US 7,920,858 B2Granted

Multiprotocol antenna system for multiple service provider-multiple air interface co-located base stations

AssigneeLGC Wireless, Inc.

InventorsJohn Sabat, Jr., Peter Yelle

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Abstract

In one embodiment of a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, a hub unit is configured to digitize first and second analog radio frequency signals in order to generate first and second digital data, respectively, indicative of the first and second analog radio frequency signals. The first and second analog radio frequency signals are broadcast from first and second base stations, respectively, associated with first and second cellular service providers, respectively, using first and second air interfaces, respectively. The first and second digital data are transported to a radio access node from the hub unit using a shared transport medium. The radio access node is configured to reconstruct versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals from the first and second digital data, respectively, using first and second digital-to-analog converters.

Claims61

Dependent claims

A system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the system comprising:

a hub unit configured to communicate with a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface;
and
a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit;
wherein the hub unit comprises a first analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;
wherein the hub unit comprises a second analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;
wherein the first and second digital data are transported to the radio access node from the hub unit using a shared transport medium;
and
wherein the radio access node comprises:
a first digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data;
and
a second digital-to-analog converter to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are radiated in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.

8 more elements

A hub unit for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the hub unit comprising:

a base station interface to couple the hub unit to a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and to a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface;
a shared transport medium interface to couple the hub unit to a shared transport medium;
and
first and second analog-to-digital converters, wherein the hub unit is configured to digitize, using the first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the hub unit is configured to digitize, using the second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;
wherein the hub unit is configured to transport the first and second digital data from the hub unit to a radio access node using the shared transport medium for use by the radio access node in reconstructing versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals using the first and second digital data, respectively;
and
wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

4 more elements

A radio access node for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the radio access node comprising:

an antenna interface to couple the radio access node to at least one antenna associated with the radio access node;
a shared transport medium interface to couple the radio access node to a shared transport medium;
and
first and second digital-to-analog converters;
wherein the radio access node is configured to receive from the shared transport medium first and second digital data communicated from a hub unit located at a location that is remote from the radio access node, wherein the first digital data is a digitized version of a first analog radio frequency signal that is received at the hub unit and that is broadcast from a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface, wherein the first digital data is generated by a first analog-to-digital converter included in the hub;
and
wherein the second digital data is a digitized version of a second analog radio frequency signal that is received at the hub unit and that is broadcast from a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider using a second air interface, wherein the second digital data is generated by a second analog-to-digital converter included in the hub;
and
wherein the first digital-to-analog converter included in the radio access node is configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data, and wherein the second digital-to-analog converter included in the radio access node is configured to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are radiated in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.

6 more elements

A method of distributing cellular radio frequency signals comprising:

digitizing, at a hub unit using a first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface;
digitizing, at the hub unit using a second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using a second air interface;
transporting the first and second digital data to a radio access node from the hub unit using a shared transport medium;
reconstructing, at the radio access node, a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using a first digital-to-analog converter;
reconstructing, at the radio access node, a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using a second digital-to-analog converter;
and
radiating the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals in a coverage area associated with the radio access node;
wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

5 more elements

A system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the system comprising:

a hub unit configured to communicate with a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface;
and
a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit;
wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;
wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;
wherein the first and second digital data are transported from the radio access node to the hub unit using a shared transport medium;
and
wherein the hub unit comprises:
a first digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data;
and
a second digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

8 more elements

A hub unit for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the hub unit comprising:

a base station interface to couple the hub unit to a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and to a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface;
a shared transport medium interface to couple the hub unit to a shared transport medium, wherein the hub unit is configured to receive from the shared transport medium first and second digital data communicated from a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit, wherein the first digital data is a digitized version of a first analog radio frequency signal that is received at the radio access node and that is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the second digital data is a digitized version of a second analog radio frequency signal that is received at the radio access node and that is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;
and
first and second digital-to-analog converters, wherein the hub unit is configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using the first digital-to-analog converter and to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using the second digital-to-analog converter, wherein the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

1 more element

A radio access node for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the radio access node comprising:

an antenna interface to couple the radio access node to at least one antenna associated with the radio access node;
a shared transport medium interface to couple the radio access node to a shared transport medium;
and
first and second analog-to-digital converters, wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize, using the first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize, using the second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;
wherein radio access node is configured to transport the first and second digital data from the radio access node to a hub unit using the shared transport medium;
wherein the hub unit comprises first and second digital-to-analog converters configured to reconstruct versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals, respectively, using the first and second digital data, respectively;
and
wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

5 more elements

A method of distributing cellular radio frequency signals comprising:

digitizing, at a radio access node using a first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface;
digitizing, at the radio access node using a second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using a second air interface;
transporting the first and second digital data from the radio access node to a hub unit using a shared transport medium;
reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using a first digital-to-analog converter;
reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using a second digital-to-analog converter;
providing the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to a first base station associated with the first cellular service provider;
and
providing the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to a second base station associated with the second cellular service provider;
wherein the first base station is configured to use the first air interface and the second base station configured to use the second air interface;
and
wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/817,706Filed 17 Jun 2010 · continuation
Priority: 27 Mar 2000
Published: US 2010/0255855 A17 Oct 2010
Granted: 5 Apr 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04W 16/14
Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures: spectrum sharing…
H04W 92/045
Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices: between access point and backbone network device
H04W 92/12
Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices: between access points and access point controllers
H04W 88/10
Access point devices: adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Family

Application60/192,186Us provisional application · filed 27 Mar 2000
Application09/818,986Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Mar 2001
Application11/098,941Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Apr 2005
US 6,963,552 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Nov 2005
US 2010/0255855 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Oct 2010
US 7,761,093 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2001/0036163 A1Published application
US 2005/0243785 A1Published application
US 7,920,858 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.