Systems and methods for emergency operation of a wireless communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10728776-B2
Application number	US-201916539388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2019
Priority date	Nov 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

In one embodiment, an emergency configuration control device is provided for a communications system that provides wireless RF communication service to a coverage area, wherein the system comprises an RF protection function coupled to at least one power amplifier, protection function configured to disable the power amplifier when the protection function determines that at least one parameter of the power amplifier has deviated outside of an operating specification, the device comprising: an emergency configuration control module executed by a controller, the emergency configuration control module configured to determine when an emergency event is occurring within the coverage area as a function of a first set of input signals; wherein the emergency configuration control module enters phase one operation and inhibits disabling of the power amplifier by the RF protection function and outputs one or more phase one notification signals in response to determining that the emergency event is occurring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for emergency configuration control or a wireless radio frequency (RF) communication system, the method comprising:
identifying when an emergency event is occurring within a coverage area of the wireless RF communication system; and
monitoring the operating state of the wireless RF communication system for degradations during an identified emergency event;
inhibiting an RF protection function from disabling at least one power amplifier of the wireless radio RF communication system during the identified emergency event; and
outputting signals in response to identifying wireless RF communication system degradations that occur during the identified emergency event.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining when the emergency event is occurring within the coverage area of the wireless RF communication system as a function of a first set of input signals into an emergency configuration control module; and
in response to determining that the emergency event is occurring, causing the wireless RF communication system to enter a first phase of emergency operation that inhibits the RF protection function from disabling the at least one power amplifier of the wireless radio RF communication system.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
controlling the RF protection function to reduce either a signal power of the at least one power amplifier, a signal gain of the at least one power amplifier, or both, in response to entering the first phase of emergency operation.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining when operation of the wireless RF communications system is degraded during the emergency event as a function of a second set of input signals into the emergency configuration control module; and
in response to determining that the wireless RF communications system is degraded during the emergency event, causing the wireless RF communication system to enter a second phase of emergency operation.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
outputting a notification signal that includes a system life estimate in response to entering the second phase of emergency operation.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
disabling at least one power amplifier of a plurality of power amplifiers of the wireless RF communications system in response to entering the second phase of emergency operation.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determine when communications coverage within the coverage area has been at least partially lost during the emergency event as a function of a third set of input signals into the emergency configuration control module; and
in response to determining that communications coverage within the coverage area has been at least partially lost during the emergency event, causing the wireless RF communication system to enter a third phase of emergency operation.

8. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to entering the first phase of emergency operation, the second phase of emergency operation, or the third phase of emergency operation, transmitting a notification signal to at least one of:
a master unit of the communication system;
at least one operator control panel within the communication system; and
an offsite monitoring and control system located outside of the coverage area and communicatively coupled by a network to the emergency configuration control module.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting signals in response to identifying wireless RF communication system degradations that occur during the identified emergency event further comprises:
transmitting notification signals to an offsite monitoring and control system located outside of the coverage area.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication system comprises either a radio frequency distributed antenna system or a radio frequency repeater system.

11. A unit of a wireless radio frequency (RF) communication system, the unit comprising:
an emergency configuration control module executed by a controller, wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to identify when an emergency event is occurring within a coverage area of the wireless RF communication system, and monitor the operating state of the wireless RF communication system for degradations during an identified emergency event;
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to inhibit an RF protection function from disabling of at least one power amplifier of the wireless radio RF communication system during an identified emergency event;
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to output signals in response to identifying wireless RF communication system degradations that occur during the identified emergency event.

12. The unit of claim 11 , further comprising:
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to determine when the emergency event is occurring within the coverage area of the wireless RF communication system as a function of a first set of input signals into the emergency configuration control module; and
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured, in response to determining that the emergency event is occurring, cause the wireless RF communication system to enter a first phase of emergency operation that inhibits the RF protection function from disabling the at least one power amplifier of the wireless radio RF communication system.

13. The unit of claim 12 , further comprising:
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to control the RF protection function to reduce either a signal power of the at least one power amplifier, a signal gain of the at least one power amplifier, or both, in response to entering the first phase of emergency operation.

14. The unit of claim 12 , wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to determine when operation of the wireless RF communications system is degraded during the emergency event as a function of a second set of input signals into the emergency configuration control module; and
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to, in response to determining that the wireless RF communications system is degraded during the emergency event, cause the wireless RF communication system to enter a second phase of emergency operation.

15. The unit of claim 14 , wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to output a notification signal that includes a system life estimate in response to entering the second phase of emergency operation.

16. The unit of claim 14 , wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to disabling at least one power amplifier of a plurality of power amplifiers of the wireless RF communications system in response to entering the second phase of emergency operation.

17. The unit of claim 14 , wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured to determine when communications coverage within the coverage area has been at least partially lost during the emergency event as a function of a third set of input signals into the emergency configuration control module; and
wherein the emergency configuration control module is configured, in response to determining that communications coverage within the coverage area has been at least partially lost during the emergency event, cause the wireless RF communication system to enter a third phase of emergency operation.

18. The unit of claim 17 , wherein the

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Fackler Karl-Heinz
• Hoffmann Jaroslav
• Biehler Andreas
• Starek Peter
• Kopp Alexander

Classifications

• H04W4/33

  for indoor environments, e.g. buildings · CPC title

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• H04B7/15535

  Control of relay amplifier gain (amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578) · CPC title

• H04W24/04 Primary

  Arrangements for maintaining operational condition · CPC title

• H04B7/026

  Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays · CPC title