Systems and methods for delay management in distributed antenna system with direct digital interface to base station

• US 9,450,689 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zavadsky, Dean, Hebert, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidner, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US14/506,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20150098351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/364 Delay profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method for measuring downlink delay in a radio system includes applying a digital representation of a Gaussian pulse to a digital interface of the radio system; marking the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse with respect to a frame of digital data with a marker; propagating the Gaussian pulse in the radio system to an antenna, the radio system configured to convert the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse to a radio frequency signal transmitted at the antenna; measuring when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the radio frequency signal based on the marker; and determining a downlink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse at the digital interface and transmission of the radio frequency signal at the antenna.

Claims

1. A method for measuring downlink delay in a radio system, comprising:

applying a digital representation of a Gaussian pulse to a digital interface of the radio system;

marking the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse with respect to a frame of digital data with a marker;

propagating the Gaussian pulse in the radio system to an antenna, the radio system configured to convert the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse to a radio frequency signal transmitted at the antenna;

measuring when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the radio frequency signal based on the marker; and

determining a downlink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse at the digital interface and transmission of the radio frequency signal at the antenna.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the downlink propagation delay includes intrinsic delay and transmission delay across a communication medium between two components of the radio system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the downlink propagation delay includes a first intrinsic delay within the digital interface to the radio system;

wherein the downlink propagation delay includes a second intrinsic delay within an antenna unit communicatively coupled to the antenna and remotely coupled with the digital interface across a communication medium; and

wherein the downlink propagation delay further includes a transmission delay across the communication medium between the digital interface and the antenna unit.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

measuring the transmission delay across the communication medium between the digital interface and the antenna unit; and

subtracting the transmission delay from the downlink propagation delay to determine a total intrinsic delay including the first intrinsic delay and the second intrinsic delay.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the Gaussian pulse.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting the Gaussian pulse to a digital representation of the Gaussian pulse.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the radio frequency signal based on the marker occurs using a spectrum analyzer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the marker from a first device used to generate the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse to a second device used to analyze the radio frequency signal to determine when the Gaussian pulse occurs.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein propagating the Gaussian pulse in the radio system to the antenna occurs across an optical fiber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital interface is part of a host unit;

wherein the antenna is part of an antenna unit remote to the host unit; and

wherein the host unit and the antenna unit are communicatively coupled via a wired communication medium.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wired communication medium is at least one of an optical fiber, coaxial cable, and twisted pair.

12. A system for measuring downlink delay in a radio system, comprising:

a waveform generator configured to generate a digital representation of a Gaussian pulse and apply it to a digital interface of the radio system;

wherein the waveform generator is further configured to mark the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse with respect to a frame of digital data with a marker;

wherein the radio system is configured to propagate the Gaussian pulse and convert the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse to a radio frequency signal transmitted at an antenna;

a spectrum analyzer configured to measure when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the radio frequency signal based on the marker; and

wherein the system is configured to determine a downlink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse at the digital interface and transmission of the radio frequency signal at the antenna.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the downlink propagation delay includes intrinsic delay and transmission delay across a communication medium between two components of the radio system.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the downlink propagation delay includes a first intrinsic delay within the digital interface to the radio system;

wherein the downlink propagation delay includes a second intrinsic delay within an antenna unit communicatively coupled to the antenna and remotely coupled with the digital interface across a communication medium; and

wherein the downlink propagation delay further includes a transmission delay across the communication medium between the digital interface and the antenna unit.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

wherein the system is further configured to determine the transmission delay across the communication medium between the digital interface and the antenna unit; and

wherein the system is further configured to subtract the transmission delay from the downlink propagation delay to determine a total intrinsic delay including the first intrinsic delay and the second intrinsic delay.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the waveform generator is configured to provide the marker to the spectrum analyzer via a communication medium separate from the radio system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the radio system includes a digital host having the digital interface;

wherein the radio system includes an antenna unit having the antenna;

wherein the digital host is communicatively coupled to the antenna unit via a communication medium.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the digital host is configured to communicate the Gaussian pulse to the antenna unit via the communication medium;

and

wherein the antenna unit is configured to convert the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse to a radio frequency signal transmitted at the antenna.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication medium is at least one of an optical fiber, coaxial cable, and twisted pair.

20. A method for measuring uplink delay in a radio system, comprising:

applying a Gaussian pulse to a radio frequency signal input at an antenna;

marking the Gaussian pulse with respect to a frame of digital data with a marker;

propagating the Gaussian pulse in the radio system to a digital interface of the radio system, the radio system configured to convert the Gaussian pulse to a digital representation of the Gaussian pulse communicated at the digital interface in a digital signal;

measuring when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the digital signal based on the marker; and

determining an uplink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the Gaussian pulse to the radio frequency signal input at the antenna and communication of the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse at the digital interface in the digital signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes intrinsic delay and transmission delay across a communication medium between two components of the radio system.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes a first intrinsic delay within an antenna unit communicatively coupled to the antenna and remotely coupled with the digital interface across a communication medium;

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a second intrinsic delay within the digital interface to the radio system; and

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a transmission delay across the communication medium between the antenna unit and the digital interface.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

measuring the digital transmission delay across the communication medium between the antenna unit and the digital interface; and

subtracting the digital transmission delay from the uplink propagation delay to determine a total intrinsic delay including the first intrinsic delay and the second intrinsic delay.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating the Gaussian pulse.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

converting the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse back to the Gaussian pulse.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein measuring when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the digital signal based on the marker occurs using a spectrum analyzer.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing the marker from a first device used to generate the Gaussian pulse to a second device used to analyze the digital signal to determine when the Gaussian pulse occurs.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein propagating the Gaussian pulse in the radio system to the digital interface occurs across an optical fiber.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital interface is part of a host unit;

wherein the antenna is part of an antenna unit remote to the host unit; and

wherein the host unit and the antenna unit are communicatively coupled via a wired communication medium.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the wired communication medium is at least one of an optical fiber, coaxial cable, and twisted pair.

31. A system for measuring uplink delay in a radio system, comprising:

a waveform generator configured to generate a Gaussian pulse and apply it to an antenna of the radio system;

wherein the waveform generator is further configured to mark the Gaussian pulse with respect to a frame of digital data with a marker;

wherein the radio system is configured to propagate the Gaussian pulse and convert the Gaussian pulse to a digital representation of the Gaussian pulse output at a digital interface of the radio system;

a spectrum analyzer configured to measure when the digital representation of the Gaussian pulse occurs in a digital signal output from the digital interface of the radio system; and

wherein the system is configured to determine an uplink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the Gaussian pulse at the antenna of the radio system and output of the digital signal at the digital interface of the radio system.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes intrinsic delay and transmission delay across a communication medium between two components of the radio system.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes a first intrinsic delay within the digital interface to the radio system;

wherein the uplink propagation delay includes a second intrinsic delay within an antenna unit communicatively coupled to the antenna and remotely coupled with the digital interface across a communication medium; and

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a transmission delay across the communication medium between the digital interface and the antenna unit.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

wherein the system is further configured to determine the uplink transmission delay across the communication medium between the digital interface and the antenna unit; and

wherein the system is further configured to subtract the uplink transmission delay from the uplink propagation delay to determine a total intrinsic delay including the first intrinsic delay and the second intrinsic delay.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the waveform generator is configured to provide the marker to the spectrum analyzer via a communication medium separate from the radio system.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the radio system includes a digital host having the digital interface;

wherein the radio system includes an antenna unit having the antenna;

wherein the digital host is communicatively coupled to the antenna unit via a communication medium.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the antenna unit is configured to communicate the digital Gaussian pulse to the digital host via the communication medium;

and

wherein the antenna unit is configured to convert a radio frequency signal received at the antenna and including the Gaussian pulse to a digital representation of the Gaussian pulse output at the digital interface.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the communication medium is at least one of an optical fiber, coaxial cable, and twisted pair.

39. A method for measuring delay in a radio system, comprising:

applying a first Gaussian pulse to a radio frequency signal input at an antenna;

marking the first Gaussian pulse with respect to a first frame of digital data with a first marker;

propagating the first Gaussian pulse in the radio system to a digital interface of the radio system, the radio system configured to convert the first Gaussian pulse to a first digital representation of the first Gaussian pulse communicated at the digital interface in a first digital signal;

looping back the first Gaussian pulse in the radio system from the digital interface of the radio system to a radio frequency signal output at the antenna, the radio system configured to convert the first digital representation of the first Gaussian pulse to a first radio frequency signal having the first Gaussian pulse transmitted at the antenna;

measuring when the first Gaussian pulse occurs in the first radio frequency signal based on the first marker; and

determining a round trip propagation delay for the radio system between application of the first Gaussian pulse to the radio frequency signal input at the antenna and communication of the first radio frequency signal having the first Gaussian pulse transmitted at the radio frequency signal output at the antenna.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

applying a second digital representation of a second Gaussian pulse to the digital interface of the radio system;

marking the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse with respect to a second frame of digital data with a second marker;

propagating the second Gaussian pulse in the radio system to the antenna, the radio system configured to convert the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse to a second radio frequency signal transmitted at the antenna;

measuring when the second Gaussian pulse occurs in the second radio frequency signal based on the second marker; and

determining a downlink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse at the digital interface and transmission of the second radio frequency signal at the antenna.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

determining an uplink propagation delay for the radio system by subtracting the downlink propagation delay for the radio system from the round trip propagation delay for the radio system.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes intrinsic delay and transmission delay across a communication medium between two components of the radio system.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes a first uplink intrinsic delay within an antenna unit communicatively coupled to the antenna and remotely coupled with the digital interface across a communication medium;

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a second uplink intrinsic delay within the digital interface to the radio system; and

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a transmission delay across the communication medium between the antenna unit and the digital interface.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

measuring the digital transmission delay across the communication medium between the antenna unit and the digital interface; and

subtracting the digital transmission delay from the uplink propagation delay to determine a total uplink intrinsic delay including the first uplink intrinsic delay and the second uplink intrinsic delay.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

generating the first Gaussian pulse.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein measuring when the Gaussian pulse occurs in the digital signal based on the marker occurs using a spectrum analyzer.

47. The method of claim 39, further comprising providing the first marker from a first device used to generate the first Gaussian pulse to a second device used to analyze the first radio frequency signal to determine when the first Gaussian pulse occurs.

48. The method of claim 39, wherein propagating the Gaussian pulse in the radio system to the digital interface occurs across an optical fiber.

49. The method of claim 39, wherein the digital interface is part of a host unit;

wherein the antenna is part of an antenna unit remote to the host unit; and

wherein the host unit and the antenna unit are communicatively coupled via a wired communication medium.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the wired communication medium is at least one of an optical fiber, coaxial cable, and twisted pair.

51. A system for measuring delay in a radio system, comprising:

a first waveform generator configured to generate a first Gaussian pulse and to apply the first Gaussian pulse to an antenna of the radio system;

wherein the first waveform generator is further configured to mark the first Gaussian pulse with respect to a first frame of digital data with a first marker;

wherein the radio system is configured to propagate the first Gaussian pulse and convert the first Gaussian pulse to a first digital representation of the first Gaussian pulse output at a digital interface of the radio system;

wherein the radio system is further configured to loop back the first Gaussian pulse in the radio system from the digital interface of the radio system to a radio frequency signal output at the antenna and to convert the first digital representation of the first Gaussian pulse to a first radio frequency signal having the first Gaussian pulse transmitted at the antenna;

a spectrum analyzer configured to measure when the first Gaussian pulse occurs in the first radio frequency signal output at the antenna based on the first marker;

wherein the system is configured to determine a round trip propagation delay for the radio system between application of the first Gaussian pulse to the radio frequency signal input at the antenna and communication of the first radio frequency signal having the first Gaussian pulse transmitted at the radio frequency signal output at the antenna.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

a second digital waveform generator configured to generate a second digital representation of a second Gaussian pulse and to apply the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse to the digital interface of the radio system;

wherein the second waveform generator is further configured to mark the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse with respect to a second frame of digital data with a second marker;

wherein the radio system is further configured to propagate the second Gaussian pulse in the radio system to the antenna, the radio system configured to convert the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse to a second radio frequency signal transmitted at the antenna;

wherein the spectrum analyzer is configured to measure when the second Gaussian pulse occurs in the second radio frequency signal based on the second marker; and

wherein the radio system is further configured to determine a downlink propagation delay for the radio system between application of the second digital representation of the second Gaussian pulse at the digital interface and transmission of the second radio frequency signal at the antenna.

53. The system of claim 52, further comprising:

wherein the radio system is further configured to determine an uplink propagation delay for the radio system by subtracting the downlink propagation delay for the radio system from the round trip propagation delay for the radio system.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes intrinsic delay and transmission delay across a communication medium between two components of the radio system.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the uplink propagation delay includes a first uplink intrinsic delay within an antenna unit communicatively coupled to the antenna and remotely coupled with the digital interface across a communication medium;

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a second uplink intrinsic delay within the digital interface to the radio system; and

wherein the uplink propagation delay further includes a transmission delay across the communication medium between the antenna unit and the digital interface.

56. The system of claim 55, further comprising:

wherein the radio system is further configured to measure the digital uplink transmission delay across the communication medium between the antenna unit and the digital interface; and

wherein the radio system is further configured to subtract the digital uplink transmission delay from the uplink propagation delay to determine a total uplink intrinsic delay including the first uplink intrinsic delay and the second uplink intrinsic delay.

57. The system of claim 51, wherein the first waveform generator is further configured to provide the first marker to the spectrum analyzer to determine when the first Gaussian pulse occurs.

58. The system of claim 51, wherein the digital interface is part of a host unit;

wherein the antenna is part of an antenna unit remote to the host unit; and

wherein the host unit and the antenna unit are communicatively coupled via a wired communication medium.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the wired communication medium is at least one of an optical fiber, coaxial cable, and twisted pair.