Software configurable distributed antenna system and method for bandwidth compression and transport of signals in noncontiguous frequency blocks

1. A method for transporting communications signals, the method comprising:

receiving an analog IF signal at a first unit, wherein the analog IF signal includes a first carrier having a first frequency and a first bandwidth and a second carrier having a second frequency different from the first frequency and a second bandwidth;

providing a sampling signal having a sampling frequency;

converting the analog IF signal to a digitally sampled IF signal having:

the first carrier located in a first Nyquist zone;

the second carrier located in a second Nyquist zone;

an image of the first carrier located in a third Nyquist zone; and

an image of the second carrier located in the third Nyquist zone;

transmitting the image of the first carrier and the image of the second carrier from the first unit to a second unit;

receiving the image of the first carrier and the image of the second carrier at the second unit;

providing a second sampling signal have a second sampling frequency; and

converting the image of the first carrier and the image of the second carrier to the analog IF signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first unit comprises a DRU and the second unit comprises a DAU.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first unit comprises a DAU and the second unit comprises a DRU.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the third Nyquist zone is centered at a frequency lower than a center of the first Nyquist zone and a center of the second Nyquist zone.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering the digitally sampled IF signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the image from the first unit to a second unit is performing using an Ethernet cable, an optical cable, a microwave link, a coaxial connection, or a wireless link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the image from the first unit to a second unit is via a parallel connector independent of a SERDES.

8. A system for transporting communications signals, the system comprising:

a first unit having:

an input port operable to receive an analog IF signal including a first carrier having a first frequency and a first bandwidth and a second carrier having a second frequency different from the first frequency and a second bandwidth;

an A/D converter coupled to the input port and operable to convert the analog IF signal into a digitally sampled IF signal wherein:

the first carrier is located in a first Nyquist zone;

the second carrier is located in a second Nyquist zone;

an image of the first carrier is located in a third Nyquist zone; and

an image of the second carrier is located in the third Nyquist zone;

a second unit including a D/A converter operable to convert the image of the first carrier and the image of the second carrier into the analog IF signal; and

a transmission link coupling the first unit and the second unit, wherein the transmission link is operable to transmit the image of the first carrier and the image of the second carrier from the first unit to the second unit.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first unit comprises a DRU and the second unit comprises a DAU.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the first unit comprises a DAU and the second unit comprises a DRU.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising a daisy chain of DRUs, wherein each DRU of the daisy chain comprises an input port and an A/D converter.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising a daisy chain of DAUs, wherein each DAU of the daisy chain comprises an input port and an A/D converter.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the first unit further comprises a filter coupled to the A/D converter and operable to filter out the first Nyquist zone and the second Nyquist zone.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the transmission link comprises an Ethernet cable, an optical cable, a microwave link, a coaxial connection, or a wireless link.