Apparatus and methods for radio frequency signal boosters

Abstract

Radio frequency (RF) signal boosters are provided. A radio frequency signal booster can include a housing integrated with a base station antenna. The booster includes a mobile station antenna port, and downlink and uplink amplifiers within the housing. The base station antenna can receive wireless communications signals on one or more downlink channels and transmit wireless communications signals on one or more uplink channels. Also, the mobile station antenna port can be connected to an integrated or separate mobile station antenna, which can provide communications signals on one or more downlink channels and receive wireless communications on one or more uplink channels. An isolator in the form of a reflector integrated with the housing can isolate the mobile station antenna from the base station antenna.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A radio frequency signal booster system installed in a building, wherein the radio frequency signal booster system comprises:
 a signal booster installed in an interior of the building, wherein the signal booster comprises:
 a housing; 
 a base station antenna located within the housing, wherein the base station antenna is a directional antenna configured to wirelessly communicate through a window of the building; 
 a downlink amplifier within the housing and configured to provide amplification to a downlink signal received from the base station antenna; 
 a mobile station antenna port; and 
 an uplink amplifier within the housing and configured to provide amplification to an uplink signal received from the mobile station antenna port; 
   a mobile station antenna in the interior of the building; and   a radio frequency cable connecting the mobile station antenna to the mobile station antenna port of the signal booster.   
     
     
         3 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal booster further comprises an RF shield within the housing and configured to isolate the base station antenna from the mobile station antenna. 
     
     
         4 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 3 , wherein the uplink amplifier and the downlink amplifier are positioned on a first side of the RF shield, and wherein the base station antenna is positioned on a second side of the RF shield opposite the first side. 
     
     
         5 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 3 , wherein the RF shield is configured to reflect signals radiated from the base station antenna. 
     
     
         6 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 3 , wherein the base station antenna is integrated on a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is spaced apart from a portion of the RF shield to define a resonant cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 3 , wherein the RF shield is flat. 
     
     
         8 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the directional antenna includes a shield configured to reflect radiated signals. 
     
     
         9 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a first cover and a second cover, wherein the uplink amplifier and the downlink amplifier are positioned within a cavity of the first cover, and wherein the base station antenna is positioned within a cavity of the second cover. 
     
     
         10 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 9 , further comprising an RF shield positioned between the first cover and the second cover. 
     
     
         11 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal booster further comprises a base stand supporting the signal booster on a ledge of the window. 
     
     
         12 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the radio frequency signal booster further comprises a light-emitting diode configured to indicate whether or not an external signal has sufficient strength for reception. 
     
     
         13 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal booster is configured to operate over a plurality of frequency bands including Band XII and Band XIII 
     
     
         14 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the base station antenna is configured to transmit a boosted uplink signal received from the uplink amplifier to a base station, and to receive the downlink signal from the base station, and wherein the mobile station antenna is configured to transmit a boosted downlink signal received from the downlink amplifier via the RF cable to a mobile device, and to receive the uplink signal from the mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the base station antenna is configured to provide a radiation pattern substantially out the window. 
     
     
         16 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile station antenna is a directional antenna. 
     
     
         17 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile station antenna is an omnidirectional antenna. 
     
     
         18 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile station antenna is configured to primarily radiate within the interior of the building. 
     
     
         19 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile station antenna is positioned on a table in the interior of the building. 
     
     
         20 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile station antenna is mounted on an interior wall or ceiling of the building. 
     
     
         21 . The radio frequency signal booster system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal booster is installed in a windowsill of the window. 
     
     
         22 . A method of signal boosting, the method comprising:
 positioning a signal booster in an interior of a building;   positioning a mobile station antenna in the interior of the building away from the signal booster;   connecting the mobile station antenna to a mobile station antenna port of the signal booster using a radio frequency (RF) cable;   receiving a downlink signal through a window of the building using a directional base station antenna within the signal booster;   amplifying the downlink signal using a downlink amplifier within the signal booster;   receiving an uplink signal at the mobile station antenna port from the mobile station antenna via the RF cable; and   amplifying the uplink signal using an uplink amplifier within the signal booster.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising isolating the directional base station antenna from the mobile station antenna using an RF shield within the signal booster. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising reflecting signals radiated from the directional base station antenna using the RF shield. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising supporting the signal booster on a ledge of the window using a base stand of the signal booster. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising indicating whether or not an external signal has sufficient strength for reception using a light-emitting diode of the signal booster. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising operating the signal booster over a plurality of frequency bands including Band XII and Band XIII 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising transmitting a boosted uplink signal to a base station using the directional base station antenna, receiving the downlink signal from the base station using the directional base station antenna, transmitting a boosted downlink signal to a mobile device using the mobile station antenna, and receiving the uplink signal from the mobile device using the mobile station antenna. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein positioning the mobile station antenna in the interior of the building comprises placing the mobile station antenna on a table in the interior of the building. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein positioning the mobile station antenna in the interior of the building comprises mounting the mobile station antenna on an interior wall or ceiling of the building.