Extremely high frequency (ehf) distributed antenna systems, and related components and methods

A system for distributing extremely high frequency (EHF) modulated data signals to a plurality of remote antenna units (RAUs) deployed in a building infrastructure, the system comprising:

• a downlink data source input configured to receive downlink electrical data signals from a plurality of data sources, the downlink electrical signals including at least one high definition video signal;
• a switch configured to multiplex the downlink electrical data signals;
• an electrical-to-optical (E-O) converter configured to convert at least one of the downlink electrical data signals into at least one downlink optical data signal;
• an oscillator configured to generate an electrical carrier signal at a center frequency in a EHF band between 30 and 300 GHz;
• a modulator configured to combine the at least one downlink optical data signal with the electrical carrier signal to form a downlink modulated optical signal comprising the downlink optical data signal modulated at the center frequency of the electrical carrier signal;
• and
• a plurality of RAUs distributed in the building infrastructure, at least one RAU being optically coupled to the E-O converter and comprising:
• an optical to electrical (O-E) converter configured to receive the downlink modulated optical signal from the modulator and convert the downlink modulated optical signal into a downlink modulated electrical signal, and
• one or more antennas configured to transmit the downlink modulated electrical signal as an electromagnetic signal to a wireless client, and to receive uplink electromagnetic signals at frequencies substantially lower than 30 GHz from a wireless client.

A method for distributing extremely high frequency (EHF) modulated data signals via a plurality of remote antenna units (RAUs) deployed in a building infrastructure, the method comprising:

• receiving a downlink electrical data signal from a downlink data source, wherein receiving the downlink electrical data signal from the downlink data source comprises receiving at least one high definition video signal;
• converting the downlink electrical data signal into a downlink optical data signal;
• combining the downlink optical data signal with an electrical carrier signal operating in an EHF band between 30 and 300 GHz to form a downlink modulated optical signal comprising the downlink optical data signal modulated at a center frequency of the electrical carrier signal;
• and
• sending the downlink modulated optical signal to at least one RAU of the plurality of RAUs;
• and, at the at least one RAU:
• converting the downlink modulated optical signal into a downlink modulated electromagnetic signal;
• transmitting the downlink modulated electromagnetic signal to a wireless client within the infrastructure;
• and
• receiving Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) uplink electromagnetic signals from a wireless client within the infrastructure.

A system for distributing extremely high frequency (EHF) modulated data signals to a plurality of remote antenna units (RAUs) deployed in an infrastructure, the system comprising:

• a downlink data source input configured to receive a downlink electrical data signal from a data source, the downlink electrical signals including at least one video signal;
• an electrical-to-optical (E-O) converter configured to convert the downlink electrical data signal into a downlink optical data signal;
• an oscillator configured to generate an electrical carrier signal at a center frequency in an EHF band between 30 and 300 GHz;
• a modulator configured to combine the downlink optical data signal with the electrical carrier signal to form a downlink modulated optical signal comprising the downlink optical data signal modulated at the center frequency of the electrical carrier signal;
• and
• a plurality of RAUs distributed in the building infrastructure, at least one RAU being optically coupled to the E-O converter by at least one optical fiber cable, the at least one RAU comprising:
• an optical to electrical (O-E) converter configured to receive the downlink modulated optical signal from the modulator and convert the downlink modulated optical signal into a downlink modulated electrical signal, and
• at least one antenna configured to transmit the downlink modulated electrical signal as an electromagnetic signal to a wireless client, and to receive uplink electromagnetic signals from a wireless client at a frequency lower than 15 GHz.

A system for distributing extremely high frequency (EHF) signals to a plurality of remote antenna units (RAUs) deployed in an infrastructure, the system comprising:

• a plurality of high definition (HD) video sources;
• a downlink data source input configured to receive a downlink electrical data signal from the HD video sources;
• an electrical-to-optical (E-O) converter configured to convert the downlink electrical data signal into a downlink optical data signal;
• an oscillator configured to generate an electrical carrier signal at a center frequency in an EHF band between 30 and 300 GHz;
• a modulator configured to combine the downlink optical data signal with the electrical carrier signal to form a downlink modulated optical signal comprising the downlink optical data signal modulated at the center frequency of the electrical carrier signal;
• and
• a plurality of RAUs distributed in the building infrastructure, at least one RAU being optically coupled to the E-O converter by at least one optical fiber, the at least one RAU comprising:
• an optical to electrical (O-E) converter configured to receive the downlink modulated optical signal from the modulator and convert the downlink modulated optical signal into a downlink modulated electrical signal, and
• at least one antenna configured to transmit the downlink modulated electrical signal as an electromagnetic signal to a wireless client, and to receive uplink electromagnetic signals from a wireless client at a frequency substantially lower than the EHF band.