Surface wave communications between a remote antenna and a base station that is co-located with another base station

• US 7,590,404 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Harold W., Euler, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/132,003
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 455/402, 455/403, 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/523, 455/442, 370/463, 375/218, 375/220, 340/310.11, 340/538
• US Class Current: 455/402
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

At a first site, a first antenna exchanges first communications with wireless devices, and exchanges the first communications with a first base station. The first base station exchanges the first communications with a service node. At a second site, a second antenna exchanges second communications with other wireless devices, and exchanges the second communications with a first surface wave interface. The first surface wave interface exchanges the second communications with a second surface wave interface at the first site. The second surface wave interface exchanges the second communications with a second base station at the first site. The second base station exchanges the second communications with the service node. The service node processes the first and second communications to provide a communication service to the wireless devices.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a first antenna located at a first site and configured to exchange first user communications with first wireless communication devices in a wireless communication format and to exchange the first user communications over a first communication link;

a first base station located at the first site and configured to exchange the first user communications with the first antenna over the first communication link and to exchange the first user communications over a second communication link;

a service node configured to exchange the first user communications with the first base station over the second communication link and to process the first user communications to provide a communication service to the first wireless communication devices;

a second antenna located at a second site and configured to exchange second user communications with second wireless communication devices in the wireless communication format and to exchange the second user communications over a third communication link;

a first surface wave communication interface located at the second site and configured to exchange the second user communications with the second antenna over the third communication link and to exchange the second user communications over a fourth communication link that comprises a surface wave communication link that transmits communication signals external to and around the surface of an electrical power line as a guided Radio Frequency (RF) wave;

a second surface wave communication interface located at the first site and configured to exchange the second user communications with the first surface wave interface over the surface wave communication link and to exchange the second user communications over a fifth communication link;

a second base station located at the first site and configured to exchange the second user communications with the second surface wave communication interface over the fifth communication link and to exchange the second user communications over the second communication link or a sixth communication link; and

wherein

the service node is configured to exchange the second user communications with the second base station over the second communication link or the sixth communication link and to process the second user communications to provide the communication service to the second wireless communication devices.

2. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a cross connect device that forms a portion of the second communication link and that is configured to couple the second base station to the second communication link to aggregate the first user communications and the second user communications on the second communication link.

3. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a cross connect device that forms a portion of the second communication link and the sixth communication link and that is configured to couple the first base station to the sixth communication link to aggregate the first user communications and the second user communications on the sixth communication link.

4. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a cross connect device that forms a portion of the second communication link and the sixth communication link and that is configured to couple the first base station to the sixth communication link if the second communication link experiences a fault.

5. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a cross connect device that forms a portion of the second communication link and the sixth communication link and that is configured to couple the second base station to the second communication link if the sixth communication link experiences a fault.

6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the power line comprises at least one of a neutral line and an alternating current distribution line.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the service node comprises a mobile switching center.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the first antenna serves a first cell including the first wireless devices and the second antenna serves a second cell including the second wireless devices.

9. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the first base station and the second base station share a same elevated structure.

10. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the second site does not include the first base station, does not include the second base station, and does not include other base stations.

11. A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:

exchanging first user communications in a wireless communication format between first wireless communication devices and a first antenna located at a first site;

exchanging the first user communications between the first antenna and a first base station located at the first site;

exchanging the first user communications between the first base station and a service node;

processing the first user communications in the service node to provide a communication service to the first wireless communication devices;

exchanging second user communications in the wireless communication format between second wireless communication devices and a second antenna located at a second site;

exchanging the second user communications between the second antenna and a first surface wave communication interface located at the second site;

exchanging the second user communications over a surface wave communication link between the first surface wave communication interface at the second site and a second surface wave communication interface located at the first site, wherein the surface wave communication link transports the second user communications in communication signals external to and around the surface of an electrical power line a guided Radio Frequency (RF) wave;

exchanging the second user communications between the second surface wave communication interface at the first site and a second base station located at the first site;

exchanging the second user communications between the second base station and the service node; and

processing the second user communications in the service node to provide the communication service to the second wireless communication devices.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, at the first site, aggregating the first user communications and the second user communications onto a same communication link between the first site and the service node.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising, at the first site, de-coupling the first base station from a faulty communication link to the service node and coupling the first base station to an operating communication link to the service node.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, at the first site, de-coupling the second base station from a faulty communication link to the service node and coupling the second base station to an operating communication link to the service node.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising, at the first site, de-coupling one of the base stations from a faulty communication link to the service node and coupling the one base station to an operating communication link used by the other base station to communicate with the service node.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the power line comprises at least one of a neutral line and an alternating current distribution line.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the service node comprises a mobile switching center.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the first antenna serves a first cell including the first wireless devices and the second antenna serves a second cell that includes the second wireless devices.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the first base station and the second base station share a same elevated structure.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the second site does not include the first base station, does not include the second base station, and does not include other base stations.