Indoor wireless voice and data distribution system

• US 7,263,293 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maca, Gregory A., Stone, Donald, Melester, Matthew, Ommodt, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, DZUNG D
• Application Number:
  US10/166,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 398 99-100, 398115-116, 398118-131
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A wireless voice and data system for improving coverage in an enclosed area includes a hub device for transceiving RF signals with a signal source positioned generally removed from an enclosed area. The hub device includes voice hardware for processing voice signals, data hardware for processing data signals, and combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the hub device. A remote access point device for transceiving signals with customer equipment includes voice hardware for processing voice signals, data hardware for processing data signals, and combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the remote access point. An optical fiber system is coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device and is operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals for communicating between the hub device and remote access point device.

Claims

1. A hub device for use in a wireless voice and data system for improving coverage in an enclosed area, the hub device comprising:

circuitry for transceiving RF signals with a signal source positioned generally removed from an enclosed area;

voice hardware for processing voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for RF wireless voice communications;

data hardware for processing data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format; and

an RF-to-DATA converter circuit operable for converting data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals in the hub device for common transmission;

circuitry, in the RF-to-DATA converter circuit, for providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present;

combining hardware operable for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the hub device;

optical fiber transceiving circuitry operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals for communicating with at least one remote access point device coupled in the system.

2. The hub device of claim 1 wherein said hub device data hardware comprises a network connection for coupling to a data network for processing data through the network.

3. The hub device of claim 2 wherein said network connection is an 802.3 Ethernet connection.

4. The hub device of claim 1 wherein the RF-to-DATA circuit comprises circuitry for providing Manchester modulation and demodulation.

5. The hub device of claim 1 wherein said optical fiber transceiving circuitry is operable for modulating and demodulating the combined signals for communication over optical fiber.

6. The hub device of claim 1 wherein said RF-to-DATA circuit includes amplification circuitry for amplifying signals converted between a data network format and the appropriate RF format.

7. A remote access point device for use in a wireless voice and data system for improving coverage in an enclosed area, the remote access point device comprising:

circuitry for transceiving signals with customer equipment,

voice hardware for processing voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for RF wireless voice communications;

data hardware for processing data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format;

an RF-to-DATA converter circuit operable for converting data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals in the hub device for common transmission; and

circuitry, in the RF-to-DATA converter circuit, for providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present;

combining hardware operable for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the remote access point device;

optical fiber transceiving circuitry operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals for communicating with a hub device coupled in the system.

8. The remote access point device of claim 7 wherein the RF-to-DATA circuit comprises circuitry for providing Manchester modulation and demodulation.

9. The remote access point device of claim 7 further comprising an antenna for transceiving signals with customer equipment.

10. The remote access point device of claim 9 wherein said voice hardware of the remote access point device is coupled to the antenna.

11. The remote access point device of claim 9 wherein said data hardware of the remote access point device is coupled to the antenna.

12. The remote access point device of claim 9 wherein both of said voice hardware and data hardware of the remote access point device are coupled to the antenna.

13. The remote access point device of claim 7 wherein said data hardware is operable for processing data signals in an 802.11 wireless network format.

14. A wireless voice and data system for improving coverage in an enclosed area, the system comprising:

a hub device for transceiving RF signals with a signal source positioned generally removed from an enclosed area, the hub device including voice hardware for processing voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for RF wireless voice communications;

the hub device further including data hardware for processing data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format and an RF-to-DATA converter circuit operable for converting data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals in the hub device;

circuitry, in the hub device RF-to-DATA converter circuit, for providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present; and

combining hardware operable for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the hub device;

a remote access point device for transceiving signals with customer equipment, the remote access point device including voice hardware for processing voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for RF wireless voice communications, data hardware for processing data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format, an RF-to-DATA converter circuit operable for converting data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals in the access point;

circuitry, in the access point device RF-to-DATA converter circuit, for providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present; and

combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the remote access point;

an optical fiber system coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device and operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals for communicating between the hub device and remote access point device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said hub device data hardware comprises a network connection for coupling to a data network for processing data through the network.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said network connection is an 802.3 Ethernet connection.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the RF-to-DATA circuit, in at least one of the hub device or access point device, comprises circuitry for providing Manchester modulation and demodulation.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said optical fiber system is operable for modulating and demodulating the combined signals for communication over optical fiber.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein said RF-to-DATA circuit, in at least one of the hub device or access point device, includes amplification circuitry for amplifying signals converted between a data network format and the appropriate RF format.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said remote access point device comprises an antenna for transceiving signals with customer equipment.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said voice hardware of the remote access point device is coupled to the antenna.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said data hardware of the remote access point device is coupled to the antenna.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein both of said voice hardware and data hardware of the remote access point device are coupled to the antenna.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein said data hardware of the remote access point device is operable for processing data signals in an 802.11 wireless network format.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein said optical fiber system includes an optical fiber cable coupled between the hub device and the remote access, the cable including a fiber strand for carrying primarily voice signals and including a fiber strand for carrying primarily data signals.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein said optical fiber system includes an optical fiber cable coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device, the cable including a fiber strand for carrying the combined voice and data signals.

27. A wireless voice and data system for improving coverage in an enclosed area, the system comprising:

a main hub device for transceiving RF signals with a signal source positioned generally removed from an enclosed area, the main hub device including voice hardware for processing voice signals;

the main hub device further including data hardware for processing data signals, and combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the main hub device;

at least one hub device coupled to the main hub device and including voice hardware for processing voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for RF wireless voice communications and data hardware for processing data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format, an RF-to-DATA converter circuit operable for converting the data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals in the hub device, the RF-to-DATA converter circuit including circuitry for providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present; and

combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the hub device;

at least one remote access point device for transceiving signals with customer equipment, the remote access point device including voice hardware for processing voice signals in the RF wireless voice format, data hardware for processing data signals in the data network format, and combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the remote access point;

an optical fiber system coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device and operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals for communicating between the hub device and remote access point device.

28. A wireless system for improving coverage in an enclosed area, the system comprising:

a hub device for transceiving RF signals with a signal source and including voice hardware for processing voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for wireless voice communications, a remote access point device for transceiving signals with customer equipment and including voice hardware for processing voice signals in the wireless voice format, and an optical fiber system operable for modulating and demodulating the voice signals for communicating between the hub device and remote access point device;

the hub device further including;

data hardware for processing data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format;

an RF-to-DATA converter circuit operable for converting the data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals in the hub device,

circuitry, in the RF-to-DATA converter circuit, for providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present;

combining hardware for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the hub device;

the optical fiber system operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals for optically communicating both voice and data between the hub device and remote access device.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said hub device data hardware comprises a network connection for coupling to a data network for processing data through the network.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein said network connection is an 802.3 Ethernet connection.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein said RF-to-DATA circuit includes amplification circuitry for amplifying signals converted between a data network format and an RF format.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the RF-to-DATA circuit comprises circuitry for providing Manchester modulation and demodulation.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein said optical fiber system is operable for modulating and demodulating the combined RF signals for communication over optical fiber.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein said remote access point device further comprises an RF-to-DATA circuit for converting signals between a data network format and an RF format for combining and separating voice signals and data signals in the remote access point device.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein said remote access point device comprises an antenna for transceiving signals with customer equipment.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein said data hardware of the remote access point device is coupled to the antenna.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein both of said voice hardware and data hardware of the remote access point device are coupled to the antenna.

38. The system of claim 28 wherein said data hardware of the remote access point device is operable for processing data signals in an 802.11 wireless network format.

39. The system of claim 28 wherein said optical fiber system includes an optical fiber cable coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device, the cable including a fiber strand for carrying primarily voice signals and including a fiber strand for carrying primarily data signals.

40. The system of claim 28 wherein said optical fiber system includes an optical fiber cable coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device, the cable including a fiber strand for carrying combined voice and data signals.

41. A method of improving wireless communication in an enclosed area, the method comprising:

transceiving RF signals between a signal source and a hub device and processing RF voice signals in an RF wireless voice format that is used for RF wireless voice communications with voice hardware in the hub device;

transceiving data signals in a data network format that is different from the RF wireless voice format between a network and the hub device and processing the data signals with data hardware;

with an RF-to-DATA converter circuit, converting, in the hub device, the data signals between the data network format and an appropriate RF format compatible with the RF wireless voice format in order to combine and separate the voice signals and data signals;

when converting the data signals between a data format and an RF format, providing a continuous digital stream in the absence of data signals for providing generally continuous signals to be combined with the voice signals when data is not present;

combining and separating voice signals and RF format data signals in the hub device;

optically communicating combined voice and data signals between the hub device and a remote access point device.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising transceiving data signals between the remote access point device and customer equipment, the remote access point device including data hardware for processing data signals.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising combining and separating voice signals and RF format data signals in the remote access point device.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising transceiving data signals between the remote access point device and customer equipment in an 802.11 format.

45. The method of claim 43 further comprising transceiving data signals between the remote access point device and customer equipment with an antenna.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising transceiving data signals in an 802.11 wireless network format.

47. The method of claim 41 further comprising communicating combined voice and data signals between the hub device and a remote access point device with an optical fiber system operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein said optical fiber system includes an optical fiber cable coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device, the method comprising communicating the voice and data signals of the combined signals over a common fiber strand of the cable.

49. The method of claim 41 further comprising transceiving data signals between a network and the hub device in an 802.3 Ethernet format.

50. The method of claim 41 further comprising communicating the combined voice and data signals over optical fiber.

51. The method of claim 41 further comprising communicating combined voice and data signals between the hub device and a remote access point device with an optical fiber system operable for modulating and demodulating the combined voice and data signals.

52. The method of claim 47 wherein said optical fiber system includes an optical fiber cable coupled between the hub device and the remote access point device, the method comprising communicating the voice signals of the combined signals over a fiber strand of the cable and communicating the data signals of the combined signals over another fiber strand of the cable.