Granted Patent B2

US 7,403,742 · App. 10/476,412 · Granted Jul 22, 2008

Abstract

Claims (91)

1. A method for providing multi-band bidirectional wireless RF cellular communication through a CATV network, comprising:

providing a bypass device bypassing an active component in a CATV network; and

communicating frequency shifted wireless RF cellular signals and CATV signals, over the CATV network, between an access point of the CATV network and an indoor termination point of the CATV network, wherein the CATV signals are communicated via the active component and the shifted wireless RF cellular signals are communicated via the bypass device;

wherein the frequency shifted wireless;RF cellular signals comprise multi-band traffic;

wherein the active component is a CATV amplifier; and

wherein the frequency shifted wireless RF cellular signals are in a band higher in frequency than the CATV signals of the CATV network.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, at the indoor termination point of the CATV network:

receiving shifted downlink wireless RF cellular signals from the CATV network;

converting the shifted downlink RF cellular signals to original frequency downlink wireless RF cellular signals;

outputting the original frequency downlink wireless RF cellular signals to an antenna;

receiving original frequency uplink wireless RF signals from the antenna;

converting the original frequency uplink wireless RF signals to shifted uplink wireless RF signals; and

outputting the shifted uplink wireless RF signals to the CATV network.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising, at the indoor termination point of the CATV network, communicating CATV signals between the CATV network and at least one CATV device by coaxial cable.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one CATV device is one or more of a TV, a set top box, and a cable modem.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising communicating the original frequency wireless RF signals over a common air interface of the cellular network.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the shifted uplink wireless RF signals have a frequency above 905 MHz.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the shifted downlink wireless RF signals have a frequency above 905 MHz.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the original frequency wireless RF signals are shifted to a band higher in frequency than the CATV signals.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the band is 945-1120 MHz.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the band is 960-1155 MHz.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 - 10 , further comprising, at the access point of the CATV network:

receiving shifted uplink wireless RF cellular signals from the CATV network;

converting the shifted uplink RF cellular signals to original frequency uplink wireless RF cellular signals;

outputting the original frequency uplink wireless RF cellular signals to a BTS;

receiving original frequency downlink wireless RF signals from the BTS;

converting the original frequency downlink wireless RF signals to shifted downlink wireless RF signals; and

outputting the shifted downlink wireless RF signals to the CATV network.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the bypass device performs the steps of:

receiving, as a coupled signal, the CATV signals and the frequency shifted wireless RF cellular signals;

differentiating between the CATV signals of the coupled signal and the frequency shifted wireless RF cellular signals of the coupled signal;

passing the CATV signals of the coupled signal through the active component of the CATV network;

passing only the frequency shifted wireless RF cellular signals of the coupled signal around the active component of the CATV network; and

after the passing steps, recombining the CATV signals with the frequency shifted wireless RF cellular signals to provide a signal for further communication over the CATV network.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising:

injecting, at the access point of the CATV network, one or more pilot continuous wave (CW) frequencies for communication to the indoor termination point; and

performing reverse frequency translation at the indoor termination point using the one or more pilot CW frequencies, to convert the shifted downlink RF cellular signals and to convert the original frequency uplink wireless RF signals.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the bypass device amplifies the one or more pilot CW frequencies in only the direction from the access point toward the indoor termination point.

15. A system for simultaneously communicating multi-band bidirectional cellular traffic over a cable television (CATV) network, comprising:

a cellular entrance module (CEEM) at an access point of the CATV network, receiving original downlink signals, including downlink signals from a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS), and shifting the original downlink signals to a frequency band higher than television signals of the CATV network to provide shifted cellular signals, including at least shifted first downlink signals of a first BTS and shifted second downlink signals of a second BTS, the CEEM having a frequency converter for each BTS providing frequency conversion in accordance with a predetermined frequency plan into predetermined sub-bands of said frequency band;

a cable mount cellular antenna (CMCA) at an indoor termination point of the CATV network, adapted to receive original uplink signals, including original first uplink signals and original second uplink signals, and shifting the original uplink signals to a frequency band higher than television signals of the CATV network to provide shifted cellular signals, including shifted first uplink signals and shifted second uplink signals; and

a cellular transport module (CETM) bypassing an active component of the CATV network, and communicating the shifted cellular signals over the CATV network between the CEEM and CMCA via the CETM;

wherein the active component is an amplifier.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of BTS includes at least three BTS.

17. The system according so claim 16 , wherein the plurality of BTS includes a BTS of a GSM1800 system, a BITS of a UMTS system, and a BTS of a GSM900 system.

18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the frequency band higher than the television signals of the CATV network is a band of 945-1120 MHz.

19. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the frequency band higher than the television signals of the CATV network is a band of 960-1155 MHz.

20. The system as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the CEEM performs the steps of:

receiving downlink CATV signals from the CATV network;

the shifting of the original first downlink signals to provide the shifted first downlink signals and of the original second downlink signals to provide the shifted second downlink signals;

coupling the downlink CATV signals, the shifted first downlink signals, and also the shifted second downlink signals to provide a coupled downlink signal; transporting the coupled downlink signal through the CATV network;

receiving a coupled uplink signal from the CATV network;

decoupling the coupled uplink signal to provide uplink CATV signals and the shifted cellular signals;

shifting the shifted first uplink signals to provide restored first uplink signals corresponding in frequency to the original first uplink signals, and shifting the shifted second uplink signals to provide restored second uplink signals corresponding in frequency to the original second uplink signals;

transporting the uplink CATV signals to the CATV network; and

transporting the restored first uplink signals and the restored second uplink signals to the cellular network.

21. The system as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the CMCA performs the steps of:

receiving uplink CATV signals;

the receiving of the original first uplink signals and the original second uplink signals over a bi-directional antenna;

the shifting of the original first uplink signals to provide the shifted first uplink signals and the shifting of the original second uplink signals to provide the shifted second uplink signals;

coupling the uplink CATV signals, the shifted first uplink signals, and the shifted second uplink signals to provide a coupled uplink signal;

transporting the coupled uplink signal through the CATV network;

receiving the coupled downlink signal from the CATV network;

decoupling the coupled downlink signal to provide downlink CATV signals, the shifted first downlink signals, and the shifted second downlink signals;

shifting the shifted first downlink signals to provide restored first downlink signals corresponding in frequency to the original first downlink signals, and shifting the shifted second downlink signals to provide restored second downlink signals corresponding in frequency to the original second downlink signals;

transporting the downlink CATV signals to a television signal receiver; and

transmitting the restored first downlink signals and the restored second downlink signals over the bi-directional antenna.

22. The system as set forth in claim 20 , further comprising:

injecting, at the CEEM, one or more pilot continuous wave (CW) frequencies in the coupled downlink signal; and

performing reverse frequency translation using the one or more pilot CW frequencies, at the CMCA, to perform the shifting of the shifted first and second downlink signals and the shifting of the original first and second uplink signals.

23. The system as set forth in claim 21 , wherein the CETM performs the steps of:

receiving, as a coupled signal, one of the coupled uplink signal and the coupled downlink signal;

differentiating between CATV signals of the coupled signal and shifted first and second signals of the coupled signal;

passing the CATV signals of the coupled signal through the active component of the CATV network;

passing the shifted first and second signals of the coupled signal around the active component of the CATV network; and

after the passing steps, recombining the CATV signals of the coupled signal with the shifted first and second signals of the coupled signal to provide a signal for transmission over the CATV network.

24. The system as set forth in claim 23 , further comprising:

injecting, at the CEEM, one or more pilot continuous wave (CW) frequencies in the coupled downlink signal; and

performing reverse frequency translation using the one or more pilot CW frequencies, at the CMCA, to perform the shifting of the shifted first and second downlink signals and the shifting of the original first and second uplink signals.

25. An apparatus for supporting multi-band bidirectional cellular communication at an indoor termination point of a CATV network, comprising:

a first frequency converter for:

converting original frequency uplink wireless RF signals of a first cellular system, received from an antenna, to corresponding first shifted uplink wireless RF signals, and

converting first shifted downlink wireless RF signals, received from the CATV network, to original frequency downlink wireless RF signals of the first cellular system; and

a second frequency converter for:

converting original frequency uplink wireless RF signals of a second cellular system, received from an antenna, to corresponding second shifted uplink wireless RF signals, and

converting second shifted, downlink wireless RF signals, received from the CATV network, to original frequency downlink wireless RF signals of the second cellular system;

wherein the shifted wireless RF signals have respective sub-band frequencies in accordance with a predetermined frequency plan; and

wherein the shifted uplink wireless RF signals are in a band higher in frequency than CATV signals of the CATV network.

26. The apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , further comprising a third frequency for:

converting original frequency uplink wireless RF signals of a third cellular system, received from an antenna, to corresponding third shifted uplink wireless RF signals, and

converting third shifted downlink wireless RF signals, received from the CATV network, to original frequency downlink wireless RF signals of the third cellular system.

Assignments (8)