System and method to monitor broadband radio frequency transport systems
First Claim
1. A system to monitor gain in a broadband radio frequency transport system, the system comprising:
- at least one radio frequency antenna that receives a radio frequency signal;
at least one remote unit, each remote unit communicable with a respective one of the radio frequency antennae, each remote unit comprising,a pilot tone generator adapted to generate at least one single-frequency tone having a known power level,a summing circuit operably associated with the pilot tone generator adapted to sum the at least one single-frequency tone with the respective received radio frequency signal,at least one amplifier in communication with the summing circuit, wherein the at least one amplifier amplifies the summed signal, sends the signal to a remote pilot tone receiver, and transmits the signal over a respective transmission link;
the remote pilot tone receiver adapted to detect the at least one single-frequency tone in the signal;
a controller communicatively coupled with the remote pilot tone receiver to determine a gain within the remote unit based on the detected single-frequency tone; and
at least one host unit adapted to receive the signal transmitted over the transmission link from a respective one of the remote units, each host unit comprising;
a host pilot tone generator adapted to generate at least one single-frequency tone having a known power level, wherein the at least one single-frequency tone generated at the host pilot tone generator is distinguished, by frequency or timing, from the at least one single-frequency tone generated at the pilot tone generator in the remote unit;
a signal summing circuit operably associated with the host pilot tone generator adapted to add the at least one single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator to the received signal;
a pilot tone receiver circuit adapted to receive the transmitted signal and the at least one single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator, adapted to detect the at least one single-frequency tone transmitted over the transmission link from the received signal, and adapted to detect the at least one single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator; and
a controller adapted to determine a gain within the transmission links, adapted to determine a gain within the host unit based on the detection of the single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator, and adapted to determine if the gains are each in a preset range of gains based on the power level of the received pilot tones.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system to monitor gain in a broadband radio frequency transport system that includes a radio frequency antenna, a remote unit, and a host unit adapted to receive a signal from the remote unit over a transmission link. The remote unit includes a pilot tone generator adapted to generate at least one single-frequency tone having a known power level, a summing circuit operably associated with the pilot tone generator adapted to sum the single-frequency tone with the respective received radio frequency signal. Each host unit includes a pilot tone receiver circuit to receive the transmitted signal and detect the single-frequency tone transmitted over the transmission link. The host unit includes a controller to determine a gain within the transmission link and to determine if the gain is in a preset range of gains based on the power level of the received pilot tone.
32 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system to monitor gain in a broadband radio frequency transport system, the system comprising:
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at least one radio frequency antenna that receives a radio frequency signal; at least one remote unit, each remote unit communicable with a respective one of the radio frequency antennae, each remote unit comprising, a pilot tone generator adapted to generate at least one single-frequency tone having a known power level, a summing circuit operably associated with the pilot tone generator adapted to sum the at least one single-frequency tone with the respective received radio frequency signal, at least one amplifier in communication with the summing circuit, wherein the at least one amplifier amplifies the summed signal, sends the signal to a remote pilot tone receiver, and transmits the signal over a respective transmission link; the remote pilot tone receiver adapted to detect the at least one single-frequency tone in the signal; a controller communicatively coupled with the remote pilot tone receiver to determine a gain within the remote unit based on the detected single-frequency tone; and at least one host unit adapted to receive the signal transmitted over the transmission link from a respective one of the remote units, each host unit comprising; a host pilot tone generator adapted to generate at least one single-frequency tone having a known power level, wherein the at least one single-frequency tone generated at the host pilot tone generator is distinguished, by frequency or timing, from the at least one single-frequency tone generated at the pilot tone generator in the remote unit; a signal summing circuit operably associated with the host pilot tone generator adapted to add the at least one single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator to the received signal; a pilot tone receiver circuit adapted to receive the transmitted signal and the at least one single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator, adapted to detect the at least one single-frequency tone transmitted over the transmission link from the received signal, and adapted to detect the at least one single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator; and a controller adapted to determine a gain within the transmission links, adapted to determine a gain within the host unit based on the detection of the single-frequency tone from the host pilot tone generator, and adapted to determine if the gains are each in a preset range of gains based on the power level of the received pilot tones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method to monitor gain in a broadband transport system, the method comprising:
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receiving a broadband radio frequency signal; adding at least one single-frequency tone to the broadband signal to form a summed signal at a remote unit; detecting the at least one single-frequency tone to determine a gain within the remote unit; transmitting the summed signal through a transmission link; receiving the transmitted summed signal at a host unit; adding at least one single-frequency tone to the received transmitted summed signal at the host unit, wherein the at least one single-frequency tone added to the broadband signal at the remote unit is distinguished, by frequency or timing, from the at least one single-frequency tone added at the host unit; determining a gain in the at least one single-frequency tone transmitted through the transmission link; determining a gain in the at least one single-frequency tone added at the host unit; and determining when the gains are acceptable gains. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification