Uplink noise minimization

• US 9,622,199 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Fred William, Ranson, Christopher Goodman
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US15/201,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 455501, 4555621, 4551272, 455500, 455 631, 455 6711, 455 6713, 455 69, 4551271, 455138, 455 661, 455522
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method of controlling uplink signal power in a distributed antenna system includes monitoring a noise condition of an uplink signal path in the distributed antenna system and determining the noise contribution from the distributed antenna system that is presented to the base station. The receive noise floor of the base station is determined. The determined noise contribution and receive noise floor are unlisted. Based on the evaluation, the uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals from the distributed antenna system to a base station is adjusted.

Claims

1. A method of controlling uplink signal power in a signal repeating system wirelessly communicating with a base station, the method comprising:

monitoring a noise condition of an uplink signal path in the signal repeating system including determining the noise contribution from the signal repeating system that is presented to the base station;

determining the receive noise floor of the base station;

evaluating the determined noise contribution and receive noise floor and, based on the evaluation, adjusting an uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals from the signal repeating system to the base station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals to establish a target noise floor for the noise contribution from the signal repeating system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

evaluating a path loss from the signal repeating system to the base station to establish the target noise floor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system lower than the receive noise floor of the base station.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

adjusting the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system lower than the receive noise floor of the base station by a threshold amount.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating a path loss from the signal repeating system to the base station; and

adjusting the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system plus the path loss to the base station lower than the receive noise floor of the base station.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system plus the path loss to the base station lower than the receive noise floor of the base station by a threshold amount.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the noise contribution from the signal repeating system that is presented to the base station includes monitoring the noise floor associated with the signal repeating system;

and

dynamically adjusting the uplink gain by;

increasing the uplink gain in response to a decrease in the noise floor of the signal repeating system; and

decreasing the uplink gain in response to an increase in the noise floor of the signal repeating system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal repeating system includes a master unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of remote units.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a mute status indication for a remote unit of the plurality of remote units that is not active status based on the activity level of the remote unit;

monitoring the mute status indications of the remote units;

dynamically adjusting the uplink gain based on the monitored mute status indications of the remote units.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting an uplink gain includes dynamically adjusting the uplink gain of at least a portion of the signal repeating system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reducing the uplink noise in the signal repeating system by attenuating or muting signals within the signal repeating system.

13. A signal repeating system comprising:

wherein the signal repeating system is configured to;

wirelessly communicate with a base station;

monitor a noise condition of an uplink signal path in the signal repeater at least in part by determining the noise contribution from the signal repeater that is presented to the base station;

determine the receive noise floor of the base station;

evaluate the determined noise contribution and receive noise floor; and

adjusting an uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals from the signal repeater to the base station based on the evaluation of the determined noise contribution and receive noise floor.

14. The signal repeating system of claim 13, further configured to:

adjust the uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals to establish a target noise floor for the noise contribution from the signal repeating system.

15. The signal repeating system of claim 14, further configured to:

evaluate a path loss from the signal repeating system to the base station to establish the target noise floor.

16. The signal repeating system of claim 13, further configured to:

adjust the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system lower than the receive noise floor of the base station.

17. The signal repeating system of claim 16, further configured to:

adjust the uplink gain to make at least one of (1) the noise contribution from the signal repeating system and (2) the noise contribution from the signal repeating system plus the path loss to the base station lower than the receive noise floor of the base station by a threshold amount.

18. The signal repeating system of claim 13, further configured to:

evaluate a path loss from the signal repeating system to the base station; and

adjust the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system plus the path loss to the base station lower than the receive noise floor of the base station.

19. The signal repeating system of claim 13, wherein the signal repeating system includes:

a master unit; and

a plurality of remote units communicatively coupled to the master unit.

20. The signal repeating system of claim 13, further configured to:

reduce the uplink noise in the signal repeating system by attenuating or muting signals within the signal repeating system.

21. A signal repeating system, comprising:

a repeater configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station;

the signal repeating system configured to;

monitor a noise condition of an uplink signal path in the signal repeating system at least in part by determining the noise contribution from the signal repeating system that is presented to the base station;

determine the receive noise floor of the base station;

evaluate the determined noise contribution and receive noise floor; and

adjust an uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals from the signal repeating system to the base station based on the evaluation of the determined noise contribution and receive noise floor.

22. The signal repeating system of claim 21, wherein the signal repeater is configured to at least one of:

adjust the uplink gain that is applied to uplink signals to establish a target noise floor for the noise contribution from the signal repeater;

evaluate a path loss from the signal repeater to the base station to establish the target noise floor; and

adjust the uplink gain to make the noise contribution from the signal repeating system lower than the receive noise floor of the base station.

23. The signal repeating system of claim 21, further configured to:

reduce the uplink noise in the signal repeating system by attenuating or muting signals within the signal repeating system.