TDD FDD communication interface
TDD access equipment modified by introducing a frequency change at the normal TDD guard point, with respective downlink or uplink periods for individual subscriber stations offset to form overlapping frames. Cyclo-stationary processing, block equalization, and burst timing coordination allow the boundary between downlink and uplink portions of both frames to be set dynamically, improving spectral efficiency. Fast frequency switching within an allotted physical slot enables synchronization of time-sharing the dedicated frequencies to be maintained among subscriber stations. Duplex spacing between downlink and uplink frequencies for individual subscriber stations, combined with in-depth filtering of received signals, prevents spurious out-of-band transmission signal strength from reaching an interference level.
1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a first transceiver in direct, bidirectional time division duplex (TDD) communication with a terrestrial base station, wherein:
the terrestrial base station is in direct wireless communication with a plurality of wireless communication devices, each in a different sector of a plurality of sectors of a cell site associated with the terrestrial base station; and
the first transceiver:
receives a broadcast beam signal transmitted by the terrestrial base station at a start of a TDD frame to wireless communication devices in more than one of the plurality of sectors, the broadcast beam signal comprising a start of a frame field and a beam map containing scanning beam information;
receives downlink data traffic in a downlink portion of the TDD frame transmitted by the terrestrial base station in a directed scanning beam signal directed to substantially only wireless communication devices within one of the plurality of sectors; and
detects the directed scanning beam signal using the scanning beam information; and
a second wireless local area network transceiver in direct wireless broadband communication with a plurality of computing devices located within a coverage area of the second transceiver, the second transceiver being coupled to the first transceiver wherein:
the first transceiver receives a first signal within the downlink data traffic from the base station, the first signal intended for a first computing device of the plurality of computing devices, the second wireless local area network transceiver determines signal characteristics of the first computing device, and the second transceiver transmits the first signal to the first computing device based on the determined signal characteristics of the first computing device; and
the second transceiver receives a second signal from the first computing device, the second signal intended for the base station, and the first transceiver transmits the second signal to the base station.
2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , the second transceiver receives a third signal from the first computing device and sends the third signal to a second computing device of the plurality of computing devices, the third signal not passing through the base station.
3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the scanning beam information identifies a downlink time slot in the downlink portion during which the directed scanning beam signals transmits the downlink data traffic.
4. The wireless communication device of claim 3 wherein the scanning beam information identifies at least one modulation format associated with the directed scanning beam signals.
5. The wireless communication device of claim 3 wherein the scanning beam information identifies at least one forward error correction code level associated with the directed scanning beam signals.
6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the first transceiver further transmits uplink data traffic to the terrestrial base station in an uplink portion of the TDD frame.
7. The wireless communication device of claim 6 wherein the beam map further contains uplink transmission information identifying an uplink time slot in the uplink portion during which the first transceiver transmits the uplink data traffic.
8. The wireless communication device of claim 7 wherein the uplink transmission information further identifies at least one modulation format used by the first transceiver to transmit the uplink data traffic.
9. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless local area network transceiver is removably coupled to the first transceiver.
10. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a first transceiver in direct wireless communication with a terrestrial base station, wherein the terrestrial base station is in direct wireless communication with a plurality of wireless communication devices located within a wireless coverage area of the terrestrial base station; and
a second wireless local area network transceiver in direct wireless broadband communication with a plurality of computing devices over a wireless local area network (WLAN) formed by the second wireless local area network transceiver and the plurality of computing devices, wherein:
the second wireless local area network transceiver facilitates communications with the computing devices over the WLAN, including communications within the WLAN;
the plurality of computing devices are located within a coverage area of the second transceiver;
the second transceiver is coupled to the first transceiver;
the wireless coverage area of the terrestrial base station overlays the coverage area of the second transceiver;
the first transceiver receives a first signal from the base station, the first signal intended for a first computing device of the plurality of computing devices, the second wireless local area network transceiver determines signal characteristics of the first computing device, and the second transceiver transmits the first signal to the first computing device based on the determined signal characteristics of the first computing device; and the second transceiver receives a second signal from the first computing device, the second signal intended for the base station, and the first transceiver transmits the second signal to the base station.
11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein:
the wireless coverage area of the terrestrial base station is a cell site associated with the terrestrial base station;
each device of the plurality of wireless communication devices is in a different sector of a plurality of sectors of the cell site; and
the first transceiver:
communicates in direct, bidirectional time division duplex (TDD) communication with the terrestrial base station;
receives a broadcast beam signal transmitted by the terrestrial base station at a start of a TDD frame to wireless communication devices in more than one of the plurality of sectors, the broadcast beam signal comprising a start of a frame field and a beam map containing scanning beam information;
receives downlink data traffic, comprising the first signal, in a downlink portion of the TDD frame transmitted by the terrestrial base station in a directed scanning beam signal directed to substantially only wireless communication devices within one of the plurality of sectors; and
detects the directed scanning beam signal using the scanning beam information.
12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the scanning beam information identifies a downlink time slot in the downlink portion during which the directed scanning beam signals transmits the downlink data traffic.
13. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the scanning beam information identifies at least one modulation format associated with the directed scanning beam signals.
14. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the first transceiver further transmits uplink data traffic to the terrestrial base station in an uplink portion of the TDD frame.
15. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the beam map further contains uplink transmission information identifying an uplink time slot in the uplink portion during which the first transceiver transmits the uplink data traffic.
16. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the uplink transmission information further identifies at least one modulation format used by the first transceiver to transmit the uplink data traffic.
17. The wireless communication device of claim 16 , wherein the uplink transmission information further identifies at least one at least one forward error correction code level used by the first transceiver to transmit the uplink data traffic.
18. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , the second transceiver receives a third signal from the first computing device and sends the third signal to a second computing device of the plurality of computing devices, the third signal not passing through the base station.
19. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the second wireless local area network transceiver is removably coupled to the first transceiver.
20. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein:
the wireless coverage area of the terrestrial base station is a cell site associated with the terrestrial base station;
each device of the plurality of wireless communication devices is in a different sector of a plurality of sectors of the cell site; and
the first transceiver:
communicates in direct, bidirectional communication with the terrestrial base station;
receives a broadcast beam signal transmitted by the terrestrial base station to wireless communication devices in more than one of the plurality of sectors, the broadcast beam signal comprising a start of a frame field and a beam map containing scanning beam information;
receives downlink data traffic, comprising the first signal, transmitted by the terrestrial base station in a directed scanning beam signal directed to substantially only wireless communication devices within one of the plurality of sectors; and
detects the directed scanning beam signal using the scanning beam information.
21. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the WLAN is of a different network type than the direct wireless communication of the terrestrial base station.