Distributed antenna system that provides information for a location based on pseudo-network identifiers

• US 8,897,739 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mateski, Christopher J., Falk, Alan, Mott, Darrin, Hart, Julie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US13/212,530
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A distributed antenna system wirelessly receives an overhead signal having a network identifier. The antenna system replaces the network identifier with a first pseudo-network identifier and with a second pseudo-network identifier. The antenna system wirelessly transmits the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier from a first coverage antenna at a first location. The first pseudo-network identifier is associated with first information associated with the first location. The antenna system wirelessly transmits the network overhead signal having the second pseudo-network identifier from a second coverage antenna at a second location. The second pseudo-network identifier is associated with second information associated with the second location. User communication devices may receive and translate the pseudo-network identifiers into the information for their respective location.

Claims

1. A method of operating a distributed antenna system, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a network overhead signal having a network identifier into a base antenna system and transferring the network overhead signal to a first coverage antenna system and to a second coverage antenna system;

replacing the network identifier with a first pseudo-network identifier and with a second pseudo-network identifier;

wirelessly transmitting the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier from the first coverage antenna system, wherein the first pseudo-network identifier is associated with first information associated with a first location;

wirelessly transmitting the network overhead signal and the second pseudo-network identifier from the second coverage antenna system, wherein the second pseudo-network identifier is associated with second information associated with a second location; and

further comprising;

receiving an operator instruction associated with the first location;

translating the operator instruction into the first pseudo-network identifier; and

wherein wirelessly transmitting the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier comprises wirelessly transmitting the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier in response to the operator instruction.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in a first user communication device, wirelessly receiving the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier, translating the first pseudo-network identifier into the first information associated with the first location, and notifying a first user of the first information associated with the first location;

in a second user communication device, wirelessly receiving the network overhead signal having the second pseudo-network identifier, translating the second pseudo-network identifier into the second information associated with the second location, and notifying a second user of the second information associated with the second location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the operator instruction comprises an instruction to evacuate the first location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operator instruction indicates an emergency condition at the first location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an automatic alarm associated with the first location;

translating the automatic alarm into the first pseudo-network identifier; and

wherein

wirelessly transmitting the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier comprises wirelessly transmitting the network overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier in response to the automatic alarm.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the automatic alarm indicates a fire at the first location.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the automatic alarm indicates a contamination at the first location.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first information indicates a first portion of a building;

the second information indicates a second portion of the building; and

the first portion of the building and the second portion of the building are mutually exclusive.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information comprises a first building and floor combination and the second information comprises a second building and floor combination.

10. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a base antenna system configured to wirelessly receive a network overhead signal having a network identifier, re-generate a first overhead signal with a first pseudo-network identifier replacing the network identifier, re-generate a second overhead signal with a second pseudo-network identifier replacing the network identifier, transfer the first overhead signal to a first coverage antenna system, and transfer the second overhead signal to a second coverage antenna system;

the first coverage antenna system configured to wirelessly transfer the first overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier, wherein the first pseudo-network identifier is associated with first information associated with a first location;

the second coverage antenna system configured to wirelessly transfer the second overhead signal having the second pseudo-network identifier, wherein the second pseudo-network identifier is associated with second information associated with a second location,

wherein the base antenna system is configured to receive an operator instruction associated with the first location, translate the operator instruction into the first pseudo-network identifier, and regenerate the first overhead signal with the first pseudo-network identifier responsive to the operator instruction.

11. The distributed antenna system of claim 10 further comprising:

a first user communication device configured to wirelessly receive the first overhead signal having the first pseudo-network identifier, translate the first pseudo-network identifier into the first information associated with the first location, and notify a first user of the first information associated with the first location;

a second user communication device configured to wirelessly receive the second overhead signal having the second pseudo-network identifier, translate the second pseudo-network identifier into the second information associated with the second location, and notify a second user of the second information associated with the second location.

12. The distributed antenna system of claim 10 wherein the operator instruction comprises an instruction to evacuate the first location.

13. The distributed antenna system of claim 10 wherein the operator instruction indicates an emergency condition at the first location.

14. The distributed antenna system of claim 10 wherein the base antenna system is configured to receive an automatic alarm associated with the first location, translate the automatic alarm into the first pseudo-network identifier, and regenerate the first overhead signal with the first pseudo-network identifier responsive to the automatic alarm.

15. The distributed antenna system of claim 14 wherein the automatic alarm indicates a fire at the first location.

16. The distributed antenna system of claim 15 wherein the automatic alarm indicates a contamination at the first location.

17. The distributed antenna system of claim 10 wherein:

the first information indicates a first portion of a building;

the second information indicates a second portion of the building; and

the first portion of the building and the second portion of the building are mutually exclusive.

18. The distributed antenna system of claim 10 wherein the first information comprises a first building and floor combination and the second information comprises a second building and floor combination.