Method and apparatus for mitigating oscillation between repeaters

A first repeater operating within a wireless network, the wireless network including a second repeater capable of communicating with the first repeater, and first and second wireless stations capable of communicating with at least one of the first repeater and the second repeater, the first repeater comprising:

• a reception device receiving a wireless signal from one of the second repeater, first wireless station, and second wireless station;
• a detection device coupled to the reception device, the detection device detecting if a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the wireless signal is greater than a predetermined RSSI threshold;
• a digital demodulator coupled to the reception device, the digital demodulator configured to demodulate the wireless signal if the detected RSSI is greater than the predetermined RSSI threshold;
• a signal modification device coupled to the reception device, the signal modification device configured to modify a predetermined portion of the wireless signal;
• and
• a transmission device coupled to the signal modification device for transmitting the modified wireless signal to one of the second repeater, first wireless station, and second wireless station;
• wherein the signal modification device includes a bi-phase modulation device configured to modulate a phase of the predetermined portion of the wireless signal, and
• wherein the bi-phase modulator includes a transfer switch coupled to a linear oscillator (LO), the transfer switch switching positive and negative terminals of the LO at a predetermined frequency to modulate the phase of the predetermined portion of the wireless signal.

A first repeater operating within a wireless network, the wireless network including a second repeater capable of communicating with the first repeater, and first and second wireless stations capable of communicating with at least one of the first repeater and the second repeater, the first repeater comprising:

• a reception device receiving a wireless signal including one or more packets at a reception frequency;
• a signal modification and detection device coupled to the reception device, the signal modification and detection device configured to modify a predetermined portion of the packet to thereby generate a modified wireless signal and to detect if a predetermined portion of the packet includes a modified signal pattern;
• a transmission device coupled to the signal modification and detection device for transmitting the modified wireless signal to one of the second repeater, first wireless station, and second wireless station at a predetermined power level and a transmission frequency;
• a processor controlling the reception device and the transmission device;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, the memory for storing a power adjustment routine for configuring the processor to:
• generate probe packets to be transmitted to the second repeater at the transmission frequency;
• measure a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of a packet received in response to the probe packets;
• and
• adjust one of the power level or the transmission frequency in accordance with the measured RSSI.