TRANSPONDER SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RADIO-OVER-FIBER (RoF) WIRELESS PICOCELLULAR SYSTEMS

Abstract

Transponder systems and methods for radio-over-fiber (RoF) wireless picocellular system are disclosed. One type of transponder system includes a RoF transponder used in combination with at least one radiation-reflector assembly to provide for enhanced antenna directivity of the transponder. Another type of transponder system is a transponder node assembly, wherein two or more transponders are integrated into a single assembly, thereby reducing cost while facilitating RoF wireless picocellular system deployment. Another type of transponder system provides one or more transponders in a RoF wireless picocellular system with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, and uses an RFID tag reader to locate and read information from the transponders, as well as to perform transponder mode selection. Another type of transponder system is directed to a tether cable assembly that includes a dispensible/retractable coiled tether cable housed in a protective housing for connecting the tether cable to a transponder.

1 . A transponder unit, comprising:
 at least one transponder configured to receive downlink radio-frequency (RF) service signals in a distributed antenna system and distribute the downlink RF service signals to at least one antenna to be transmitted wirelessly; and   a RFID tag positioned relative to the at least one transponder, the RFID tag configured to receive an RFID interrogation signal from a RFID reader and provide a return RFID signal to the RFID reader in response.   
     
     
         2 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the return RFID signal includes no RFID tag data. 
     
     
         3 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the return RFID tag signal contains RFID tag data that includes at least one property selected from a group of properties comprising: a transponder location, GPS coordinates, an installation date, a maintenance history, an operating frequency or frequencies, and an antenna location or locations. 
     
     
         4 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is electrically connected to the at least one transponder, wherein the RFID tag is adapted to provide an electrical signal to the at least one transponder, wherein the at least one transponder has two or more operational modes, and wherein the at least one transponder is adapted to be responsive to said electrical signal to switch its operation mode. 
     
     
         5 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID interrogation signal is comprised of a ping signal. 
     
     
         6 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is addressable by the RFID interrogation signal. 
     
     
         7 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is electrically coupled to at least one transponder. 
     
     
         8 . The transponder unit of  claim 7 , wherein the RFID tag is further configured to communicate receipt of the RFID interrogation signal to at least one transponder. 
     
     
         9 . The transponder unit of  claim 8 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to communicate a mode signal to the at least one transponder based on the receipt of the RFID interrogation signal by the RFID tag. 
     
     
         10 . The transponder unit of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one transponder is configured to change operational mode based on receipt of the mode signal. 
     
     
         11 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive the RFID interrogation signal over a downlink communication link carrying the downlink RF service signals. 
     
     
         12 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is comprised of:
 a microcircuit configured to process the RFID interrogation signal;   a memory unit electrically coupled to the microcircuit, the memory unit configured to store at least one of RFID tag data and data associated with the at least one transponder; and   an antenna electrically coupled to the microcircuit, the antenna configured to receive the RFID interrogation signal.   
     
     
         13 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is further configured to be powered by the RFID interrogation signal. 
     
     
         14 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transponder is located in a housing of the at least one transponder. 
     
     
         15 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transponder is located in a communications cable configured to carry the downlink RF service signals. 
     
     
         16 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transponder is further configured to receive uplink RF service signals from a client device through the at least one antenna and distribute the uplink RF service signals to a head-end unit. 
     
     
         17 . The transponder unit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transponder is comprised of at least one RoF transponder configured to receive optical radio-frequency (RF) service signals. 
     
     
         18 . The transponder unit of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one RoF transponder further comprises an optical-to-electrical (O-E) converter configured to convert the optical RF service signals to electrical RF service signals. 
     
     
         19 . The transponder unit of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one RoF transponder further comprises an electrical-to-optical (E-O) converter configured to convert the electrical RF service signals to optical RF service signals. 
     
     
         20 . A transponder radio-frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:
 a RFID reader configured to communicate a RFID interrogation signal to a RFID tag and cause the RFID tag to emit a return RFID signal in response;   a plurality of transponders each configured to receive downlink radio-frequency (RF) service signals in a distributed antenna system and distribute the downlink RF service signals to at least one antenna to be transmitted wirelessly; and   a RFID tag positioned relative to each of the plurality of transponders, the RFID tags each configured to receive the RFID interrogation signal from the RFID reader and provide the return RFID signal to the RFID reader in response, wherein the return RFID signal comprises RFID tag data.   
     
     
         21 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein the RFID interrogation signal is comprised of a ping signal. 
     
     
         22 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive the RFID interrogation signal over a downlink communication link carrying the downlink RF service signals. 
     
     
         23 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , further comprising a head-end unit configured to distribute the downlink RF service signals to the plurality of transponders. 
     
     
         24 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 23 , wherein the RFID reader is included in the head-end unit. 
     
     
         25 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein each of a plurality of RFID tags are addressable by the RFID interrogation signal. 
     
     
         26 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one database associated with the RFID reader, the at least one database configured to store RFID tag information associated with the plurality of transponders. 
     
     
         27 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 25 , wherein the RFID reader is further configured to sequentially poll each of the plurality of RFID tags. 
     
     
         28 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein the RFID reader is further configured to communicate the RFID tag data to a network. 
     
     
         29 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 28 , wherein the RFID reader is further configured to communicate the RFID tag data to a network wirelessly. 
     
     
         30 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein the RFID reader further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) unit configured to provide GPS data. 
     
     
         31 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 30 , wherein the RFID reader is further configured to store the GPS data associated with the RFID tag data to store location information for the plurality of transponders. 
     
     
         32 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 30 , wherein the RFID reader is further configured to communicate the GPS data with the RFID tag data to communicate location information for the plurality of transponders. 
     
     
         33 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein at least one transponder is further configured to receive uplink RF service signals from a client device through the at least one antenna and distribute the uplink RF service signals to a head-end unit. 
     
     
         34 . The transponder RFID system of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one transponder is comprised of at least one RoF transponder configured to receive optical radio-frequency (RF) service signals.