Systems and methods for adaptive repeaters

• US 9,544,046 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aviat U.S., Inc. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aviat U.S., Inc. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Licardie, Sergio, Arya, Rishipal, Chen, Chun-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, KHOA B
• Application Number:
  US14/465,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20150055547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/14 Relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15557 Selecting relay station operation mode, e.g. between amplify and forward mode, decode and forward mode or FDD - and TDD mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

In some embodiments, a first RF signal is received at a wireless repeater, a signal quality is determined based on the first RF signal, the signal quality is analyzed based on a parameter, an operation mode is auto selected based on analysis of the signal quality, and a second RF signal based on the first RF signal is generated for transmission according to the selected operation mode. Under one mode, a first RAC of the wireless may generate data based on a first IF signal downconverted from a first RF signal. Based on the data, a second RAC of the wireless repeater may generate a second IF signal, which can be used to generate a second RF signal for transmission. Under another mode, the first RAC may provide the IF signal to the second RAC, which provides the IF signal for generation of the second RF signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a wireless repeater, the first RF signal communicated from a transmitter over a communications path toward a receiver;

determining a first signal quality value of the first RF signal at a first time;

comparing the first signal quality value with a first threshold signal quality value to determine if the first RF signal has degraded to a first signal quality level;

switching the wireless repeater to a regenerator repeater mode when the comparing the first signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value indicates the first RF signal has degraded to the first signal quality level, the regenerator repeater mode improving one or more characteristics of the first RF signal, whereby latency is introduced into the communications path as the first RF signal is communicated toward the receiver;

determining a second signal quality value of the first RF signal at a second time, the second time being subsequent to the first time;

comparing the second signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the first RF signal has improved to a second signal quality level; and

switching the wireless repeater to a non-regenerator repeater mode when the comparing the second signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value indicates the first RF signal has improved to the second signal quality level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a second radio frequency (RF) signal at the wireless repeater based on an operation mode, the second RF signal being based on the first RF signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a first radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater receives an intermediate frequency (IF) signal from a receiving radio frequency unit (RFU) that generates the IF signal based on the first RF signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater receives a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal from a receiving radio frequency unit (RFU) that generates the first IF signal based on the first RF signal, the first RAC generates data based on the first IF signal based on an operation mode, a second radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater generates a second intermediate frequency (IF) signal based on the data, and a transmitting radio frequency unit (RFU) generates a second RF signal based on the second IF signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater receives an intermediate frequency (IF) signal from a receiving radio frequency unit (RFU) that generates the IF signal based on the first RF signal, the first RAC provides the IF signal to a second radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater based on an operation mode, the second RAC provides the IF signal to a transmitting radio frequency unit (RFU), and the transmitting RFU generates a second RF signal based on the IF signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first signal quality value of the first RF signal comprises monitoring a signal quality indicator (SQI) associated with the first RF signal.

7. The method of claim 6, where the SQI comprises radio signal level (RSL), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or a bit error rate (BER).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first signal quality value is compared with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the SQI violates a transmitter (TX) spectrum mask out.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first signal quality value is compared with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the SQI is above or below a quality threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an operation mode comprises a first radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater providing an intermediate frequency (IF) signal to a second radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater, the first RAC receiving the IF signal from a receiving radio frequency unit (RFU) that generates the IF signal based on the first RF signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an operation mode comprises a first radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater providing data to a second radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater, the first RAC generating the data based on an intermediate frequency (IF) signal.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising muting a transmitting radio frequency unit (RFU) of the wireless repeater.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising unmuting a transmitting radio frequency unit (RFU) of the wireless repeater.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a third signal quality value of the first RF signal at a third time;

comparing the third signal quality value with a second threshold signal quality value to determine if the first RF signal has improved to a third signal quality level; and

switching the wireless repeater to a non-repeater mode when the comparing the third signal quality value with the second threshold signal quality value indicates the first RF signal has improved to the third signal quality level.

15. A system comprising:

means for receiving a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a wireless repeater, the first RF signal communicated from a transmitter over a communications path toward a receiver;

means for determining first signal quality value of the first RF signal at a first time;

means for comparing the first signal quality value with a first threshold signal quality value to determine if the first RF signal has degraded to a first signal quality level;

means for switching the wireless repeater to a regenerator repeater mode when the comparing the first signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value indicates the first RF signal has degraded to the first signal quality level, the regenerator repeater mode improving one or more characteristics of the first RF signal, whereby latency is introduced into the communications path as the first RF signal is communicated toward the receiver;

means for determining a second signal quality value of the first RF signal at a second time, the second time being subsequent to the first time;

means for comparing the second signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the first RF signal has improved to a second signal quality level; and

means for switching the wireless repeater to a non-regenerator repeater mode when the comparing the second signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value indicates the first RF signal has improved to the second signal quality level.

16. A system comprising:

a wireless repeater including a receiving radio access card (RAC) configured to receive a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal and determine a first signal quality value of a first radio frequency (RF) signal based on the first IF signal, the first RF signal communicated from a transmitter over a communications path toward a receiver;

a wireless repeater controller configured to;

compare the first signal quality value with a first threshold signal quality value to determine if the RF signal has degraded to a first signal quality level,

switch the wireless repeater to a regenerator repeater mode when the comparing the first signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value indicates the RF signal has degraded to the first signal quality level, the regenerator repeater mode improving one or more characteristics of the RF signal, whereby latency is introduced into the communications path as the RF signal is communicated toward the receiver,

determine a second signal quality value of the RF signal at a second time, the second time being subsequent to the first time,

compare the second signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the RF signal has improved to a second signal quality level, and

switch the wireless repeater to a non-regenerator repeater mode when the comparing the second signal quality value with the first threshold signal quality value indicates the RF signal has improved to the second signal quality level,

the receiving RAC further configured to generate data based on the first IF signal and provide the first IF signal to a transmitting radio access card (RAC) of the wireless repeater; and

the transmitting RAC configured to, based on an operation mode, generate a second intermediate frequency (IF) signal based on the data or provide the first IF signal to a transmitting radio frequency unit (RFU).

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the receiving RAC is further configured to receive the first IF signal from a receiving radio frequency unit (RFU).

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the transmitting RFU is configured to generate a second radio frequency (RF) signal based on the first IF signal or the second IF signal.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the determining the first signal quality value of the first RF signal comprises monitoring a signal quality indicator (SQI) associated with the first RF signal.

20. The system of claim 19, where the SQI comprises radio signal level (RSL), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or a bit error rate (BER).

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first signal quality value is compared with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the SQI violates a transmitter (TX) spectrum mask out.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the first signal quality value is compared with the first threshold signal quality value to determine if the SQI is above or below a quality threshold.

23. The system of claim 16, where the wireless repeater controller is further configured to mute the transmitting RFU.

24. The system of claim 16, where the wireless repeater controller is further configured to unmute the transmitting RFU.