Distributed transceiver for wireless communication system

• US 6,738,641 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Elsasser, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/721,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 455/523, 455/3.01, 455/3.05, 455/550.1, 455/564, 455/414, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/523
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A distributed transceiver for wireless communication system providing access to a public data communication network is disclosed. A plurality of RF access points are positioned in a premises to provide service coverage for mobile wireless according to a local wireless communication protocol. Each of the RF access points is coupled to a central controller by a cable to permit transmission of a low voltage DC power signal to the RF access point and transmission of uplink and downlink signals between the central controller and the RF access point.

Claims

1. A system of providing mobile devices access to a public data communication network according to a local wireless communication protocol, the system comprising:

a central controller having a network processor for communicating with points on the public data communication network according to a packet switched network communication protocol, a power supply to generate DC power, and a digital signal processor for demodulating uplink radio frequency (RF) signals to provide digital data to the network processor and modulating digital data from the network processor to provide one or more downlink RF signals;

a plurality of RF access points, each of the RF access points having an antenna, circuitry for transmitting the downlink signal to and receiving the uplink signal from proximate mobile devices in wireless communication with the central controller through the RF access point; and

for each of the RF access points, a cable coupled between the central controller and the RF access point to transmit the DC power to the RF access point and to transmit the uplink and downlink RF signals between the proximate mobile devices and the central controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable includes eight wires.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the local wireless communication protocol is substantially compliant with at least one of the Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocols and the public data communication network includes the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the DC power is between about 5.0 and 15.0 volts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the public data communication network includes the Internet and the system further includes a connection to a private branch exchange (PBX) coupled to a local loop, and wherein the processor includes logic for determining a least cost call route from points on the PBX from among routes including the local loop and voice over the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor includes a plurality of discrete mixed-signal circuits, each mixed-signal circuit being adapted to transmit a downlink signal to and receive an uplink signal from a corresponding one of the RF access points, and a hub for combining digital data from each of the mixed signal circuits for transmission to the network processor.

7. A method of installing a transceiver system in a premises to permit access to a public data communication network through mobile communication devices, the method comprising:

installing at the premises a central controller having a network processor for communicating with points on the public data communication network according to a packet switched network communication protocol, a power supply to generate DC power, and a digital signal processor for demodulating uplink radio frequency (RF) signals to provide digital data to the network processor and modulating digital data from the network processor to provide one or more downlink RF signals;

installing at the premises a plurality of RF access points, each of the RF access points having an antenna, circuitry for transmitting the downlink signal to and receiving the uplink signal from proximate mobile devices in wireless communication with the central controller through the RF access point; and

for each of the RF access points, coupling a cable between the central controller and the RF access point to transmit the DC power to the RF access point and to transmit the uplink and downlink RF signals between the proximate mobile devices and the central controller.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cable includes eight wires and the method further comprises:

coupling four of the wires to permit transmission of the DC power from the power supply to the RF access point; and

coupling four of the wires between the digital signal processor to permit the transmission of RF signals between the digital signal processor and the wireless access point.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the local wireless communication protocol is substantially compliant with at least one of the Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocols and the public data communication network includes the Internet.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the DC power is between about 5.0 and 15.0 volts.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the public data communication network includes the Internet and the method further comprises coupling the network processor to a private branch exchange (PBX) coupled to a local loop;

and wherein the processor includes logic for determining a least cost call route from points on the PBX from among routes including the local loop and voice over the Internet.

12. The method system of claim 7, wherein the digital signal processor includes a plurality of discrete mixed-signal circuits, each mixed-signal circuit being adapted to transmit a downlink signal to and receive an uplink signal from a corresponding one of the RF access points, and a hub for combining digital data from each of the mixed signal circuits for transmission to the network processor.

13. A system of providing mobile devices access to a public data communication network according to a local wireless communication protocol, the system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) access points, each of the RF access points having an antenna, and circuitry for transmitting an uplink RF signal and receiving a downlink RF signal;

a central controller having a network processor to transmit digital data and to receive digital data, a power supply to generate DC power, and a digital signal processor for demodulating the uplink RF signal to provide digital data to the network processor and modulating digital data from the network processor to provide the downlink RF signal,

a plurality of cables, wherein each of the plurality of cables directly connects a corresponding RF access point to the central controller and transmits the downlink RF signals and the uplink RF signals between the plurality of RF access points and the central controller; and

a gateway processor, coupled to the central controller, to supply digital data to the network processor, to receive digital data from the network processor and to provide a pathway for the plurality of RF access points to access the public data communication network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of cables transmits DC power from the power supply to each of the plurality of access points.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the digital signal processor includes a plurality of discrete mixed signal circuits, each mixed-signal circuit being adapted to transmit a downlink signal to and receive an uplink signal from a corresponding one of the RF access points.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital signal processor further includes a hub for combining digital data from each of the mixed-signal circuits for transmission to the network processor.