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EP0368673A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Communications system

Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
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Filing: 1989-11-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-11-10
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Abstract

Abstract A communications system has a base centre with radio transceivers 15 for providing a number of radio frequency (RF) communications links and a plurality of fixed radio ports 1 through which RF signals can be transmitted and received over the air. A fibre optic network (2, 4) interconnects the RF transceivers 15 and the fixed radio ports 1, and carrys the RF signals by means of optical signals. There are plurality of radio/optical interfaces by which RF signals can be modulated onto and demodulated from one or more optical signals, between the RF transceivers and the fibre optic network, and between the fibre optic network and the fixed radio ports. A matrix switch 13 selectively interconnects the transceivers and the radio ports through the fibre optic network.

Inventors

  • 👤 Andrew James Motley
  • 👤 Anthony Gerard Chadney

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 08:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W88/00; H04W88/08; H04W88/085; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/25; H04B10/2575; H04B10/25752; H04B10/25753; H04W36/00; H04W36/16; H04W36/18

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 110 words
A communications system comprising: a base centre having one or more radio transceivers for providing a number of radio frequency (RF) communications links; a plurality of fixed radio ports through which RF signals can be transmitted and received over the air; a fibre optic network for interconnecting the RF transceivers and the fixed radio ports, and for carrying the RF signals by means of optical signals; a plurality of radio/optical interfaces by which RF signals can be modulated onto and demodulated from one or more optical signals, which interfaces are between the RF transceivers and the fibre optic network, and between the fibre optic network and the fixed radio ports.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 110 words
A communications system comprising: a base centre having one or more radio transceivers for providing a number of radio frequency (RF) communications links; a plurality of fixed radio ports through which RF signals can be transmitted and received over the air; a fibre optic network for interconnecting the RF transceivers and the fixed radio ports, and for carrying the RF signals by means of optical signals; a plurality of radio/optical interfaces by which RF signals can be modulated onto and demodulated from one or more optical signals, which interfaces are between the RF transceivers and the fibre optic network, and between the fibre optic network and the fixed radio ports.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 128 words
A communications system comprising: a base centre having one or more radio transceivers for providing a number of radio frequency (RF) communications links; a plurality of fixed radio ports through which RF signals can be transmitted and received over the air; a fibre optic network for interconnecting the RF transceivers and the fixed radio ports, and for carrying the RF signals by means of optical signals; a plurality of radio/optical interfaces by which RF signals can be modulated onto and demodulated from one or more optical signals, which interfaces are between the RF transceivers and the fibre optic network, and between the fibre optic network and the fixed radio ports; and a matrix switch for selectively interconnecting the transceivers and the radio ports through the fibre optic network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 128 words
A communications system comprising: a base centre having one or more radio transceivers for providing a number of radio frequency (RF) communications links; a plurality of fixed radio ports through which RF signals can be transmitted and received over the air; a fibre optic network for interconnecting the RF transceivers and the fixed radio ports, and for carrying the RF signals by means of optical signals; a plurality of radio/optical interfaces by which RF signals can be modulated onto and demodulated from one or more optical signals, which interfaces are between the RF transceivers and the fibre optic network, and between the fibre optic network and the fixed radio ports; and a matrix switch for selectively interconnecting the transceivers and the radio ports through the fibre optic network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A communications system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the RF links are frequency division multiplexed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
A communications system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the RF links are time division multiplexed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A communications system as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein there is means for combining RF signals to or from one or more of the RF ports.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 42 words
A communications system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the matrix switch is for switching optical signals and between the optical matrix switch and the one or more RF transceivers there are one or more RF/optical interfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 39 words
A communications system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the matrix switch is for switching RF signals, and between the RF matrix switch and the fibre optic network there are one or more RF/optical interfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is multiplexing/demultiplexing of the optical signals in the fibre optic network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 20 words
A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fibre optic network incorporates wavelength routing of optical signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 39 words
A communication system as described in any preceding claim which call handover is between radio ports is controlled in the base centre through switching the radio transceiver from one radio port to another radio port by the matrix switch.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 28 words
A communication system as claimed in any preceding claim which diversity operation is provided by combining or switching between two or more radio points in the matrix switching.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
A communication system as claimed in any preceding claim which dynamic channel allocation is controlled in the base centre.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE3135231A1 Cited
GB2138652A Cited
EP0156336A2 Cited
EP0233963A1 Cited

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