Wireless repeater with intelligent signal display

• US 7,209,703 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Yarkosky, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAO, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US11/280,489
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 455/9, 455/11.1, 455/13.4, 455/25, 455/421
• US Class Current: 455/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• 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

Abstract

A wireless signal repeater having an integrated display that concurrently displays a receive signal level, a transmit signal level, and a textual indication of signal quality, reflecting how well the repeater is currently operating to repeat wireless signals. By reference to the integrated display, a user can readily determine whether the repeater is well positioned to function as desired. And if the display indicates that the repeater is not functioning optimally, the user can then conveniently move the repeater around until the repeater reflects an acceptable level of operation.

Claims

1. A wireless signal repeater that receives, amplifies and transmits a wireless signal and that includes an integrated display screen that provides concurrent indications of (i) receive signal level and (ii) transmit signal level.

2. A wireless signal repeater comprising, in a single device:

a wireless signal input circuit that receives a wireless input signal and produces a first signal reflecting the wireless input signal;

a build-out circuit for amplifying the first signal so as to produce a second signal;

a wireless signal output circuit that receives the second signal and transmits a wireless output signal reflecting the second signal;

a controller; and

a display screen,

the controller causing to be displayed on the display screen, at once, (i) an input-signal-indicator reflecting an input signal level on the wireless signal input circuit and (ii) an output-signal-indicator reflecting an output signal level on the wireless signal output circuit.

3. The wireless signal repeater of claim 2, wherein the controller comprises a processor programmed with machine language instructions.

4. The wireless signal repeater of claim 2, wherein the controller operates to determine if the output signal level on the wireless signal output circuit is greater than a predetermined threshold level and, in response to a determination that the output signal level on the wireless signal output circuit is greater than the predetermined threshold level, to reduce amplification by the build-out circuit in an effort to reduce the output signal level to below the predetermined threshold level.

5. The wireless signal repeater of claim 2, wherein the wireless signal input circuit includes a filter to block substantially all but a predefined range of wireless input signal frequency.

6. The wireless signal repeater of claim 5, wherein the predetermined frequency range is about 1930 to 1990 MHz.

7. The wireless signal repeater of claim 5, wherein the predetermined frequency range is about 1850 to 1910 MHz.

8. A wireless signal repeater that operates as in claim 2 in both a reverse link direction and a forward link direction.

9. A method comprising performing the following functions in a unitary device:

receiving a wireless input signal, the wireless input signal defining a receive signal level;

producing a first signal representative of the wireless input signal;

amplifying the first signal so as to produce a second signal;

producing a wireless output signal representative of the second signal;

transmitting the wireless output signal, the wireless output signal defining a transmit signal level; and

displaying concurrently on a screen display, for viewing by a user, (i) an indication of the receive signal level and (ii) an indication of the transmit signal level.