Bitrate efficient transport through distributed antenna systems

An antenna unit comprising:

• a radio frequency conversion module configured to convert radio frequency signals received using an antenna into a first uplink physical layer signal;
• a first physical layer processor configured to generate first uplink higher layer data units from the first uplink physical layer signal;
• a higher layer processor configured to convert the first uplink higher layer data units into second uplink higher layer data units;
• and
• a second physical layer processor configured to convert second uplink higher layer data units into an uplink transport data stream and to communicate the uplink transport data stream to an upstream device;
• wherein communication between the antenna unit and the upstream device using the uplink transport data stream having the second uplink higher layer data units has a lower data rate than would communication between the antenna unit and the upstream device using the first uplink physical layer signal having the first uplink higher layer data units.

A system comprising:

• a radio access network interface;
• at least one remote antenna unit communicatively coupled to the radio access network interface across a first communication link;
• wherein the radio access network interface is configured to communicate a first downlink physical layer signal to the at least one remote antenna unit across the first communication link;
• wherein the at least one remote antenna unit is configured to:
• receive the first downlink physical layer signal from the radio access network interface;
• convert the first downlink physical layer signal into first downlink higher layer data units;
• convert the first downlink higher layer data units into second downlink higher layer data units;
• generate a second downlink physical layer signal from the second downlink higher layer data units;
• and
• convert the second downlink physical layer signal into radio frequency signals for communication using an antenna;
• wherein communication between the radio access network interface and the at least one remote antenna unit using the first downlink physical layer signal having the first downlink higher layer data units has a lower data rate than would communication between the radio access network interface and the antenna unit using the second downlink physical layer signal having the second downlink higher layer data units.

A system comprising:

• a radio access network interface;
• at least one remote antenna unit communicatively coupled to the radio access network interface across a first communication link;
• wherein the radio access network interface is configured to receive an uplink transport data stream from the at least one remote antenna unit across the first communication link;
• wherein the at least one remote antenna unit is configured to:
• convert radio frequency signals received using an antenna into a first uplink physical layer signal;
• generate first uplink higher layer data units from the first uplink physical layer signal;
• convert the first uplink higher layer data units into second uplink higher layer data units;
• convert the second uplink higher layer data units into an uplink transport data stream;
• communicate the uplink transport data stream to the radio access network interface;
• wherein communication between the at least one remote antenna unit and the radio access network interface using the uplink transport data stream having the second uplink higher layer data units has a lower data rate than would communication between the at least one remote antenna unit and the radio access network interface using the first uplink physical layer signal having the first uplink higher layer data units.

A method for efficiently transporting wireless network information though a system, comprising:

• receiving a first downlink physical layer signal from an upstream device at a remote antenna unit;
• converting the first downlink physical layer signal into first downlink higher layer data units at the remote antenna unit;
• converting the first downlink higher layer data units into second downlink higher layer data units at the remote antenna unit;
• generating a second downlink physical layer signal from the second downlink higher layer data units at the remote antenna unit;
• and
• converting the second downlink physical layer signal into radio frequency signals for communication using an antenna at the remote antenna unit;
• wherein communication between the upstream device and the remote antenna unit using the first downlink physical layer signal having the first downlink higher layer data units has a lower data rate than would communication between the upstream device and the remote antenna unit using the second downlink physical layer signal having the second downlink higher layer data units.

A method for efficiently transporting wireless network information through a system, comprising:

• converting radio frequency signals received using an antenna at a remote antenna unit into a first uplink physical layer signal at the remote antenna unit;
• generating first uplink higher layer data units from the first uplink physical layer signal at the remote antenna unit;
• converting the first uplink higher layer data units into second uplink higher layer data units at the remote antenna unit;
• converting the second uplink higher layer data units into an uplink transport data stream at the remote antenna unit;
• and
• communicating the uplink transport data stream to an upstream device at the remote antenna unit;
• wherein communication between the remote antenna unit and the upstream device using the uplink transport data stream having the second uplink higher layer data units has a lower data rate than would communication between the remote antenna unit and the upstream device using the first uplink physical layer signal having the first uplink higher layer data units.