information-bearing signal.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency with a second antenna;

downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency with a second downconverter;

transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline;

receiving said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency from said first wireline; and

demodulating said second information-bearing signal.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising diversity combining said first information-bearing signal and said second information bearing signal.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising frequency-division multiplexing said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency and said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency with a second antenna;

downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency with a second downconverter;

transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over a second wireline;

receiving said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency from said second wireline; and

demodulating said second information-bearing signal.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising diversity combining said first information-bearing signal and said second information bearing signal.

13. An apparatus comprising:

(1) a first antenna head comprising;

(a) a first antenna for receiving a first information-bearing signal at a first radio frequency,

(b) a first downconverter for downconverting said first information-bearing signal to a first intermediate frequency, and

(c) a first transmitter for transmitting said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency over a first wireline, wherein said first wireline is twisted-pair;

(2) a baseband unit comprising;

(a) means for receiving said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency from said first wireline, and

(b) means for demodulating said first information-bearing signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

(3) a second antenna head comprising;

(a) a second antenna for receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency,

(b) a second downconverter for downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency, and

(c) a second transmitter for transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline;

wherein said (2) baseband unit further comprises;

(c) means for receiving said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency from said first wireline, and

(d) means for demodulating said second information-bearing signal.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a first antenna at a first radio head for receiving a first information-bearing signal at a first radio frequency;

a first downconverter for downconverting said first information-bearing signal to a first intermediate frequency;

a first transmitter at said first radio head for transmitting said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency over a first wireline, wherein said first wireline is twisted-pair;

a second antenna at a second radio head for receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency;

a second downconverter for downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency;

a second transmitter at said second radio head for transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline;

means for receiving said first information-bearing signal and said second information-bearing signal from said first wireline; and

means for diversity combining said first information-bearing signal and said second information-bearing signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for isolating said first information-bearing signal from said second information-bearing signal.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a first information-bearing signal at a first radio frequency with a first antenna at a first radio head;

downconverting said first information-bearing signal to a first intermediate frequency;

transmitting said first information-bearing signal at said first intermediate frequency over a first wireline, wherein said first wireline is twisted-pair;

receiving a second information-bearing signal at a second radio frequency with a second antenna at a second radio head;

downconverting said second information-bearing signal to a second intermediate frequency;

transmitting said second information-bearing signal at said second intermediate frequency over said first wireline;

receiving said first information-bearing signal and said second information-bearing signal from said first wireline; and

diversity combining said first information-bearing signal and said second information-bearing signal.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising isolating said first information-bearing signal from said second information-bearing signal.