Generating reference signals from selected signals

Non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for synchronizing one or more small cells by generating a frequency, phase, and time reference signal from a selected radio signal, the method comprising:

• receiving one or more radio signals from at least one base station outputting a Long Term Evolution Time Division Duplex (LTE-TDD) signal;
• determining signal quality of each of the one or more radio signals received from the from the at least one base station outputting a LTE-TDD signal;
• selecting at least one of the one or more radio signals based on the determination of the signal quality;
• at a timing gateway, processing the at least one selected radio signal provided by the at least one base station to generate an intermediate reference signal;
• filtering jitter and other abnormalities from the intermediate reference signal to generate a frequency, phase, and time reference signal;
• encapsulating the frequency, phase, and time reference signal into packets;
• and
• communicating the packets that comprise the frequency, phase, and time reference signal from the timing gateway to one or more small cells through a hardwired physical interface.

A timing gateway for generating frequency, phase, and time reference signals from a received radio signal, the timing gateway comprising:

• a receiving component having an antenna that receives one or more radio signals from at least one large-coverage access component, the one or more radio signals used to generate a frequency, phase, and time reference signal to synchronize one or more small-coverage access components, the at least one large-coverage access component transmitting Long Term Evolution Time Division Duplex (LTE-TDD) radio signals for communicating data with mobile devices in a wireless communications network and acting as a source of accurate frequency, phase, and time synchronization for the one or more small-coverage access components;
• a signal processor that generates an intermediate frequency, phase, and time reference signal from the one or more radio signals received by the receiving component of the timing gateway;
• an oscillator that generates the frequency, phase, and time reference signal by filtering jitter and other abnormalities from the intermediate frequency, phase, and time reference signal generated by the signal processor;
• and
• a master component that encapsulates the frequency, phase, and time reference signal generated by the oscillator into packets, wherein the packets are distributed from the timing gateway to the one or more small-coverage access components by way of a hardwired physical interface, wherein the one or more small-coverage access components are collocated and receive the packets containing the frequency, phase, and time reference signal by way of the hardwired physical interface.