Output muting for active repeater systems

A method of muting a repeater system used with a base station that implements a wireless interface that makes use of control transmissions that are retransmittable, the repeater system comprising repeater circuitry configured to, while operating in an unmuted state, output a repeated signal at a first power level, wherein the repeated signal is an amplified version of an original signal received by the repeater system and wherein the repeater circuitry is configured to, while operating in a muted state, do one of:

• output the repeated signal at a power level that is less than the first power level;
• or not output the repeated signal, wherein the repeater system is configured to determine a received power level of the original signal received by the repeater system, the method comprising:
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the muted state, transitioning the repeater circuitry to being operated in the unmuted state, in response to the received power level exceeding a first threshold value in connection with a first control transmission;
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the unmuted state with a timer not running, starting the running of the timer and having the repeater circuitry continue to be operated in the unmuted state, in response to the received power level falling below a second threshold value in connection with the completion of the transmission of the first control transmission;
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the unmuted state with the timer running, stopping the running of the timer and having the repeater circuitry continue to be operated in the unmuted state, in response to the received power level exceeding the first threshold value in connection with a subsequent control transmission;
• and
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the unmuted state with the timer running, stopping the running of the timer and transitioning the repeater circuitry to being operated in the muted state, in response to the timer having run for a predetermined amount of time without the received power level exceeding the first threshold value.

A repeater system for use with a base station, the system comprising:

• repeater circuitry configured to, while operating in an unmuted state, output a repeated signal at a first power level, wherein the repeated signal is an amplified version of an original signal received by the repeater system;
• and
• wherein the repeater circuitry is configured to, while operating in a muted state, one of:
• output the repeated signal at a power level that is less than the first power level;
• or
• not output the repeated signal;
• wherein the repeater system further comprises a power level detection function configured to determine a received power level of a signal received by the repeater system;
• and
• wherein the repeater system is configured to do the following:
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the muted state, perform a transition process for operating the repeater circuitry in the unmuted state, in response to the received power level crossing a first threshold value;
• and
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the unmuted state, perform a transition process for operating the repeater circuitry in the muted state, in response to the received power level crossing a second threshold value.

A method of muting a repeater system used with a base station, the repeater system comprising repeater circuitry configured to, while operating in an unmuted state, output a repeated signal at a first power level, wherein the repeated signal is an amplified version of an original signal received by the repeater system and wherein the repeater circuitry is configured to, while operating in a muted state, do one of:

• output the repeated signal at a power level that is less than the first power level;
• or not output the repeated signal, wherein the repeater system is configured to determine a received power level of a signal received by the repeater system, the method comprising:
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the muted state, performing a transition process for operating the repeater circuitry in the unmuted state, in response to the received power level crossing a first threshold value;
• and
• while the repeater circuitry is operated in the unmuted state, performing a transition process for operating the repeater circuitry in the muted state, in response to the received power level crossing a second threshold value.