Providing simultaneous digital and analog services and optical fiber-based distributed antenna systems, and related components and methods
Embodiments relate to providing simultaneous digital and analog services in optical fiber-based distributed radio frequency (RF) antenna systems (DASs), and related components and methods. A multiplex switch unit associated with a head-end unit of a DAS can be configured to receive a plurality of analog and digital downlink signals from one or more sources, such as a service matrix unit, and to assign each downlink signal to be transmitted to one or more remote units of the DAS. In one example, when two or more downlink signals are assigned to be transmitted to the same remote unit, a wave division multiplexer/demultiplexer associated with the multiplex switch unit can be configured to wave division multiplex the component downlink signals into a combined downlink signal for remote side transmission and to demultiplex received combined uplink signals into their component uplink signals for head-end side transmission.
1. A method of operating a multiplex switch unit for a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of remote units, comprising:
receiving, at a plurality of head-end side inputs of the multiplex switch unit, a plurality of component downlink signals comprising at least one downlink radio frequency (RF) communication signal and at least one downlink digital data (DD) signal;
assigning each component downlink signal received at the plurality of head-end side inputs to at least one of a plurality of remote side optical outputs of the multiplex switch unit, including selectively assigning at least one downlink RF communication signal and at least one downlink DD signal to a specific common remote side optical output based on a determination that the at least one downlink RF communication signal and the at least one downlink DD signal are to be transmitted to a common remote unit, wherein the specific common remote side optical output corresponds to the common remote unit;
for each remote side optical output:
multiplexing the respective assigned component downlink signals into a combined optical downlink signal; and
transmitting the respective combined optical downlink signal to the assigned at least one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs;
receiving, at a plurality of remote side optical inputs, a plurality of optical uplink signals, each optical uplink signal comprising at least one component optical uplink signal, wherein each of the plurality of remote side optical inputs is complementary to a corresponding one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs, wherein:
at least one optical uplink signal is a combined optical uplink signal comprising a plurality of component optical uplink signals; and
at least one combined optical uplink signal comprises at least one uplink RF communication signal and at least one uplink DD signal;
for each remote side optical input, receiving a combined optical uplink signal, separating each combined optical uplink signal into each of the respective component optical uplink signals; and
transmitting each component optical uplink signal, wherein
combining the component downlink signals into the combined optical downlink signal comprises wave division multiplexing the component downlink signals into the combined optical downlink signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of component optical uplink signals are transmitted from respective head-end side outputs to at least one service matrix unit, each service matrix unit receiving at least one uplink RF communication signal and at least one uplink DD signal from at least one respective head-end side output.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least some of the plurality of component downlink signals are received at respective head-end side inputs from at least one service matrix unit, each service matrix unit transmitting at least one downlink RF communication signal and at least one downlink DD signal to at least one respective head-end side input.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of component downlink signals are received at respective head-end side inputs from at least one service matrix unit, each service matrix unit transmitting at least one downlink RF communication signal and at least one downlink DD signal to at least one respective head-end side input.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of component downlink signals are electrical signals, the method further comprising converting each component downlink signal into a respective component optical downlink signal.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising converting each component optical uplink signal into a respective component electrical uplink signal and transmitting each respective component electrical uplink signal to the respective at least one head-end side output.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote units are distributed over multiple floors of a building infrastructure.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each remote unit includes at least one antenna assembly.
9. A method of operating a multiplex switch unit for a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of remote units distributed over at least three floors of a building infrastructure, comprising:
receiving, at a plurality of head-end side inputs of the multiplex switch unit, a plurality of component downlink signals comprising at least one downlink radio frequency (RF) communication signal and at least one downlink digital data (DD) signal;
assigning each component downlink signal received at the plurality of head-end side inputs to at least one of a plurality of remote side optical outputs of the multiplex switch unit, including selectively assigning at least one downlink RF communication signal and at least one downlink DD signal to a specific common remote side optical output based on a determination that the at least one downlink RF communication signal and the at least one downlink DD signal are to be transmitted to a common remote unit, wherein the specific common remote side optical output corresponds to the common remote unit;
for each remote side optical output:
multiplexing the respective assigned component downlink signals into a combined optical downlink signal; and
transmitting the respective combined optical downlink signal to the assigned at least one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs;
receiving, at a plurality of remote side optical inputs, a plurality of optical uplink signals, each optical uplink signal comprising at least one component optical uplink signal, wherein each of the plurality of remote side optical inputs is complementary to a corresponding one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs, wherein:
at least one optical uplink signal is a combined optical uplink signal comprising a plurality of component optical uplink signals; and
at least one combined optical uplink signal comprises at least one uplink RF communication signal and at least one uplink DD signal;
for each remote side optical input, receiving a combined optical uplink signal, separating each combined optical uplink signal into each of the respective component optical uplink signals;
transmitting each component optical uplink signal, wherein the plurality of component downlink signals are electrical signals; and
converting each component downlink signal into a respective component optical downlink signal.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising converting each component optical uplink signal into a respective component electrical uplink signal and transmitting each respective component electrical uplink signal to the respective at least one head-end side output.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein each remote unit includes at least one optical-to-electrical converter.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each remote unit includes at least one antenna assembly.
13. A method of operating a multiplex switch unit for a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of remote units, comprising:
receiving, at a plurality of head-end side inputs of the multiplex switch unit, a plurality of component downlink signals comprising at least one downlink radio frequency (RF) communication signal and at least one downlink digital data (DD) signal;
assigning each component downlink signal received at the plurality of head-end side inputs to at least one of a plurality of remote side optical outputs of the multiplex switch unit, including selectively assigning at least one downlink RF communication signal and at least one downlink DD signal to a specific common remote side optical output based on a determination that the at least one downlink RF communication signal and the at least one downlink DD signal are to be transmitted to a common remote unit, wherein the specific common remote side optical output corresponds to the common remote unit;
for each remote side optical output:
multiplexing the respective assigned component downlink signals into a combined optical downlink signal; and
transmitting the respective combined optical downlink signal to the assigned at least one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs;
receiving, at a plurality of remote side optical inputs, a plurality of optical uplink signals, each optical uplink signal comprising at least one component optical uplink signal, wherein each of the plurality of remote side optical inputs is complementary to a corresponding one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs, wherein:
at least one optical uplink signal is a combined optical uplink signal comprising a plurality of component optical uplink signals; and
at least one combined optical uplink signal comprises at least one uplink RF communication signal and at least one uplink DD signal;
for each remote side optical input, receiving a combined optical uplink signal, separating each combined optical uplink signal into each of the respective component optical uplink signals;
transmitting each component optical uplink signal, wherein the plurality of component downlink signals are electrical signals; and
converting each component downlink signal into a respective component optical downlink signal.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising converting each component optical uplink signal into a respective component electrical uplink signal and transmitting each respective component electrical uplink signal to the respective at least one head-end side output.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the remote units are distributed over multiple floors of a building infrastructure.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each remote unit includes at least one antenna assembly.
17. A method of operating a multiplex switch unit for a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of remote units, comprising:
receiving, at a plurality of head-end side inputs of the multiplex switch unit, a plurality of component downlink signals comprising at least one downlink radio frequency (RF) communication signal and at least one downlink digital data (DD) signal;
assigning each component downlink signal received at the plurality of head-end side inputs to at least one of a plurality of remote side optical outputs of the multiplex switch unit, including selectively assigning at least one downlink RF communication signal and at least one downlink DD signal to a specific common remote side optical output based on a determination that the at least one downlink RF communication signal and the at least one downlink DD signal are to be transmitted to a common remote unit, wherein the specific common remote side optical output corresponds to the common remote unit;
for each remote side optical output:
multiplexing the respective assigned component downlink signals into a combined optical downlink signal; and
transmitting the respective combined optical downlink signal to the assigned at least one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs;
receiving, at a plurality of remote side optical inputs, a plurality of optical uplink signals, each optical uplink signal comprising at least one component optical uplink signal, wherein each of the plurality of remote side optical inputs is complementary to a corresponding one of the plurality of remote side optical outputs, wherein:
at least one optical uplink signal is a combined optical uplink signal comprising a plurality of component optical uplink signals; and
at least one combined optical uplink signal comprises at least one uplink RF communication signal and at least one uplink DD signal;
for each remote side optical input, receiving a combined optical uplink signal, separating each combined optical uplink signal into each of the respective component optical uplink signals;
transmitting each component optical uplink signal;
converting each component optical uplink signal into a respective component electrical uplink signal; and
transmitting each respective component electrical uplink signal to the respective at least one head-end side output.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the remote units are distributed over multiple floors of a building infrastructure.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein each remote unit includes at least one antenna assembly.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein each remote unit includes at least one antenna assembly.