Communication station with automatic cable loss compensation
First Claim
1. An attenuation compensation system for use in a base station having a mast head unit remotely connected to ground-based equipment by a cable, whereby a signal sent from said ground-based equipment to said mast head unit experiences attenuation, the system comprising:
- at said ground-based equipment (300);
a first power level detector (402) coupled to a transmit signal line for outputting a first power level signal;
a compensation attenuator (401) coupled to the transmit signal line;
at least one controller for controlling the compensation attenuator (401); and
at said mast head unit (320);
a second power level detector (403) coupled to the transmit signal line for outputting a second power level signal, said second power level detector having means for transmitting the second power level signal to said ground-based equipment;
said second power level signal being based upon the amount of said attenuation;
whereby said controller (301) compares said first and second power level signals and controls the compensation attenuator (401) accordingly.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless communications systems employing code-division multiple access information transmission techniques includes a transmission facility having ground-based transmission and reception electronic equipment, a remotely located RF power amplifier, an antenna, and an RF cable connecting the ground-based equipment with the remotely located RF power amplifier. Power level detectors in the ground-based equipment and in the remotely located RF power amplifier measure the signal level at each end of the RF cable. A microcontroller compares these measurements and adjusts a variable attenuator in the transmission signal path and a variable attenuator in the received signal path to compensate for signal level variability due to variations in signal loss.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An attenuation compensation system for use in a base station having a mast head unit remotely connected to ground-based equipment by a cable, whereby a signal sent from said ground-based equipment to said mast head unit experiences attenuation, the system comprising:
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at said ground-based equipment (300);
a first power level detector (402) coupled to a transmit signal line for outputting a first power level signal;
a compensation attenuator (401) coupled to the transmit signal line;
at least one controller for controlling the compensation attenuator (401); and
at said mast head unit (320);
a second power level detector (403) coupled to the transmit signal line for outputting a second power level signal, said second power level detector having means for transmitting the second power level signal to said ground-based equipment;
said second power level signal being based upon the amount of said attenuation;
whereby said controller (301) compares said first and second power level signals and controls the compensation attenuator (401) accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of compensating for cable loss in a wireless communication system having a high power amplifier (304) located proximate an antenna, a pre-amplifier (309) receiving a transmit signal located at a remote location, and a cable (340) connected between the amplifiers, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first power level of the transmit signal at an output of the pre-amplifier (309);
detecting a second power level of the transmit signal at an input of the high power amplifier (304);
feeding back the second power level from said proximate location to said remote location;
comparing, at said remote location, the first and second power levels to determine a loss in the cable;
adjusting a compensation attenuator (401) coupled to the pre-amplifier based upon the loss. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An attenuation compensation system for use in a base station having at least one cable extending between first and second locations, the system comprising:
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power level detection means for determining transmit signal power level at said first location and at said second location;
feed back means for feeding back the transmit signal power level from said second location to said first location;
comparing means at the first location for comparing power levels from the power level detection means and for determining a loss between the two locations;
attenuating means at the first location for controlling the power level of the transmit signal; and
,control means at the first location responsive to the comparing means for controlling the attenuating means.
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Specification