Frequency translation in a virtualized distributed antenna system

Abstract

A method for communicating with wireless user devices includes receiving a signal at a DAU, the signal residing within a first frequency band and processing the signal at the DAU. The method also includes transmitting the processed signal from the DAU and receiving the transmitted signal at a DRU. The method further includes converting the signal to a second frequency band different than the first frequency band.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for communicating with wireless user devices, the system comprising:
 a Digital Access Unit (DAU) operable to be coupled to a base transceiver station (BTS) comprising at least one sector configured to transmit radio-frequency (RF) signals within a first frequency band, wherein the DAU is configured to:
 receive at least some of the RF signals output by the BTS; 
 digitize the at least some of the RF signals to create digitized signals; 
 packetize the digitized signals to create packetized signals; and 
 transmit the packetized signals; and 
   at least one Digital Remote Unit (DRU) configured to:
 receive the packetized signals; and 
 translate at least one of the packetized signals to one or more second frequency bands different than the one or more first frequency bands. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the at least some of the RF signals comprise a beacon signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the at least some of the RF signals comprise a downlink signal. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the DAU and the at least one DRU are connected via an optical fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the first frequency band comprises the Cellular Band and wherein the second frequency band comprises the PCS band. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the BTS lacks hardware required to transmit signals within the second frequency band and the third frequency band. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the at least one DRU comprises a first DRU and a second DRU, and wherein:
 the first DRU is configured to:
 receive a first subset of the packetized signals; and 
 translate at least one of the first subset of packetized signals to the one or more first frequency bands; and 
 
 the second DRU is configured to:
 receive a second subset of the packetized signals; and 
 
 translate at least one of the second subset of packetized signals to the one or more second frequency bands. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method for communicating with wireless user devices, the method comprising:
 receiving a signal at a Digital Access Unit (DAU), the signal residing within a first frequency band;   at the DAU, digitizing the signal to create a digitized signal;   at the DAU, packetizing the digitized signal to create packetized signal; and   at the DAU, transmitting the packetized signal;   receiving the transmitted signal at a Digital Remote Unit (DRU); and   converting the signal to a second frequency band different than the first frequency band.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the first signal comprises a beacon signal. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the first signal comprises a downlink signal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 receiving a second signal at the DAU, the second signal residing within the first frequency band; 
 processing the second signal at the DAU; 
 transmitting the processed second signal from the DAU; 
 receiving the transmitted second signal at the DRU; and 
 converting the second signal to the first frequency band. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each of the first signal and the second signal comprises a beacon signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first signal comprises a beacon signal and the second signal comprises a downlink signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each of the first signal and the second signal are received from a same base transceiver station (BTS). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first frequency band comprises the Cellular Band and wherein the second frequency band comprises the PCS band.