Wireless local area network repeater

• US 8,498,234 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc., Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Proctor, James A., Gainey, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganguly, Sumitra
• Application Number:
  US10/516,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20050286448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,702 Days
• Field of Search: 370/343, 370/279, 370/315, 370/319, 370/466, 455/11.1, 455/15, 455/20, 455/17, 455/25, 455/76, 455/84, 455/552, 455/351, 455/426
• US Class Current: 370/315
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A repeater (200) facilitates wireless communication between a first communication device (100) and a second communication device (105) in a wireless network using a time division duplex protocol for data transmission. The repeater (200) includes a receiver (310, 315) for receiving a signal on either of at least two bi-directional communication frequencies simultaneously. A signal detector (362) is operatively coupled to the receiver (300, 310, 315) for determining if the signal is present on at least one of the two bi-directional frequencies. A frequency converter (320, 321, 323, 324, 360, 361) is for converting the signal present on one of the bi-directional frequencies to a converted signal on the other of the bi-directional frequencies. A transmitter (300, 325, 330, 335, 345, 350) is for transmitting the converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies.

Claims

1. An apparatus for facilitating wireless communication in a network between a first communication device and a second communication device, said network including at least two bi-directional communication frequencies each using a time division duplex format of data transmission, comprising:

a receiver to receive signals on said at least two bi-directional communication frequencies, the receiver including a signal splitter configured to split the received signal;

a frequency converter to convert a signal present on one of said bi-directional frequencies to a converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies;

a first additional splitter in communication with a first output of the signal splitter and a second additional splitter in communication with a second output of the signal splitter;

a signal detector including a first detector in communication with an output of the first additional splitter and a second detector in communication with an output of the second additional splitter, the signal detector configured to determine if the received signals include a signal on at least one of said at least two bi-directional frequencies;

a delay circuit including a first delay in communication with a different output of the first additional splitter and a second delay in communication with a different output of the second additional splitter; and

a transmitter to transmit the converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the received signals comprise RF (radiofrequency) signals and wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more downconverter circuits to convert RF signals to IF (intermediate frequency) signals, and wherein said signal detector operates at one or more intermediate frequencies.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the received signals comprise RF (radiofrequency) signals, and wherein said signal detector is for detecting the signal at a radio frequency.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the signals on said at least two bi-directional frequencies simultaneously a from the first antenna, and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies using the second antenna.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first and second antennas have respective polarizations that are largely orthogonal to one another.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an antenna and an isolator, and wherein said receiver and said transmitter both use the antenna, and wherein the antenna is connected to said receiver and said transmitter through the isolator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first directional antenna and a second directional antenna, wherein said receiver further includes first and second single frequency channel receivers configured to receive a first frequency channel and a second frequency channel respectively, wherein the transmitter comprises a transmitter for the first frequency channel and a transmitter for the second frequency channel, and wherein the first single frequency channel receiver and the transmitter for the first frequency channel share the first directional antenna, and the second single frequency channel receiver and the transmitter for the second frequency channel share the second directional antenna.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delay circuit is configured to reduce truncation of the received signals to be transmitted to acceptable levels by compensating for detection delay during receipt of the signals by said receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first mixer and a first local oscillator, said first mixer including a first input coupled to the first output of said signal splitter and a second input coupled to an output of said first local oscillator and an output in communication with the first additional splitter, and further comprising a second mixer and a second local oscillator, said second mixer including a first input coupled to the second output of the signal splitter and a second input coupled to an output of the second local oscillator and an output in communication with the second additional splitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first additional splitter and the second additional splitter are intermediate frequency splitters.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first detector and said second detector are each configured to detect the presence of the signal on one of said bi-directional frequencies, and wherein an output of said first detector and said second detector controls selection of one of two associated intermediate frequencies for transmission of the converted signal by said transmitter upon detection of the signal on at least one of the bi-direction frequencies.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a single switch configured to couple the first delay or the second delay to a frequency converter to change a frequency of a coupled intermediate frequency signal to the other of said the bi-directional frequencies prior to transmission.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first detector and said second detector are configured to determine a beginning or ending of the received signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first detector and said second detector are configured to compare the received signals to a threshold value to detect the signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a repeater.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a circulator configured to receive a signal information packet from said receiver on said first bi-directional communication frequency and further configured to transmit the signal information packet using said transmitter on said second bi-directional communication frequency.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said signal detector includes a power indicator.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an indicator to provide visual indication when received signal levels from at least one of the first and second communication devices are sufficient for communication between at least one of the first and second communication devices and the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, where the apparatus is configured to utilize 802.11 protocol or a derivative thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a demodulator to demodulate a signal detect by the signal detector during re-transmission thereof.

21. A wireless local area network configured to communicate using at least first and second bi-directional communication frequencies, comprising:

a first communication device configured to transmit and receive data on said first and said second bi-directional communication frequencies, wherein said first communication device is configured to transmit and receive data using a time division duplex format on either of said at least first or second bi-directional communication frequencies,

a second communication device configured to transmit and receive data on said first and said second bi-directional communication frequencies, wherein said second communication device is configured to transmit and receive data using a time division duplex format on either of said at least first or second bi-directional communication frequencies,

a repeater configured to provide a communication link between said first and said second communication devices, said repeater including a receiver configured to receive a signal on either of said first and said second bi-directional communication frequencies, the receiver including a signal splitter configured to split the received signal, a first additional splitter in communication with a first output of the signal splitter and a second additional splitter in communication with a second output of the signal splitter, a signal detector operatively coupled to the receiver configured to determine if the signal is present on one of said at least two bi-directional frequencies, the signal detector including a first detector in communication with an output of the first additional splitter and a second detector in communication with an output of the second additional splitter, a frequency converter operatively coupled to the signal detector for converting the signal present on the one of said bi-directional frequencies to a converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies, a delay circuit including a first delay in communication with a different output of the first additional splitter and a second delay in communication with a different output of the second additional splitter, and a transmitter that transmits the converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies.

22. The wireless local area network of claim 21, wherein at least one of said first or said second communication devices is configured to connect to a wired network and serves as a wireless gateway.

23. The wireless local area network of claim 21, wherein the first communication device comprises a base unit, and wherein the second communication device comprises a client unit.

24. The wireless local area network of claim 21, wherein the repeater is configured to determine a duration of transmission of a detected signal on one of the at least first and second bi-directional communication frequencies, wherein the duration is based at least in part on a time duration counter started when the detected signal is detected.

25. The wireless local area network of claim 21, where said repeater further includes a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein said receiver is connected to the first antenna and said transmitter is connected to the second antenna, and wherein the first and second antennas have largely orthogonal polarizations.

26. The wireless local area network of claim 21 where said receiver is connected to at least two switches, each of which is coupled to at least two directional antennas respectively and to an additional switch, which in turn is coupled to at least one transmitter.

27. A method of repeating signals comprising:

receiving received signals on a receiver, wherein the received signals include signals on a first frequency and signals on a second frequency;

splitting the received signals to produce a first output and a second output;

splitting the first output to produce a first detection output and a first delay output;

splitting the second output to produce a second detection output and a second delay output;

detecting whether the received signals include a signal on the first frequency or a signal on the second frequency;

based on detecting whether the received signals include a signal on the first frequency or a signal on the second frequency, transmitting a delayed signal at the other of the first frequency or the second frequency.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the received signals are RF signals, and wherein the method further comprises downconverting the received signals to one or more intermediate frequencies (IFs) prior to detecting whether the received signals include a signal on the first frequency or a signal on the second frequency.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising upconverting a delayed IF signal to an RF signal prior to transmitting the delayed signal at the other of the first frequency or the second frequency.

30. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving signals on said at least two bi-directional communication frequencies, the means for receiving signals comprising means for splitting the received signals;

means for converting a signal present on one of said bi-directional frequencies to a converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies;

a first additional means for splitting signals in communication with a first output of the means for splitting the received signal;

a second additional means for splitting signals in communication with a second output of the means for splitting the received signal;

signal detecting means including a first detecting means in communication with an output of the first additional means for splitting signals and a second detecting means in communication with an output of the second additional means for splitting signals, the signal detecting means for determining if the received signals include a signal on at least one of said at least two bi-directional frequencies;

delay means including a first delay means in communication with a different output of the first additional means for splitting signals and a second delay means in communication with a different output of the second additional means for splitting signals; and

means for transmitting the converted signal on the other of said bi-directional frequencies.