# US 11,310,024 B2 · Repeater methods and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,024 B2 - Document ID: US11310024B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/695,150 - Filed: 2019-11-25 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-30 - Assignees: Mixcomm, Inc. - Applicants: Mixcomm, Inc. - Inventors: Harish Krishnaswamy; Ashwin Sampath; Frank Lane - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310024B2 ## CPC - H04B 7/15542: {Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources (selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003)} - H04L 5/1461: {Suppression of signals in the return path, i.e. bidirectional control circuits} - H04B 1/44: Transmit/receive switching - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04B 7/088: {using beam selection} - H04B 7/15507: {Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, (network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04)} - H04L 5/0092: {Indication of how the channel is divided} - H04L 5/1469: {using time-sharing} - H04B 7/15578: {by gain adjustment} - H04B 7/15585: {by interference cancellation} - H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for implementing a repeater are described. In various embodiments the repeater determines uplink/downlink timing information either from information broadcast from a base station or from monitoring received signals and/or gaps between received signals. In various embodiments while the repeater may decode control information to determine uplink/downlink time periods, user data is not decoded and re-encoded. In various embodiments interference between uplink and downlink circuitry is reduced or minimized by controlling gains, combining weights and/or power to amplifiers in the repeater based on the mode of operation. A stored information can include sets of different weights and/or parameters for the mode of operation and/or beam forming antenna pattern in use at a given time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a repeater comprising: detecting a time division duplex (TDD) timing schedule including a plurality of times at which a switch is made between uplink and downlink communication; controlling a donor side switch to change between a transmit position and a receive position based on the TDD timing schedule; and when said TDD timing schedule indicates a change from a downlink mode of operation to an uplink mode of operation, setting a first set of donor side antenna receiver weights to a first set of values which cause constructive signal cancelation when combining signals received from donor side receive antenna outputs of a donor side antenna. ### Claim 2 A method of operating a repeater comprising: detecting a time division duplex (TDD) timing schedule including a plurality of times at which a switch is made between uplink and downlink communication, detecting the TDD timing schedule including: i) receiving at least one of a system information broadcast (SIB) or a slot format indication (SFI) broadcast and ii) decoding the received at least one of the SIB or SFI broadcast to recover TDD timing information; controlling a donor side switch to change between a transmit position and a receive position based on the TDD timing schedule; and when said TDD timing schedule indicates a change from a downlink mode of operation to an uplink mode of operation, setting a first set of donor side antenna receiver weights to a first set of values which cause constructive signal cancelation when combining signals received from donor side receive antenna outputs of a donor side antenna. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when said TDD timing schedule indicates a change from a downlink mode of operation to an uplink mode of operation, further performing the step of: decreasing the gain of a donor side receiver amplifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein decreasing the gain of the donor side receiver amplifier includes reducing said the voltage supplied to the amplifier to a lower voltage than a voltage which is supplied during downlink mode operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said lower voltage is a non-zero voltage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said lower voltage is a zero voltage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using a beam which is narrower for donor side communications than service side communications. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising storing a code book including uplink mode information including serving and nulling weights for a plurality of different antenna beam arrangements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: automatically selecting which set of donor side antenna weights is to be used at a given time based on the TDD timing schedule. ### Claim 10 A repeater comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to said memory, the processor being configured to: detect a time division duplex (TDD) timing schedule including a plurality of times at which a switch is made between uplink and downlink communication; control a donor side switch to change between a transmit position and a receive position based on the TDD timing schedule; and set a first set of donor side antenna receiver weights to a first set of values which cause constructive signal cancelation when combining signals received from donor side receive antenna outputs of a donor side antenna. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said donor side antenna faces a base station and wherein the donor side receive antenna outputs are part of a signal path which is not used during uplink mode operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the TDD timing schedule includes: receiving at least one of a system information broadcast (SIB) or a slot format indication (SFI) broadcast. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The repeater of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: automatically select which set of donor side antenna weights is to be used at a given time based on the TDD timing schedule. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The repeater of claim 10 wherein the processor is configured, as part of detecting the TDD timing schedule, to: receive at least one of a system information broadcast (SIB) or a slot format indication (SFI) broadcast; and decode the received at least one of the SIB or SFI broadcast to recover TDD timing information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The repeater of claim 14, further comprising: a donor side receiver amplifier; and when said TDD timing schedule indicates a change from a downlink mode of operation to an uplink mode of operation, the processor being further configured to control the repeater to: decrease the gain of a donor side receiver amplifier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The repeater of claim 15, wherein decreasing the gain of the donor side receiver amplifier includes reducing said the voltage supplied to the amplifier to a lower voltage than a voltage which is supplied during downlink mode operation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The repeater of claim 16, wherein said lower voltage is a non-zero voltage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The repeater of claim 16, wherein said lower voltage is a zero voltage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The repeater of claim 14, wherein said donor side antenna faces a base station and wherein the donor side receive antenna outputs are part of a signal path which is not used during uplink mode operation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The repeater of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to control the repeater to: receive data signals via a service side antenna during said uplink mode of operation; and retransmit the received data signals via the donor side antenna during said uplink mode of operation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The repeater of claim 20, wherein the repeater does not include an encoder or re-encoder; and wherein said processor is configured to control the repeater to: receive data signals via said service side antenna during the uplink mode of operation; and retransmit the received signals via the donor side antenna during the uplink mode operation without decoding the received data signals. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The repeater of claim 13, further comprising using a beam which is narrower for donor side communications than service side communications. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The repeater of claim 22 further comprising: a code book stored in said memory including uplink mode information including serving and nulling weights for a plurality of different antenna beam arrangements. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving data signals via a service side antenna during said uplink mode of operation; and retransmitting the received data signals via the donor side antenna during said uplink mode of operation. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein said receiving signals via said service side antenna and retransmitting the received signals via the donor side antenna are performed without decoding the received data signals.