Wireless signal repeater with temperature and time display

• US 7,565,106 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Oh, Dae-Sik, Yarkosky, Mark, Hayne, Kristin
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Safaipour; Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US10/704,232
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/7, 455/9, 455/452.1, 455/13.4, 455/25, 455/421, 370/241
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting broadcasting in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless signal repeater will function to boost the strength of signals being communicated wirelessly between a base station and a mobile station. At the same time, however, the wireless signal repeater will read control channel messages transmitted by the base station and will obtain from the messages an indication of outside temperature and an indication of local time. The repeater will then display the outside temperature and local time information for viewing by a user. Advantageously, the repeater will thus become a more functional object in the eyes of the average lay-person, rather than functioning merely to boost wireless signal levels.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving a signal transmitted from a cellular base station, amplifying the signal, and wirelessly transmitting the signal once amplified;

means for extracting regional information from the signal;

means for presenting the regional information to a user; and

an apparatus housing that houses the means for wirelessly receiving, the means for extracting, and the means for presenting,

wherein the signal that is wirelessly received, amplified and wirelessly transmitted by the apparatus is the signal from which the apparatus extracts the regional information for presentation by the apparatus to the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regional information comprises an indication of outside temperature.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the regional information further comprises an indication of local time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for presenting also presents an indication of signal-level to the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for presenting presents the indication of signal-level concurrently with the regional information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for presenting comprises a display screen.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for presenting comprises an audio output means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for wirelessly receiving a signal, amplifying the signal, and wirelessly transmitting the signal once amplified comprises:

at least one antenna; and

a filter to block from the signal substantially all but a predefined frequency range selected from the group consisting of (i) about 1930 to 1990 MHz and (ii) about 1840 to 1870 MHz.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for mounting the apparatus.

10. A wireless signal repeater arranged to display outside temperature, the wireless signal repeater comprising a repeater housing that houses:

an input circuit for wirelessly receiving a signal transmitted from a cellular base station;

a build-out circuit for amplifying the signal;

an output circuit for wirelessly transmitting the signal once amplified;

a display, wherein the display faces out from an outer surface of the repeater housing so as to allow user-viewing of indications presented on the display;

a cellular receiver for extracting a control channel from the signal; and

logic for reading from the control channel an indication of outside temperature and for causing the outside temperature to be presented on the display for viewing by a user,

whereby the signal that is wirelessly received, amplified and wirelessly transmitted by the wireless repeater is the signal from which the wireless repeater obtains the regional information for presentation on the display to the user.

11. The wireless signal repeater of claim 10, wherein the cellular receiver comprises a rake receiver.

12. The wireless signal repeater of claim 10, wherein the input circuit wirelessly receives the signal from a cellular base station.

13. The wireless signal repeater of claim 10, wherein the logic further reads from the control channel an indication of local time and causes the local time to be displayed for viewing by the user.

14. The wireless signal repeater of claim 13, wherein the logic causes the local time to be displayed concurrently with the outside temperature.

15. The wireless signal repeater of claim 10, wherein the logic is embodied as a processor programmed with machine language instructions.

16. A method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a signal at an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises an apparatus-housing that houses (i) a build-out circuit, (ii) control-logic, and (iii) a display, and wherein the display faces out from an outer surface of the housing so as to allow user-viewing of indications that are displayed on the display, wherein the received signal is originated wirelessly from a cellular base station;

using the build-out circuit to amplify the signal, and wirelessly transmitting the amplified signal from the apparatus;

using the control-logic to obtain from the signal an indication of outside temperature; and

presenting the indication of outside temperature on the display, for viewing by a user,

wherein the signal that is wirelessly received, amplified and wirelessly transmitted by the apparatus is the signal from which the apparatus extracts the indication of outside temperature for presentation by the apparatus on the display.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

using the control-logic to obtain from the signal an indication of local time; and

presenting the indication of local time on the display, for viewing by the user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

concurrently presenting to the user both the indication of local time and the indication of outside temperature.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

concurrently presenting to the user both the indication of outside temperature and an indication of signal level.

20. A method of reporting outside temperature, the method comprising:

establishing a digital representation of an outside temperature for a cell site served by a base station, wherein establishing the digital representation of an outside temperature for the cell site served by the base station comprises operating a temperature source mounted on an antenna tower of the base station to measure the outside temperature at the base station;

inserting the digital representation of the outside temperature as a predetermined parameter in a control channel message;

broadcasting the control channel message from the base station;

receiving the control channel message at a wireless signal repeater; and

executing logic in the wireless signal repeater to read the digital representation of the outside temperature from the predetermined parameter in the control channel message and to display the outside temperature indicated by the digital representation,

wherein the wireless signal repeater comprises a repeater housing, wherein the receiving and executing functions are carried out within the repeater housing, and wherein the display faces out from an outer surface of the repeater housing to allow a user to view indications on the display.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the temperature source comprises a platinum resistance temperature detector.