System and method for performance optimization and through a distributed antenna system

Abstract

A method for operating a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) includes providing a plurality of Digital Remote Units (DRUs), each configured to send and receive wireless radio signals and providing a plurality of inter-connected Digital Access Units (DAUs), each configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of DRUs via optical signals and each being coupled to at least one sector of a base station. The method also includes providing a plurality of sensors operable to detect activity at each of the plurality of DRUs, turning off a DRU downlink signal at one of the plurality of DRUs in response to an output from one of the plurality of sensors, and turning on a DRU downlink signal at another of the plurality of DRUs in response to an output from another of the plurality of sensors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a Distributed Antenna System (DAS), the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of Digital Remote Units (DRUs), each configured to send and receive wireless radio signals;   providing a plurality of inter-connected Digital Access Units (DAUs), each configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of DRUs via optical signals and each being coupled to at least one sector of a base station;   providing a plurality of sensors operable to detect activity at each of the plurality of DRUs;   turning off a DRU downlink signal at one of the plurality of DRUs in response to an output from one of the plurality of sensors; and   turning on a DRU downlink signal at another of the plurality of DRUs in response to an output from another of the plurality of sensors.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of DAUs is configured to communicate with the at least one of the plurality of DRUs by sending and receiving signals over at least one of an optical fiber, an Ethernet cable, microwave line of sight link, wireless link, or satellite link. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of inter-connected DAUs comprises a first DAU connected to a first sector of the base station and a second DAU connected to a second sector of the base station. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of sensors is provided by a signal processing processor in each of the plurality of DRUs. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of DRUs are connected in a daisy chain configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of DRUs comprises a first set of two or more DRUs and a second set of two or more DRUs, the first set and the second set being coupled to at least one of the plurality of DAUs in a star configuration.