Architecture for digital shared antenna system to support existing base station hardware
AssigneeAndrew Corporation
InventorMano D. Judd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A legacy support block interfaces a shared antenna system with existing base station equipment of a service provider. Processing circuitry includes digital-to-analog converter circuitry, analog-to-digital converter circuitry, a local oscillator, and mixers. A shared backhaul interfaces with the shared antenna system further consolidating of cell site equipment.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a shared antenna system configured to communicate provider specific data associated with a plurality of service providers in a digital format, wherein the shared antenna system comprises:
- an array of antenna elements;
- a digital backplane;
- and
- a plurality of interface circuits, each coupled to the array of antenna elements through the digital backplane and configured to process service provider specific digital signals for use in at least one of transmission and reception of provider specific data using the array of antenna elements;
- and,
- a legacy support block configured to interface the shared antenna system with existing base station equipment of a first service provider among the plurality of service providers that is configured to communicate data in an analog format.
A method of installing a shared antenna system at an existing cell site, wherein the cell site includes base terminal station hardware associated with a first service provider, the base terminal station hardware configured to process baseband analog transmit and receive signals, the method comprising the steps of:
- installing a shared antenna system, the shared antenna system configured to process a digital signal associated with the first service provider, and wherein the shared antenna system comprises an array of antenna elements, a digital backplane;
- and a plurality of interface circuits, each coupled to the array of antenna elements through the digital backplane and configured to process service provider specific digital signals for use in at least one of transmission and reception of provider specific data using the array of antenna elements;
- and,
- interfacing the shared antenna system with the base terminal station hardware by installing a legacy support block intermediate the shared antenna system and the base terminal station hardware, the legacy support block performing analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a shared antenna system configured to communicate provider specific data associated with a plurality of service providers in a digital format, wherein the shared antenna system comprises:
- an array of antenna elements;
- and
- a plurality of interface circuits, each coupled to the array of antenna elements and configured to process service provider specific digital signals for use in at least one of transmission and reception of provider specific data using the array of antenna elements, wherein at least one of the plurality of interface circuits is configured to control a beamwidth of a service provider specific beam radiated by the array of antenna elements;
- and,
- a legacy support block configured to interface the shared antenna system with existing base station equipment of a first service provider among the plurality of service providers that is configured to communicate data in an analog format.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a shared antenna system configured to communicate provider specific data associated with a plurality of service providers in a digital format, wherein the shared antenna system comprises:
- an array of antenna elements;
- and
- a plurality of interface circuits, each coupled to the array of antenna elements and configured to process service provider specific digital signals for use in at least one of transmission and reception of provider specific data using the array of antenna elements, wherein at least one of the plurality of interface circuits is configured to steer a service provider specific beam radiated by the array of antenna elements;
- and,
- a legacy support block configured to interface the shared antenna system with existing base station equipment of a first service provider among the plurality of service providers that is configured to communicate data in an analog format.
A method of installing a shared antenna system at an existing cell site, wherein the cell site includes base terminal station hardware associated with a first service provider, the base terminal station hardware configured to process baseband analog transmit and receive signals, the method comprising the steps of:
- installing a shared antenna system, the shared antenna system configured to process a digital signal associated with the first service provider, and wherein the shared antenna system comprises an array of antenna elements and a plurality of interface circuits, each interface circuit coupled to the array of antenna elements and configured to process service provider specific digital signals for use in at least one of transmission and reception of provider specific data using the array of antenna elements, wherein at least one of the plurality of interface circuits is configured to control at least one of a beamwidth and a direction of a service provider specific beam radiated by the array of antenna elements;
- and,
- interfacing the shared antenna system with the base terminal station hardware by installing a legacy support block intermediate the shared antenna system and the base terminal station hardware, the legacy support block performing analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.