DAS integrated digital off-air repeater
Embodiments may allow remote base transceiver stations (BTSs) physically located away from a local source of users to be able to provide local service as if the remote BTSs were at or near the local source of users. Some embodiments may include a plurality of BTSs, each having one or more sectors, and one or more digital access units (DAUs). Embodiments may also include a plurality of repeater digital units (RDUs), where each RDU may be configured to communicate to at least one of the plurality of BTSs and may be operable to route signals optically to the one or more DAUs. Embodiments may also include a plurality of digital remote units (DRUs) located at a location remote to the one or more DAUs, wherein the plurality of remote DRUs may be operable to transport signals to the one or more DAUs.
1. A system for routing signals in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS), the system comprising:
a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS), each having one or more sectors;
one or more digital access units (DAUs);
a plurality of repeater digital units (RDUs), each RDU configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of BTSs and operable to convert the communications to and from the at least one BTS between analog and digital, and further operable to route digital signals optically to the one or more DAUs, wherein each DAU is further operable to route the digital signals from a BTS to another BTS, and from one DAU to another DAU; and
a plurality of digital remote units (DRUs) located at a location remote to the one or more DAUs, wherein the plurality of DRUs are operable to transport signals to the one or more DAUs, wherein each DAU is further operable to route digital signals from a DRU to a BTS from the plurality of BTSs.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more DAUs are coupled together via at least one of Ethernet cable, Optical Fiber, Microwave Line of Sight Link, Wireless Link, or Satellite Link.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of RDUs are connected to the one or more DAUs via at least one of Ethernet cable, Optical Fiber, Microwave Line of Sight Link, Wireless Link, or Satellite Link.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of RDUs are interconnected in a daisy chain configuration.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of RDUs are connected to one of the one or more DAUs in a star configuration.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of RDUs include multi-frequency, multi-operator and multi-antenna characteristics.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of RDUs exhibit multiple input multiple output (MIMO) characteristics.
8. A system for routing signals in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS), the system comprising:
a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTS), each having one or more sectors;
one or more digital access units (DAUs);
a plurality of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) repeater digital units (RDUs), each MIMO RDU configured to communicate to at least one of the plurality of BTSs and operable to convert the communication from the at least one BTS from analog to digital, and further operable to route digital signals optically to the one or more DAUs, wherein each DAU is further operable to route the digital signals from a BTS to another BTS, and from one DAU to another DAU; and
a plurality of digital remote units (DRUs) located at a location remote to the plurality of RDUs, wherein the plurality of DRUs are operable to receive signals optically from the plurality of MIMO RDUs, wherein each DAU is further operable to route digital signals from a DRU to a BTS from the plurality of BTSs.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of MIMO RDUs are connected to the plurality of DRUs via at least one of Ethernet cable, Optical Fiber, Microwave Line of Sight Link, Wireless Link, or Satellite Link.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of RDUs include multi-frequency, multi-operator and multi-antenna characteristics.
11. A method for routing signals in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS), the method comprising:
receiving at a repeater digital unit (RDU) a radio frequency (RF) signal from a remote base transceiver station (BTS);
converting, by the RDU, the signal from RF to a digital signal;
transporting the digital signal through an optical cable to a digital access unit (DAU);
multiplexing, by the DAU, the digital signal; and
routing the multiplexed signal from the DAU to at least one digital remote unit (DRU).
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the RDU comprises one or more PEER ports and one or more LAN ports.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the DAU comprises one or more PEER ports and one or more LAN ports.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising demultiplexing the digital signal at the least one DRU to regenerate the digital signal.