Configuration sub-system for telecommunication systems

• US 8,831,593 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Wireless Systems GmbH (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew Wireless Systems GmbH (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Melester, Matthew Thomas, Eisenwinter, Stefan, Hmimy, Ahmed H., Mini, Massimiliano, Stefanik, Joerg, Dussmann, Alfons
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Wen
• Application Number:
  US13/621,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20130071112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/67.11, 455/67.14, 455/115.1, 455/115.2, 455/115.3, 455/226.1, 455/226.2, 455/226.3
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/12 of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/24 using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/245 taking into account received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

Certain aspects are directed to a configuration sub-system for telecommunication systems. The configuration sub-system can include a test signal generator, a power measurement device, at least one additional power measurement device, and a controller. The test signal generator can be integrated into components of a telecommunication system. The test signal generator can provide a test signal to a signal path of the telecommunication system. The power measurement device and the additional power measurement device can respectively be integrated into different components of the telecommunication system. The power measurement device and the additional power measurement device can respectively measure the power of the test signal at different measurement points in the signal path. The controller can normalize signals transmitted via the telecommunication system by adjusting a path gain for the signal path based on measurements from the power measurement device and the additional power measurement device.

Claims

1. A configuration sub-system, comprising:

a test signal generator integrated into at least one component of a telecommunication system, the test signal generator being configured to provide a test signal to a signal path of the telecommunication system;

a power measurement device integrated into at least one component of the telecommunication system in the signal path, the power measurement device being configured to measure the power of the test signal at a measurement point in the signal path traversed by the test signal;

at least one additional power measurement device integrated into at least one additional component of the telecommunication system in the signal path, the at least one additional power measurement device being configured to measure the power of the test signal at at least one additional measurement point in the signal path traversed by the test signal or other signal; and

a controller configured to normalize signals transmitted via the telecommunication system by adjusting a path gain for the signal path based on measurements from the power measurement device and the at least one additional power measurement device.

2. The configuration sub-system of claim 1,

wherein the signal path comprises a downlink path of a distributed antenna system;

and

wherein the controller is configured to normalize a plurality of downlink signals transmitted via the distributed antenna system by;

determining a signal power loss or drop in the downlink path based on power measurements received from the power measurement device and the at least one additional power measurement device; and

compensating for the signal power loss or drop in the downlink path by adjusting the path gain of the downlink path such that downlink signals are transmitted at a specified power level by a remote antenna unit of the downlink path.

3. The configuration sub-system of claim 2, wherein the test signal generator is disposed in a base station router of the distributed antenna system, the base station router configured to communicate with at least one base station external to the distributed antenna system;

wherein the power measurement device is disposed in an optical transceiver of the distributed antenna system, the optical transceiver configured to communicate signals with a remote antenna unit via an optical fiber included in the signal path;

wherein the at least one additional power measurement device is disposed in the remote antenna unit;

wherein the measurement point and the at least one additional measurement point are points along the signal path other than the optical fiber.

4. The configuration sub-system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the path gain of the downlink path by modifying a signal attenuation by an attenuator in at least one of the base station router, a sector matrix of the distributed antenna system, a splitter/combiner of the distributed antenna system having a variable attenuator, the optical transceiver, and the remote antenna unit.

5. The configuration sub-system of claim 1,

wherein the signal path comprises an uplink path of a distributed antenna system;

and

wherein the controller is configured to normalize a plurality of uplink signals transmitted via the distributed antenna system by;

determining a noise level at the measurement point;

determining at least one additional noise level at the at least one additional measurement point; and

adjusting the path gain of the uplink path such that noise included in an uplink signal traversing the uplink path is prevented from corrupting at least one additional uplink signal from at least one additional uplink path, wherein the uplink signal is combined with the at least one additional uplink signal at a combiner of the distributed antenna system.

6. The configuration sub-system of claim 5, further comprising at least one additional test signal generator that is disposed in a remote antenna unit of the distributed antenna system, wherein the power measurement device is disposed in a base station router of the distributed antenna system, the base station router configured to communicate with at least one base station external to the distributed antenna system, wherein the at least one additional power measurement device is disposed in an optical transceiver of the distributed antenna system, the optical transceiver configured to communicate signals with a remote antenna unit via an optical fiber included in the uplink path.

7. The configuration sub-system of claim 1,

wherein the test signal generator is further configured to provide the test signal and an additional test signal to a downlink path of a distributed antenna system;

wherein the controller is further configured to select respective frequencies of the test signal and the additional test signal such that mixing the test signal and the additional test signal generates a passive intermodulation product having a frequency in an uplink frequency band, wherein the uplink frequency band comprises a plurality of frequencies of uplink signals received by a remote antenna unit of the distributed antenna system; and

wherein the power measurement device and the at least one additional power measurement device are disposed in an uplink path of the distributed antenna system and are further configured to measure a signal power of the passive intermodulation product.

8. The configuration sub-system of claim 1,

further comprising an identification signal module configured to provide an identification signal with the test signal, wherein the identification signal identifies a device from which the identification signal originated;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive a respective report from each component in the signal path indicating receipt of the identification signal; and

generate a network schematic and net-list including each component of the signal path reporting receipt of the identification signal.

9. The configuration sub-system of claim 8,

wherein the test signal generator is further configured to provide at least one additional test signal to at least one additional signal path;

wherein the identification signal module is further configured to provide at least one additional identification signal with the at least one additional test signal; and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive a respective report from each component in the at least one additional signal path indicating receipt of the at least one additional identification signal; and

generate the network schematic and net-list to include each component and signal route of the at least one additional signal path reporting receipt of the identification signal.

10. The configuration sub-system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically modify signal coverage provided by at least one base station in communication with the telecommunication system based on at least one trigger.

11. The configuration sub-system of claim 10 wherein the at least one trigger comprises at least one of an external trigger received via by the controller via an input/output interface, a schedule, and an alarm condition.

12. The configuration sub-system of claim 1, wherein the power measurement device is coupled to an input of an optical transceiver in a downlink path of a distributed antenna system, the optical transceiver configured to communicate signals with a remote antenna unit via an optical fiber included in the signal path;

wherein the at least one additional power measurement device is coupled to at least one of (i) an antenna port of the remote antenna unit and (ii) an output of a power amplifier in a downlink path of the remote antenna unit;

wherein the measurement point and the at least one additional measurement point are points along the signal path other than the optical fiber.

13. A method comprising:

providing, by a configuration sub-system, a plurality of test signals to respective signal paths of a plurality of signal paths in a distributed antenna system, each signal path comprising a respective remote antenna unit of the distributed antenna system;

receiving, by the configuration sub-system, at least one respective power measurement for each test signal of the plurality of test signals, wherein the at least one respective power measurement is received from at least one respective measurement point in the respective signal path traversed by the test signal;

normalizing, by the configuration sub-system, signals transmitted via the plurality of signal paths by adjusting a path gain for a first signal path of the plurality of signal paths based on at least some of the received power measurements for the plurality of test signals, wherein signals transmitted via the first signal path of the plurality of signal paths are normalized relative to signals transmitted via a second signal path of the plurality of signal paths.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first signal path comprises a downlink path of the distributed antenna system;

and

wherein normalizing signals transmitted via the distributed antenna system comprises;

determining a signal power loss or drop in the downlink path on the power measurements at the at least one measurement points in the downlink path; and

compensating for the signal power loss or drop in the downlink path by adjusting the path gain of the downlink path such that downlink signals are transmitted at a specified power level by the remote antenna unit of the downlink path.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting the path gain of the downlink path comprises modifying a signal attenuation by an attenuator in the downlink path, wherein the attenuator is disposed in at least one of the base station router, a sector matrix of the distributed antenna system, an optical transceiver of the distributed antenna system, and the remote antenna unit.

16. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first signal path comprises a first uplink path and the second signal path comprises a second uplink path;

and

wherein normalizing signals transmitted via the distributed antenna system comprises;

determining noise levels and RF power levels at each of at least two measurement points for the first uplink path;

adjusting the path gain of the first uplink path such that noise included in a first uplink signal traversing the first uplink path is prevented from corrupting a second uplink signal from the second uplink path, wherein the first uplink signal is combined with the second uplink signal at a combiner of the distributed antenna system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein adjusting the path gain of the first uplink path comprises modifying a signal attenuation by an attenuator in the first uplink path, wherein the attenuator is disposed in at least one of a base station router, a sector matrix of the distributed antenna system, an optical transceiver, and the remote antenna unit.

18. A distributed antenna system, comprising:

a test signal generator disposed in a unit of the distributed antenna system that is configured to communicate RF signals with a base station, the test signal generator configured to provide a respective test signal to each of a plurality of signal paths of the distributed antenna system, wherein the plurality of signal paths comprises a plurality of downlink paths, wherein each of the plurality of signal paths comprises a respective power measurement device integrated into at least one unit of the respective signal path, the respective power measurement device being configured to measure the power of the respective test signal at a respective measurement point in the respective signal path traversed by the respective test signal;

and

a controller disposed in the base station router, the controller configured to normalize signals transmitted via the distributed antenna system by;

determining a respective signal power loss or drop in each downlink path based on a respective power measurement from the power measurement device, and

compensating for the respective signal power loss or drop in each downlink path by adjusting a respective path gain for each downlink path based on the power measurement from the power measurement device, wherein the respective path gain is adjusted such that downlink signals are transmitted at a specified power level by a respective remote antenna unit of the downlink path, wherein the specified power level is specified for the plurality of remote antenna units.

19. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein each power measurement device is disposed in a respective optical transceiver in communication with the respective remote antenna unit and wherein each of the plurality of signal paths further comprises a respective additional power measurement device that is disposed in the respective remote antenna unit, wherein the controller is further configured for determining the respective signal power loss or drop in each downlink path based on power measurements from the power measurement device and the additional power measurement device and adjusting the respective path gain for each downlink path based on the power measurements from the power measurement device and the additional power measurement device.

20. The distributed antenna system of claim 18,

wherein the plurality of signal paths further comprise a plurality of uplink paths;

and

wherein, for each remote antenna unit of a plurality of remote antenna units of the distributed antenna system, a respective additional test signal generator is disposed in the remote antenna unit and is configured to generate a respective additional test signal to be routed through the remote antenna unit of a respective uplink path;

wherein the controller is configured to normalize a plurality of uplink signals transmitted via the distributed antenna system by;

determining, in each of the plurality of uplink paths, a respective first noise level or RF power level at a respective first uplink measurement point;

determining, in each of the plurality of uplink paths, a respective second noise level at a respective second uplink measurement point; and

adjusting at least one path gain of at least one uplink path of the plurality of uplink paths such that noise included in each uplink signal traversing the at least one uplink path is prevented from corrupting other uplink signals from other uplink paths of the plurality of uplink paths, wherein each uplink signal from the at least one uplink path is combined with the other uplink signals from the other uplink paths at a combiner of the distributed antenna system.

21. The distributed antenna system of claim 18,

wherein the test signal generator is further configured, for each of the plurality of downlink paths, to provide the respective test signal and a respective additional test signal;

wherein the controller is further configured, for each of the plurality of downlink paths, to select a respective frequency of the respective test signal and a respective additional frequency of the respective additional test signal such that mixing the respective test signal and the respective additional test signal generates a respective passive intermodulation product having a respective frequency in an uplink frequency band, wherein the uplink frequency band comprises a plurality of frequencies of uplink signals received by the respective remote antenna unit in the downlink path; and

wherein each power measurement device is further configured to measure a respective signal power of the respective passive intermodulation product at a respective additional measurement point in a respective uplink path of the distributed antenna system.

22. The distributed antenna system of claim 18,

further comprising an identification signal module disposed in the base station router, the identification signal module configured to provide a respective identification signal with each test signal, wherein each identification signal identifies the base station router;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive a report from each component in each signal path indicating receipt of the respective identification signal; and

generate at least one of a network schematic and a net-list including each component of each signal path reporting receipt of the respective identification signal.

23. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, further comprising:

at least one additional test signal generator in at least one remote antenna unit, the at least one additional test signal generator configured to transmit at least one additional test signal; and

a plurality of remote power measurement devices in a plurality of adjacent remote antenna units adjacent to the at least one remote antenna unit, each of the plurality of remote power measurement devices configured to measure a respective power of the at least one additional test signal at each of adjacent remote antenna units, each of the adjacent remote antenna units configured to provide a respective power measurement to the controller;

wherein the controller is further configured to minimize an overlap in signal coverage between the at least one remote antenna units and the adjacent remote antenna units based on the power measurements from the adjacent remote antenna units, wherein the overlap in signal coverage is minimized by configuring at least one of (i) the at least one remote antenna unit and (ii) the adjacent remote antenna units to adjust a respective output power.

24. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein each test signal comprises a respective coded test signal, the coded test signal including an identifier identifying a respective sector and the distributed antenna system further comprising a portable measurement receiver configured to, for each coded test signal:

receive the coded test signal;

determine the respective sector identified by the coded test signal; and

output the identifier identifying the respective sector.

25. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a signal quality at at least one component of in a respective signal path of a respective test signal.

26. A configuration sub-system, comprising:

a test signal generator integrated into at least one component of a telecommunication system, the test signal generator being configured to provide a test signal to a signal path of the telecommunication system;

an identification signal module configured to provide an identification signal with the test signal, wherein the identification signal identifies a device from which the identification signal originated; and

a controller configured to;

receive a respective report from each component in the signal path indicating receipt of the identification signal; and

identify each component of the signal path reporting receipt of the identification signal.

27. The configuration sub-system of claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to identify each component of the signal path by generating at least one of a network schematic and a net-list including each component of the signal path and identifying connections between respective components of the signal path.

28. The configuration sub-system of claim 27, wherein the controller is further configured to:

provide an interface describing a process for connecting components of the telecommunication system, wherein the interface is generated based on a network schematic or net-list accessible by the controller;

responsive to a first component being connected to a second component, configure the test signal generator to provide the test signal to a signal path of the telecommunication system;

determine that a connection between the first component and second component does not correspond to the network schematic or the net-list accessible by the controller; and

based on determining that the connection between the first component and second component does not correspond to the network schematic or the net-list, generate at least one alarm identifying a connection error.

29. The configuration sub-system of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to:

access a network schematic or a net-list describing the telecommunication system;

determine that the components of the signal path are connected differently than described in the network schematic or the net-list; and

responsive to determining that the components of the signal path are connected differently than described in the network schematic or the net-list, generate an alarm identifying a connection error in the telecommunication system.

30. The configuration sub-system of claim 29, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that multiple alarms are identifying a common connection error or identifying a common signal path; and

extract a single alarm or a root-cause alarm from the multiple alarms.

31. The configuration sub-system of claim 29, wherein the controller is further configured to correlate the alarm with at least one of an operator or service communicating via the telecommunication system, a sector of the telecommunication system, and a coverage area of the telecommunication system.

32. The configuration sub-system of claim 26, further comprising

a power measurement device integrated into a component of the telecommunication system, the power measurement device being configured to measure the power of the test signal at a measurement point in the signal path traversed by the test signal;

at least one additional power measurement device integrated into at least one additional component of the telecommunication system, the at least one additional power measurement device being configured to measure the power of the test signal at at least one additional measurement point in the signal path traversed by the test signal;

wherein the controller is further configured to normalize signals transmitted via the telecommunication system by adjusting a path gain for the signal path based on measurements from the power measurement device and the at least one additional power measurement device.