Method of inserting CDMA beacon pilots in output of distributed remote antenna nodes

A distributed antenna system to feed remote antenna nodes with simulcast code division multiple access (CDMA) traffic and non-simulcast beacon pilots, the distributed antenna system comprising:

• a first digital up-converter to input CDMA digital base station signals from a digital base station and to output digital samples for CDMA-traffic-bearing channels;
• a second digital up-converter to input digital baseband samples from a baseband beacon pilot generator and to output digital intermediate frequency (IF) samples;
• a delay buffer communicatively coupled to input the digital IF samples from the second digital up-converter and configured to output CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having different timing offsets;
• and
• a summing circuit to form down-link composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA samples by summing the digital samples for CDMA-traffic-bearing channels with the CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having different timing offsets, wherein each down-link composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA sample is distributed to an associated one of the remote antenna nodes in the distributed antenna system.

A method to distribute simulcast code division multiple access (CDMA)-traffic-bearing channels together with non-simulcast CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having different timing-offsets using a single beacon pilot generator, the method comprising:

• inputting CDMA radio frequency signals from a base station at a host radio frequency digitizer;
• converting CDMA base station signals into digital samples for traffic bearing channels at the host RF digitizer;
• inputting CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples at a delay buffer;
• simultaneously tapping CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having different timing offsets from the delay buffer;
• adding the CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having the different timing offsets to the CDMA base station digital samples to form down-link composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA samples;
• inputting composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA sample streams at a framer/serializer;
• and
• routing each of the composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA sample streams from the framer/serializer to an associated remote antenna node in a distributed antenna system.

A host unit to feed remote antenna nodes in a distributed antenna system with simulcast traffic and non-simulcast beacons, the host unit comprising:

• a host radio frequency (RF) digitizer to input code division multiple access (CDMA) base station signals for simulcast CDMA-traffic-bearing channels and to output digital samples;
• a summing circuit to add CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having different pseudo-noise offsets to the digital samples input from the host RF digitizer to form down-link composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA samples;
• and
• a framer/serializer configured to distribute each composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA sample to an associated remote antenna node in the distributed antenna system;
• a delay buffer communicatively coupled to input samples output from a beacon pilot generator and to output digitally delayed CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having the different pseudo-noise offsets, the beacon pilot generator configured to output digital baseband samples;
• and
• a digital up-convertor to input the digital baseband samples and to output digital intermediate frequency samples to the delay buffer.

A host unit to feed remote antenna nodes in a distributed antenna system with simulcast traffic and non-simulcast beacons, the host unit comprising:

• a host radio frequency (RF) digitizer to input code division multiple access (CDMA) base station signals for simulcast CDMA-traffic-bearing channels and to output digital samples;
• a summing circuit to add CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having different pseudo-noise offsets to the digital samples input from the host RF digitizer to form down-link composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA samples;
• and
• a framer/serializer configured to distribute each composite simulcast-plus-uniquely-offset-beacon-pilot CDMA sample to an associated remote antenna node in the distributed antenna system, wherein the summing circuit inputs the CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having the different pseudo-noise offsets from an external beacon pilot generator, the external beacon pilot generator including:
• a baseband beacon pilot generator to output digital baseband samples;
• a digital up-converter to input the digital baseband samples from the baseband beacon pilot generator and to output digital intermediate frequency (IF) samples to a delay buffer;
• and
• the delay buffer communicatively coupled to input the digital IF samples output from the digital up-converter and configured to output the CDMA-digital-beacon-pilot samples having the different pseudo-noise offsets to the summing circuit.