Method and apparatus for providing wireless communications within a building

• US 8,325,691 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optical Cable Corporation, Superior Modular Products Incorporated (Optical Cable Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Optical Cable Corporation
• Inventors: Reynolds, William R., Timmins, Ian J., Vaden, Sterling, Yanik, James, Seo, Sumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Dung B
• Application Number:
  US12/566,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20100080203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless distribution secured cabling system includes faceplates, each of which contains an antenna or other radiating element and an active amplifier, which serves as a bi-directional repeater for the wireless communication system. The system further includes a patch panel or distribution module which connects multiple cables, which may be either twisted pair or coaxial, to amplifier, acting as a power divider and/or an impedance matching device. An antenna, which may be mounted either outside of a building structure or inside the building structure, provides communications between the structured cabling system and a service provider base station.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a lightning protection element;

a distribution module;

a plurality of wall outlet assemblies;

a plurality of conduit stems;

each conduit stem being connected to a respective wall outlet assembly and being operable to carry signals between the respective wall outlet assembly and a location at which the distribution module obtains the signals;

the distribution module and each wall outlet assembly having an operating relationship between each other such that both a bridging signal and a separate task signal are carried between the distribution module and the respective wall outlet assembly with the particular signal being carried on the respective conduit stem connected to the wall outlet assembly;

the distribution module and the lightning protection element being operatively connected to one another such that bridging signals pass therebetween;

the lightning protection element being operable to transmit or receive wireless signals;

each wall outlet assembly having a capability to transmit a wireless signal to, or receive a wireless signal from, a wireless signal device and in the event that the wall outlet assembly transmits a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly generates the wireless signal in response to a bridging signal provided to the wall outlet assembly via the distribution module, and in the event that the wall outlet assembly receives a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly sends a corresponding bridging signal along its conduit to ultimately reach the distribution module; and

each wall outlet assembly having an access portion for access between the wall outlet assembly and a separate task executing device such that separate task signals are passed between the wall outlet assembly and the separate task executing device;

the distribution module includes a first signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals on a first frequency band received from the lightning protection element;

a second signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals on a second frequency band received from the lightning protection element; and

an isolating device for isolating the first signal power booster and the second signal power booster from one another;

the isolating device includes a diplexer having a common input port and a pair of output ports;

the common input port of the diplexer being operable to receive both bridging signals on the first frequency band and bridging signals on the second frequency band;

one of the pair of output ports being operable to permit bridging signals on the first frequency band to exit the diplexer but not bridging signals on the second frequency band; and

the other of the pair of output ports being operable to permit bridging signals on the second frequency band to exit the diplexer but not bridging signals on the first frequency band.

2. A communication system, comprising:

a lightning protection element;

a distribution module;

a plurality of wall outlet assemblies;

a plurality of conduit stems;

each conduit stem being connected to a respective wall outlet assembly and being operable to carry signals between the respective wall outlet assembly and a location at which the distribution module obtains the signals;

the distribution module and each wall outlet assembly having an operating relationship between each other such that both a bridging signal and a separate task signal are carried between the distribution module and the respective wall outlet assembly with the particular signal being carried on the respective conduit stem connected to the wall outlet assembly;

the distribution module and the lightning protection element being operatively connected to one another such that bridging signals pass therebetween;

the lightning protection element being operable to transmit or receive wireless signals;

each wall outlet assembly having a capability to transmit a wireless signal to, or receive a wireless signal from, a wireless signal device and in the event that the wall outlet assembly transmits a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly generates the wireless signal in response to a bridging signal provided to the wall outlet assembly via the distribution module, and in the event that the wall outlet assembly receives a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly sends a corresponding bridging signal along its conduit to ultimately reach the distribution module;

each wall outlet assembly having an access portion for access between the wall outlet assembly and a separate task executing device such that separate task signals are passed between the wall outlet assembly and the separate task executing device;

the lightning protection element is an antenna operable to receive and transmit wireless signals;

each of the conduit stems interconnects the distribution module and a wall outlet assembly;

at least one of the wall outlet assemblies includes a first signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals;

the at least one of the wall outlet assemblies includes a second signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals and a second diplexer operatively connected with the second signal power booster;

the at least one of the wall outlet assemblies includes a resistive trimming function for manually adjusting an output power of a signal processed by one of the associated pairs of the first signal power booster and the first diplexer and the second signal booster and the second diplexer.

3. A communication system, comprising:

an antenna;

a distribution module;

a plurality of wall outlet assemblies;

a plurality of conduit stems;

each conduit stem being connected to a respective wall outlet assembly and being operable to carry signals between the respective wall outlet assembly and a location at which the distribution module obtains the signals;

the distribution module and each wall outlet assembly having an operating relationship between each other such that both a bridging signal and a separate task signal are carried between the distribution module and the respective wall outlet assembly with the particular signal being carried on the respective conduit stem connected to the wall outlet assembly;

the distribution module and the antenna being operatively connected to one another such that bridging signals pass therebetween;

the antenna being operable to transmit or receive wireless signals;

each wall outlet assembly having a capability to transmit a wireless signal to, or receive a wireless signal from, a wireless signal device and in the event that the wall outlet assembly transmits a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly generates the wireless signal in response to a bridging signal provided to the wall outlet assembly via the distribution module, and in the event that the wall outlet assembly receives a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly sends a corresponding bridging signal along its conduit to ultimately reach the distribution module; and

each wall outlet assembly having an access portion for access between the wall outlet assembly and a separate task executing device such that separate task signals are passed between the wall outlet assembly and the separate task executing device;

the distribution module includes a first signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals on a first frequency band received from the antenna;

a second signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals on a second frequency band received from the antenna; and

an isolating device for isolating the first signal power booster and the second signal power booster from one another;

the isolating device includes a diplexer having a common input port and a pair of output ports;

the common input port of the diplexer being operable to receive both bridging signals on the first frequency band and bridging signals on the second frequency band;

one of the pair of output ports being operable to permit bridging signals on the first frequency band to exit the diplexer but not bridging signals on the second frequency band; and

the other of the pair of output ports being operable to permit bridging signals on the second frequency band to exit the diplexer but not bridging signals on the first frequency band.

4. A communication system, comprising:

an antenna;

a distribution module;

a plurality of wall outlet assemblies;

a plurality of conduit stems;

each conduit stem being connected to a respective wall outlet assembly and being operable to carry signals between the respective wall outlet assembly and a location at which the distribution module obtains the signals;

the distribution module and each wall outlet assembly having an operating relationship between each other such that both a bridging signal and a separate task signal are carried between the distribution module and the respective wall outlet assembly with the particular signal being carried on the respective conduit stem connected to the wall outlet assembly;

the distribution module and the antenna being operatively connected to one another such that bridging signals pass therebetween;

the antenna being operable to transmit or receive wireless signals;

each wall outlet assembly having a capability to transmit a wireless signal to, or receive a wireless signal from, a wireless signal device and in the event that the wall outlet assembly transmits a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly generates the wireless signal in response to a bridging signal provided to the wall outlet assembly via the distribution module, and in the event that the wall outlet assembly receives a wireless signal, the wall outlet assembly sends a corresponding bridging signal along its conduit to ultimately reach the distribution module;

each wall outlet assembly having an access portion for access between the wall outlet assembly and a separate task executing device such that separate task signals are passed between the wall outlet assembly and the separate task executing device;

the antenna is operable to receive and transmit wireless signals;

each of the conduit stems interconnects the distribution module and a wall outlet assembly;

at least one of the wall outlet assemblies includes a first signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals;

the at least one of the wall outlet assemblies includes a second signal power booster for increasing the power of bridging signals and a second diplexer operatively connected with the second signal power booster;

the at least one of the wall outlet assemblies includes a resistive trimming function for manually adjusting an output power of a signal processed by one of the associated pairs of the first signal power booster and the first diplexer and the second signal booster and the second diplexer.