Broadband distributed antenna system with non-duplexer isolator sub-system
View Patent ↗Certain aspects and aspects of the present invention are directed to a distributed antenna system having a downlink communication path, an uplink communication path, and a non-duplexer isolator sub-system. The downlink communication path can communicatively couple a transmit antenna to a base station. The uplink communication path can communicatively couple a receive antenna to the base station. In one aspect, the non-duplexer isolator sub-system can be electronically configured for isolating uplink signals traversing the uplink communication path from downlink signals. In another aspect, a non-duplexer isolator sub-system can be configurable in one or more mechanical steps selecting a frequency response. In another aspect, a non-duplexer isolator sub-system can include an active mitigation sub-system.
1. A distributed antenna system, comprising:
a downlink communication path configured for communicatively coupling a transmit antenna to a base station;
an uplink communication path configured for communicatively coupling a receive antenna to the base station;
a non-duplexer isolator sub-system electronically configured for isolating uplink signals traversing the uplink communication path from downlink signals; and
a gain adjuster positioned in the uplink communication path, the gain adjuster being configured to adjust a gain of the uplink signals by attenuating the gain of the uplink signals in response to the gain exceeding a threshold;
wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system comprises:
a first digital summer positioned in the uplink communication path and configured for mitigating downlink signals traversing the uplink communication path, wherein the downlink signals are mitigated using a mitigation signal from a first reference communication path between the uplink communication path and the downlink communication path, and
the first reference communication path, wherein the first reference communication path comprises a second digital summer, wherein the second digital summer is configured for mitigating additional downlink signals transmitted at frequencies in an uplink band and traversing the first reference communication path, wherein the additional downlink signals are mitigated using a second mitigation signal from a second reference communication path between the second digital summer and the downlink communication path.
2. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system further comprises an electronically configurable filter positioned in one of the downlink communication path or the uplink communication path.
3. The distributed antenna system of claim 2 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system further comprises a switch filter bank positioned in one of the downlink communication path or the uplink communication path.
4. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system further comprises:
a first electronically configurable filter positioned in the downlink communication path; and
a second electronically configurable filter positioned in the uplink communication path.
5. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system further comprises:
an analog summer positioned in the uplink communication path, the analog summer being configured for isolating uplink signals traversing the uplink communication path from downlink signals by mitigating, based on an additional mitigation signal from an analog filter, downlink signals traversing the uplink communication path.
6. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first reference communication path is configured for communicatively coupling the downlink communication path to the first digital summer;
wherein a configurable digital filter is positioned in the first reference communication path and is configured to generate the mitigation signal from a signal traversing the first reference communication path.
7. The distributed antenna system of claim 6 , wherein the configurable digital filter is configured to iteratively adjust a frequency response of the configurable digital filter in response to the signal traversing the first reference communication path and an output signal outputted from the first digital summer.
8. The distributed antenna system of claim 6 , further comprising:
the second reference communication path, wherein the second reference communication path is configured for communicatively coupling the downlink communication path to the second digital summer;
a time-delay component positioned in the second reference communication path, the time-delay component configured for receiving receive a reference signal from the downlink communication path and outputting a time-delayed signal; and
a second configurable digital filter positioned in the second reference communication path, the second configurable digital filter configured for receiving the time-delayed signal and providing the second mitigation signal to the second digital summer;
wherein the second configurable digital filter is configured to iteratively adjust a frequency response of the second configurable digital filter based on the time-delayed signal and an output signal outputted from the second digital summer.
9. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system is disposed in a master unit of the distributed antenna system.
10. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system is disposed in a remote antenna unit of the distributed antenna system.
11. A distributed antenna system, comprising:
a downlink communication path configured for communicatively coupling a transmit antenna to a base station;
an uplink communication path configured for communicatively coupling a receive antenna to the base station;
a non-duplexer isolator sub-system comprising a filter device configurable in one or more mechanical steps for selecting a frequency response, wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system is electronically configured for isolating uplink signals traversing the uplink communication path from downlink signals; and
a gain adjuster positioned in the uplink communication path, the gain adjuster being configured to adjust a gain of the uplink signals by attenuating the gain of the uplink signals in response to the gain exceeding a threshold.
12. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 , wherein the filter device comprises a switch filter bank positioned in one of the downlink communication path or the uplink communication path.
13. The distributed antenna system of claim 12 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system further comprises an electronically configurable filter positioned in one of the downlink communication path or the uplink communication path.
14. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 , wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system comprises:
a first switch filter bank positioned in the downlink communication path; and
a second switch filter bank positioned in the uplink communication path.
15. The distributed antenna system of claim 11 , wherein the frequency response comprises a passband for attenuating downlink signals transmitted at uplink frequencies.
16. A distributed antenna system, comprising:
a downlink communication path configured for communicatively coupling a transmit antenna to a base station;
an uplink communication path configured for communicatively coupling a receive antenna to the base station;
a non-duplexer isolator sub-system comprising an active mitigation sub-system, wherein the non-duplexer isolator sub-system is electronically configured for isolating uplink signals traversing the uplink communication path from downlink signals; and
a gain adjuster positioned in the uplink communication path, the gain adjuster being configured to adjust a gain of the uplink signals by attenuating the gain of the uplink signals in response to the gain exceeding a threshold;
wherein the active mitigation sub-system comprises:
a first digital summer and a second digital summer positioned in the uplink communication path, wherein the first digital summer is configured for mitigating downlink signals traversing the uplink communication path using a mitigation signal from a first reference communication path, wherein the second digital summer is configured for mitigating nonlinear distortion signals traversing the uplink communication path using a second mitigation signal from a second reference communication path, and
the second reference communication path, wherein the second reference communication path comprises a configurable digital filter, wherein the configurable digital filter is configured to receive a non-linear distortion reference signal from a non-linear function generator and provide the second mitigation signal to the second digital summer.
17. The distributed antenna system of claim 16 , wherein the active mitigation sub-system further comprises an analog summer positioned in the uplink communication path, the analog summer being configured for isolating uplink signals traversing the uplink communication path from downlink signals by mitigating, based on a mitigation signal from an analog filter, downlink signals traversing the uplink communication path.
18. The distributed antenna system of claim 16 , wherein the second reference communication path is configured for communicatively coupling the downlink communication path to the second digital summer and further comprising:
a time-delay component positioned in the second reference communication path, the time-delay component configured for receiving a reference signal from the downlink communication path and outputting a time-delayed signal;
the non-linear function generator, the non-linear function generator configured for receiving the time-delayed signal and outputting the non-linear distortion reference signal.
19. The distributed antenna system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a third digital summer positioned in the first reference communication path;
a third reference communication path configured for communicatively coupling the time-delay component to the third digital summer;
a second nonlinear function generator, the second nonlinear function generator configured for receiving the time-delayed signal and outputting a second non-linear distortion reference signal; and
a third configurable digital filter positioned in the third reference communication path, the third configurable digital filter configured for receiving the second non-linear distortion reference signal and providing a third mitigation signal to the third digital summer;
wherein the third digital summer is configured for mitigating nonlinear distortion signals traversing the first reference communication path using the third mitigation signal from the third configurable digital filter.
20. The distributed antenna system of claim 16 , wherein the configurable digital filter is configured to iteratively adjust a frequency response of the configurable digital filter based on the non-linear distortion reference signal and an output signal outputted from the second digital summer.