Systems and methods for implementing fully redundant antenna hopping with multi-carrier power amplifiers and combining schemes within a base station

Abstract

A Transmit Diversity Redundancy controller dynamically mediates implementation of diversity and antenna hopping by detecting and remediating faults on antenna branches while minimizing the capital investment required. The controller monitors the equipment along the antenna branches. If a fault occurs, the controller determines the appropriate fault remediation measures to implement based on default settings, or relays an indicator to an external processor (e.g., a BTS or BSC CPU) and awaits instructions. If traffic on the BTS is high, the external processor instructs the TDR controller to combine the signals carried by the downed branch with the signals carried by the active branches, and the combined carrier signals are transmitted over the active branches. Otherwise, the external processor instructs the controller to allow signals carried by the downed antenna branch to be dropped, and notifies the BSC to suspend assignment of calls to the dropped carriers until the branch is restored.