Repeater device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9301152-B2
Application number	US-201013883055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2010
Priority date	Nov 3, 2010
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a repeater arrangement for amplifying a communication link between a base station and user equipment, wherein the communication link comprises an uplink and a downlink utilizing frequencies within a coherence bandwidth. The repeater arrangement comprises: a first antenna for communication with the base station; a second antenna for communication with the user equipment; an amplifying device operatively connected to the first antenna and to the second antenna for conveying and amplifying communication signals between the first antenna and the second antenna, the amplifying device comprising a first signal path for the uplink and a second signal path for the downlink, the first and second signal paths having equal electrical length, in order to affect said communication signal identically in both uplink and downlink, providing same phase and amplitude characteristics to said communication signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A repeater arrangement for amplifying a communication link between a base station and user equipment, said communication link comprising an uplink and a downlink utilizing frequencies within a coherence bandwidth, said repeater arrangement comprising:
a first antenna for communication with said base station;
a second antenna for communication with said user equipment;
an amplifying device operatively connected to said first antenna and to said second antenna for conveying and amplifying a communication signal between said first antenna and said second antenna, said amplifying device comprising a first signal path for said uplink and a second signal path for said downlink, said first and second signal paths having equal electrical length, wherein said first and second signal paths having equal electrical length in order to affects said communication signal identically in both uplink and downlink, providing same phase and amplitude characteristics to said communication signal;
a first attenuator;
a second attenuator;
a control unit connected to said first and second attenuators, said control unit comprising electronic circuitry and at least one processor;
a first circulator;
a second circulator;
a first filter is connected to the first attenuator and;
a second filter is connected to the second attenuator;
a first sensor for sensing a signal level between the first circulator and the first filter, wherein the first filter is connected at one end to the first circulator and at another end to the first antenna, wherein the first circulator is connected to the first antenna through a first port; and
a second sensor for sensing a signal level between the second circulator and the second filter, wherein the second filter is connected at one end to the second circulator and at another end to the second antenna, wherein the second circulator is connected to the second antenna through a second port, wherein the control unit is configured to control said first and second attenuators in dependence on a signal level sensed by said first sensor or said second sensor.

2. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said amplifying device comprises:
a first switch having a first position in which said first antenna is connected to said first signal path and a second position in which said first antenna is connected to said second path;
a second switch having a first position in which said second antenna is connected to said second signal path and a second position in which said second antenna is connected to said first signal path;
an amplifier:
arranged to amplify said uplink when said first switch is in its first position and said second switch is in its second position; and
arranged to amplify said downlink when said first switch is in its second position and said second switch is in its first position; and
a timing unit for controlling said first and second switches so as to align said first signal path and said second signal path to uplink and downlink transmission, respectively.

3. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said timing unit comprises a device for decoding a synchronization signal sent from said base station.

4. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said amplifier is arranged to be switched on once said timing unit has timing synchronized said repeater arrangement to uplink and downlink transmission.

5. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 4 , wherein amplifier gain of said amplifier is arranged to be ramped up so as to maintain reciprocity.

6. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said timing unit comprises a stand-alone unit and having an antenna for receiving synchronization signals from said base station.

7. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said amplifying device comprises:
a first amplifier connected at its input to a third port, which is a port of said first circulator, and at its output to a forth port, which is a port of said second circulator; and
a second amplifier connected at its output to fifth port, which is a port said first circulator, and at its input to a sixth port, which is a port of said second circulator.

8. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first attenuator connected at one end to said first filter and at one end to said first antenna; and
a second attenuator connected at one end to said second filter and at one end to said second antenna.

9. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 7 , said amplifying device further comprising a calibrator configured to calibrate said first and second amplifiers to have equal gain and phase characteristics.

10. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said uplink and said downlink utilize the same frequency.

11. The repeater arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said communication is performed in accordance with a time division duplex protocol.

12. An amplifying device for operative connection to a first antenna and to a second antenna for conveying communication signals between said first antenna and said second antenna, said amplifying device amplifying a communication link between a base station and user equipment, said communication link comprising an uplink and a downlink utilizing frequencies within a coherence bandwidth, said amplifying device comprising:
a first signal path for said uplink;
a second signal path for said downlink, wherein said first and second signal paths have equal electrical length, wherein said equal electrical length affects said communication signal identically in both uplink and downlink, providing same phase and amplitude characteristics to said communication signal;
a first attenuator;
a second attenuator;
a control unit connected to said first and second attenuators, said control unit comprising electronic circuitry and at least one processor;
a first circulator;
a second circulator;
a first filter is connected to the first attenuator and;
a second filter is connected to the second attenuator;
a first sensor for sensing a signal level between the first circulator and the first filter, wherein the first filter is connected at one end to the first circulator and at another end to the first antenna, wherein the first circulator is connected to the first antenna through a first port;
a second sensor for sensing a signal level between the second circulator and the second filter, wherein the second filter is connected at one end to the second circulator and at another end to the second antenna, wherein the second circulator is connected to the second antenna through a second port, wherein the control unit is configured to control said first and second attenuators in dependence on a signal level sensed by said first sensor or said second sensor.

13. The amplifying device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said amplifying device comprises:
a first switch having a first position in which said first antenna is connected to said first signal path and a second position in which said first antenna is connected to said second path;
a second switch having a first position in which said second antenna is connected to said second signal path and a second position in which said second antenna is connected to said first signal path;
a timing unit for controlling said first and second switches so as to align said first signal path and said second signal path to uplink and downlink transmission, respectively.

14. The amplifying device as claimed in claim 12 , w

Assignees

• Medbo Jonas
• Petersson Sven
• Zangi Kambiz
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Medbo Jonas
• Petersson Sven
• Zangi Kambiz

Classifications

• H04W16/26 Primary

  Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow · CPC title

• H04B7/155 Primary

  Ground-based stations (H04B7/204 takes precedence) · CPC title