Radio-frequency integrated circuit (rfic) chip(s) for providing distributed antenna system functionalities, and related components, systems, and methods

A central unit for providing communications signals in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• a radio-frequency (RF) communications interface configured to:
• receive downlink RF communication signals at a RF communications frequency for a RF communications service;
• and
• provide uplink RF communication signals at the RF communications frequency for the RF communications service;
• at least one RF integrated circuit (IC) (RFIC) chip comprising at least one of:
• a first frequency conversion circuitry configured to shift a frequency of the downlink RF communication signals to an intermediate frequency (IF) having a different frequency than the RF communications frequency, to provide downlink IF communications signals;
• and
• a second frequency conversion circuitry configured to shift the frequency of uplink IF communication signals to the RF communications frequency to provide the uplink RF communications signals;
• and
• a communications interface comprising RF communications circuitry configured to:
• provide the downlink IF communications signals over a communications medium to one or more remote units (RUs);
• and
• receive the uplink IF communication signals provided over a communications medium from the one or more RUs and provide the uplink IF communication signals to the second frequency conversion circuitry, wherein
• the downlink RF communication signals are comprised of MIMO downlink RF communication signals, and
• the uplink RF communications signals are comprised of MIMO uplink RF communication signals.

A central unit for providing communications signals in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• a radio-frequency (RF) communications interface configured to:
• receive downlink RF communication signals at a RF communications frequency for a RF communications service;
• and
• provide uplink RF communication signals at the RF communications frequency for the RF communications service;
• at least one RF integrated circuit (IC) (RFIC) chip comprising at least one of:
• a first frequency conversion circuitry configured to shift a frequency of the downlink RF communication signals to an intermediate frequency (IF) having a different frequency than the RF communications frequency, to provide downlink IF communications signals;
• and
• a second frequency conversion circuitry configured to shift the frequency of uplink IF communication signals to the RF communications frequency to provide the uplink RF communications signals;
• a second communications interface configured to:
• receive second downlink RF communication signals at a second RF communications frequency for a second RF communications service;
• and
• receive second uplink RF communication signals at the second RF communications frequency for the second RF communications service;
• and
• at least one second RFIC chip comprising at least one of:
• a third frequency conversion circuitry configured to shift the frequency of the second downlink RF communication signals to a second intermediate frequency (IF) having a different frequency than the second RF communications frequency, to provide second downlink IF communications signals;
• and
• a fourth frequency conversion circuitry configured to shift the frequency of second uplink IF communication signals to the second RF communications frequency to provide the second uplink RF communications signals, wherein
• the downlink RF communication signals are comprised of MIMO downlink RF communication signals, and
• the uplink RF communications signals are comprised of MIMO uplink RF communication signals.