System and method for the distribution of radio-frequency signals

• US 8,694,034 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JMA Wireless
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Holdings B.V.
• Inventors: Notargiacomo, Massimo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/258,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20120076500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 455/500, 455/517, 455/561, 455/562.1, 455/550.1, 455/557, 455/555, 455/554.1, 455/544.2, 455/556.1, 455/445, 455/507, 455/509, 455/514, 455/515, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/343, 370/338, 343/702
• US Class Current: 455/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25758 between a central unit and a single remote unit by means of an optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A system for the distribution of radio-frequency signals includes a main unit associated with at least a first radio communication set, at least a remote unit associated with at least a second radio communication set installed in a preset area, for the radio coverage of the area, and a communication channel associated with the main unit and with the remote unit, wherein the main unit (2) and the remote unit have analogue modulation elements of the signals to be sent on the communication channel. The remote unit includes at least a selective amplification unit associated with the second radio communication set and having analogue/digital conversion elements of the signals coming from the main unit, through the communication channel, and/or of the signals coming from the second radio communication set, digital filtering elements of the digital signals coming out of the analogue/digital conversion elements and amplification elements of the signals coming from the main unit, through the communication channel, and/or of the signals coming from the second radio communication set.

Claims

1. System (1) for the distribution of radio-frequency signals, comprising:

at least a main unit (2);

at least a remote unit (3);

at least a communication channel (4) associated with said main unit (2) and with said remote unit (3);

wherein said main unit (2) is associated with a plurality of first radio communication sets (A), wherein each first radio communication set (A) produces a respective radio-frequency signal relating to a specific frequency band and to a specific operator, said remote unit (3) is associated with a plurality of second radio communication sets (B) installed in a preset area, for the radio coverage of said area, said main unit (2) and said remote unit (3) have analogue modulation means (9, 10) of the signals to be sent on said communication channel (4), and said remote unit (3) comprises a plurality of selective amplification units (20), each of which dedicated to a specific frequency band and to a specific operator, associated with a respective second radio communication set (B) and having;

analogue/digital conversion means (21, 22) of the signals coming from said main unit (2), through said communication channel (4), and/or of the signals coming from said second radio communication set (B);

digital filtering means (23, 24) of the digital signals coming out of said analogue/digital conversion means (21, 22);

amplification means (27, 28) of the signals coming from said main unit (2), through said communication channel (4), and/or of the signals coming from said second radio communication set (B);

digital/analogue conversion means (25, 26) of the filtered digital signals.

2. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said analogue/digital conversion means (21, 22) comprise at least a first analogue/digital converter (21) suitable for converting the signals coming from said main unit (2) and directed towards said second radio communication set (B).

3. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said digital filtering means (23, 24) comprise at least a first digital filter (23) arranged downstream of said first analogue/digital converter (21).

4. System (1) according to claim 3, wherein said digital/analogue conversion means (25, 26) comprise at least a first digital/analogue converter (25) arranged downstream of said first digital filter (23).

5. System (1) according to claim 4, wherein said amplification means (27, 28) comprise at least a first signal amplifier (27) arranged downstream of said first digital/analogue converter (25).

6. System (1) according to claim 5, wherein said selective amplification unit (20) comprises at least a digital pre-distortion device (29) arranged downstream of said first digital filter (23) and upstream of said first amplifier (27).

7. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said analogue/digital conversion means (21, 22) comprise at least a second analogue/digital converter (22) suitable for converting the signals coming from said second radio communication set (B) and directed towards said main unit (2).

8. System (1) according to claim 7, wherein said digital filtering means (23, 24) comprise at least a second digital filter (24) arranged downstream of said second analogue/digital converter (22).

9. System (1) according to claim 8, wherein said digital/analogue conversion means (25, 26) comprise at least a second digital/analogue converter (26) arranged downstream of said second digital filter (24).

10. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said amplification means (27, 28) comprise at least a second signal amplifier (28) arranged downstream of said second radio communication set (B).

11. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said main unit (2) comprises at least an interface module (5) associated with at least one of said first radio communication sets (A), said first radio communication set (A) being suitable for sending at least an electrical signal towards said interface module (5), or vice versa.

12. System (1) according to claim 11, wherein it comprises a plurality of said interface modules (5), suitable for receiving/sending respective signals from/towards said first radio communication set (A) relating to different frequency bands and/or different operators.

13. System (1) according to claim 12, wherein said main unit (2) comprises first combiner/separator means (6) placed in between said interface modules (5) and said communication channel (4), said first combiner/separator means (6) being suitable for combining a plurality of input signals coming from respective interface modules (5) in a single output signal to be sent to said communication channel (4) and/or for separating a single input signal coming from said communication channel (4) into a plurality of output signals to be sent to respective interface modules (5).

14. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel (4) comprises at least an optical fibre cable (4).

15. System (1) according to claim 14, wherein said analogue modulation means (9, 10) of the main unit (2) comprise at least a first converter module (9) associated with said optical fibre cable (4) and suitable for converting an electrical input signal coming from said first radio communication set (A) into a corresponding optical output signal to be sent through said optical fibre cable (4) or, vice versa, suitable for converting an optical input signal coming from said optical fibre cable (4) into a corresponding electrical output signal to be sent towards said first radio communication set (A).

16. System (1) according to claim 15, wherein said analogue modulation means (9, 10) of the remote unit (3) comprise at least a second converter module (10) associated with said optical fibre cable (4) and suitable for converting an input optical signal coming from said optical fibre cable (4) into a corresponding electrical output signal to be sent to said selective amplification module or, vice versa, suitable for converting an electrical input signal coming from said selective amplification module into a corresponding optical output signal to be sent through said optical fibre cable (4).

17. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said remote unit (3) comprises second combiner/separator means (17) placed in between said communication channel (4) and said selective amplification units (20), said second combiner/separator means (17) being suitable for separating a single input signal coming from said communication channel (4) into a plurality of output signals to be sent to respective selective amplification units (20) and/or for combining a plurality of input signals coming from respective selective amplification units (20) into a single output signal to be sent towards said communication channel (4).

18. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein it comprises at least a supplementary connection branch between said main unit (2) and said remote unit (3) suitable for transporting control commands of the remote unit (3) itself and/or of the devices associated with it.

19. Method for the distribution of radio-frequency signals, wherein it comprises:

at least a first reception/transmission phase of signals between a main unit (2) and a plurality of first radio communication sets (A), wherein each first radio communication set (A) produces a respective radio-frequency signal relating to a specific frequency band and to a specific operator;

at least a communication phase with analogue modulation of the signals between said main unit (2) and at least a remote unit (3), through at least a communication channel (4);

at least a second reception/transmission phase of signals between said remote unit (3) and a plurality of second radio communication sets (B) installed in a predetermined area, for the radio coverage of said area;

wherein, for each specific frequency band and specific operator, the method comprises;

at least an analogue/digital conversion phase of the signals coming from said main unit (2), through said communication channel (4), and/or of the signals coming from said second radio communication sets (B);

at least a digital filtering phase of said signals, after said analogue/digital conversion phase;

at least an amplification phase of the signals coming from said remote unit (3), through said communication channel (4), and/or of the signals coming from said second radio communication sets (B);

at least a digital/analogue conversion phase of said signals, after said digital filtering phase.

20. Method according to the claim 19, characterized by the fact that said analogue/digital conversion phase is suitable for converting the signals coming from said main unit (2), through said communication channel (4), and directed towards said second radio communication sets (B).

21. Method according to the claim 20, characterized by the fact that said amplification phase is performed after said digital filtering phase.

22. Method according to the claim 21, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a digital pre-distortion phase of said signals performed after said digital filtering phase and before said amplification phase.

23. Method according to the claim 22, characterized by the fact that said analogue/digital conversion phase is suitable for converting the signals coming from said second radio communication sets (B) and directed towards said main unit (2).

24. Method according to the claim 23, characterized by the fact that said amplification phase is performed before said analogue/digital conversion phase.

25. Method according to claim 19, wherein it comprises at least a first combination/separation phase suitable for combining a plurality of input signals coming from said first radio communication sets (A) into a single output signal, before said communication phase, and/or suitable for separating a single input signal into a plurality of output signals to be sent to said first radio communication sets (A), after said communication phase.

26. Method according to claim 19, wherein it comprises at least a second combination/separation phase suitable for separating a single input signal coming from said communication channel (4) into a plurality of output signals to be sent to said second radio communication sets (B) and/or for combining a plurality of input signals coming from said second radio communication sets (B) into a single output signal to be sent towards said communication channel (4).