Ericsson Gmbh

Jacque Huffman

Arun Naidu

Larry Eckstein

A communications system and method are provided for reducing noise in a distributed antenna network. The system includes a plurality of remote antenna units with each remote antenna unit including a receiver for receiving input signals, a signal strength processor for determining whether a valid signal is present at its respective remote antenna unit and an output controller for switching off the network connection when no valid signal is present. As a result, the cumulative noise generated by uplink stages connected to the remote antenna units is reduced by switching off the network connection of remote antennas that are do not have to be connected. The communications system and method may further include an output controller for controlling the output for its respective remote antenna unit based on the comparison by the signal strength processor. The output controller may control the network connection of the remote antennas by switching off their connection to the network when the signal strength processor determines that the signal strength level is below a noise threshold level. The output controller may control the output of the remote antenna units by switching off their connection to the network when the signal strength processor determines that the signal strength level is below a noise threshold level and by switching on the connection to the network when the input signal strength level is greater than or equal to the noise threshold level.

System and method for reducing cumulative noise in a distributed antenna

A communication system and method are provided for equalizing delay of transmission paths in a distributed antenna network. The distributed antenna network includes a plurality of remote antenna units, a central unit or a base station connected to the remote antenna units by transmission media, where each connection between the base station and one of the remote antenna units forms a separate transmission path having an associated delay time, a delay detector for determining the associated delay time of the separate transmission paths for each of the remote antenna units, and a delay compensator for adjusting the associated delay times in response to the delay detectors so that all of the associated delay times are substantially equalized. The system and method allow the delay parameters for the entire network to be set upon installation and then to be periodically updated without physical intervention by an operator. The detection and compensation allow for equalization of delay time differences that could not otherwise be compensated in the base stations or mobile stations of conventional systems and methods. Furthmore, the equalization synchronizes the bursts so that air frame timing between cells served by the remote antenna units is enhanced and the hand-off performance therebetween is improved.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Jacque Huffman