CA-3048332-C - RECONFIGURABLE RADIO REMOTE UNIT FOR DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS

Abstract

The reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) for distributed antenna systems comprises a plurality of integrated radio frequency boards (2) each dedicated to a respective frequency band, and configuration means (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) for remotely selecting the frequency bands and/or for setting the power level of the frequency bands.

Inventors

• Roberto Orlandini
• Gilberto Brizzi
• Massimo Notargiacomo
• Paolo Francia
• Isabella Liporesi

Assignees

• TEKO TELECOM S.R.L.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20171220

Priority Date

20161227

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS 1. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) for distributed antenna systems, characterized in that: the remote radio unit comprises a plurality of integrated radio frequency boards (2) each dedicated to a respective frequency band and configuration means (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) for remotely selecting said frequency bands and/or for setting the power level of said frequency bands; said configuration means (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) compnse activation/deactivation means (5) operatively connected to said radio frequency boards (2) and configured for remotely activating or deactivating each of said radio frequency boards (2); and said configuration means (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) comprise power setting means (6, 7) operatively connected to said radio frequency boards (2) and configured for remotely setting the power level of each of said radio frequency boards (2).
2. 2. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said power level is selected from a plurality of predefined power levels.
3. 3. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said configuration means (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) comprises at least a control unit (4) operatively connected with said plurality of integrated radio frequency boards (2).
4. 4. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said control unit (4) comprises at least a configuration table (9) containing a plurality of setting parameters for each available frequency band and/or for each available power level.
5. 5. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, for each available frequency band and/or for each available power level, said setting parameters comprise: Automatic Level Control parameters, Gain parameters, Current Threshold parameters. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-21 11
6. 6. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said control unit (4) comprises at least a microprocessor (10).
7. 7. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, for each of said integrated radio frequency boards (2), said activation/deactivation means (5) comprise at least a power amplifier (5) with an enabling/disabling port (11 ), wherein said enabling/disabling port (11) is operatively connected with said control unit (4).
8. 8. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, for each of said integrated radio frequency boards (2), said power setting means ( 6, 7) comprise at least an attenuation circuit ( 6, 7) operatively connected with said control unit ( 4).
9. 9. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that, for each of said integrated radio frequency boards (2), said attenuation circuit ( 6, 7) comprises at least a digital attenuator (6) and an Automatic Level Control (ALC) circuit (7) operatively connected with said digital attenuator ( 6).
10. 10. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each of said integrated radio frequency boards (2) comprises at least a band-pass filter (15) for passing a respective and predefined frequency band.
11. 11. Reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a single main radio frequency board (3) provided with said plurality of integrated radio frequency boards (2) dedicated to respective frequency bands. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-21 12
12. 12. Reconfigurable distributed antenna system, characterized in that it comprises at least a reconfigurable radio remote unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and at least a master unit (24), wherein said master unit (24) comprises at least a supervision module (25) operatively connected with said control unit ( 4) of said at least a reconfigurable radio remote unit (1).
13. 13. Reconfigurable distributed antenna system according to claim 12, characterized in that said supervision unit (25) comprises an integrated OMT (Operation and Maintenance Terminal) unit configured for accessing and setting said at least a reconfigurable radio remote unit (1).
14. 14. Reconfigurable distributed antenna system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises at least a management unit (26) provided with at least an OMC (Operation and Maintenance Centre) software (27) operatively connected with said at least a supervision unit (25) and configured for accessing and setting said at least a reconfigurable radio remote unit (1 ).
15. 15. Reconfigurable distributed antenna system according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that it uses an authentication procedure for verifying if the OMC software (27) and/or the OMT unit is authorized to check and/or modify the frequency band configuration and/or power level configuration of said at least a reconfigurable remote unit (1). Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-21

Description

WO 2018/122690 PCT /1B2017 /058207 1 RECONFIGURABLE RADIO REMOTE UNIT FOR DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS Technical Field The present invention relates to a reconfigurable radio remote unit for 5 distributed antenna systems. Background Art A Distributed Antenna System, or DAS, is a network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a common source via a transport medium that provides wireless service within a geographic area or structure. 10 It is known that DAS Remote Units must be able to be reconfigured in the field. In order to provide this capability, conventional DAS Remote Units have hardware slots for different radio frequency boards, each board capable of operating in designate bands and at predetermined power levels. These known solutions, however, have some drawbacks. 15 Particularly, in the case a reconfiguration is needed, a technician must actually get to the Remote Unit and insert the required and specific boards, thus increasing the cost to the network operator. Furthermore, in order to allow the reconfiguration, the Remote Unit must be deployed in a location and setting that is accessible to the technician. 20 Furthermore, the Remote Unit must have rack infrastructure in order to accommodate the specific boards, increasing the size, weight, cost, and complexity of the Remote Unit. Disclosure of the Invention The main aim of the present invention 1s to provide a reconfigurable radio 25 remote unit for Distributed Antenna Systems that is configurable remotely, easily and with lower cost, without the need of a direct involvement of a technician on the site. Another object of the present invention is to provide a reconfigurable radio remote unit for Distributed Antenna Systems that can be reconfigured without 30 interruption of service. Another object of the present invention is to provide a reconfigurable radio remote unit for Distributed Antenna Systems which allows much lower cost to 2 the manufacturer. The above-mentioned objects are achieved by the present reconfigurable radio remote, unit fotdistdbuted antenna systems. Bdef Description of the Drawings 5 Other characteri.sdcs and .advantages of the present invention wiU become better evident fmm the description of a preferred, but not ex:.clusive, e1nbodimen.t of a reconfigurable radio remote unit for distributed antenna systems, illustrated by wa:y of an indicative but non~limitating e.xample in the accompanying Figures, in which: n O Figure 1 s]mws an example of the remote unit according to the inventfon; figure 2 sb.owsan. e.xamp,le of a reconfi.gurable DAS system with a plu.rality remote units according to the invention. With particul.ar reference to such illustrations, globally indicated with reference 1 is a reconfigurable radio 1-emote unit for distributed antenna systems. The remote unit 1 can be used in conventional DAS ,systems a11d i.t has a fully integrated RF hardware with .factory calibration information that is remot,ely reconfigurable, easily and without interrupt.ion of the service. by means of a dedicated management software .. 20 Particulady, the reconfigurable radio remote ml.it ] comprises a pl.urality of iotegrat!ed .radio fre,quency boards 2 each dedicated. to a respective frequen.cy ban.d. According to a preferred embodiment,. schemati.cally showed 1.11 Figure 1, the reco1tfigurable radio .remote unit 1 comprises a :singl.e main radio freque11cy board 3 provided with said plurality of integrated radio frequency boards 2 dedicated to respective frequency bands. However, differe.nt: embodiments are :not excluded. in which for example different integrated boards are suitably made and connected to each other. Furthemmre, the reconfigurable radio remote unit l co111ptises config:u.ration 30 means 41 5, 6, 7, 8 for remotely selecting one or more frequency bands and/or for settin.g the power level of said selected frequency bands. Pn~ferabl.y.;. the configuration means 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 allow both the sel~ction of one Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-03-21 3 or more frequency bands and the setting of the power level for each selected frequency band. Particularly, the configuration means 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 compnse a control unit 4 operatively connected with the plurality of integrated radio frequency boards 2. 5 The control unit 4 comprises at least a configuration table 9 containing a plurality of setting parameters for each available frequency band and for each available power level. Particularly, according to a preferred embodiment of the reconfigurable radio remote unit 1, for each available frequency band and/or for each available 10 power level the setting parameters in the configuration table 9 compnse: Automatic Level Control parameters, Gain parameters, Current Threshold parameters. Preferably, the setting parameters are stored in the configuration table 9 during the factory calibration of the reconfigurable remote unit 1. 15 Usefully, the control unit 4 can be provided with a memory unit for storing the configuration table