Remote distributed antenna system

• US 10,091,787 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Jr., Donald J, Blandino, George, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US15/175,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20160294517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 370315, 370329, 370430
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2612 Arrangements for wireless medium access control, e.g. by allocating physical layer transmission capacity H04B7/2615 - H04B7/2643 take precedence; provision for broadband connection H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0003 Two-dimensional division time-code division H04J11/00, H04J13/00; for time-space division H04B7/0413, H04B7/0697
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

A distributed antenna system is provided that frequency shifts the output of one or more microcells to a 60 GHz or higher frequency range for transmission to a set of distributed antennas. The cellular band outputs of these microcell base station devices are used to modulate a 60 GHz (or higher) carrier wave, yielding a group of subcarriers on the 60 GHz carrier wave. This group will then be transmitted in the air via analog microwave RF unit, after which it can be repeated or radiated to the surrounding area. The repeaters amplify the signal and resend it on the air again toward the next repeater. In places where a microcell is required, the 60 GHz signal is shifted in frequency back to its original frequency (e.g., the 1.9 GHz cellular band) and radiated locally to nearby mobile devices.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an antenna;

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, to execute the instructions to facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a first modulated signal operating in a first cellular band of a plurality of cellular bands, the first modulated signal conforming to a first signaling protocol;

selecting, according to a network condition, a first subcarrier from a plurality of subcarriers of a carrier wave to identify a selected first subcarrier for frequency conversion of the first modulated signal;

generating, via frequency shifting, a first frequency converted signal operating in the selected first subcarrier of the carrier wave by utilizing, according to the selected first subcarrier, a first carrier wave signal to mix with the first modulated signal operating in the first cellular band without modifying the first signaling protocol of the first modulated signal; and

transmitting, by the antenna, the first frequency converted signal operating in the first subcarrier for receipt by a first recipient antenna of a first recipient system of a plurality of systems, each system of the plurality of systems including a respective antenna, the plurality of systems forming a distributed antenna system, the first recipient antenna providing the first frequency converted signal to the first recipient system to convert the first frequency converted signal in the selected first subcarrier to the first modulated signal operating in the first cellular band for wireless delivery to a wireless communication device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first modulated signal operating in the first cellular band from a base station.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second modulated signal operating in a second cellular band of the plurality of cellular bands, the second modulated signal conforming to a second signaling protocol that differs from the first signaling protocol;

selecting, according to the network condition, a second subcarrier from the plurality of subcarriers of the carrier wave to identify a selected second subcarrier for frequency conversion of the second modulated signal;

generating, via frequency shifting, a second frequency converted signal operating in the selected second subcarrier of the carrier wave by utilizing, according to the selected second subcarrier, a second carrier wave signal to mix with the second modulated signal operating in the second cellular band without modifying the second signaling protocol; and

transmitting, by the antenna, the second frequency converted signal operating in the selected second subcarrier for receipt by the first recipient antenna of the first recipient system for wireless delivery of the second frequency converted signal operating in the selected second subcarrier to a second recipient antenna of a second recipient system of the plurality of systems.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first subcarrier and the second subcarrier are combined in the carrier wave by frequency division multiplexing.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the selected first subcarrier comprises a first millimeter wave frequency band of the carrier wave, and wherein the selected second subcarrier comprises a second millimeter wave frequency band of the carrier wave.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a wireless mobile communication device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a wireless stationary communication device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the carrier wave includes a control channel comprising metadata that indicates which antenna of the distributed antenna system is to process the first subcarrier of the carrier wave.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein mixing the first carrier wave signal with the first modulated signal in the first cellular band comprises up-converting the first modulated signal in the first cellular band to the first frequency converted signal operating in the selected first subcarrier, the selected first subcarrier having a higher frequency range than the first cellular band.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first recipient system generates the first modulated signal in the first cellular band by down-converting the first frequency converted signal in the selected first subcarrier to the first modulated signal in the first cellular band for wireless delivery to the wireless communication device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein mixing the first carrier wave signal with the first modulated signal in the first cellular band comprises down-converting the first modulated signal in the first cellular band to the first frequency converted signal operating in the selected first subcarrier, the selected first subcarrier having a lower frequency range than the first cellular band.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first recipient system generates the first modulated signal in the first cellular band by up-converting the first frequency converted signal in the selected first subcarrier to the first modulated signal in the first cellular band for wireless delivery to the wireless communication device.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first system, wireless signals from a plurality of communication devices, the first system being part of a plurality of systems that each includes an antenna, the plurality of systems forming a distributed antenna system, the wireless signals corresponding to a plurality of modulated signals each operating in one of a plurality of frequency bands, and each conforming to one of a plurality of signaling protocols;

selecting, according to a network condition, a plurality of subcarriers of a carrier wave for frequency conversion of the plurality of modulated signals;

frequency shifting the plurality of modulated signals operating in the plurality of frequency bands to a plurality of frequency shifted signals operating in the plurality of subcarriers of the carrier wave, that had been selected, without modifying the plurality of signaling protocols of the plurality of modulated signals; and

transmitting, by the first system, the plurality of frequency shifted signals operating in the plurality of subcarriers for receipt by a second system of the plurality of systems, the second system converting at least one frequency shifted signal of the plurality of frequency shifted signals operating in at least one subcarrier of the plurality of subcarriers to at least one modulated signal of the plurality of modulated signals operating in at least one frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands for delivery to a device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the device comprises a base station, wherein a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices comprises a wireless mobile communication device, and wherein a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices comprises a wireless stationary communication device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first system comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna configured for receiving the wireless signals from the plurality of communication devices, and the second antenna configured for transmitting the plurality of frequency converted signals.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the frequency shifting comprises up-converting the plurality of modulated signals operating in the plurality of frequency bands to the plurality of frequency shifted signals operating in the plurality of subcarriers of the carrier wave, the plurality of subcarriers having a higher frequency range than the plurality of frequency bands of the plurality of modulated signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second system generates the at least one modulated signal operating in the at least one frequency band by down-converting the at least one frequency shifted signal operating in the at least one subcarrier to the at least one modulated signal operating in the at least one frequency band.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the frequency shifting comprises down-converting the plurality of modulated signals operating in the plurality of frequency bands to the plurality of frequency shifted signals operating in the plurality of subcarriers of the carrier wave, the plurality of subcarriers having a lower frequency range than the plurality of frequency bands of the plurality of modulated signals.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second system generates the at least one modulated signal operating in the at least one frequency band by up-converting the at least one frequency shifted signal operating in the at least one subcarrier to the at least one modulated signal operating in the at least one frequency band.

20. A base station, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, to execute the instructions to facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a modulated signal operating in a frequency band of a plurality of frequency bands, the modulated signal conforming to a signaling protocol;

selecting, according to a network condition, a subcarrier from a plurality of subcarriers of a carrier wave to identify a selected subcarrier for frequency conversion of the modulated signal;

generating, via frequency shifting, a frequency converted signal operating in the selected subcarrier of the carrier wave by utilizing, according to the selected subcarrier, a carrier wave signal to mix with the modulated signal operating in the frequency band without modifying the signaling protocol of the modulated signal; and

transmitting, by an antenna, the frequency converted signal operating in the subcarrier to a recipient antenna of a recipient system of a plurality of systems, each system of the plurality of systems including a respective antenna, the plurality of systems forming a distributed antenna system, the recipient antenna providing the frequency converted signal in the selected subcarrier to the recipient system to convert the frequency converted signal in the selected subcarrier to the modulated signal in the frequency band for wireless delivery to a communication device.

21. The base station of claim 20, wherein the base station comprises a microcell base station.

22. The base station of claim 21, wherein the microcell base station comprises a picocell or a femtocell.

23. The base station of claim 20, wherein a first frequency range of the selected subcarrier exceeds a second frequency range of the frequency band of the modulated signal.

24. The base station of claim 20, wherein a first frequency range of the frequency band of the modulated signal exceeds a second frequency range of the selected subcarrier.