Method and system for determining location of a mobile station within a distributed antenna system
First Claim
1. In a distributed antenna system of the type that includes a plurality of antennas each radiating to define a respective geographic coverage area in which a mobile station can communicate, wherein each of the antennas is communicatively linked with a controller via a respective receiver module, and the controller communicates over an air interface with a radio access network so as to provide connectivity between the antennas and the radio access network, a method comprising:
- receiving, into a subset of the antennas, a signal from the mobile station;
measuring a strength of the signal received by each antenna of the subset of antennas by converting a radio-frequency version of the signal into a digital representation of the strength of the signal and operating one of the receiver modules to measure the signal strength of the signal received by the antenna;
comparing the strength of the signal received by each antenna of the subset of antennas to the strength of the signal received at each other antenna of the subset of antennas;
determining that the signal is strongest at a given one of the antennas;
establishing as a representation of a location of the mobile station an indication of the geographic coverage area of the given antenna; and
transmitting the indication from the controller over the air interface into the radio access network, as a report of the location of the mobile station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to an embodiment, a distributed antenna system (DAS) is provided with functionality for determining the location of a mobile station within the DAS. The DAS may be of the type that includes a plurality of antennas located within a multi-floor building, each antenna radiating to define a respective coverage area in which the mobile station can communicate. The antennas are communicatively linked with a controller, and the controller communicates over an air interface with a radio access network so as to provide connectivity between the antennas and the radio access network. In operation, the system may determine that a given one of the antennas has received a strongest signal from the mobile station, and may transmit an indication of the geographic coverage area of the given antenna into the radio access network, as a representation of the location of the mobile station.
85 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a distributed antenna system of the type that includes a plurality of antennas each radiating to define a respective geographic coverage area in which a mobile station can communicate, wherein each of the antennas is communicatively linked with a controller via a respective receiver module, and the controller communicates over an air interface with a radio access network so as to provide connectivity between the antennas and the radio access network, a method comprising:
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receiving, into a subset of the antennas, a signal from the mobile station; measuring a strength of the signal received by each antenna of the subset of antennas by converting a radio-frequency version of the signal into a digital representation of the strength of the signal and operating one of the receiver modules to measure the signal strength of the signal received by the antenna; comparing the strength of the signal received by each antenna of the subset of antennas to the strength of the signal received at each other antenna of the subset of antennas; determining that the signal is strongest at a given one of the antennas; establishing as a representation of a location of the mobile station an indication of the geographic coverage area of the given antenna; and transmitting the indication from the controller over the air interface into the radio access network, as a report of the location of the mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a plurality of antennas, each radiating to define a respective geographic coverage area; a controller communicatively linked with the plurality of antennas, the controller communicating over an air interface with a radio access network so as to provide connectivity between the antennas and the radio access network for a mobile station; and control logic within the controller for comparing a strength of a signal received by each antenna of the plurality of antennas to a strength of the signal received at each other antenna of the plurality of antennas, determining that a given one of the antennas has received a strongest signal from the mobile station and for transmitting into the radio access network, as a representation of a location of the mobile station, an indication of the geographic coverage area of the given antenna, wherein each antenna is coupled with the controller via a respective receiver module, wherein the receiver converts a radio frequency version of the signal received by the antenna into a digital representation of a strength of the signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification