Programmable power supplies for cellular base stations and related methods of reducing power loss in cellular systems

• US 9,448,576 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chamberlain, John C., Guerin, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS-FILS, NICOLE M
• Application Number:
  US14/321,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20150234405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 455/571, 455/572, 455/561, 455/13.4, 455/14.3, 455/126, 455/127, 455/461, 455/462.1, 307/48, 307/18, 700/297, 700/293
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/62 using bucking or boosting dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/008 Using DC/DC converters DC/DC converters per se H02M3/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods of powering a radio that is mounted on a tower of a cellular base station are provided in which a direct current (“DC”) power signal is provided to the radio over a power cable and a voltage level of the output of the power supply is adjusted so as to provide a substantially constant voltage at a first end of the power cable that is remote from the power supply. Related cellular base stations and programmable power supplies are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of powering a tower-mounted cellular radio that is remote from an associated baseband unit, the method comprising:

outputting a direct current (“

DC”

) power signal from a power supply and supplying the DC power signal that is output from the power supply to the radio over a power cable;

receiving user input as to a resistance or impedance of the power cable or information from which a resistance or impedance of the power cable can be determined;

adjusting a voltage level of the DC power signal that is output from the power supply, based at least in part on the received user input, so that the DC power signal at a radio end of the power cable that is remote from the power supply has a substantially constant voltage notwithstanding variation in a current level of the DC power signal that is output from the power supply,

wherein the substantially constant voltage of the DC power signal at the radio end of the power cable exceeds a nominal power signal voltage of the radio so as to reduce power loss in the power cable as compared to the power loss that occurs in the power cable when the DC power signal at the radio end of the power cable is at the nominal power signal voltage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a programmable power supply.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising measuring the current level of the DC power signal that is output from the power supply, wherein the voltage level of the DC power signal that is output by the power supply is automatically adjusted in response to changes in the measured current level of the DC power signal that is output from the power supply to provide the DC power signal at the radio end of the power cable that has the substantially constant voltage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the programmable power supply comprises a DC-to-DC converter that receives a DC power signal from a second power supply and adjusts a voltage level of the DC power signal that is received from the second power supply to provide the DC power signal at the radio end of the power cable that has the substantially constant voltage.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a control signal over the power cable that is used to determine an electrical resistance of the power cable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially constant voltage is higher than a maximum power signal voltage of the radio, the method further comprising using a tower-mounted DC-to-DC converter to reduce a voltage of the power signal at the radio end of the power cable to a voltage that is less than the maximum power supply voltage of the radio.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially constant voltage is within 4 Volts of the maximum power signal voltage of the radio.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially constant voltage is at least 4 Volts above the nominal power signal voltage of the radio.