US 9,882,613 B2Granted

Determining actual loop gain in a distributed antenna system (DAS)

AssigneeCorning Optical Communications Wireless Ltd

InventorLiay Moshe Daniel

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Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to determining actual loop gain in a distributed antenna system (DAS). In this regard, a test signal(s) having a first power level is injected into a DAS from a first contact point. The test signal(s) is configured to propagate from the first contact point to a second contact point over a downlink path and an uplink path, thus creating a signal loop(s). A second power level of the test signal(s) is measured at the second contact point, and an actual loop gain of the DAS is determined by subtracting the first power level from the second power level. By determining the actual loop gain of the DAS, it is possible to further determine a gain margin of the DAS. Based on the gain margin, it is possible to determine optimization possibilities for the DAS to maximize capacity and performance of the DAS.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A distributed antenna system (DAS) configured to enable actual loop gain measurement, comprising:

a plurality of remote antenna units (RAUs);
a head end unit (HEU) configured to:
distribute a downlink signal to at least one RAU among the plurality of RAUs;
and
receive an uplink signal from the at least one RAU;
a switch circuit disposed in a downlink path in the HEU and configured to disconnect the downlink path into a first contact point and a second contact point;
a signal generator communicatively coupled to the first contact point and configured to provide at least one test signal having a first power level to the first contact point for distribution to the at least one RAU on the downlink path;
and
a receiver communicatively coupled to the second contact point and configured to:
receive at least one loopback test signal having a second power level from the second contact point;
determine a difference between the first power level of the at least one test signal at the first contact point and the second power level of the at least one loopback test signal at the second contact point;
and
determine an actual loop gain of the DAS based on the determined difference between the first power level and the second power level.

10 more elements

A method for measuring actual loop gain in a distributed antenna system (DAS), comprising:

disconnecting a downlink path in a head end unit (HEU) into a first contact point and a second contact point;
providing at least one test signal having a first power level from the first contact point to at least one remote antenna unit (RAU) on the downlink path;
receiving at least one loopback test signal having a second power level from the second contact point;
determining a difference between the first power level of the at least one test signal at the first contact point and the second power level of the at least one loopback test signal at the second contact point;
and
determining an actual loop gain of the DAS based on the determined difference between the first power level and the second power level.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/157,970Filed 18 May 2016 · us provisional application
Priority: 1 Jun 2015
Published: US 2016/0352612 A11 Dec 2016
Granted: 30 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H04B 7/0413
Using two or more spaced independent antennas: mIMO systems
H04B 7/022
Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas: site diversity; Macro-diversity
H04L 5/14
Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path: two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
H04L 43/10
Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks: active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Family

Application62/169,267Us provisional application · filed 1 Jun 2015
US 2016/0352612 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Dec 2016
US 9,882,613 B2This patent

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

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