Determining distance to source of passive intermodulation product (PIM) in a distributed base station
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorMartial Germain Gander
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining the distance to source of a passive intermodulation (PIM) product for a distributed base station is provided. The method includes generating a test signal; transmitting the test signal on a front haul communication link between a baseband unit and a remote radio head of the distributed base station; receiving the PIM product as a reflected signal at the remote radio head; multiplying the reflected signal by a conjugate of the test signal to create a sinewave; determining a frequency of the sinewave; and determining the distance to the source of the PIM based on the determined frequency of the sinewave.
Claims13
A method for determining the distance to a source of a passive intermodulation (PIM) product for a distributed base station, the method comprising:
- generating a test signal wherein the test signal comprises a chirp defined by:
- chirp
-
- (
- n
- )
- =
- Ae
- {
- j
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
- (
- f
- t
-
- n
- +
- 1
- 2
-
- mn
- 2
- )
- }
- with an initial frequency (ft) that is set to a negative value and a frequency change rate (m) is positive, A is a constant, and n is a discrete time index;
- transmitting the test signal on a front haul communication link between a baseband unit and a remote radio head of the distributed base station;
- receiving the PIM product as a reflected signal at the remote radio head;
- multiplying the reflected signal by a conjugate of the test signal to create a sinewave;
- determining a frequency of the sinewave;
- and
- determining the distance to the source of the PIM based on the determined frequency of the sinewave.
A method for determining the distance to a source of a passive intermodulation (PIM) product for a distributed base station, the method comprising:
- generating a test signal wherein the test signal comprises a chirp defined by:
- chirp
-
- (
- n
- )
- =
- Ae
- {
- j
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
- (
- f
- t
-
- n
- +
- 1
- 2
-
- mn
- 2
- )
- }
- with an initial frequency (ft) that is set to a negative value and a frequency change rate (m) is positive, A is a constant, and n is a discrete time index;
- transmitting the test signal on a front haul communication link between a baseband unit and a remote radio head of the distributed base station;
- receiving the PIM product as a reflected signal at the remote radio head;
- analyzing an Eigen component of the reflected signal;
- and
- determining the distance to the source of the PIM based on the analysis of the Eigen component.
A tester for determining the distance from a distributed base station to a source of passive intermodulation (PIM), the tester comprising:
- a signal generator configured to be coupled to a front haul communication link between a baseband unit and a remote radio head of the distributed base station, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a test signal, wherein the test signal comprises a chirp defined by:
- chirp
-
- (
- n
- )
- =
- Ae
- {
- j
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
- (
- f
- t
-
- n
- +
- 1
- 2
-
- mn
- 2
- )
- }
- with an initial frequency (ft) that is set to a negative value and a frequency change rate (m) is positive, A is a constant, and n is a discrete time index, and to transmit the test signal on the front haul communication link;
- a digital signal processor, configured to be coupled to the front haul communication link, wherein the digital signal processor is operable to cause the tester to do the following:
- receiving the PIM product as a reflected signal at the remote radio head;
- multiplying the reflected signal by a conjugate of the test signal to create a sinewave;
- determining a frequency of the sinewave;
- and
- determining the distance to the source of the PIM based on the determined frequency of the sinewave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.