The Distributed Combined Junctional Transformer (abbreviated in this document as repeater station) provides a system to take any input signal in any frequency and using any modulation and multiplexing schemes, convert it to the desired format and frequency and subsequently retransmits the signal. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a repeater station comprises: for the radio and microwave input (see the next paragraph for infrared, visible or ultraviolet spectrum input), a group of selectable receive antennas which are specified for both frequency and polarization connected to a test coupler (optional) and then input circulator to prevent input saturation (optional) and then to a low-noise amplifier (LNA) and wide bandpass filter; a dual-stage mixers with the local oscillator signal being supplied from a reference such as a phase-locked loop (PLL) which is fed by the baseband processor to make frequency translation from the carrier frequency to baseband possible for any frequency and the first stage being capable of bypass which takes the signal down to broadband frequencies; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a programmable sampling rate controlled by the baseband processor; a baseband processor with an input clock reference such as an oven controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) input such as a US NAVSTAR GPS/Russian Glonass/EU Galileo/Chinese Beidou or Compass/Indian IRNSS/Japanese QZSS receiver or even a augmentation system based receiver such as the US WAAS/EU EGNOS/Japanese MSAS/Indian GAGAN receiver that will first complete the digital filtering for the desired input signal including multiplexing if required and then demodulate and interpret the framing with the possibility of data storage (optional) and then reframe and modulate to the desired formatting; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) also with a programmable sampling rate controlled by the baseband processor; another dual-stage mixers with PLL; a wide bandpass filter; an amplification stage utilizing wideband devices such as traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) or solid state power amplifier (SSPA); an output test coupler (optional) connected to a transmit antenna for the correct frequency and polarization.
In the presence of an infrared, visible or ultraviolet spectrum input signal, a series of wavelength dependent device such as a photodiode mounted on a tracking gimbal connected directly to the analog to digital converters instead of the receive antennas, LNAs, filters, and mixers. Also for an infrared, visible or ultraviolet transmission, the DAC is connected to the optical output device such as a light-emitting diode (LED) or laser diode which may transmit through a series of focusing devices such as mirrors mounted on a tracking gimbal.
The repeater station relates to any source device that is capable of generating or receiving a signal in either radio, microwave, infrared, visible or ultraviolet spectrums, reads the information, formats the translation and transmits the signal in the desired format and frequency to the desired recipient device. An example of the connectivity would be between a line-of-sight (LOS) VHF handheld radio using frequency modulation without framing in a vertical polarization converted to a Ka-band satellite uplink using Generic Stream Encapsulation for the framing with low-density parity-check code error checking with an 8PSK modulation in a left-hand circular polarization.
Wireless service providers are under constant pressure by their customers to improve and expand coverage while decreasing the cost of service. This conflicts with the pressure from investors and stockholders to increase earnings and decrease expenses. In addition, local zoning and regulatory pressures often limit or preclude placement of base station sites in the optimum locations. Additionally, as technology progresses, wireless service providers and their suppliers are constantly having to spend large amounts of capital to upgrade existing base stations to be able to support new modulation schemes and released frequency spectrums.
This invention incorporates several concepts to create a “future-proof” repeater that significantly reduces the costs for a repeater site. It will allow for wireless service providers to launch next generation networks utilizing only software changes. In one embodiment of the invention, the only equipment to install is the repeater itself and the primary power cables. In addition, the repeater station in this invention contains support software and equipment to allow the repeater station to perform antenna alignment and gain set up with only minimal support from technical personnel. Changes to the modulation scheme, frequency bands, power levels, regulatory requirements, or any other parameter can be satisfied solely by software changes remotely. This invention, while potentially increasing the one-time hardware repeater costs, dramatically results in a reduction of the total cost of a repeater site as then tower service providers can automatically support all the wireless service providers and incremental as well as generational changes without hardware changes or site-visits.
This invention can also be used to provide in a vast array of applications on any platform whether it be stationary or mobile (to encompass marine, auto, airborne, and space-based platforms) to provide interconnectivity where previously not possible. Additionally, being that any transmitted source of data is a potential input, this invention can provide functionality that is not currently available to the mass market to include technologies that both currently exist such as providing traditional 2.4 GHz WiFi from cellular base stations to technologies that do not have existing market utilization or products such as 96 GHz EHF microwave links on satellites.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a translation of any input signal in any format to any output signal in any format. The invention definition including the features is described in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62029631 | Jul 2014 | US |