Programmable power supplies for cellular base stations and related methods of reducing power loss in cellular systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10394265-B2
Application number	US-201715497021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2017
Priority date	Feb 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

Methods of powering a radio that is mounted on a tower of a cellular base station are provided in which a direct current (“DC”) power signal is provided to the radio over a power cable and a voltage level of the output of the power supply is adjusted so as to provide a substantially constant voltage at a first end of the power cable that is remote from the power supply. Related cellular base stations and programmable power supplies are also provided.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a measurement circuit having an input and an output;
wherein the input is configured to be proximate to and coupled to a first end of a power cable proximate to at least one remote radio head coupled to the power cable;
wherein the output is configured to be coupled to a programmable power supply that is coupled to a second end of the power cable, where the second end is opposite the first end, where the programmable power supply is configured to receive DC power from another power supply;
wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure the voltage on the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head; and
wherein the programmable power supply is configured to have its output voltage adjusted in response to the measured voltage, and to vary the voltage at the second end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programmable power supply is configured to have its output voltage adjusted in response to the measured voltage comprises the programmable power supply is configured to maintain the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at a constant or within a range.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure a DC voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller coupled to the measurement circuit;
a communications module coupled to the controller; and
wherein the communications module is configured to couple the measurement circuit to the programmable power supply.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the communications module comprises one of a wired or wireless transmitter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises one of a Bluetooth transmitter and a cellular transmitter.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the wired transmitter is coupled to one of the power cable and a separate wired connection.

8. An apparatus, comprising:
a measurement circuit having an input and an output;
wherein the input is configured to be proximate to and coupled to a first end of a power cable proximate to at least one remote radio head that is coupled to the power cable;
wherein the output is configured to be coupled to a programmable power supply;
wherein the programmable power supply is coupled to a second end of the power cable, where the second end is opposite the first end, where the programmable power supply is configured to receive DC power from another power supply;
wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure at least one parameter on the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head;
wherein the at least one parameter can be used to determine a voltage on the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head; and
wherein the programmable power supply is configured to have its output voltage adjusted in response to the determined voltage, and vary the voltage at the second end.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the programmable power supply is configured to have its output voltage adjusted in response to the determined voltage comprises the programmable power supply is configured to maintain the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at a constant or within a range.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a controller coupled to the measurement circuit;
a communications module coupled to the controller; and
wherein the communications module is configured to couple the measurement circuit to the programmable power supply.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller determines the voltage, on the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head, with the measured at least one parameter.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the communications module comprises one of a wired or wireless transmitter.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises one of a Bluetooth transmitter and a cellular transmitter.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wired transmitter is coupled to one of the power cable and a separate wired connection.

15. A method, comprising:
generating DC power in a first power supply;
providing the DC power to a programmable power supply;
measuring, with a measuring circuit, a voltage proximate to a first end of a power cable proximate to at least one remote radio head coupled to the power cable; and
transmitting, from the measurement circuit to the programmable power supply, the measured voltage to automatically affect an adjustment to an output voltage of the programmable power supply coupled to a second end of the power cable, and to affect an adjustment to a voltage at the second end, where the second end is opposite the first end.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein transmitting the measured voltage to affect the adjustment to the output voltage of the programmable power supply coupled to the second end of the power cable, and to affect an adjustment to a voltage at the second end comprises transmitting the measured voltage to affect an adjustment to the output voltage of the programmable power supply to maintain the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at a constant or within a range.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein measuring the voltage proximate to the first end of the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head coupled to the power cable comprises measuring a DC voltage proximate to the first end of the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head coupled to the power cable.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein, transmitting the measured voltage comprises transmitting the measured voltage by wireless or wired transmission.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein transmitting the measured voltage by wireless or wired transmission comprises transmitting the measured voltage by one of Bluetooth transmission, cellular transmission, transmission over the power cable, or transmission over a separate wired connection.

20. A method, comprising:
generating DC power in a first power supply;
providing the DC power to a programmable power supply;
measuring at least one parameter proximate to a first end of a power cable proximate to at least one remote radio head coupled to the power cable;
determining, using the at least one parameter, a voltage proximate to the first end of the power cable proximate to the at least one remote radio head; and
transmitting the determined voltage to automatically affect an adjustment to an output voltage of the programmable power supply coupled to a second end of the power cable, and to affect an adjustment to a voltage at the second end, where the second end is opposite the first end.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein transmitting the determined voltage to affect the adjustment to the output voltage of the programmable power supply coupled to the second end of the power cable, and to affect an adjustment to a voltage at the second end comprises transmitting the determined voltage to affect an adjustment to the output voltage of the programmable power supply to maintain the voltage proximate to the at least one remote radio head at a constant or within a range.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein, transmitting the measured voltage comprises transmitting the measured voltage by wireless or wired transmission.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein transmitting the voltage by wireless or wired transmission comprises transmitting the vol

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Chamberlain John
• Guerin Michael

Classifications

• Y02D30/70

  in wireless communication networks · CPC title

• H04W52/0206

  in access points, e.g. base stations · CPC title

• G05F1/62 Primary

  using bucking or boosting DC sources · CPC title

• H04B3/548

  the power on the line being DC (arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02) · CPC title

• H04M19/008

  Using DC/DC converters (DC/DC converters per se H02M3/28) · CPC title