Multi-sector in-building repeater

• US 7,272,362 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Gui-Jung, Park, Tae-Hoon, Jeong, Chang-Rae
• Primary Examiner(s): Phu; Sanh D.
• Application Number:
  US10/765,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 455/14, 455/11.1, 455/78, 455/7, 455/16, 455/12.1, 375/211, 375/212, 370/315
• US Class Current: 455/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels

Abstract

A multi-sector in-building repeater, including: a master transmitting unit for receiving multi-sector signals of a carrier from a base station, mixing the multi-sector signals with different transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting mixed multi-sector signals to a same transmission line; a plurality of slave transmitting units for extracting sector signals assigned to the multi-sector signals from the master transmitting unit, converting extracted sector signals into high frequency signals, and transmitting converted high frequency signals through an antenna to a mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A multi-sector in-building repeater in communication with a base station, the multi-sector in-building repeater comprising:

a master transmitting unit for receiving multi-sector signals of a carrier frequency from the base station, mixing the multi-sector signals with different transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting the mixed multi-sector signals to a same transmission line;

a plurality of slave transmitting units, each of which receives the mixed multi-sector signals, for extracting from the mixed multi-sector signals sector signals assigned to the multi-sector signals from the transmission line, converting the extracted sector signals into high frequency signals, and transmitting the high frequency signals through an antenna;

a plurality of slave receiving units for mixing different receiving intermediate frequency signals with sector signals of carrier frequencies received from the antenna, converting the mixed signals into multi-sector signals of different receiving intermediate frequency bands, and outputting the converted signals to the same transmission line;

a master receiving unit for mixing the multi-sector signals received from the plurality of slave receiving units, the multi-sector signals having been transmitted through the same transmission line from the plurality of slave receiving units and converted into different receiving intermediate frequency band signals, with different intermediate frequency band signals, separating each of the mixed multi-sector signals, converting the separated multi-sector signals into receiving carrier frequency signals, and outputting the converted signals to the base station;

a master transmitting/receiving separator for separating transmitted/received signals of the master transmitting unit from transmitted/received signals of the master receiving unit; and

a distributor for distributing the mixed multi-sector signals received from the master transmitting unit to the plurality of slave transmitting units, receiving the multi-sector signals of different receiving intermediate frequency bands provided from the plurality of slave receiving units, and transmitting the multi-sector signals of different receiving intermediate frequency bands to the master receiving unit.

2. The repeater according to claim 1, wherein the master transmitting unit comprises:

a plurality of mixing units for receiving the multi-sector signals of the carrier frequency from the base station, mixing the received multi-sector signals with the different transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting the mixed signals; and

a plurality of amplifying units for filtering off unnecessary signals from the output signals of the mixing units, for amplifying the filtered signals without the unnecessary signals to a predetermined level, and for outputting the amplified signals to the same transmission line.

3. The repeater according to claim 2, wherein each of the mixing units comprises:

an attenuator for receiving the multi-sector signals of the carrier frequency received from the base station, attenuating the received multi-sector signals, and outputting the attenuated multi-sector signals; and

a mixer for mixing the attenuated multi-sector signals provided from the attenuator with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of different transmission intermediate frequency band signals from the carrier frequency, and outputting the mixed multi-sector signals into the different transmission intermediate frequency band signals to each of the amplifying units.

4. The repeater according to claim 2, wherein each of the amplifying units comprises:

a bandpass filter for filtering off the mixed multi-sector signals into different transmission intermediate frequency band signals provided from the mixing units; and

an amplifier for amplifying the filtered signals received from the band-pass filter to a predetermined level, and outputting the amplified signals to the transmission line.

5. The repeater according to claim 1, wherein the slave transmitting unit comprises:

a sector signal extracting unit for extracting different transmission intermediate frequency band signals from the mixed multi-sector signals provided from the master transmitting unit, mixing the different transmission intermediate frequency band signals into sector signals to be extracted out of the mixed multi-sector signals with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of a predetermined value from the transmission intermediate frequency signals, and extracting the sector signals; and

a high frequency signal generating unit for converting the extracted sector signals received from the sector signal extracting unit into the high frequency signals, and transmitting the converted signals through the antenna.

6. The repeater according to claim 5, wherein the sector signal extracting unit comprises:

a first band-pass filter for filtering off the multi-sector signals having been converted into the different transmission intermediate frequency band signals provided from the master transmitting unit;

a mixer for receiving the filtered multi-sector signals from the first band-pass filter, mixing the filtered multi-sector signals into sector signals to be extracted out of the multi-sector signals with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of the predetermined value from the transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting the mixed signals; and

a second band-pass filter for filtering off the output signals of the mixer, and extracting a desired sector signal.

7. The repeater according to claim 5, wherein the high frequency signal generating unit comprises:

a high frequency generator for generating the high frequency signals by mixing the sector signals extracted through the sector signal extracting unit with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of a predetermined value from the carrier frequency; and

a power amplifier for amplifying power of the high frequency signals provided by the high frequency generator, and transmitting the amplified signals through the antenna.

8. The repeater according to claim 1, wherein the slave receiving unit comprises:

an intermediate frequency generating unit for generating intermediate frequency signals by mixing the received sector signals of carrier frequencies provided through the antenna with the assigned receiving intermediate frequency signals; and

an amplifier for filtering off the intermediate frequency signals generated by the intermediate frequency generating unit, and amplifying the filtered intermediate frequency signals to a predetermined level.

9. The repeater according to claim 8, wherein the intermediate frequency generating unit comprises:

an amplifier for amplifying the received sector signals of carrier frequencies provided through the antenna to a predetermined level;

a band-pass filter for filtering the received sector signals of carrier frequencies being amplified by the amplifier; and

a mixer for mixing filtered sector signals of carrier frequencies provided from the band-pass filter with signals having frequency values equal the intermediate frequency signals from a receive carrier frequency.

10. The repeater according to claim 8, wherein the amplifying unit comprises:

an amplifier for amplifying the intermediate frequency signals provided by the intermediate frequency generating unit to a predetermined level; and

a band-pass filter for filtering off the amplified intermediate frequency signals from the amplifier, and transmitting the filtered signals to the master receiving unit.

11. The repeater according to claim 1, wherein the master receiving unit comprises:

a plurality of sector signal separating units for extracting the multi-sector signals into the different receiving intermediate frequency band signals provided from the plurality of slave receiving units, mixing the receiving intermediate frequency band signals into sector signals to be extracted with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of a predetermined value from the mixed receiving intermediate frequency band signals, and separating the sector signals to be extracted; and

a plurality of high frequency generating units for receiving the separated sector signals from the sector signal separating unit, mixing the separated sector signals into receive intermediate frequency band signals with signals having frequency value equal subtraction results of a predetermined value from a receive carrier frequency, converting the receive intermediate frequency band signals to the receiving carrier frequency signals, and outputting the converted signals to the base station.

12. The repeater according to claim 11, wherein the sector signal separating unit comprises:

a mixer for extracting the multi-sector signals into the different receiving intermediate frequency band signals provided from the plurality of slave receiving units, for mixing the receiving intermediate frequency band signals into sector signals to be extracted with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of a predetermined value from the receiving intermediate frequency signals, and outputting mixed signals; and

a band-pass filter for receiving the mixed signals from the mixer, performing band-pass filtering the mixed signal around the predetermined value into the sector signals, and separating the sector signals to be extracted.

13. The repeater according to claim 11, wherein the high frequency generating unit comprises:

a mixer for receiving the separated sector signals from the sector signal separating unit, mixing the sector signals into receive intermediate frequency band signals with frequency signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of a predetermined value from a receive carrier frequency, converting the receive intermediate frequency band signals to the receiving carrier frequency band signals, and outputting converted signals; and

an amplifier for amplifying the receiving carrier frequency band signals output from the mixer to a predetermined level.

14. Apparatus for transmitting sector signals in a multi-sector in-building repeater, the apparatus comprising:

a master transmitting unit for receiving multi-sector signals of a carrier frequency from a base station, mixing the multi-sector signals with different transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting the mixed multi-sector signals to a same transmission line;

a plurality of slave transmitting units, each of which receives the mixed multi-sector signals, for extracting sector signals assigned to the multi-sector signals from the transmission line, converting the extracted sector signals into high frequency signals, and transmitting the high frequency signals through an antenna.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the master transmitting unit comprises:

a plurality of mixing units for receiving the multi-sector signals of the carrier frequency from the base station, mixing the received multi-sector signals with the different transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting the mixed sector signals; and

a plurality of amplifying units for filtering off unnecessary signals from the mixed multi-sector signals outputted from the mixing units, for amplifying the filtered signals without the unnecessary signals to a predetermined level, and for outputting amplified signals to a same transmission line.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of the mixing units comprises:

an attenuator for extracting the multi-sector signals of the carrier frequency into high frequency sector signals of an assigned carrier frequency from the base station, attenuating the high frequency sector signals, and outputting the attenuated high frequency sector signals; and

a mixer for mixing the attenuated high frequency sector signals received from the attenuator with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of the different transmission intermediate frequency band signals from the carrier frequency, and outputting the mixed signals into the different transmission intermediate frequency band signals to each of the amplifying units.

17. Apparatus for receiving sector signal in a multi-sector in-building repeater, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of slave receiving units for mixing different receiving intermediate frequency signals with sector signals of carrier frequencies received from an antenna, converting the mixed signals into multi-sector signals of different receiving intermediate frequency bands, and outputting the converted signals to a same transmission line;

a master receiving unit for mixing the multi-sector signals provided from the plurality of slave receiving units, the multi-sector signals having been transmitted through the same transmission line from the plurality of slave receiving units and converted into different receiving intermediate frequency band signals, with different intermediate frequency band signals, separating each of the different intermediate frequency band signals, converting the separated signals into receiving carrier frequency signals, and outputting the converted signals to a base station;

a distributor for distributing received multi-sector signals to the plurality of slave transmitting units, receiving the multi-sector signals of different receiving intermediate frequency bands from the plurality of slave receiving units, and transmitting the multi-sector signals of different receiving intermediate frequency bands to the master receiving unit.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the slave receiving unit comprises:

an intermediate frequency generating unit for generating intermediate frequency signals by mixing the sector signals of carrier frequencies provided through the antenna with the assigned receiving intermediate frequency signals; and

an amplifier for filtering off the intermediate frequency signals generated by the intermediate frequency generating unit, and amplifying the filtered intermediate frequency signals to a predetermined level.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the intermediate frequency generating unit comprises:

an amplifier for amplifying the sector signals of carrier frequencies provided through the antenna to a predetermined level;

a band-pass filter for filtering the sector signals being amplified by the amplifier; and

a mixer for mixing the filtered sector signals provided from the band-pass filter with signals having frequency values equal subtraction results of the intermediate frequency signals from a receive carrier frequency.

20. A method of providing signals from a base station to multiple sectors in a building utilizing a multi-sector in-building repeater, comprising:

attenuating and amplifying a plurality of sector signals of a carrier frequency received from the base station;

mixing each of the attenuated and amplified sector signals with corresponding different transmission intermediate frequency signals, and outputting each of the mixed sector signals to a same transmission line via a first duplexer;

distributing the mixed sector signals received from the same transmission line to a plurality of slave transmitting units disposed at respective ones of the multiple sectors;

extracting sector signals in each of the multiple sectors from the mixed sector signals by utilizing different intermediate frequency signals assigned to respective ones of the slave transmitting units;

converting the extracted sector signals into high frequency signals, and transmitting the high frequency signals via a second duplexer through respective antennas, disposed within each of the multiple sectors.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising:

generating, in each of a plurality of slave receiving units, intermediate frequency signals by mixing receive carrier frequency sector signals provided through the antenna and the second duplexer, with assigned receive intermediate frequency signals;

outputting the intermediate frequency signals of each slave receiving unit to said first duplexer via said same transmission line;

converting the intermediate frequency signals of each slave receiving unit, outputted by the first duplexer, to different carrier frequency signals for transmission to said base station.