Systems and methods for IP communication over a distributed antenna system transport

Abstract

Systems and methods for IP communication over a distributed antenna system transport are provided. In one embodiment, a method for providing Ethernet connectivity over a distributed antenna system comprises receiving internet protocol (IP) formatted data from an internet protocol device coupled to a remote unit of a distributed antenna system; sampling wireless radio frequency (RF) signals received at the remote unit to produce digitized RF samples; generating a serial data stream for output to a host unit of the distributed antenna system, the serial data stream further comprising a multiple-timeslot communication frame providing a first partition of bandwidth for transporting the digitized RF samples and a second partition of bandwidth for implementing an Ethernet pipe for transporting the IP formatted data.

We claim: 
     
       1. A distributed antenna system, the system comprising:
 a host unit; 
 at least one remote unit for wirelessly communicating with one or more subscriber units, the at least one remote unit communicatively coupled to the host unit over a point-to-point communication link, wherein the at least one remote unit receives uplink radio frequency signals from the one or more subscriber units and samples the generates sample data from the uplink radio frequency signals to generate digitized radio frequency signals, the at least one remote unit further comprising an Ethernet interface for receiving to receive Internet Protocol formatted data; and 
 an internet protocol device coupled to the Ethernet interface; 
 wherein the at least one remote unit outputs a serial data stream to the host unit, the serial data stream including digitized radio frequency signals corresponding to distinct spectral regions of analog radio frequency spectrum the sample data and an Ethernet pipe for transporting the Internet Protocol formatted data received via the Ethernet interface; 
 wherein the serial data stream comprises a multiple-timeslot communication frame, the digitized radio frequency signals sample data including first bits within a timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame and the Ethernet pipe including second bits within the timeslot. 
 
     
     
       2. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one remote unit multiplexes the Internet Protocol formatted data received via the Ethernet interface and the digitized radio frequency signals sample data into timeslots of the serial data stream. 
     
     
       3. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , the at least one remote unit further comprising:
 at least one digital to analog radio frequency transceiver module for generating a digitized radio frequency signal the sample data from an analog radio frequency signal received from the one or more subscriber units; and 
 a serial data stream module coupled to receive the digitized radio frequency signal sample data from the at least one digital to analog radio frequency transceiver module, the serial data stream module performing multiplexing in the a time domain to route both the Internet Protocol formatted data and the digitized radio frequency signals sample data into time slots within frames communicated to the host unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The distributed antenna system of  claim 3 , wherein the digitized radio frequency signal sample data is a baseband digital radio frequency signal. 
     
     
       5. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet interface for receiving the Internet Protocol formatted data comprises an eight-position eight-contact modular plug. 
     
     
       6. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet pipe further comprises at least one timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame that does not carry digitized radio frequency signal data the sample data. 
     
     
       7. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , the host unit further comprising:
 a host serial radio frequency module receiving the serial data stream from the at least one remote unit, wherein the host serial radio frequency module de-multiplexes the digitized radio frequency data sample data and the Internet Protocol formatted data from the serial data stream and routes the Internet Protocol formatted data to an Ethernet interface at the host unit. 
 
     
     
       8. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one remote unit inputs a downlink serial data stream from the host unit, the downlink serial data stream including downlink digitized radio frequency data samples corresponding to distinct spectral regions of analog radio frequency spectrum sample data and an Ethernet pipe for transporting the downlink Internet Protocol formatted data for output via the Ethernet interface. 
     
     
       9. The distributed antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein each timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame includes first bits communicating the digitized radio frequency signals sample data and second bits implementing the Ethernet pipe. 
     
     
       10. A method for providing Ethernet connectivity over a distributed antenna system, the method comprising:
 receiving Internet Protocol formatted data from an Internet Protocol device coupled to a remote unit of a distributed antenna system; 
 samplinggenerating sample data from wireless radio frequency signals received at the remote unit to produce digitized radio frequency samples; and 
 generating a serial data stream for output to a host unit of the distributed antenna system, the serial data stream further comprising a multiple-timeslot communication frame providing a first set of bits within a timeslot for transporting the digitized radio frequency samples sample data and a second set of bits within the timeslot for implementing an Ethernet pipe for transporting the Internet Protocol formatted data; wherein generating the serial data stream further comprises multiplexing the digitized radio frequency signals sample data into the first set of bits within the timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame and multiplexing the IP formatted data into the second set of bits within the timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein generating the serial data stream further comprises:
 multiplexing the Internet Protocol data with the digitized radio frequency samples sample data into timeslots of the multiple-timeslot communication frame. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving Internet Protocol formatted data further comprises receiving the Internet Protocol formatted data via an eight-position eight-contact modular plug. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein generating the serial data stream further comprises:
 multiplexing the Internet Protocol formatted data into a second set of timeslots of the multiple-timeslot communication frame, wherein the second set of timeslots do not carry digitized radio frequency signal data the sample data. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving the serial data stream at the host unit; 
 de-multiplexing the digitized radio frequency data sample data and the Internet Protocol formatted data from the serial data stream; and 
 routing the Internet Protocol formatted data to an Ethernet interface at the host unit. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein generating the serial data stream further comprises generating the first set of bits within each timeslot of the multiple-timeslots communication frame for transporting the digitized radio frequency samples sample data and generating the second set of bits within each timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame for implementing the Ethernet pipe for transporting the Internet Protocol formatted data. 
     
     
       16. A remote unit for a distributed antenna system, the remote unit comprising:
 at least one digital to analog radio frequency transceiver module for generating a digital radio frequency signal sample data from an analog radio frequency signal received from one or more subscriber units; 
 at least one Internet Protocol device; and 
 a serial radio frequency module coupled to receive the digital radio frequency signal sample data from the at least one digital to analog radio frequency transceiver module, the serial radio frequency module further comprising an Ethernet interface for communicating Internet Protocol formatted data with the at least one Internet Protocol device; 
 wherein the serial radio frequency module communicating with a host unit via an upstream serial data stream and a downstream serial data stream; 
 the upstream serial data stream comprising a multiple-timeslot communication frame having a first set of bits within a timeslot for transporting the digital radio frequency signal sample data and a second set of bits within the timeslot implementing an Ethernet pipe for transporting upstream Internet Protocol formatted data received via the Ethernet interface; and 
 wherein the serial radio frequency module multiplexes Internet Protocol formatted data received via the Ethernet interface and the digital radio frequency signal sample data into timeslots of the upstream serial data stream. 
 
     
     
       17. The remote unit of  claim 16 , wherein the serial radio frequency module demultiplexes Internet Protocol formatted data from timeslots of the downstream serial data stream and outputs downstream Internet Protocol formatted data to the Ethernet interface. 
     
     
       18. The remote unit of  claim 16 , wherein the second Ethernet pipe further comprises a timeslot of the multiple-timeslot communication frame that does not carry the digitized radio frequency signal data sample data. 
     
     
       19. The remote unit of  claim 16 , wherein the Ethernet interface comprises an eight-position eight-contact modular plug. 
     
     
       20. The remote unit of  claim 16 , wherein the serial radio frequency module demultiplexes downlink Internet Protocol formatted data and a downlink digital radio frequency signal sample data from timeslots of a downlink serial data stream.