TDD repeater for a wireless network and method for operating said repeater

• US 8,730,848 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2009
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Wireless Systems GmbH (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmid, Peter, Braz, Oliver, Gunzer, Peter, Schmalisch, Mathias, Stefanik, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, CHRISTINE T
• Application Number:
  US12/936,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20110182217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,900 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1415 using control lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0012 by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0033 Correction by delay

Abstract

A repeater (1) particularly suitable for a time-division duplex transmission of communication signals is provided. The repeater (1) comprises a master unit (2) for communicating with a base station (3) of a wireless network, at least one remote unit (4) for communicating with a network terminal, as well as a waveguide (11) connecting the remote unit (4) with the master unit (2) for transmitting the communication signals in an uplink direction (6) from the remote unit (4) to the master unit (2) and in a downlink direction (5) from the master unit (2) to the remote unit (4). Both the master unit (2) and the remote unit (4) comprise one switch (19, 20) each for changing over the signal transmission between uplink direction (6) and downlink direction (5). Both switches (19, 20) are selected by a synchronizing unit (21) arranged in the master unit (2), the synchronizing unit (21) being designed for determining a clock pulsing from the communication signal fed to the master unit (2)—in particular from the base station (3)—and for supplying a control signal corresponding to this clock pulsing to the switches (19, 20).

Claims

1. A time-division duplex (TDD) repeater system for transmitting communication signals in a wireless network comprising:

a master unit configured for communicating with a base station of the wireless network;

at least one remote unit configured for communicating with a network terminal and located away from the master unit;

a waveguide connecting the remote unit with the master unit for transmitting the communication signals in an uplink direction from the remote unit to the master unit and in a downlink direction from the master unit to the remote unit;

both the master unit and the remote unit including a switch for changing direction between the signal transmission in the uplink direction and the signal transmission in the downlink direction; and

the master unit including a synchronizing unit configured for receiving a portion of the communication signals that are to be transmitted in the repeater system and for determining a clock pulsing signal from the communication signals fed to the master unit, the synchronizing unit further configured for using the clock pulsing signal and for generating and supplying a control signal corresponding to this clock pulsing signal to the switches of both the master unit and at least one remote unit for selecting the direction of the signal transmission, the control signal providing a change in the direction of the switches of the master unit and at least one remote unit with a time staggering of a duration corresponding approximately to a signal propagation time between the master unit and the remote unit;

the synchronizing unit further configured for transmitting the control signal for selecting the direction of the switch in the remote unit, together with the communication signals, at different frequencies, through the same waveguide to the remote unit.

2. The TDD repeater system of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing unit includes a frequency generator for generating a radio frequency (RF) control signal for selecting the direction of the switch in the remote unit.

3. The TDD repeater system of claim 2, the frequency generator being configured for generating the control signal for selecting the direction of the switch arranged in the remote unit, with a modulation frequency different from the modulation frequency of the communication signals.

4. The TDD repeater system of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing unit includes a coupler for decoupling the communication signals from a transmission link of the master unit.

5. The TDD repeater system of claim 1, further comprising multiple remote units, each remote unit connected with the master unit by a separate waveguide, wherein a switch, both in the master unit and in the remote unit, is associated with each waveguide, and wherein the direction of the switch is selected by the synchronizing unit.

6. The TDD repeater system of claim 1, further comprising multiple remote units, connected with the master unit by a common waveguide, wherein the communication signals of the multiple remote units have different transmission wave lengths.

7. The TDD repeater system of claim 1 wherein the synchronizing unit in the master unit is configured to determine the clock pulsing signal from the communication signals fed to the master unit;

and

wherein the control signal selects both the direction of the switch of the master unit and the direction of the switch of the at least one remote unit in such a way that the switches change direction, synchronously with a preset clock pulsing of the base station, between a signal transmission in the uplink direction and a signal transmission in the downlink direction.

8. The TDD repeater system of claim 1 wherein the synchronizing unit is configured for determining the clock pulsing signal from a pilot signal or a preamble of a signal transmission frame of the communication signals.

9. The TDD repeater system of claim 1 wherein the master unit and at least one remote unit are configured in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) configuration, the master unit being configured with multiple antenna connection points for signal transmission with the base station and including at least one transmission link for linking with at least one remote unit.

10. A method for time-division duplex (TDD) signal repeating of communication signals in a wireless network comprising:

receiving communication signals with a master unit for communicating with a base station of the wireless network;

transmitting the communication signals with a waveguide between the master unit and at least one remote unit including transmitting the communication signals in an uplink direction from the at least one remote unit to the master unit and in a downlink direction from the master unit to the at least one remote unit;

in both the master unit and the at least one remote unit, using a switch for changing direction between the signal transmission in the uplink direction and the signal transmission in the downlink direction; and

using a synchronizing unit in the master unit for receiving a portion of the communication signals that are to be transmitted in the repeater system and for determining a clock pulsing signal from the communication signals fed to the master unit and using the clock pulsing signal for generating and supplying a control signal corresponding to this clock pulsing signal to the switches of both the master unit and at least one remote unit for selecting the direction of the signal transmission;

changing the direction of the switch in the master unit and the direction of the switch in the remote unit with a time staggering of a duration corresponding approximately to a signal propagation time between the master unit and the remote unit;

using the synchronizing unit, transmitting the control signal for selecting the direction of the switch in the remote unit, together with the communication signals, at different frequencies, through the same waveguide to the remote unit.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating a control signal for selecting the direction of the switch in the remote unit using a frequency generator and generating the control signal with a modulation frequency different from the modulation frequency of the communication signals.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting the communication signals between the master unit and multiple remote units, each remote unit connected with the master unit by a separate waveguide and a switch, both in the master unit and in the remote unit, being associated with each waveguide, and selecting the direction of the switch using the synchronizing unit.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting the communication signals between the master unit and multiple remote units, each remote unit connected with the master unit by a common waveguide, the communication signals of the multiple remote units have different transmission wave lengths.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the synchronizing unit in the master unit is configured to determine the clock pulsing signal from the communication signals fed to the master unit;

and

selecting, with the control signal, both the direction of the switch of the master unit and the direction of the switch of the at least one remote unit so that the switches change direction, synchronously with a preset clock pulsing of the base station, between a signal transmission in the uplink direction and a signal transmission in the downlink direction.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the clock pulsing signal from a pilot signal or a preamble of a signal transmission frame of the communication signal.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the master unit and remote units are configured in a multiple input multiple output MIMO configuration, and further comprising transmitting signals with the base station over multiple antenna connection points and transmitting signals and transmitting the signals over at least one transmission link to a remote unit.