Vertically interleaved distributed antenna system

Abstract

A vertically interleaved in-building distributed antenna system is described. The in-building distributed antenna system includes a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radio. The MIMO radio includes a first branch connector and a second branch connector. The in-building distributed antenna system further includes a first branch transport medium coupled to the first branch connector and a second branch transport medium coupled to the second branch connector. The in-building distributed antenna system further includes a plurality of antennas. The plurality of antennas includes one or more first branch antennas coupled to the first branch transport medium and one or more second branch antennas coupled to the second branch transport medium. The first branch antennas are vertically interleaved with the second branch antennas in the structure.

1 . A method of converting a single input single output in-building distributed antenna system to a multiple input multiple output in-building distributed antenna system, the single input single output in-building distributed antenna system comprising a single-input and single output radio comprising a first branch connector connected to a first branch transport medium, the first branch transport medium including a first branch backbone transport medium connected to the first branch connector and a plurality of floor distribution transport mediums connected to the first branch backbone transport medium and to a plurality of antennas distributed on a plurality of floors, at least some of the plurality of floor distribution transport mediums which are connected to the first branch backbone medium being located on adjacent floors, the method comprising:
 disconnecting the single-input and single output radio from the first branch backbone transport medium;   providing a multiple-input and multiple-output radio comprising at least two branch connectors including a first branch connector and a second branch connector;   connecting the first branch backbone transport medium to the first branch connector;   connecting a second branch backbone transport medium to the second branch connector;   selectively disconnecting floor distribution transport mediums from the first branch backbone transport medium and connecting such floor distribution transport mediums to the second branch backbone transport medium to vertically interleave floor distribution transport mediums which are connected with the first branch backbone transport medium and floor distribution transport mediums which are connected with the second branch backbone transport medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selectively disconnecting and connecting comprises: on every other floor, disconnecting the floor distribution transport medium from the first branch backbone transport medium and connecting that floor distribution transport medium to the second branch backbone transport medium. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 running the second branch backbone transport medium through the structure.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein running the second branch backbone transport medium comprises touting the second branch backbone transport medium along a substantially vertical path. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein vertically interleaving floor distribution transport mediums which are connected with the first branch backbone transport medium and floor distribution transport mediums which are connected with the second branch backbone transport medium comprises:
 providing a first branch floor which includes only first branch antennas, first branch antennas being antennas that are connected to a floor distribution transport medium that connects to the first branch backbone transport medium; and   providing a second branch floor adjacent to the first branch floor, the second branch floor including only second branch antennas, the second branch antennas being antennas that are connected to a floor distribution transport medium that connects to the second branch backbone transport medium.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first branch floor and the second branch floor includes two or more antennas. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first branch antennas are horizontally polarized antennas and the second branch antennas are vertically polarized antennas. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the first branch antennas and the second branch antennas have a coverage area which includes at least a portion of a floor on which they are distributed and which includes at least a portion of a floor adjacent to the floor on which they are distributed. 
     
     
         9 . An in-building distributed antenna system for providing wireless coverage within a coverage area which includes at least a portion of a structure, the in-building distributed antenna system comprising:
 a multiple-input and multiple-output radio comprising a first branch connector and a second branch connector;   a first branch transport medium coupled to the first branch connector;   a second branch transport medium coupled to the second branch connector; and   a plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas comprising one or more first branch antennas coupled to the first branch transport medium and one or more second branch antennas coupled to the second branch transport medium, the first branch antennas being vertically interleaved with the second branch antennas in the structure.   
     
     
         10 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein the portion of the structure includes at least a portion of two adjacent floors and wherein the first branch antennas are vertically interleaved with the second branch antennas in the structure on a floor-wise basis. 
     
     
         11 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 10 , wherein the first branch antennas and the second branch antennas are distributed on alternating floors of the structure. 
     
     
         12 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 11 , wherein the antennas are distributed so that odd numbered floors contain antennas associated with one branch and even numbered floors contain only antennas associated with another branch. 
     
     
         13 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the first branch antennas are distributed on a first branch floor on which no second branch antennas are distributed and one or more second branch antennas are distributed on a second branch floor which is adjacent to the first branch floor and on which no first branch antennas are distributed. 
     
     
         14 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 13 , wherein one or more of the first branch antennas are further distributed on a second first branch floor which is adjacent to the second branch floor and wherein the second first branch floor has no second branch antennas distributed thereon. 
     
     
         15 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 13 , wherein the multiple-input and multiple output radio further comprises a third branch connector and wherein the in-building distributed antenna system further comprises a third branch transport medium coupled to the third branch connector and wherein the plurality of antennas further comprise one or more third branch antennas coupled to the third branch transport medium, one or more of the third branch antennas being distributed on a third-branch-floor which is adjacent to the second branch floor and wherein the third branch floor has no first or second branch antennas distributed thereon and wherein the first branch floor and the second branch floor have no third branch antennas distributed thereon. 
     
     
         16 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein the first branch antennas and the second branch antennas have a coverage area which includes at least a portion of a floor on which they are distributed and which includes at least a portion of a floor adjacent to the floor on which they are distributed. 
     
     
         17 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein the first branch antennas are horizontally polarized antennas and the second branch antennas are vertically polarized antennas. 
     
     
         18 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein the first branch transport medium comprises a first branch backbone transport medium for vertically distributing a first branch signal associated with the MIMO radio and at least one first branch floor distribution transport medium connected to the first branch backbone transport medium for distributing the first branch signal to other areas of a floor and wherein the second branch transport medium comprises a second branch backbone transport medium for vertically distributing a second branch signal associated with the MIMO radio and at least one second branch floor distribution transport medium connected to the second branch backbone transport medium for distributing the first branch signal to other areas of a floor, the first branch floor distribution transport mediums being connected to first branch antennas and the second branch floor distribution transport mediums being connected to second branch antennas, and wherein at least one floor contains a first branch floor distribution transport medium and not a second branch floor distribution transport medium. 
     
     
         19 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 18 , wherein the first branch floor distribution transport mediums are vertically interleaved with the second branch floor distribution transport mediums. 
     
     
         20 . The in-building distributed antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein the structure is an event center having a plurality of levels and wherein the first branch antennas and the second branch antennas are distributed on alternating levels of the event center.