System and method for frequency multiplexing antenna signals

A method of delivering high frequency signals received on a plurality of discrete inputs to a remotely located plurality of associated discrete utilization ports, said method comprising the steps of:

• establishing a plurality of specific frequency bands, each said frequency band separated from the next by a preset margin and each said frequency band assigned to a unique one of said inputs;
• processing the signal stream received at each said discrete input such that said received signal stream falls within said frequency band assigned to said input;
• combining all processed signal streams into a communication signal stream for delivery to said ports over one or more communication channels;
• splitting said combined communication signal stream into a plurality of substantially identical combined communication signal streams, wherein each one of said plurality of substantially identical combined communication signal streams is associated with a particular one of said utilization ports;
• and
• separating a select one of said received signal streams from said substantially identical combined communication signal stream associated with a particular utilization port for delivery to said particular utilization port, wherein any one of said received signal streams may be selected for delivery to said particular utilization port.

A signal delivery system for delivering communication signals received from a plurality of sources to a plurality of utilization devices, said system comprising:

• channel allocation circuitry for establishing a plurality of specific communication bands, each said communication band separated from the next by an established frequency margin, each one of said communication bands assignable to a unique one of said signal sources;
• said channel allocation circuitry further operable for processing the signal stream received from each said signal source such that said received signal stream falls within said frequency band assigned to said source;
• summing circuitry for combining all processed signal streams into a reduced number of signal streams for delivery to the utilization devices;
• separating circuitry for expanding the processed and summed signal stream into individual signal streams, each signal stream for delivery to one of said utilization devices;
• means for monitoring signals selected from the group consisting of the signal stream received from said signal sources and said processed signal streams, said monitoring means also for selecting ones of the processed signals to be expanded from the processed and summed signal stream based upon characteristics of the monitored signals;
• means controlled by information received from an external source for selecting at least one of said ones of the signals to be expanded from the processed and summed signal stream based upon criteria contained within the received information;
• and
• means for delivering the processed and summed signal streams from the summing circuitry to the separating circuitry.

A method for delivering communication signals received from a plurality of sources to a plurality of utilization devices, said method comprising the steps of:

• establishing a plurality of specific communication bands, each said communication band separated from the next by an established frequency margin, each one of said communication bands assignable to a unique one of said utilization devices;
• processing the signal stream received from ones of said signal sources such that the received signal stream falls within a selectable one of said communication bands;
• delivering the processed signal streams by combining said processed signal streams into a reduced number of signal streams for delivery to the utilization devices;
• and
• expanding the delivered processed and combined signal streams into individual signal streams corresponding to said processed ones of said received signal streams, each individual signal stream for delivery to the one of said utilization devices said select one of said communication bands is assigned.

A transmission system for delivering signals received from a plurality of radios to a plurality of associated antennas, said system comprising:

• means for establishing a plurality of specific frequency bands, each said frequency band separated from the next by a preset margin, each one of said frequency bands assigned to a unique one of said radios;
• means for processing the signal stream received from each said radio such that said received signal stream falls within said frequency band assigned to said radio;
• means for combining all processed signal streams into a signal stream for delivery to said antennas over a communication channel;
• means for separating said delivered communication channel signal stream into individual signal streams corresponding to ones of said signal streams received from said antennas, each said individual signal stream for delivery to at least one of said receivers, wherein said separating means provides said delivered communication channel signal stream for selection of any one of said signal streams received from said antenna at any one of said plurality of associated receivers;
• and
• means at least partially controlled by information received from an external source for selecting at least one of said ones of the signals to be separated from the delivered communication channel signal stream for a particular one of said plurality of associated receivers.

A method for bidirectional transmission between a plurality of antennas and a plurality of transmitters/receivers, said method comprising:

• establishing a first plurality of specific frequency bands for transmission from the antennas to the transmitters/receivers;
• establishing a second plurality of specific frequency bands for transmission from the transmitters/receivers to the antennas;
• processing the signal streams received from the antennas and from the transmitters/receivers such that the received signal streams fall within the respective bands assigned to said antennas and to said transmitters/receivers;
• combining the processed signals from the antennas into a first signal stream for delivery to said transmitters/receivers and combining the processed signals from the transmitters/receivers into a second signal stream for delivery to said antennas;
• delivering both said first and said second signal streams to the respective destination of said signal stream;
• splitting said first delivered signal stream into a plurality of substantially identical combined communication signal streams, wherein each one of said plurality of substantially identical combined communication signal streams is associated with a particular one of said plurality of transmitters/receivers;
• separating a select one of said signal streams received from the antennas from said substantially identical combined communication signal stream associated with a particular utilization port for delivery to said particular transmitter/receiver, wherein any one of said signal streams received from the antennas may be selected for delivery to said particular transmitter/receiver;
• and
• selecting at least under partial control of information received from an external source at least one of said ones of the signals to be delivered to said particular transmitter/receiver.