Determining propagation delay of communications in distributed antenna systems, and related components, systems, and methods
First Claim
1. A method of determining a location of a client device in a distributed communications system, comprising:
- receiving downlink radio frequency (RF) signals at head-end equipment from a signal source;
distributing the downlink RF signals from the head-end equipment over at least one downlink communications medium to a plurality of remote units to be communicated to one or more client devices, the plurality of remote units distributed over a plurality of floors in a building at different locations where a distance between each of the plurality of remote units and the head-end equipment varies;
receiving, at the head-end equipment, uplink RF signals over at least one uplink communications medium from the plurality of remote units communicated by the one or more client devices to the plurality of remote units;
measuring, via at least one propagation delay measurement circuit, propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices in response to the downlink RF signals; and
determining a location of the one or more client devices as a function of determined propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Components, systems, and methods for determining propagation delay of communications in distributed antenna systems are disclosed. The propagation delay of communications signals distributed in the distributed antenna systems is determined. If desired, the propagation delay(s) can be determined on a per remote antenna unit basis for the distributed antenna systems. The propagation delay(s) can provided by the distributed antenna systems to a network or other system to be taken into consideration for communications services or operations that are based on communications signal delay. As another non-limiting example, propagation delay can be determined and controlled for each remote antenna unit to uniquely distinguish the remote antenna units. In this manner, the location of a client device communicating with a remote antenna unit can be determined within the communication range of the remote antenna unit.
902 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of determining a location of a client device in a distributed communications system, comprising:
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receiving downlink radio frequency (RF) signals at head-end equipment from a signal source; distributing the downlink RF signals from the head-end equipment over at least one downlink communications medium to a plurality of remote units to be communicated to one or more client devices, the plurality of remote units distributed over a plurality of floors in a building at different locations where a distance between each of the plurality of remote units and the head-end equipment varies; receiving, at the head-end equipment, uplink RF signals over at least one uplink communications medium from the plurality of remote units communicated by the one or more client devices to the plurality of remote units; measuring, via at least one propagation delay measurement circuit, propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices in response to the downlink RF signals; and determining a location of the one or more client devices as a function of determined propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of determining a location of a client device in a distributed communications system, comprising:
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distributing downlink radio frequency (RF) signals to one or more remote units among a plurality of remote units over at least one downlink communications medium; communicating to one or more of the plurality of remote units to distribute the received downlink RF signals to one or more client devices; receiving uplink RF signals from one or more remote units among the plurality of remote units over at least one uplink communications medium, the uplink RF signals coming from a particular one of the one or more client devices; determining a propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the particular one of the one or more client devices in response to the downlink RF signals using at least one propagation delay measurement circuit; and determining a location of the particular one of the one or more client devices as a function of determined propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communications system, comprising:
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a distributed communications system, comprising; head-end equipment comprising; at least one downlink radio frequency (RF) interface configured to receive downlink RF signals from a signal source and distribute the downlink RF signals over at least one downlink communications medium to one or more remote units to be communicated to one or more client devices; and at least one uplink RF interface configured to receive uplink RF signals over at least one uplink communications medium from the one or more remote units communicated by the one or more client devices to the one or more remote units; each of the one or more remote units configured to; receive the downlink RF signals from the head-end equipment over the at least one downlink communications medium; communicate the received downlink RF signals to the one or more client devices; receive the uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices; and distribute the received uplink RF signals over the at least one uplink communications medium to the head-end equipment; at least one propagation delay measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the at least one downlink RF interface and the at least one uplink RF interface, the at least one propagation delay measurement circuit configured to measure propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices by the at least one uplink RF interface in response to the downlink RF signals; and a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one propagation delay measurement circuit, the controller configured to determine a location of the one or more client devices as a function of determined propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification