Repeater system for strong signal environments

The repeater system for a 2-way mobile communication system having a plurality of base stations and subscriber units that communicate via RF signals, comprising:

• a first repeater including:
• a base-side antenna that is directed toward at least one of the base stations to receive transmitted RF signals from the base station, the base-side antenna generating a first received downlink signal therefrom;
• an amplifier receptive of the first received downlink signal, the amplifier amplifying the level of the first received downlink signal to generate a first amplified downlink signal;
• and
• a subscriber-side antenna located proximate to the base-side antenna, the subscriber-side antenna being receptive of the first amplified downlink signal, the subscriber-side antenna transmitting RF signals representative of the first amplified downlink signal within a local area;
• a second repeater including:
• a base-side antenna that is directed toward the first repeater to receive transmitted RF signals from the first repeater, the base-side antenna generating a second received downlink signal therefrom;
• an amplifier receptive of the second received downlink signal, the amplifier amplifying the level of the second received downlink signal to generate a second amplified downlink signal;
• and
• a subscriber-side antenna located proximate to the base-side antenna of the second repeater, the subscriber-side antenna being receptive of the second amplified downlink signal, the subscriber-side antenna transmitting RF signals representative of the second amplified downlink signal within a local area to subscriber units located nearby;
• wherein the second repeater operates in the downlink direction between the base station and the local area;
• and
• said second repeater further including amplification in the uplink direction which is substantially less than the amplification used in the downlink, wherein the subscriber-side antenna of the second repeater receives RF signals within a local area from subscriber units located nearby, the subscriber-side antenna of the second repeater generating an uplink received signal therefrom, wherein the amplifier of the second repeater is receptive of the received uplink signal, the amplifier amplifying the received uplink signal by a substantially smaller level than used in the downlink and generating an amplified uplink signal, and wherein the base-side antenna of the second repeater is directed generally toward at least one of the base stations, the base-side antenna being receptive of the amplified uplink signal and transmitting RF signals representative of the amplified uplink signal to the at least one of the base stations;
• wherein the second repeater operates in the uplink direction between the subscriber units and the first repeater and the presence of the second repeater in the downlink and uplink directions causes an intentional imbalance in total losses between the downlink and the uplink, in order to provide for signal enhancement in both uplink and downlink over an equivalent coverage area.

A repeater for a mobile communication system having a plurality of base stations and subscriber units that communicate via RF signals, comprising:

• a base-side antenna that is directed toward one of the base stations to receive transmitted RF signals from the base station, the base-side antenna generating a received signal therefrom;
• an amplifier receptive of the received signal, the amplifier amplifying the level of the received signal to generate an amplified signal, the amplifier including circuitry therein to substantially prevent saturation by incrementing the magnitude of amplification toward an oscillation condition and testing for the oscillation condition;
• and
• a subscriber-side antenna located proximate to the base-side antenna, the subscriber-side antenna being receptive of the amplified signal, the subscriber-side antenna transmitting RF signals within a local area to subscriber units located nearby.