Method and system of wireless signal repeating

• US 7,123,911 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ngan, John Cheong-Wai
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US10/214,673
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435, 455/11.1, 455/426, 455/3.02, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.1, 455/452.2, 455/7
• US Class Current: 455/435.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15535 Control of relay amplifier gain amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

A method and system of wireless signal repeating. A wireless signal repeater may receive a group of signals and select signals to be amplified so as to produce amplified signals. The repeater may also select antenna elements to re-transmit the amplified signals. The repeater may further select areas to direct the elements'"'"' radiation patterns in order to provide extensive wireless service to desired areas. The repeater can perform any of these selection functions simultaneously and/or independently, and based on any desired criteria. For example, each signal received into the wireless signal repeater may carry an identifier. The repeater may perform the selection functions based at least in part on the identifiers of the signals.

Claims

1. In a wireless signal repeater comprising one or more radiating elements, each radiating element being operable to transmit radio frequency signals to a respective area so as to provide coverage for a respective wireless service provider, a method comprising:

receiving into the wireless signal repeater a plurality of wireless signals;

sending the plurality of wireless signals to the one or more radiating elements;

selecting at least one of the plurality of wireless signals to be repeated to a given coverage area;

based at least in part on the respective wireless service provider that provides service to the given coverage area, selecting a radiating element from the one or more radiating elements to radiate the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals; and

the selected radiating element radiating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals to the given area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each wireless signal of the plurality of wireless signals includes an identifier, and wherein selecting the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals to be repeated comprises selecting the wireless signal based at least in part on the identifier of the wireless signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifier is selected from the group consisting of a system identification code (SID), a transmission time identifier, a destination identifier, and a signaling protocol identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals to be repeated comprises selecting the wireless signal based at least in part on a condition selected from the group consisting of a power level of the wireless signal, a time of day, a past traffic signal pattern, a current traffic signal pattern, a transmission time of the wireless signal, and a frequency of the wireless signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each signal of the plurality of wireless signals is transmitted from a respective origin location, and wherein selecting the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals to be repeated comprises selecting the wireless signal based at least in part on a distance between the wireless signal repeater and the wireless signal'"'"'s origin location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

amplifying each of the plurality of wireless signals so as to produce a plurality of amplified signals; and

sending the plurality of amplified signals to the one or more radiating elements, whereby the one or more radiating elements then radiates the plurality of amplified signals.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising selecting an amplified signal from the plurality of amplified signals prior to sending the plurality of amplified signals to the one or more radiating elements.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each wireless signal of the plurality of wireless signals includes an identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the amplified signal comprises selecting the amplified signal based at least in part on the identifier.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is selected from the group consisting of a system identification code (SID) and a destination identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the radiating element comprises selecting the radiating element based at least in part on the identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the radiating element comprises selecting the radiating element based at least in part on a condition selected from the group consisting of a time of day, a past traffic signal pattern, a current traffic signal pattern, and a frequency of the plurality of wireless signals.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein radiating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals comprises repeating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals between a wireless access point and a mobile unit.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein radiating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals comprises repeating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals between a first mobile unit and a second mobile unit.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein radiating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals comprises repeating the at least one of the plurality of wireless signals between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point.

16. A wireless signal repeater comprising:

a selector operable to receive a plurality of signals, each respective signal having a respective identifier, the first selector being operable to select a first signal from the plurality of signals based at least in part on the respective identifier of the first signal;

an amplifier coupled to the first selector, the amplifier receiving the plurality of signals from the selector and being operable to amplify each of the plurality of signals so as to produce a plurality of amplified signals; and

a second selector coupled to the amplifier, the second selector receiving the plurality of amplified signals and being operable to select an amplified signal from the plurality of amplified signals based at least in part on the identifier of the amplified signal.

17. The wireless signal repeater of claim 16, wherein the selector is a device selected from the group consisting of a multiplexer and a processing unit.

18. The wireless signal repeater of claim 16, wherein the respective identifier of each respective signal is selected from the group consisting of a system identification code (SID), a transmission time identifier, and a destination identifier.

19. The wireless signal repeater of claim 16, wherein the selector selects the first signal from the plurality of signals based also on a condition selected from the group consisting of a power level of the first signal, a time of day, a past traffic signal pattern, a current traffic signal pattern, a transmission time of the first signal, a reception time of the first signal, and a frequency of the first signal.

20. The wireless signal repeater of claim 16, further comprising one or more antenna elements, each antenna element being operable to radiate the amplified signal.

21. The wireless signal repeater of claim 20, wherein the second selector selects an antenna element from the one or more antenna elements to radiate the amplified signal.

22. The wireless signal repeater of claim 21, wherein the second selector selects the antenna element based at least in part on a condition selected from the group consisting of a time of day, a past traffic signal pattern, a current traffic signal pattern, and a frequency of the amplified signal.

23. A system comprising:

one or more antenna-arrangements, each antenna-arrangement having antenna elements that are each operable to provide a radiation pattern defining an air interface for transmitting and receiving signals; and

a wireless signal repeater coupled to the one or more antenna-arrangements, the wireless signal repeater receiving a group of signals from the one or more antenna arrangements and selectively determining which signals from the group of signals are to be amplified so as to produce amplified signals and selectively determining which antenna elements from the one or more antenna-arrangements are to transmit the amplified signals,

wherein the selected signals are amplified by the wireless signal repeater and then radiated by the selected antenna elements to a given coverage area,

wherein the wireless signal repeater selectively determines which signals from the group of signals are to be amplified based at least in part on a respective wireless service provider that provides service to the given coverage area.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the wireless signal repeater selectively determines which signals from the group of signals are to be amplified and which antenna elements from the one or more antenna-arrangements are to transmit the amplified signals based at least in part on a condition selected from the group consisting of a power level of the signals, a time of day, a past traffic signal pattern, a current traffic signal pattern, a transmission time of the signal, a reception time of the signals, and a frequency of the signals.