Repeater system and method for providing wireless communications

• US 8,121,540 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Harold Wayne, Tammisetti, Mohan R., Harris, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan
• Application Number:
  US12/133,534
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 455/15, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/292, 455/338, 455/22, 455/20, 343/715, 343/713, 343/704, 343/895, 343/711, 343/712, 343/795, 343/24.C, 343/700, 370/315
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04

Abstract

A repeater system is supplied for providing wireless communications. In an example, a repeater system is supplied to receive user information with an antenna in a wireless signal at a first frequency and transfer the user information in an electrical signal at the first frequency. A frequency converter receives the user information in the electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the user information in the electrical signal at a second frequency. A first coupler receives the user information in the electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the user information in a capacitive signal. A second coupler receives the user information in the capacitive signal and transfers the user information in an electrical signal at the second frequency. A second frequency converter receives the user information in the electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the user information in the electrical signal at the first frequency. An antenna receives the user information in the electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the user information in a wireless signal at the first frequency. Additionally, a method of providing wireless communications using the above mentioned repeater system is also provided.

Claims

1. A repeater system for providing wireless communications comprising:

a first antenna that receives first user information in a first wireless signal at a first frequency and transfers the first user information in a first electrical signal at the first frequency, a first frequency converter that receives the first user information in the first electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the first user information in the first electrical signal at a second frequency, and a first coupler that receives the first user information in the first electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the first user information in a first capacitive signal;

a second coupler that receives the first user information in the first capacitive signal and transfers the first user information in a second electrical signal at the second frequency, a second frequency converter that receives the first user information in the second electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the first user information in the second electrical signal at the first frequency, and a second antenna that receives the first user information in the second electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the first user information in a second wireless signal at the first frequency;

the first frequency converter further receives power and transfers the power in a first AC power signal, a third coupler that receives the power in the first AC power signal and transfers the power in an inductive power signal, the second frequency converter further receives the power in a second AC power signal, and a fourth coupler that receives the power in the inductive power signal and transfers the power in the second AC power signal;

the second antenna further receives second user information in a third wireless signal at the first frequency and transmits the second user information in a third electrical signal at the first frequency, the second frequency converter further receives the second user information in the third electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the second user information in the third electrical signal at the second frequency, and a fifth coupler that receives the second user information in the third electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the second user information in a second capacitive signal;

a sixth coupler that receives the second user information in the second capacitive signal at the second frequency and transfers the second user information in a fourth electrical signal at the second frequency, the first frequency converter further receives the second user information in the fourth electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the second user information in the fourth electrical signal at the first frequency, and the first antenna further receives the second user information in the fourth electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the second user information in a fourth wireless signal at the first frequency.

2. The repeater of claim 1 wherein the first antenna comprises an indoor antenna and the second antenna comprises an outdoor antenna.

3. The repeater system of claim 1 wherein the first frequency is in the RF range and the second frequency is lower than the RF range.

4. The repeater system of claim 1 wherein the second frequency does not interfere with the first frequency.

5. The repeater system of claim 1 wherein the first, third, and sixth couplers are integrated into a first unit having an adhesive material for attachment to glass, and the second, fourth, and fifth couplers are integrated into a second unit having the adhesive material for attachment to glass.

6. The repeater system of claim 5 further comprising a first coaxial cable coupling the first frequency converter and the first unit and a second coaxial cable coupling the second frequency converter and the second unit.

7. The repeater system of claim 1 wherein the first frequency converter and the first antenna are integrated together in a first enclosure and the second frequency converter and the second antenna are integrated together in a second enclosure.

8. The repeater system of claim 1 wherein the first frequency converter amplifies the first electrical signal and the fourth electrical signal and the second frequency converter amplifies the second electrical signal and the third electrical signal.

9. A method of providing wireless communications, the method comprising:

receiving at a first antenna first user information in a first wireless signal at a first frequency and transferring from the first antenna the first user information in a first electrical signal at the first frequency, receiving at a first frequency converter the first user information in the first electrical signal at the first frequency and transferring from the first frequency converter the first user information in the first electrical signal at a second frequency, and receiving at a first coupler the first user information in the first electrical signal at the second frequency and transferring from the first coupler the first user information in a first capacitive signal;

receiving at a second coupler the first user information in the first capacitive signal and transferring from the second coupler the first user information in a second electrical signal at the second frequency, receiving at a second frequency converter the first user information in the second electrical signal at the second frequency and transferring from the second frequency converter the first user information in the second electrical signal at the first frequency, and receiving at a second antenna the first user information in the second electrical signal at the first frequency and transferring from the second antenna the first user information in a second wireless signal at the first frequency;

receiving at the first frequency converter power in a first AC power signal and transferring from the first frequency converter the power in a first inductive power signal, receiving at a third coupler the power in the first AC power signal and transferring from the third coupler the power in an inductive power signal, receiving at a fourth coupler the power in the inductive power signal and transferring from the fourth coupler the power in the second AC power signal, and receiving at the second frequency converter the power in a second inductive power signal and transferring from the second frequency converter the power in a second AC power signal;

receiving at the second antenna second user information in a third wireless signal at the first frequency and transmitting from the second antenna the second user information in a third electrical signal at the first frequency, receiving at the second frequency converter the second user information in the third electrical signal at the first frequency and transferring from the second frequency converter the second user information in the third electrical signal at the second frequency, and receiving at a fifth coupler the second user information in the third electrical signal at the second frequency and transferring from the fifth coupler the second user information in a second capacitive signal;

receiving at a sixth coupler the second user information in the second capacitive signal at the second frequency and transferring from the sixth coupler the second user information in a fourth electrical signal at the second frequency, receiving at the first frequency converter the second user information in the fourth electrical signal at the second frequency and transferring from the first frequency converter the second user information in the fourth electrical signal at the first frequency, and receiving at the first antenna the second user information in the fourth electrical signal at the first frequency and transferring from the first antenna the second user information in a fourth wireless signal at the first frequency.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first antenna comprises an indoor antenna and the second antenna comprises an outdoor antenna.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first frequency is in the RF range and the second frequency is lower than the RF range.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the second frequency does not interfere with the first frequency.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the first, third, and sixth couplers are integrated into a first unit having an adhesive material for attachment to glass, and the second, fourth, and fifth couplers are integrated into a second unit having the adhesive material for attachment to glass.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising coupling the first frequency converter and the first unit with a first coaxial cable and coupling the second frequency converter and the second unit with a second coaxial cable.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the first frequency converter and the first antenna are integrated together in a first enclosure and the second frequency converter and the second antenna are integrated together in a second enclosure.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the first frequency converter amplifies the first electrical signal and the fourth electrical signal and the second frequency converter amplifies the second electrical signal and the third electrical signal.