Distributed antenna system
The present disclosure is a novel utility of a software defined radio (SDR) based Distributed Antenna System (DAS) that is field reconfigurable and support multi-modulation schemes (modulation-independent), multi-carriers, multi-frequency bands and multi-channels. The present invention enables a high degree of flexibility to manage, control, enhance, facilitate the usage and performance of a distributed wireless network such as Flexible Simulcast, automatic traffic load-balancing, network and radio resource optimization, network calibration, autonomous/assisted commissioning, carrier pooling, automatic frequency selection, frequency carrier placement, traffic monitoring, traffic tagging, pilot beacon, etc. As a result, a DAS in accordance with the present invention can increase the efficiency and traffic capacity of the operators' wireless network.
1. A system to transport wireless communications, comprising:
a digital access unit;
a plurality of signal sources, including at least a first signal source and a second signal source;
a plurality of remote units, including at least a first remote unit and a second remote unit; wherein the digital access unit comprises a plurality of interfaces to communicatively couple the digital access unit to the plurality of signal sources;
wherein the digital access unit is configured to receive a plurality of radio resources from the first signal source and the second signal source;
wherein the digital access unit is configured to send a digital representation of a first set of radio resources to the first remote unit at a first point in time, the first set of radio resources for transmission at an antenna of the first remote unit;
wherein the digital access unit is configured to send a digital representation of a second set of radio resources to the first remote unit at a second point in time, the second set of radio resources for transmission at the antenna of the first remote unit;
wherein a number of radio resources in the first set of radio resources is different from a number of radio resources in the second set of radio resources at least based on dynamic load balancing and resource management; and
wherein the digital access unit is configured to receive digital signals from each of the plurality of remote units.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system determines load and selects traffic paths based at least in part on the determined load.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management controls routes from a digital access unit port to a remote unit port.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management dynamically adjusts a capacity of at least the first remote unit.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses uplink summing to combine signals from at least the first and second remote units.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses steering to route signal traffic in the system.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses capacity steering to route signal traffic in the system.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses network capacity to route signal traffic in the system.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first remote unit is a low power radio capable of using multiple frequency bands.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital signals communicated between the digital access unit and the remote units are sent via optical cables.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote units are automatically configured by the system.
12. A method for wireless communications comprising:
receiving, at a digital access unit, a plurality of radio resources from a first signal source and a second signal source, wherein the digital access unit comprises a plurality of interfaces to communicatively couple the digital access unit to a plurality of signal sources;
sending, by the digital access unit, a digital representation of a first set of radio resources to a first remote unit at a first point in time, the first set of radio resources for transmission at an antenna of the first remote unit; and
sending, by the digital access unit, a digital representation of a second set of radio resources to the first remote unit at a second point in time, the second set of radio resources for transmission at the antenna of the first remote unit,
wherein a number of radio resources in the first set of radio resources is different from a number of radio resources in the second set of radio resources at least based on dynamic load balancing and resource management.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a load and selecting traffic paths based at least in part on the determined load.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management controls routes from a digital access unit port to a remote unit port.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management dynamically adjusts a capacity of at least the first remote unit.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses uplink summing to combine signals from at least the first and a second remote unit.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses steering to route signal traffic.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses capacity steering to route signal traffic.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic load balancing and resource management uses network capacity to route signal traffic.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first remote unit is a low power radio capable of using multiple frequency bands.
21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the signals communicated between the digital access unit and remote units are sent via optical cables.
22. The method of claim 12 , further comprising automatically configuring remote units.