Signal conditioner and method for communicating over a shared transport medium a combined digital signal for wireless service

• US 7,634,250 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Dianda, Janet Ruth, Prasad, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/378,998
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/7, 455/14, 455/20, 455/21, 455/22, 455/561, 455/562.1
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A signal conditioner (SC) and method for performing communications via a shared transport medium between a base transceiver station (BTS) and a remote antenna entity (RAE). A first SC is connected to the BTS and a second SC is connected to the RAE. Each SC interfaces to the transport medium. The first SC receives an RF signal representing a combined digital signal (CDS) from the BTS. The first SC recovers and conditions the CDS, and then transmits the conditioned CDS to the second SC via the transport medium. The second SC receives the conditioned CDS, recovers the CDS, produces an RF signal representing the CDS, and transmits this RF signal to the RAE. The RAE sends this RF signal to an antenna of the RAE for transmission of this RF signal via the antenna. First SC and second SC also facilitate communication of a CDS from RAE to BTS.

Claims

1. A method of communication, the method comprising:

a base transceiver station (BTS) producing a combined digital signal by combining digital signals from multiple forward-link communication channels, wherein the BTS comprises an antenna feed interface that connects to an antenna via a first antenna feed, and to a first signal conditioner via a second antenna feed;

the BTS modulating a radio frequency (RF) carrier with the combined digital signal so as to produce a first RF signal representing the combined digital signal produced by the BTS;

the BTS providing the first RF signal representing the combined digital signal to the antenna via the first antenna feed, and to the first signal conditioner via the second antenna feed, wherein the antenna subsequently transmits the first RF signal representing the combined digital signal to one or more mobile phones via an air interface;

the first signal conditioner receiving, from the BTS via the second antenna feed, the first RF signal representing the combined digital signal;

the first signal conditioner demodulating the first RF signal representing the combined digital signal so as to recover the combined digital signal;

the first signal conditioner receiving other data traffic from a network that connects to a network interface at the first signal conditioner;

the first signal conditioner combining the combined digital signal recovered from the first RF signal and the other data traffic to form combined data traffic; and

the first signal conditioner providing the combined data traffic to a shared transport medium for transmission, in turn, to a second signal conditioner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined data traffic provided to the shared transport medium is transmitted to one or more other signal conditioners that are remote from the first signal conditioner.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the second signal conditioner conditioning the combined data traffic to recover the combined digital signal and the other data traffic, and thereafter providing the recovered combined digital signal to a remote antenna entity, and providing the recovered other data traffic to a network that connects to a network interface at the second signal conditioner;

the remote antenna entity modulating a second RF carrier with the combined digital signal provided to the remote antenna entity so as to produce a second RF signal representing the combined digital signal; and

the remote antenna entity providing the second RF signal to an antenna feed of the remote antenna entity for transmission of the second RF signal via an air interface,

wherein the second signal conditioner is connected to the remote antenna entity via a communication connection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the second signal conditioner receiving the combined data traffic;

the second signal conditioner recovering the combined digital signal from the combined data traffic;

the second signal conditioner modulating a second RF carrier with the combined digital signal recovered from the combined data traffic so as to produce a second RF signal representing the combined digital signal produced by the BTS; and

providing the second RF signal from the second signal conditioner to a communication connection of a remote antenna entity for processing the second RF signal so as to provide wireless communication service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport medium is selected from the group consisting of (i) a broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a broadband wireless transport medium.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the broadband wireline transport medium is selected from the group consisting of (i) a coaxial cable transport medium, (ii) an optical fiber transport medium, (iii) a broadband over electrical power line transport medium, (iv) a twisted pair of copper wires.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the broadband wireless transport medium is selected from the group consisting of (i) a transport medium using a broadband radio frequency, (ii) a free space optics transport medium, (iii) a millimeter wave transport medium, and (iv) a microwave radio transport medium.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple forward-link communication channels include communication channels selected from the group consisting of (i) voice channels, (ii) data channels, and (iii) control channels.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data channels communicate data comprising packetized voice data.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the combined digital signal is produced by the BTS, and

wherein the combined digital signal comprises total information to be radiated from the BTS via an air interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined data traffic comprises Ethernet packets.

12. At a first signal conditioner comprising a communication connection interface, a network interface, and a transport medium interface, wherein the communication connection interface interfaces to a communication connection that connects the first signal conditioner to a remote antenna entity, a method of communication comprising:

the communication connection interface of the first signal conditioner receiving from a remote antenna entity via the communication connection a first radio frequency (RF) signal representing a combined digital signal, wherein the first RF signal comprises multiple communication channels received at the remote antenna entity from one or more mobile phones;

the first signal conditioner demodulating the received first RF signal so as to recover the combined digital signal;

the network interface receiving data traffic from a wireline network that interfaces to the network interface;

the first signal conditioner forming combined data traffic by placing into Ethernet packets the combined digital signal recovered from the first RF signal, and the data traffic received from the wireline network; and

the transport medium interface of the first signal conditioner providing the combined data traffic to a transport medium for transmission, in turn, to a second signal conditioner connected to an antenna feed of a base transceiver station (BTS).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transport medium is selected from the group consisting of (i) a broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a broadband wireless transport medium.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple communication channels include communication channels selected from the group consisting of (i) voice channels, (ii) data channels, and (iii) control channels.

15. The method of claim 12,

wherein the combined digital signal comprises total information to be transmitted from the remote antenna entity to the BTS.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

at the second signal conditioner, receiving the set of Ethernet packets, conditioning the set of Ethernet packets to recover the combined digital signal, and modulating an RF carrier with the combined digital signal recovered from the packets so as to produce a second RF signal representing the combined digital signal; and

transmitting the second RF signal from the second signal conditioner to the BTS, via an antenna feed connecting the second signal conditioner and the BTS, for subsequent communication of the combined digital signal from the BTS.

17. A signal conditioner comprising:

an antenna feed interface connected via an antenna feed to a base transceiver station (BTS), wherein the antenna feed interface is arranged to receive a first radio frequency (RF) signal representing a first combined digital signal;

a transport medium interface for interfacing to a transport medium;

a demodulator; and

a conditioning device,

wherein the first RF signal is produced by modulating a first RF carrier with the first combined digital signal, and wherein the first combined digital signal is produced by combining digital signals from multiple communication channels,

wherein the demodulator is arranged to (i) receive the first RF signal from the antenna feed interface, (ii) demodulate the first RF signal so as to recover the first combined digital signal, and (iii) provide the recovered first combined digital signal to the conditioning device that conditions the recovered first combined digital signal for transmission via the transport medium

wherein the conditioning device comprises a first modulator,

wherein the first modulator is arranged to (i) modulate a second RF carrier with the recovered first combined digital signal so as to produce a second RF signal representing the first combined digital signal, and (ii) provide the second RF signal to the transport medium interface for transmission of the second RF signal via the transport medium to a remote signal conditioner connected to a remote antenna entity,

wherein the transport medium interface receives from the transport medium a third RF signal,

wherein the third RF signal (i) represents a second combined digital signal, and (ii) comprises multiple communication channels produced by one or more wireless communication devices, and received by an antenna connected to the remote antenna entity,

wherein the demodulator is arranged to (i) receive the third RF signal from the transport medium interface, (ii) demodulate the third RF signal so as to recover the second combined digital signal, and (iii) provide the recovered second combined digital signal to the conditioning device,

wherein the conditioning device includes a second modulator arranged to (i) modulate a third RF carrier with the recovered second combined digital signal so as to produce a fourth RF signal, and (ii) provide the fourth RF signal to the antenna feed interface for transmission of the fourth RF signal to the BTS via the antenna feed,

wherein the fourth RF signal represents the second combined digital signal, and

wherein the digital signals combined from multiple communication channels to produce the first combined digital signal are from multiple communication channels associated with the BTS.

18. The signal conditioner of claim 17, further comprising:

data storage,

wherein the conditioning device comprises a processor, and

wherein the processor executes program instructions stored in data storage to carry out the functions of (i) formatting the recovered first combined digital signal so as to produce a signal representing the recovered first combined digital signal, and (ii) providing the signal representing the recovered first combined digital signal to the transport medium interface for transmission of the signal representing the first recovered combined digital signal via the transport medium to a remote signal conditioner connected to a remote antenna entity.

19. The signal conditioner of claim 18,

wherein the data storage further includes program instructions executable by the processor to communicate data to the remote antenna entity, and

wherein the data indicates (i) a first frequency for transmitting an RF combined digital signal over the air from an antenna, and (ii) a second frequency for the antenna to receive RF signals transmitted over the air.

20. The signal conditioner of claim 17, wherein the first modulator and the demodulator are arranged as a modem.

21. The signal conditioner of claim 17,

wherein the transport medium interface comprises one or more interface modules,

wherein each of the one or more interface modules is connected to a given transport medium, and

wherein the conditioning device provides the second RF signal to the transport medium interface by providing the second RF signal to each of the one or more interface modules for transmission of the second signal via each given transport medium to the remote signal conditioner.

22. The signal conditioner of claim 21, wherein each given transport medium is selected from the group consisting of (i) a broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a broadband wireless transport medium.

23. The signal conditioner of claim 17, wherein the transport medium is selected from the group consisting of (i) a broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a broadband wireless transport medium.

24. A signal conditioner comprising:

a communication connection interface connected via a communication connection to a remote antenna entity, wherein the communication connection interface is arranged to receive a first radio frequency (RF) signal representing a combined digital signal;

a transport medium interface for interfacing to a shared transport medium;

a network interface to interface with a network that provides data traffic to the signal conditioner;

a demodulator; and

a processor,

wherein the first RF signal (i) comprises multiple communication channels produced by one or more mobile phones, and (ii) is received by an antenna connected to the remote antenna entity,

wherein the demodulator is arranged to (i) receive the first RF signal from the communication connection interface, and (ii) demodulate the first RF signal so as to recover the combined digital signal, and

wherein the processor executes program instructions so as to place the recovered combined digital signal and the data traffic into packets, and to provide the packets to the shared transport medium for transmission, in turn, to a remote signal conditioner that is connected to a base transceiver station.

25. The signal conditioner of claim 24, wherein the remote antenna entity is integrated with the signal conditioner as a signal conditioning remote antenna entity that connects to the transport medium.

26. The signal conditioner of claim 24, wherein the remote antenna entity is separate from the signal conditioner and connected to the signal conditioner via a communication connection.

27. The signal conditioner of claim 24, further comprising a modulator,

wherein the transport medium interface receives other data packets from the shared transport medium,

wherein the other data packets include a second combined digital signal and other data traffic,

wherein the processor recovers the second combined digital signal and the other data traffic from the other data packets, provides the recovered second combined digital signal to the modulator, and provides the recovered other data traffic to the network interface,

wherein the modulator is arranged to (i) modulate a second RF carrier with the recovered second combined digital signal so as to produce a third RF signal, and (ii) provide the third RF signal to the communication connection interface for transmission of the third RF signal to the remote antenna entity,

wherein the third RF signal represents the second combined digital signal, and

wherein the second combined digital signal is produced at a base transceiver station (BTS) by combining digital signals from multiple communication channels associated with the BTS, and

wherein the network interface transmits the recovered other data traffic via the network that interfaces to the network interface.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the packets are Ethernet packets.

29. A method of communication, the method comprising:

a first signal conditioner receiving a combined digital signal from a base transceiver station (BTS) via a first antenna feed extending from the BTS to the first signal conditioner, wherein the combined digital signal is produced by combining digital signals from multiple communication channels;

the first signal conditioner receiving data traffic from a network that connects to a network interface at the first signal conditioner;

the first signal conditioner placing the combined digital signal and the data traffic into packets, and providing the packets to a shared transport medium for transmission, in turn, to a second signal conditioner; and

the first signal conditioner providing the combined digital signal to a shared transport medium for transmission, in turn, to a second signal conditioner,

wherein the second signal conditioner is connected to a remote antenna entity by a communication connection,

the second signal conditioner recovering the combined digital signal and the data traffic from the packets, providing the combined digital signal recovered from the packets to the remote antenna entity via the communication connection, and providing the data traffic recovered from the packets to a network that connects to a network interface at the second signal conditioner.

30. The method of claim 29,

wherein the shared transport medium includes transport media, the method further comprising:

detecting a failure of a first transport medium of the transport media, and

switching from the failed first transport medium to a second transport medium of the transport media so as to transmit the combined digital signal and the other data traffic via the second transport medium.

31. The method of claim 30,

wherein the first transport medium comprises a transport medium selected from the group consisting of (i) a first broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a first broadband wireless transport medium, and

wherein the second transport medium comprises a transport medium selected from the group consisting of (i) a second broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a second broadband wireless transport medium.

32. The method of claim 29,

wherein the second signal conditioner is arranged to produce another combined digital signal and to provide the other combined digital signal to the shared transport medium, and

wherein the first signal conditioner is arranged to receive the other combined digital signal from the shared transport medium.

33. A method of communication, the method comprising:

a first signal conditioner receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal representing a combined digital signal, wherein the first signal conditioner receives the RF signal from a remote antenna entity via a communication connection extending from the remote antenna entity to the first signal conditioner, and wherein the combined digital signal (i) comprises multiple communication channels produced by one or more mobile phones, and (ii) is received by an antenna connected to the remote antenna entity,

the first signal conditioner receiving data traffic from a network that connects to a network interface at the first signal conditioner;

the first signal conditioner placing the combined digital signal and the data traffic into Ethernet packets, and providing the Ethernet packets to a shared transport medium for transmission, in turn, to a second signal conditioner, wherein the second signal conditioner is connected to a base transceiver station (BTS) by an antenna feed, and

the second signal conditioner recovering the combined digital signal and the data traffic from the Ethernet packets, providing the combined digital signal recovered from the Ethernet packets to the BTS via the antenna feed, and providing the data traffic recovered from the Ethernet packets to a network that connects to a network interface at the second signal conditioner.

34. The method of claim 33,

wherein the shared transport medium includes transport media, the method further comprising:

detecting a failure of a first transport medium of the transport media, and

switching from the failed first transport medium to a second transport medium of the transport media so as to transmit the combined digital signal and the other data traffic via the second transport medium.

35. The method of claim 34,

wherein the first transport medium comprises a transport medium selected from the group consisting of (i) a first broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a first broadband wireless transport medium, and

wherein the second transport medium comprises a transport medium selected from the group consisting of (i) a second broadband wireline transport medium, and (ii) a second broadband wireless transport medium.

36. The method of claim 33,

wherein the second signal conditioner is arranged to produce another combined digital signal and to provide the other combined digital signal to the shared transport medium, and

wherein the first signal conditioner is arranged to receive the other combined digital signal from the shared transport medium.