Airlink sensing watermarking repeater

• US 20060030262A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Jon James, Baker, Kenneth Robert, Willis, Daniel James
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence

Abstract

A wireless repeater configured for implementation in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The repeater can be configured to receive and rebroadcast communications using various types of airlinks in a wireless communication system. The wireless repeater can include a receiver configured to sense the type of airlink being supported by the repeater. The repeater can then selectively apply a repeater identifying watermark to a signal based on the type of airlink. The repeater may be configured to periodically scan an operating bandwidth for supported airlinks and can configure the watermarking applied to signals within the channels based on the detected airlinks.

Claims

1. A wireless repeater comprising:

a watermarking module configured to selectively apply a watermark to at least one channel in a repeater operating band based in part on a control signal; and

a receiver configured to receive a wireless transmission, determine an airlink corresponding to at least a portion of the wireless transmission, and generate the control signal based in part on the airlink.

2. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the watermarking module is configured to selectively apply the watermark from a group of watermarks comprising Frequency Modulation (FM), Phase Modulation (PM), Amplitude Modulation (AM), differential delay modulation, and no modulation.

3. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission comprises a forward link transmission from a wireless base station.

4. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission comprises a reverse link transmission.

5. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the portion of the wireless transmission comprises a channel in the repeater operating band.

6. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the portion of the wireless transmission comprises a channel from the at least one channel in the repeater operating band.

7. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises:

a Local Oscillator (LO);

a mixer having an LO port coupled to the LO and configured to frequency convert the portion of the wireless transmission to a baseband signal; and

a baseband processor coupled to the mixer and configured to determine the airlink based in part on the baseband signal.

8. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the baseband processor is configured to determine the airlink by demodulating an overhead signal in the baseband signal.

9. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the baseband processor is configured to determine the airlink by demodulating a pilot channel in the baseband signal.

10. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the baseband processor is configured to determine the airlink by demodulating a paging channel in the baseband signal.

11. The repeater of claim 7, wherein the baseband processor is configured to determine the airlink by demodulating a primary scrambling code in the baseband signal.

12. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to determine the airlink in part by demodulating a pilot channel within the portion of the wireless transmission.

13. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to determine the airlink in part by demodulating a primary scrambling code within the portion of the wireless transmission.

14. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to determine the airlink from the group comprising a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) airlink and a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) airlink.

15. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to determine the airlink from the group comprising an TIA/EIA IS-95 airlink, a 1x EV DO airlink, and a 1x EV-DV airlink.

16. A wireless repeater comprising:

a watermarking module configured to selectively apply a watermark to a forward link channel in a repeater operating band based in part on a control signal; and

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of forward link channels including the forward link channel in the repeater operating band, determine an airlink corresponding to the forward link channel in part by demodulating a pilot channel within the forward link channel, and generate the control signal to selectively enable or disable the watermarking module based in part on the airlink.

17. The repeater of claim 16, wherein the watermarking module is configured to selectively apply the watermark to the forward link channel by applying the watermark to the plurality of forward link channels.

18. The repeater of claim 16, wherein the watermarking module is configured to selectively apply the watermark to the forward link channel independently of any other channel in the plurality of forward link channels.

19. A method of distributing a wireless communication, the method comprising:

determining an airlink in a channel of an operating band of a repeater; and

selectively applying a watermark to the channel based at least in part on the airlink.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the airlink comprises:

receiving the channel over a wireless link; and

demodulating a signal within the channel to determine the airlink.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the channel comprises receiving a forward link channel from a base station.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the channel comprises receiving a reverse link channel from a user terminal.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein demodulating the signal comprises demodulating a pilot channel.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein demodulating the signal comprises demodulating a paging channel.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein demodulating the signal comprises demodulating a primary scrambling code.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein selectively applying the watermark to the channel comprises omitting the watermark if the airlink is adversely affected by the watermark.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein selectively applying the watermark to the channel comprises modulating communications in the channel to identify the repeater.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein selectively applying the watermark to the channel comprises applying a Frequency Modulation to signals in the channel.

29. The method of claim 19, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a watermarked channel.

30. A method of distributing a wireless communication, the method comprising:

tuning a receiver to a channel within a repeater operating band;

filtering at least one channel including the channel the receiver is tuned;

determining an airlink in the channel the receiver is tuned;

determining if the airlink is affected by a watermark; and

applying a watermark to the channel the receiver is tuned, based at least in part on the airlink.

31. A wireless communication system comprising:

a base station configured to transmit at least one forward link signal in a forward link channel; and

a repeater configured to receive the at least one forward link channel, determine the airlink used to transmit the forward link signal, selectively apply a watermark to the forward link channel based in part on the airlink, and retransmit the forward link signal.

32. A wireless repeater comprising:

means for determining an airlink in a channel of an operating band of a repeater; and

means for selectively applying a watermark to the channel based at least in part on the airlink.

33. One or more storage devices configured to store one or more processor readable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, performing the method comprising:

determining an airlink in a channel of an operating band of a repeater; and

selectively applying a watermark to the channel based at least in part on the airlink.

34. One or more storage devices configured to store one or more processor readable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, performing the method comprising:

tuning a receiver to a channel within a repeater operating band;

determining an airlink in the channel the receiver is tuned;

determining if the airlink is affected by a watermark; and

applying a watermark to the channel the receiver is tuned, based at least in part on the airlink.