Base station for mobile communication system

• US 8,676,261 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hermansson, Bo, Johansson, Mathias, Jrleholm, Anders, Hederoth, Johnny, Lejon, Thomas Bengt, Fall, rjan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US10/599,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20090017869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,282 Days
• Field of Search: 455/561, 455/575, 455/90, 455/403, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/128, 455/347, 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A base station (100) devised for indoor use in a WCDMA network, comprising a support unit (401) including a power supply unit (303), said support unit (401) being adapted to be attached to a support structure, and a complete base station unit (402) mechanically supported by said support unit.

Claims

1. A base station devised for indoor use in a WCDMA network, comprising a support unit including a separately field replaceable power supply unit, said support unit being adapted to be attached to a support structure, and a complete base station unit mechanically supported by releasably hanging on, and from said support unit, said complete base station unit being designed as a separate docking unit releasably locked in said support unit by cooperating snap locking means arranged in said support unit and base station unit, allowing an easy and separate installation/removal of said complete base station unit in/from said support unit in the field, while, at the same time, enabling secure assembly of the complete base station unit preventing the complete base station unit from inadvertent movement during installation/removal on the field without the need of further fastening means;

wherein said power supply unit housed in said support unit comprises an AC/DC converter feeding said complete base station unit with a DC-voltage;

wherein said base station unit has a sandwich structure comprising a rigid metal back plate, a rigid metal front plate, and a main circuit board attached intermediate said back plate and front plate.

2. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said rigid metal back plate comprises cooling flanges.

3. The base station according to claim 2, wherein said back plate'"'"'s cooling flanges are arranged on the side facing away from said circuit board whereby said main circuit board is cooled by means of self-convection through said back plate.

4. The base station according to claim 3, wherein said main circuit board comprises border portions dividing the main circuit board in sections with separate circuits for said blocks, and where said front plate comprises inner walls with end portions engaging said border portions for shielding said separate circuits from each other.

5. The base station according to claim 1, wherein all circuits of a control processing block, a base band processing block and an RF block are arranged on said main circuit board.

6. The base station as recited in claim 1, wherein it comprises a transmission interface block realised in form of a separate circuit board, which is attachable to the main circuit board by means of a contact interface, thereby allowing an easy substitution of said circuit board.

7. The base station according to claim 6, wherein said snap locking means are formed by an inwardly projecting knob on a side wall of the support unit, and a cooperating recess in the base station unit, wherein engagement of the knob and the recess locks said base station unit from moving vertically upwards and horizontally outwards from the support unit.

8. The base station according to claim 6, wherein said snap locking means are realised by means of spring-loaded engaging means arranged on a side wall of said support unit and a cooperating recess in a side wall of said base station unit.

9. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said support unit comprises support members and said base station unit comprises cooperating hanger members which are devised to connect to said support members in a pivoting engagement, and wherein said snap locking means are included in said support unit and in said base station unit, which are devised to engage with each other by pivoting said base station unit.

10. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said base station comprises at least one interface for connecting an external alarm equipment with a control processing circuit of said base station, thereby allowing the establishment of a communication channel between said external alarm equipment and a central alarm station.

11. The base station according to claim 10, wherein said handle is arranged on the lower end of said base station unit, when the base station unit is installed in said support unit, and that said handle further comprises a cable race groove.

12. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said base station comprises a handle at a side portion, allowing the base station to be carried.

13. The base station according to claim 12, wherein at least one cable contact is positioned at the lower end of said base station, when the base station unit is installed in said support unit, under said handle and tilted about 45 degrees.

14. The base station according to claim 1, wherein it comprises an internal antenna covered by a front cover of an electromagnetically transparent material.

15. A cellular radio network, including one or more macro base stations, wherein said network further comprises a base station devised for indoor use in a WCDMA network, comprising a support unit including a separately field replaceable power supply unit, said support unit being adapted to be attached to a support structure, and a complete base station unit mechanically supported by releasably hanging on, and from, said support unit, said complete base station unit being designed as a separate docking unit releasably locked in said support unit by cooperating snap locking means arranged in said support unit and base station unit, allowing an easy and separate installation/removal of said complete base station unit in/from said support unit in the field, while, at the same time, enabling secure assembly of the complete base station unit preventing the complete base station unit from inadvertent movement during installation/removal on the field without the need of further fastening means;

wherein said power supply unit housed in said support unit comprises an AC/DC converter feeding said complete base station unit with a DC-voltage;

wherein said base station unit has a sandwich structure comprising a rigid metal back plate, a rigid metal front plate, and a main circuit board attached intermediate said back plate and front plate.

16. Method for assisting the installation of a base station for indoor use in a WCDMA network, which base station comprises a support unit including a separately field replaceable power supply unit, and a complete base station unit mechanically supported by said support unit, comprising the steps of:

mechanically attaching said support unit to a support structure;

mechanically attaching the complete base station by releasably hanging the complete base station on and from said support unit;

mechanically docking said complete base station unit as a separate docking unit into the support unit by engaging cooperating snap locking means arranged in said support unit and said complete base station unit enabling secure assembly of the complete base station unit preventing the complete base station unit from inadvertent movement during installation/removal on the field eliminating further fastening means;

connecting the complete base station unit to a radio network controller, RNC, of said network, to an antenna, and to said power supply unit; and

downloading application software and office data from a management tool to said complete base station unit, allowing the establishment of a communication channel between said complete base station unit and said RNC;

wherein said power supply unit housed in said support unit comprises an AC/DC converter feeding said complete base station unit with a DC-voltage;

wherein said base station unit has a sandwich structure comprising a rigid metal back plate, a rigid metal front plate, and a main circuit board attached intermediate said back plate and front plate.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said step of mechanically attaching said complete base station unit to the support unit comprises the following steps:

engaging hanger members of said complete base station unit with cooperating support members of said support unit, and,

pivoting said complete base station unit into engagement of cooperating snap locking means arranged in said support unit and said complete base station unit.

18. The method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

connecting an external alarm equipment to said base station unit,

downloading specific software for said external alarm equipment to the control block unit of said base station unit, allowing the establishment of a communication channel between said alarm equipment and a central alarm station.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, comprising the step of:

connecting said management tool directly to said base station unit by means of a Local Management Tool, for direct downloading of said application software and office data to the base station unit.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, comprising the step of:

connecting said management tool to a central radio network controller, RNC, of said network, for downloading of said application software and office data to the base station through said network.