Uplink signal combiners for mobile radio signal distribution systems using ethernet data networks

An uplink signal combiner for use with multiple first remote radio heads and a first baseband unit, the uplink signal combiner comprising:

• at least one network interface to couple the uplink signal combiner to a data network in order to couple the uplink signal combiner to the first baseband unit and the first remote radio heads;
• wherein the uplink signal combiner is configured to:
• receive, via the data network, first data packets that are transmitted from the first remote radio heads at baseband, wherein each of the first data packets includes respective first control data and respective first user data, wherein the respective first control data include data for managing a first communication link between a first baseband unit and a respective first remote radio head, wherein the respective first user data represents a respective first uplink signal received by each of the first remote radio heads from one or more mobile stations, wherein the first data packets are associated with different times of receipt by the first remote radio heads;
• extract the first user data from the received first data packets;
• generate first additional user data representing a first combined uplink signal by combining corresponding samples in the first user data extracted from the first data packets, wherein the corresponding samples are samples from different remote radio heads in the first remote radio heads that are part of an original transmission from a mobile station in the one or more mobile stations received by the different remote radio heads;
• checking if the first additional user data causes an overflow event, wherein the overflow event occurs when a number of bits in the first combined uplink signal exceeds a number of assigned bits for the first communication link;
• addressing the overflow event within the first additional user data;
• and
• transmit a first additional data packet to the first baseband unit, wherein the first additional data packet includes the first additional user data and first additional control data derived from the first control data from the received first data packets.

A system comprising:

• an uplink signal combiner;
• and
• a plurality of first remote antenna units configured to communicate with a first baseband unit;
• wherein the uplink signal combiner comprises:
• at least one network interface to couple the uplink signal combiner to a data network in order to couple the uplink signal combiner to the first baseband unit and the first remote antenna units;
• wherein the uplink signal combiner is configured to:
• receive, via the data network, first data packets that are transmitted from the first remote antenna units at baseband, wherein each of the first data packets includes respective first control data and respective first user data, wherein the respective first control data include data for managing a first communication link between a first baseband unit and a respective first remote antenna unit, wherein the respective first user data represents a respective first uplink signal received by each of the first remote antenna units from one or more mobile stations, wherein the first data packets are associated with different times of receipt by the first remote antenna units;
• extract the first user data from the received first data packets;
• generate first additional user data representing a first combined uplink signal by combining corresponding samples in the first user data extracted from the first data packets, wherein the corresponding samples are samples from different remote antenna units in the first remote antenna units that are part of an original transmission from a mobile station in the one or more mobile stations received by the different remote antenna units;
• check if the first additional user data causes an overflow event, wherein the overflow event occurs when a number of bits in the first combined uplink signal exceeds a number of assigned bits for the first communication link;
• address the overflow event with the first additional user data;
• and
• transmit a first additional data packet to the first baseband unit, wherein the first additional data packet includes the first additional user data and first additional control data derived from the first control data from the received first data packets.