Power management in distributed antenna systems (DASs), and related components, systems, and methods

摘要

Power management in a distributed communications system, such as a distributed antenna system (DAS), that includes determining user activity at remote units of the DAS. When user activity in one or more remote units falls below or above a specified threshold, power usage by the one or more remote units is reduced or increased accordingly. The power usage may reduced and/or increased by turning select remote units on or off, by increasing or reducing an operating voltage of one or more power amplifiers, and/or by turning select multiple-in, multiple-out (MIMO) front ends on or off. Power may be reduced such that wireless coverage within a specified area is maintained.

主权项

1. A method of managing power in a distributed antenna system (DAS), comprising:
monitoring a plurality of remote units in a first power configuration,
wherein each remote unit of the plurality of remote units in the first power configuration has a first power state such that the remote unit has a first coverage range when the remote unit has a user activity level at a first predetermined threshold, and the remote unit has a second coverage range larger than the first coverage range when the remote unit has a user activity level at a second predetermined threshold below the first predetermined threshold, andwherein the first coverage ranges of the plurality of remote units cover all of a predetermined coverage area; determining that each remote unit of a first subset of the plurality of remote units has a user activity level below the second predetermined threshold; in response to the determination that each remote unit of the first subset has a user activity level below the second predetermined threshold, determining a second power configuration wherein each remote unit of a second subset of the plurality of remote units has a second power state lower than the first power state of the respective remote unit, such that each remote unit of the second subset has a third coverage range smaller than the second coverage range of the respective remote unit, wherein the third coverage ranges of the second subset and the first coverage ranges of the plurality of remote units outside the second subset cover all of the predetermined coverage area; and reducing power to each remote unit of the second subset of the plurality of remote units from the first power state to the second power state of the respective remote unit such that the plurality of remote units are in the second power configuration.