Method and apparatus for managing utilization of wireless resources via use of a reference signal to reduce distortion

• US 10,349,418 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• 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: Gerszberg, Irwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fang, Pakee
• Application Number:
  US15/176,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0041 Frequency-non-contiguous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a wireless communication node that receives instructions in a control channel directing it to utilize a spectral segment at a first carrier frequency to communicate with a mobile communication device. Responsive to the instructions, the wireless communication node receives a modulated signal in the spectral segment at a second carrier frequency from the base station, the modulated signal including communications data provided by the base station. The wireless communication node down-shifts the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the first carrier frequency, and wirelessly transmits the modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a network element of a distributed antenna system, instructions in a control channel, the instructions directing the network element to convert a first modulated signal from a first carrier frequency to a first spectral segment;

receiving, by the network element, a reference signal and the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency, the first modulated signal including first communications data provided by a base station and directed to a mobile communication device;

converting, by the network element, the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment, wherein the network element utilizes the reference signal to reduce distortion during the converting; and

wirelessly transmitting, by the network element, the first modulated signal at the first spectral segment to the mobile communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulated signal conforms to a signaling protocol, and wherein a processing system receives from the base station the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment, and coverts the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment to the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency without modifying the signaling protocol of the first modulated signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the converting by the network element comprises converting the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment without modifying the signaling protocol of the first modulated signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the network element, a second modulated signal in a second spectral segment generated by the mobile communication device; and

converting, by the network element, the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the second modulated signal at a second carrier frequency; and

transmitting, by the network element, to another network element the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the another network element receives the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency, converts the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment, and provides the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the base station for processing.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second spectral segment differs from the first spectral segment, and wherein the first carrier frequency differs from the second carrier frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier frequency is below a millimeter-wave frequency band.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the signaling protocol comprises a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless protocol or a fifth generation cellular communications protocol.

9. A network element of a distributed antenna system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

receiving instructions in a control channel, the instructions directing the network element to convert a first modulated signal from a first carrier frequency to a first spectral segment;

receiving a reference signal and the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency, the first modulated signal including first communications data provided by a base station and directed to a mobile communication device;

converting the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment, wherein the network element utilizes the reference signal to reduce distortion during the converting; and

wirelessly transmitting the first modulated signal at the first spectral segment to the mobile communication device.

10. The network element of claim 9, wherein the first modulated signal conforms to a signaling protocol, and wherein a processing system receives from the base station the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment, and coverts the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment to the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency without modifying the signaling protocol of the first modulated signal.

11. The network element of claim 10, wherein the converting comprises converting the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment without modifying the signaling protocol of the first modulated signal.

12. The network element of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second modulated signal in a second spectral segment generated by the mobile communication device; and

converting the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the second modulated signal at a second carrier frequency; and

transmitting to another network element the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

13. The network element of claim 12, wherein the another network element receives the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency, converts the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment, and provides the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the base station for processing.

14. The network element of claim 12, wherein the second spectral segment differs from the first spectral segment, and wherein the first carrier frequency differs from the second carrier frequency.

15. The network element of claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cell phone.

16. The network element of claim 9, wherein the first carrier frequency is in a millimeter-wave frequency band.

17. The network element of claim 10, wherein the signaling protocol comprises a fourth or fifth generation cellular communications protocol.

18. A machine-readable storage device comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a network element of a distributed antenna system, perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving instructions in a control channel, the instructions directing the network element to convert a first modulated signal from a first carrier frequency to a first spectral segment;

receiving a reference signal and the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency, the first modulated signal including first communications data provided by a base station and directed to a mobile communication device;

converting the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment, wherein the network element utilizes the reference signal to reduce distortion during the converting; and

wirelessly transmitting the first modulated signal at the first spectral segment to the mobile communication device.

19. The machine-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the first modulated signal conforms to a signaling protocol, and wherein a processing system receives from the base station the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment, and coverts the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment to the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency without modifying the signaling protocol of the first modulated signal.

20. The machine-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the converting comprises converting the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the first spectral segment without modifying the signaling protocol of the first modulated signal.

21. The machine-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second modulated signal in a second spectral segment generated by the mobile communication device; and

converting the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the second modulated signal at a second carrier frequency; and

transmitting to another network element the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

22. The machine-readable storage device of claim 21, wherein the another network element receives the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency, converts the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment, and provides the second modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the base station for processing.

23. The machine-readable storage device of claim 21, wherein the second spectral segment differs from the first spectral segment, and wherein the first carrier frequency differs from the second carrier frequency.

24. The machine-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cell phone.

25. The machine-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the first carrier frequency is at or below a millimeter-wave frequency band.