Wireless repeater with wireless telephone adapter
AssigneeSprint Spectrum L.P.
InventorDae-Sik Oh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wireless signal repeater for portable wireless communication devices includes an adapter for connecting a portable wireless communication device. When a portable wireless communication device is connected to the adapter, the portable device's own omni-directional antenna is disabled, and the portable device instead uses the repeater's directional antenna. Specifically, the adapter carries forward link signals received by the repeater's directional antenna to the portable wireless communication device and carries reverse link signals from the portable wireless communication device for transmission by the repeater's directional antenna.
Claims23
A system comprising:
- a wireless signal repeater having a first antenna for wirelessly communicating with a base station and a second antenna for wirelessly communicating with a portable wireless communication device;
- and
- an adapter for connecting said portable wireless communication device, said adapter carrying forward link signals received by said first antenna to said portable wireless communication device and carrying reverse link signals from said portable wireless communication device for transmission by said first antenna when said portable wireless communication device is connected to said adapter, wherein said adapter includes an interface for interfacing at least one other communication device with said portable wireless communication device to allow said at least one other communication device to send and receive calls through said portable wireless communication device when said at least one other communication device and said portable wireless communication device are connected to said adapter.
A wireless telecommunications system, comprising:
- a first antenna for receiving forward link signals and transmitting reverse link signals;
- a second antenna for wirelessly transmitting said forward link signals to a portable wireless communication device and wirelessly receiving said reverse link signals from said portable wireless communication device;
- a forward link circuit for conducting said forward link signals received by said first antenna;
- a reverse link circuit for conducting said reverse link signals for transmission by said first antenna;
- and
- an adapter for connecting said portable wireless communication device, said adapter communicatively coupling said portable wireless communication device to said forward link circuit and said reverse link circuit, wherein said adapter includes an interface for interfacing at least one other communication device with said portable wireless communication device to allow said at least one other communication device to send and receive calls through said portable wireless communication device when said at least one other communication device and said portable wireless communication device are connected to said adapter.
A method of using a repeater to provide wireless communication between a portable wireless communication device and a base station of a wireless telecommunications network, said repeater including a first antenna for wirelessly communicating with said base station and a second antenna for wirelessly communicating with said portable wireless communication device, said method comprising:
- said first antenna receiving forward link signals from said base station;
- said first antenna transmitting reverse link signals to said base station;
- electrically connecting said portable wireless communication device to said repeater via an external antenna connector of said portable wireless communication device and, when said portable wireless communication device is electrically connected to said repeater:
- (a) conducting said forward link signals from said first antenna to said portable wireless communication device;
- and
- (b) conducting said reverse link signals from said portable wireless communication device to said first antenna;
- and
- when said portable wireless communication device is disconnected from said repeater:
- (c) said second antenna transmitting said forward link signals over an air interface to said portable wireless communication device;
- and
- (d) said second antenna receiving said reverse link signals over an air interface from said portable wireless communication device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.