DETERMINING PROPAGATION DELAY OF COMMUNICATIONS IN DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS, AND RELATED COMPONENTS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

摘要

Components, systems, and methods for determining propagation delay of communications in distributed antenna systems are disclosed. The propagation delay of communications signals distributed in the distributed antenna systems is determined. If desired, the propagation delay(s) can be determined on a per remote antenna unit basis for the distributed antenna systems. The propagation delay(s) can provided by the distributed antenna systems to a network or other system to be taken into consideration for communications services or operations that are based on communications signal delay. As another non-limiting example, propagation delay can be determined and controlled for each remote antenna unit to uniquely distinguish the remote antenna units. In this manner, the location of a client device communicating with a remote antenna unit can be determined within the communication range of the remote antenna unit.

主权项

1. A method of determining a location of a client device in a distributed communications system, comprising:
receiving downlink radio frequency (RF) signals at head-end equipment from a signal source; distributing the downlink RF signals from the head-end equipment over at least one downlink communications medium to a plurality of remote units to be communicated to one or more client devices, the plurality of remote units distributed over a plurality of floors in a building at different locations where a distance between each of the plurality of remote units and the head-end equipment varies; receiving, at the head-end equipment, uplink RF signals over at least one uplink communications medium from the plurality of remote units communicated by the one or more client devices to the plurality of remote units; measuring, via at least one propagation delay measurement circuit, propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices in response to the downlink RF signals; and determining the location of the one or more client devices as a function of determined propagation delay of the received uplink RF signals from the one or more client devices.