Wireless Repeater

Abstract

A system and a method achieve a higher level of stable gain for a cellular telephone booster (repeater) than previously considered to be achievable. An RF signal booster includes active stability control provided by an active stability network. The active stability network decreases the amount of radiated or conducted parasitic signal coupled from the output of an amplifier back to the input of the amplifier. The active stability network allows a higher system gain than would otherwise be achievable. In one embodiment, the active stability network (stabilization network) includes an RF sample coupler, one or more band pass filters, a vector modulator, an RF recombining coupler and an RF detection circuit. An algorithm controls the stabilization network to minimize the amount of parasitic coupled signal from the output of the amplifier back to the input of the amplifier and to maximize the achievable system gain.

1 . A wireless signal repeater system comprising:
 a first antenna that receives remote incoming signals remote signaling site and that transmits remote outgoing signals to the remote signaling site   a second antenna that transmits local outgoing signals responsive to the remote incoming signals to a local signaling site and that receives local incoming signals from the local signaling site;   a first active stability network that decreases the amount of radiated or conducted parasitic signal between the first and the second antenna by combining a first stabilization signal that at least partially compensates for the parasitic signal with a first RF input signal;   a second active stability network operating that decreases the amount of radiated or conducted parasitic signal between the first and the second antenna by combining a second stabilization signal that at least partially compensates for the parasitic signal with a second RF input signal; and   an RF circuit board comprising a ground plane interposed between the first and the second antenna at controlled distances and reflecting RF power from the antennas, and the RF circuit board further comprising a common microcontroller adjusting both the first and the second stabilization signals.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal and the second signal comprise cellular signals. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one RF amplifier responsive to the remote incoming signals from the first antenna to provide the local outgoing signals to the second antenna. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first network couples the output of the first amplifier back to the input of the first amplifier 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one RF amplifier that is responsive to the local incoming signals from the second antenna to provide the remote outgoing signals to the first antenna. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein second network couples the output of the second amplifier back to the input of the second amplifier 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote incoming signals and local outgoing signals are at a first frequency, and the remote outgoing signals and local incoming signals are at a second frequency. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first antenna comprises at least two antenna elements separated at approximately one half a wavelength of a frequency to which the first antenna is responsive. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controlled distances results in a positioning of at least two antenna elements that increases forward directivity of the first antenna relative to the back radiation of the first antenna. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the RF board drives the at least two antenna elements in phase. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second antenna comprises at least two antenna elements separated at approximately one half a wavelength of a frequency to which the second antenna is responsive. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the board drives the at least two antenna elements out of phase. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second antenna and RF board are configured to direct the local outgoing signals toward an interior of an enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second antenna and RF board are configured to direct the local outgoing signals toward an interior of a vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second antenna and RF board are configured to direct the local outgoing signals toward an interior of a house. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second antenna and RF board are configured to direct the local outgoing signals toward an interior of an office. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein positioning of the first and the second antenna relative to the RF board achieves an isolation of at least 45 dB. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein positioning of the first and the second antenna relative to the RF board achieves an isolation of at least 60 dB.