Systems and methods for analog transport of RF voice/data communications

• US 7,599,711 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Mitchell, William J., Hermel, Michael J., Fischer, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US11/279,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20070243899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 455/553.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/522, 455/69.1
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for the analog transport of RF voice/data communications are provided. In one embodiment, a method for transporting analog multi-band RF signals is provided. The method comprises receiving a first multi-band RF signal from a first communications medium, the first multi-band RF signal including a first RF frequency band and one or more additional RF frequency bands; separating the first RF frequency band from the multi-band RF signal; varying a power level of the first RF frequency band; recombining the first RF frequency band with the one or more additional RF frequency bands into a second multi-band RF signal; and transmitting the second multi-band RF signal on a second communications medium.

Claims

1. A communications system, the system comprising:

a host unit adapted to communicate with one or more service providers;

at least one remote unit adapted to communicate with the host unit; and

at least one communications medium coupled between the host unit and the at least one remote unit, wherein the host unit and the at least one remote unit are adapted to communicate analog RF signals via the at least one communications medium;

wherein the host unit is adapted to receive a plurality of forward path RF signals from the one or more service providers as a first multiband RF signal including a first RF frequency band and one or more additional RF frequency bands;

wherein the host unit is further adapted to separate the first RF frequency band from the first multi-band RF signal, vary a power level of the first RF frequency band, and recombine the first RF frequency band with the one or more additional RF frequency bands as a second multi-band RF signal;

wherein the host unit further comprises a tone generator adapted to transmit a plurality of pilot tones onto the at least one communications medium;

wherein the remote unit further comprises a tone receiver and a processor coupled to the tone receiver;

wherein the tone receiver is adapted to receive the plurality of pilot tones from the at least one communications medium;

wherein the processor is adapted to calculate a power loss for each of the plurality of pilot tones, determine a power loss versus RF frequency relationship for the at least one communications medium based on the calculated power loss of each of the plurality of pilot tones, and estimate a path loss for the first RF frequency band based on the power loss versus RF frequency relationship; and

wherein the processor is further adapted to vary an attenuation of the first RF frequency band based on the estimated power loss for the first RF frequency band.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote unit is adapted to receive the second multi-band RF signal and separate the first RF frequency band from the second multi-band RF signal, vary a power level of the first RF frequency band, and recombine the first RF frequency band with the one or more additional RF frequency bands as a third multi-band RF signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one remote unit is adapted to wirelessly transmit the third multi-band RF signal to one or more mobile units.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communications medium comprises on one or more of an optical fiber, a wire cable, and a wireless communications link.

5. The system of claim 1, where in the host unit further comprises:

a host processor; and

a plurality of enhanced bidirectional amplifier modules coupled to the host processor, wherein a first enhanced bidirectional amplifier module is adapted to receive the first multi-band RF signal and filter out RF signals from RF bands other than the first RF frequency band, wherein the first enhanced bidirectional amplifier module is further adapted to vary the RF power of the RF frequency band based on one or more signals from the host processor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first enhanced bidirectional amplifier module is further adapted to measure a signal power of the first RF frequency band and communicate the signal power to the host processor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote unit further comprises:

a remote processor; and

a plurality of remote enhanced bidirectional amplifier modules coupled to the remote processor, wherein a first remote enhanced bidirectional amplifier module is adapted to receive the second multi-band RF signal and filter out RF signals from RF bands other than the first RF frequency band, wherein the first remote enhanced bidirectional amplifier module is further adapted to vary the RF power of the first RF frequency band based on one or more signals from the remote processor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first enhanced bidirectional amplifier module is further adapted to measure a signal power of the first RF frequency band and communicate the signal power to the remote processor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the host unit and the at least one remote unit are adapted to communicate RF modulated digital messages with each other via the at least one communications medium.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the digital messages include one or more of configuration messages, alarm messages, and status messages.

11. A method for transporting analog multi-band RF signals, the method comprising:

receiving a first multi-band RF signal from a first communications medium, the first multi-band RF signal including a first RF frequency band and one or more additional RF frequency bands;

separating the first RF frequency band from the multi-band RF signal;

varying a power level of the first RF frequency band;

recombining the first RF frequency band with the one or more additional RF frequency bands into a second multi-band RF signal;

transmitting the second multi-band RF signal on a second communications medium;

receiving a plurality of pilot tones at a plurality of frequencies;

calculating a power loss for each of the plurality of pilot tones;

determining a power loss versus RF frequency relationship based on the calculated power loss for each of the plurality of pilot tones;

estimating a power loss for the first RF frequency band based on the power loss versus RF frequency relationship; and

varying an attenuation of the first RF frequency band based on the estimated power loss for the first RF frequency band.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the first multi-band RF signal further comprises receiving RF signals from one or more voice/data communication service providers.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

limiting the power of the first multi-band RF signal based on a power threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the second multi-band RF signal on the second communications medium further comprises transmitting the second multi-band RF signal on one or more of an optical fiber, a wire cable, and a wireless communications link.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting a footprint by varying the RF power level of the first RF frequency band.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the second multi-band RF signal from the second communications medium;

separating the first RF frequency band from the second multi-band RF signal;

varying an RF power level of the first RF frequency band;

recombining the first RF frequency band with the one or more additional RF frequency bands into a third multi-band RF signal; and

wirelessly transmitting the third multi-band RF signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein wirelessly transmitting the third multi-band RF signal further comprises wirelessly communicating the third multi-band RF signal to one or more mobile units via one or more antennas.

18. The method of claim 16, farther comprising:

adjusting a footprint by varying the power level of the first RF frequency band.

19. A system for implementing automatic gain control for a communications medium, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of pilot tones at a plurality of frequencies from a common communications medium;

means for calculating a power loss for each of the plurality of pilot tones, the means for calculating a power loss responsive to the means for receiving the plurality of pilot tones;

means for determining a power loss versus RF frequency relationship for the common communications medium based on the calculated power loss for each of the plurality of pilot tones, the means for determining the power loss versus RF frequency relationship responsive to the means for calculation the power loss;

means for estimating a power loss for an RF frequency band based on the power loss versus RF frequency relationship, the means for estimating a power loss for an RF frequency band responsive to the means for determining a power loss versus RF frequency relationship; and

means for varying a power level of one or more RF signals in the RF frequency band based on an estimated power loss for the RF frequency band, the means for varying the power level responsive to the means for estimating the power loss.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining a power loss versus RF frequency relationship is adapted to calculate a best fit curve equation based on a calculated power loss for each of the plurality of pilot tones.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for generating the plurality of pilot tones at a plurality of frequencies; and

means for transmitting the plurality of pilot tones on the common communications medium, the means for transmitting responsive to the means for generating.