Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) repeater system
Technology for a diversity bi-directional repeater is disclosed. The diversity bi-directional repeater can include a first interface port, a second interface port, a 1 st first-direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the first interface port and the second interface port, and a 1 st second direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the first interface port and the second interface port. The diversity bi-directional repeater can further include a third interface port, a fourth interface port, a 2 nd first-direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the third interface port and the fourth interface port, and a 2 nd second direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the third interface port and the fourth interface port.
1. A bi-directional diversity repeater, comprising at least:
a first interface port;
a second interface port;
a 1 st first-direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the first interface port and the second interface port;
a 1 st second direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the first interface port and the second interface port;
a third interface port;
a fourth interface port;
a 2 nd first-direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the third interface port and the fourth interface port; and
a 2 nd second direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the third interface port and the fourth interface port,
wherein:
the 1st first-direction signal amplification and filtering path and the 2 nd first-direction signal amplification and filtering path amplify a same first-direction frequency range and the 1 st second-direction signal amplification and filtering path and the 2 nd second-direction signal amplification and filtering path amplify a same second-direction frequency range;
the first interface port and the third interface port are configured to be communicatively coupled to a diversity donor antenna;
the second interface port and the fourth interface port are configured to be communicatively coupled to a diversity server antenna;
a first diversity sub-repeater that includes the first interface port and the second interface port; and
a second diversity sub-repeater that includes the third interface port and the fourth interface port,
wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is packaged with the second diversity sub-repeater in the bi-directional diversity repeater to achieve a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) capability for the bi-directional diversity repeater.
2. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the MIMO capability for the bi-directional diversity repeater provides an improved signal diversity, bitrate and error rate.
3. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater includes a delay block to apply a defined signal delay, wherein the second diversity sub-repeater does not include a delay block, thereby producing a delay spread between the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the bi-directional diversity repeater in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
4. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater includes a delay block to apply a first signal delay and the second diversity sub-repeater includes a delay block to apply a second signal delay that is different than the first signal delay, thereby producing a delay spread between the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the bi-directional diversity repeater in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
5. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater includes a different coaxial cable length or a different level of filtering with respect to the second diversity sub-repeater, thereby producing a delay spread between the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the bi-directional diversity repeater in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
6. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is operable to filter and amplify signals on a same set of bands as the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the bi-directional diversity repeater in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
7. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is operable to share a network protection with the second diversity sub-repeater.
8. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is operable to produce one or more of a gain, an output power or an automatic gain control (AGC) differential that is different from that produced by the second diversity sub-repeater.
9. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional diversity repeater is included in an in-line repeater system in which the bi-directional diversity repeater is physically positioned nearer to a diversity donor antenna and a second bi-directional diversity repeater is physically positioned nearer to a diversity server antenna, thereby mitigating coaxial cable loss between the bi-directional diversity repeater and the second bi-directional diversity repeater.
10. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:
a common microcontroller;
a common user interface; or
a common power supply,
wherein the common microcontroller, the common user interface and the common power supply are accessible to the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater.
11. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the first interface and the third interface are communicatively coupled to the diversity donor antenna via a first set of parallel coaxial cables; and
the second interface and the fourth interface are communicatively coupled to the diversity server antenna via a second set of parallel coaxial cables.
12. The diversity bi-directional repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the diversity donor antenna includes two or more donor antennas that are in separate packages or in a same package; and
the diversity server antenna includes two or more server antennas that are in separate packages or in a same package,
wherein separate packages for the diversity donor antenna and the diversity server antenna, respectively, provide increased spatial diversity and isolation.
13. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the diversity server antenna includes multiple diversity server antennas which are communicatively coupled via a splitter or a tap in the bi-directional diversity repeater.
14. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the 1 st first-direction signal amplification and filtering path is a 1 st uplink signal amplification and filtering path;
the 1 st second direction signal amplification and filtering path is a 1 st downlink signal amplification and filtering path;
the 2 nd first-direction signal amplification and filtering path is a 2 nd uplink signal amplification and filtering path; and
the 2 nd second direction signal amplification and filtering path is a 2 nd downlink signal amplification and filtering path.
15. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional diversity repeater is configured to operate in a bi-directional multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) repeater system.
16. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional diversity repeater is configured to provide system redundancy when communicating data between a base station and a mobile device.
17. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 1 , wherein the diversity donor antenna includes:
an omni-directional antenna and a directional antenna; or
two or more omni-directional antennas; or
two or more directional antennas.
18. The bi-directional diversity repeater of claim 17 , wherein the diversity donor antenna having:
the omni-directional antenna and the directional antenna is further configured to communicate with a first set of base stations using the omni-directional antenna and a second set of base stations using the directional antenna; or
two or more directional antennas is further configured to communicate with a first set of base stations using one of the two or more directional antennas and a second set of base stations using a second directional antenna of the two or more directional antennas.
19. A bi-directional multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) repeater system, comprising:
a diversity donor antenna;
a diversity server antenna;
a diversity repeater communicatively coupled to the diversity donor antenna and the diversity server antenna, wherein the diversity repeater includes at least a first diversity sub-repeater and a second diversity sub-repeater that are packaged together to achieve a MIMO capability for the diversity repeater in the MIMO repeater system;
wherein the first diversity sub-repeater includes:
a first interface port;
a second interface port;
a 1 st first-direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the first interface port and the second interface port; and
a 1 st second direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the first interface port and the second interface port; and
wherein the second diversity sub-repeater includes:
a third interface port;
a fourth interface port;
a 2 nd first-direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the third interface port and the fourth interface port; and
a 2 nd second direction signal amplification and filtering path communicatively coupled between the third interface port and the fourth interface port; and
wherein the 1st first-direction signal amplification and filtering path and the 2 nd first-direction signal amplification and filtering path amplify a same first-direction frequency range and the 1 st second-direction signal amplification and filtering path and the 2 nd second-direction signal amplification and filtering path amplify a same second-direction frequency range.
20. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein:
the first diversity sub-repeater includes a delay block to apply a defined signal delay; and
the second diversity sub-repeater does not include a delay block,
thereby producing a delay spread between the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the diversity repeater in the MIMO repeater system in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
21. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein:
the first diversity sub-repeater includes a delay block to apply a first signal delay; and
the second diversity sub-repeater includes a delay block to apply a second signal delay,
thereby producing a delay spread between the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the diversity repeater in the MIMO repeater system in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
22. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is operable to filter and amplify signals on a same set of bands as the second diversity sub-repeater to improve the MIMO capability for the diversity repeater in the MIMO repeater system in terms of one or more of: signal diversity, bitrate or error rate.
23. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is operable to share a network protection with the second diversity sub-repeater.
24. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein the first diversity sub-repeater is operable produce one or more of a gain, an output power or an automatic gain control (AGC) differential that is different from that produced by the second diversity sub-repeater.
25. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein:
the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater are communicatively coupled to the diversity donor antenna via a first parallel coaxial cable; and
the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater are communicatively coupled to the diversity server antenna via a second parallel coaxial cable.
26. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein the diversity repeater includes one or more of:
a common m icrocontroller;
a common user interface; or
a common power supply,
wherein the common microcontroller, the common user interface and the common power supply are accessible to the first diversity sub-repeater and the second diversity sub-repeater.
27. The bi-directional MIMO repeater system of claim 19 , wherein the MIMO repeater system includes: the diversity donor antenna with N separate donor antennas in a single antenna package, the diversity server antenna with N separate server antennas in a single antenna package, and the diversity repeater that includes N diversity sub-repeaters, wherein N is an integer.