Method and apparatus for cellular communication over data networks

Abstract

Cellular signals or other wireless signals/messages are introduced into a building or to an outside location by transmitting packets corresponding to those signals over a data network and low cost cables to designated locations within the data network. Once the designated packets containing the signals reach the destination, they are then broadcast over the air to a terminal capable of receiving the wireless message. In a first embodiment, an in-building gigabit Ethernet network, such as that currently existing presently in many buildings, is used to distribute radio signals indoors. Instead of transmitting the radio signals over the air from a repeater connected to a base station, coded baseband signals generated by the coding processor (e.g., a CDMA Modem Unit) in the base station are packetized and sent over the Ethernet network to radio processing equipment and antennas distributed throughout the building. The radio processing equipment strips the packet headers from the baseband signal packets so those signals can be broadcast via the antennas to one or more mobile terminals.

1 . A method for wireless communication comprising: 
 creating a first plurality of data packets, wherein each packet in said first plurality comprises a plurality of coded cellular signals;    addressing each of said first plurality of data packets to at least a first sector of a cellular network, said sector comprising at least one radio transceiver, wherein said at least one radio transceiver comprises an antenna adapted to broadcast said plurality of coded cellular signals;    transmitting said first plurality of data packets over a data network associated with said at least a first sector to said at least one radio transceiver; and    broadcasting said cellular signals over the air.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said radio transceivers are located within a building.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said at least a first sector is associated with a first port on a network switch.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said at least a first sector is associated with a plurality of ports on at least a first network switch.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said data network comprises a Gigabit Ethernet network.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 transmitting a second plurality of data packets across said Gigabit Ethernet network; and    broadcasting said second plurality of data packets over the air in a signal conforming to at least a first IEEE 802.11 standard.    
   
   
       7 . A method for transmitting a first plurality of data packets over a data network, each packet in said first plurality comprising a plurality of coded cellular signals, said data network comprising at least a first sector of a cellular network, said at least a first sector comprising at least a first radio transceiver, said method comprising: 
 addressing each of said packets in said plurality of data packets to a first address associated with said at least a first sector, wherein said at least a first radio transceiver in said at least a first sector is adapted to transmit and receive cellular signals.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 addressing each packet in said plurality of data packets to at least a second address associated with said at least a first sector.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said at least a first radio transceiver is located within a building.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said at least a first sector is associated with a first port on a data network switch.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said at least a first sector is associated with a plurality of ports on at least a first data network switch.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said data network comprises a Gigabit Ethernet network.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 transmitting a second plurality of data packets across said Gigabit Ethernet network; and    addressing each packet in said second plurality of data packets to said at least a first radio transceiver, wherein said at least a first radio transceiver is further adapted to transmit and receive wireless signals conforming to at least a first IEEE 802.11 standard.    
   
   
       14 . A radio transceiver comprising: 
 means for receiving data packets, said data packets comprising coded cellular signals; and    means for transmitting said cellular signals.    
   
   
       15 . The radio transceiver of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 means for receiving cellular signals over the air;    means for generating a plurality of data packets comprising said received cellular signals;    means for addressing each packet in said plurality of data packets to at least a first summing device associated with at least a first sector of a cellular network; and    means for transmitting said first plurality of data packets over a data network associated with said at least a first sector to said summing device.    
   
   
       16 . The radio transceiver of  claim 14  wherein said means for transmitting comprises means for extracting said cellular signals from said packets.  
   
   
       17 . The radio transceiver of  claim 16  wherein said means for transmitting is adapted to transmit said cellular signals at a predetermined time relative to at least one other cellular signal.  
   
   
       18 . The radio transceiver of  claim 16  wherein said means for transmitting is adapted to transmit said cellular signals at a predetermined frequency.  
   
   
       19 . The radio transceiver of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 access equipment adapted to transmit and receive wireless signals conforming to at least a first IEEE 802.11 standard.    
   
   
       20 . A network switch for use in a wireless communication system, said wireless communication system comprising at least a first sector, said network switch comprising: 
 means for receiving a plurality of data packets, said data packets comprising a plurality of coded cellular signals associated with said sector;    means for extracting the coded cellular signals from said data packets;    means for summing the coded cellular signals, thus forming a data stream comprising summed coded baseband signals; and    means for forming data packets containing said summed coded cellular signals.    
   
   
       21 . A network switch for use in a wireless communication system, said network comprising at least a first sector, said network switch comprising: 
 means for receiving a first plurality of data packets, said data packets comprising a plurality of coded cellular signals associated with said sector;    means for duplicating said data packets, thus forming a second plurality of data packets;    means for transmitting said second plurality of data packets to at least a first destination in said data network.    
   
   
       22 . A method for use in a wireless communication system, said network comprising at least a first sector, said method comprising: 
 receiving a first plurality of data packets, said first plurality of data packets comprising a plurality of coded cellular signals associated with said sector;    extracting the coded cellular signals from said first plurality-of data packets;    summing the coded cellular signals, thus forming a data stream comprising summed coded cellular signals; and    forming a second plurality of data packets containing said summed coded coded cellular signals.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 transmitting said second plurality of data packets to a first node in said data network.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising: 
 extracting said summed coded cellular signals; and    transmitting said coded cellular signals to at least a first destination within a cellular network.    
   
   
       25 . Apparatus for interfacing a cellular network with a data network, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving cellular signals from said cellular network;    means for creating a plurality of packets containing said cellular signals; and    means for transmitting said packets to at least a first destination within said data network.    
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said cellular signals comprise coded baseband signals.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said cellular signals comprise radio frequency signals.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said cellular signals comprise intermediate frequency signals.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said cellular signals comprise transmit diversity signals.  
   
   
       30 . A method for interfacing a cellular network with a data network, said method comprising: 
 receiving cellular signals from said cellular network;    creating a plurality of packets containing said cellular signals; and    transmitting said packets to at least a first destination within said data network.    
   
   
       31 . Apparatus for interfacing a cellular network with a data network, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving packets from said data network, said packets comprising a plurality of cellular signals;    means for extracting said cellular signals from said packets; and    means for transmitting said cellular signals to at least a first destination within said cellular network.    
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said cellular signals comprise coded baseband signals.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said cellular signals comprise radio frequency signals.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said cellular signals comprise intermediate frequency signals.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said cellular signals comprise receive diversity signals.  
   
   
       36 . A method for interfacing a cellular network with a data network, said method comprising: 
 receiving packets from said data network, said packets comprising a plurality of cellular, signals;    extracting said cellular signals from said packets; and    transmitting said cellular signals to at least a first destination within said cellular network.    
   
   
       37 . A method for use in synchronizing the timing between a wireless network and a data network, said method comprising: 
 determining the minimum time for transmission between two points in said data network;    estimating a delay spread over a first plurality of data packets transmitted across said data network;    delaying the transmission of a second plurality of data packets from at least a first node in said data network.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein said step of estimating comprises measuring a delay spread over said first plurality of data packets.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37  wherein said node comprises a remote radio head.  
   
   
       40 . A method for use in synchronizing the frequency between a wireless network and a data network, said method comprising: 
 forwarding to a remote radio head a frequency reference associated with a first clock, said first clock associated with a data network; and    locking the frequency associated with a second clock with said frequency reference, said second clock associated with said remote radio head.    
   
   
       41 . A method for use in synchronizing the frequency between a wireless network and a data network, said method comprising: 
 applying a first indication of a time to at least a first data packet, said data packet comprising a plurality of coded cellular signals;    recording at a first node in said data network the arrival time of said at least a first data packet;    determining a difference between said first indication and said arrival time of said at least a first data packet; and    maintaining said difference between said first indication and said arrival time by altering a clock associated with said first node in said data network.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said coded cellular signals comprise coded cellular baseband signals.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said at least a first data packet is selected as having a small said difference between said first indication and said arrival time relative to the value of said difference for at least a second data packet in a plurality of data packets.