Distribution system and method for managing power consumption of such a distribution system

• US 9,603,096 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kathrein SE
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werker KG
• Inventors: Weckerle, Martin, Oehler, Frank, Schlee, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, REBECCA E
• Application Number:
  US14/823,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A distribution system (10) for relaying telecommunication signals (6) is disclosed. The distribution system (10) comprises a central hub (20) connectable to one or more base stations (5), a plurality of remote units (80-1, . . . , 80-8) for relaying a telecommunication signals (66) supplied by the central hub (20), whereby the remote units (80-1, . . . , 80-8) are provided with a plurality of uplinks (60-1, . . . , 60-8) and a plurality of downlinks (50-1, . . . , 50-8), and a detector (30, 32) for detecting an activity on the uplink. The distribution system (10) is adapted to independently switch at least one of the plurality of downlinks (50-1, . . . , 50-8), while the plurality of uplinks (60-1, . . . , 60-8) remains active.

Claims

1. A system for relaying telecommunication signals, the system comprising:

a central hub connectable to one or more base stations;

a plurality of remote units for relaying a telecommunication signals supplied by the central hub, whereby the remote units are provided with a plurality of uplinks and a plurality of downlinks; and

a detector for detecting an activity on the uplink;

whereby the system is adapted to independently switch at least one of the plurality of downlinks, whilst the plurality of uplinks remains active,

wherein the central hub comprises a first hub module connectable to a first base station and a second hub module connectable to a second base station, wherein the first hub module comprises a first front end module with a first pain module adapted to process first incoming signals and the second hub module comprises a second front end module with a second gain module adapted to process second incoming signals, wherein the first hub module and the second hub module are adapted to generate a plurality of carrier bundles from the first and second incoming signals; and

wherein the system comprises a distribution system digitally connected to the central hub adapted to route the plurality of carrier bundles to at least one remote unit of the plurality of remote units, the connection between the distribution system and the plurality of remote units being reconfigurable,

wherein the distribution system comprises a plurality of expansion units analogically connected to the plurality of remote units, each expansion unit comprising a switch unit digitally connected to one of the first gain module and the second gain module followed by a digital-to-analog converter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is adapted to detect at least one of a signal amplitude at a defined frequency range or an uplink power spectrum density and to make a comparison with a predefined threshold value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is adapted to switch on one or more of the downlinks based on said comparison.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is located within the central hub.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is located within one or more remote units of the plurality of remote units.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of expansion units is provided with a plurality of coverage area modules, wherein one or more of the plurality of remote units is connected to a selected one of the plurality of coverage area modules, the selected one of the coverage area modules being adapted to relay the same signals to the connected one or more of the plurality of remote units.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the remote units may be connected from a first selected one of the coverage area modules to a second selected one of the coverage area modules.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein a number of coverage area modules is less than a number of remote units.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the central hub is to pass the at least one carrier bundle to at least one of the coverage areas modules.

10. A method for managing power consumption of a system comprising a central hub connected to a plurality of remote units by a connection, wherein the remote units are provided with an uplink and a downlink, and wherein the central hub comprises a first hub module connectable to a first base station and a second hub module connectable to a second base station, wherein the central hub is digitally connected to a central distribution system comprising a plurality of expansion units analogically connected to the plurality of remote units, the method comprising:

switching off the downlinks;

detecting an uplink activity signal corresponding to an uplink activity in at least one of the remote units;

switching on one or more of the downlinks on detection of the uplink activity signal,

generating a plurality of carrier bundles from first incoming signals and second incoming signals, wherein the method comprises processing the first incoming signals by a first front end module with a first gain module of the first hub module and processing the second incoming signals by a second front end-module with a second gain module of the second hub module; and

routing, By the distribution system, the generated plurality of carrier bundles to at least one remote unit of the plurality of remote units,

reconfiguring the connection between the distribution system and the plurality of remote units, the reconfiguring comprising switching, by a switch unit of each expansion unit between the first gain module and the second gain module, the switch being digitally connected to one of the first gain module and the second gain module followed by a digital-to-analog converter.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising analyzing by spectrum monitoring the uplink signal and comparing an uplink signal power to a predefined activation threshold value.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising analyzing by spectrum monitoring the uplink spectrum usage by determining the uplink power spectrum density as load indication and comparing the load indication to a predefined load threshold value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of detecting comprises the steps of detecting at least one of a signal amplitude at a defined frequency range or an uplink power spectrum density and comparing the signal amplitude with a predefined threshold value;

wherein the method comprises the step of switching one or more downlinks based on the step of comparing.