The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 26, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 30, 1999
Michael A. Komara, Indialantic, FL (US);
Thomas R. Schmutz, Indialantic, FL (US);
Jeffrey R. Nuckols, Indialantic, FL (US);
Roger L. Overton, New York, NY (US);
Thomasz Strzelec, Smithtown, NY (US);
Airnet Communications Corporation, Melbourne, FL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for using a loopback capability of a radio frequency (RF) repeater to provide for end-to-end testing without a wireline connection is disclosed. A RF source sends a signaling waveform to the RF repeater. Upon receiving the signaling waveform, the RF repeater enters the loopback mode. The RF source sends another identical signaling waveform to the RF repeater to end the loopback mode. In another embodiment, a base transceiver station (BTS) sends a signaling waveform to an intelligent RF repeater-translator upon detection of a lack of activity. The received signaling waveform places the intelligent RF repeater translator into a loopback mode. If alarms are present in the intelligent RF repeater-translator, the intelligent RF repeater-translator ceases processing and the BTS informs the OMC of the error condition. Otherwise, the loopback mode is entered and BTS initiates testing of the intelligent RF repeater-translator. The loopback mode is discontinued when the intelligent RF repeater-translator receives another identical signaling waveform or after a time-out period elapses. The intelligent RF repeater-translator has the capability to alternate the selected diversity uplink path from one loopback test to the next loop back test to ensure full testing of all RF paths.