Multiprotocol antenna system for multiple service provider-multiple air interface co-located base stations
First Claim
1. A system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the system comprising:
- a hub unit configured to communicate with a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface; and
a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit;
wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;
wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;
wherein the first and second digital data are transported from the radio access node to the hub unit using a shared transport medium;
wherein the hub unit comprises;
a first digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data, anda second digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider; and
wherein the radio access node is configured to generate first data packets from a first data radio frequency signal, wherein the first data packets are communicated to the hub unit using the shared transport medium.
19 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hub unit is configured to digitize first and second analog radio frequency signals in order to generate first and second digital data, respectively, indicative of the first and second analog radio frequency signals. The first and second analog radio frequency signals are broadcast from first and second base stations, respectively, associated with first and second cellular service providers, respectively, using first and second air interfaces, respectively. The first and second digital data are transported to a radio access node using a shared transport medium. The radio access node is configured to reconstruct versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals from the first and second digital data, respectively, using first and second digital-to-analog converters and is also configured to generate first data packets from a first data radio frequency signal. The first data packets are communicated to the hub unit using the shared transport medium.
108 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the system comprising:
-
a hub unit configured to communicate with a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface; and a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit; wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface; wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; wherein the first and second digital data are transported from the radio access node to the hub unit using a shared transport medium; wherein the hub unit comprises; a first digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data, and a second digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider; and wherein the radio access node is configured to generate first data packets from a first data radio frequency signal, wherein the first data packets are communicated to the hub unit using the shared transport medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A radio access node for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the radio access node comprising:
-
an antenna interface to couple the radio access node to at least one antenna associated with the radio access node; a shared transport medium interface to couple the radio access node to a shared transport medium; and first and second analog-to-digital converters, wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize, using the first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize, using the second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; wherein radio access node is configured to transport the first and second digital data from the radio access node to a hub unit using the shared transport medium; wherein the hub unit comprises first and second digital-to-analog converters configured to reconstruct versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals, respectively, using the first and second digital data, respectively; wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit; and wherein the radio access node is configured to generate first data packets from a first data radio frequency signal, wherein the first data packets are communicated to the hub unit using the shared transport medium. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of distributing cellular radio frequency signals comprising:
-
digitizing, at a radio access node using a first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface; digitizing, at the radio access node using a second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using a second air interface; generating, at the radio access node, first data packets from a first data radio frequency signal; transporting the first and second digital data and the first data packets from the radio access node to a hub unit using a shared transport medium; reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using a first digital-to-analog converter; reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using a second digital-to-analog converter; providing the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to a first base station associated with the first cellular service provider; and providing the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to a second base station associated with the second cellular service provider; wherein the first base station is configured to use the first air interface and the second base station configured to use the second air interface; and wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification