Optical fiber microcellular mobile radio

Claim 2

A mobile radio system having a base station (25) and a plurality of mobile units, CHARACTERIZED BY a plurality of opto-RF transducers (22), a distribution network using optical fibers (26,39) interconnecting the base station with the opto-RF transducers, and means (32,27,38,40) for transducing multiplexed subcarrier channels onto and off optical carriers in the fiber distribution network, for transducing multiplexed subcarrier channels onto an optical carrier on a fiber from the base station, and for transducing multiplexed subcarrier channels off an optical carrier on a fiber to the base station.

Claim 3

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of opto-RF transducers, in response to optical signals on the fibers, serves to radiate radio signals to mobile units and, in response to received radio signals transmitted from the mobile units, serves to modulate optical signals on at least one fiber for transmission to the base station.

Claim 4

A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the radiated and received radio signals lie in a millimeter wave band.

Claim 5

A system as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein received radio signals are added together incoherently in the distribution network to provide the combined signal at the base station.

Claim 6

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub-carrier transduclng means and the opto-RF transducers serve to time division multiplex channels onto the optical carrier in the fiber distribution network.

Claim 7

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the subcarrier transducing means and the opto-RF transducers serve to frequency multiplex channels onto the optical carrier in the fiber distribution network.

Claim 8

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (22) CHARACTERIZED BY a first antenna (35) for transmitting radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a first range of frequencies, a second antenna (37) for receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a second range of frequencies, a laser (38), responsive to the received radio signals, for producing an optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the second range of frequencies, and means (27) for transducing another optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the first range of frequencies into an electrical signal including the mobile radio channels having a combined power of ten watts or less.

Claim 9

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (22) CHARACTERIZED BY a first antenna (35) for transmitting radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a first range of frequencies, a second antenna (37) for receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a second range of frequencies, a laser (38), responsive to the received radio signals, for producing an optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the second range of frequencies, and means (27) for transducing another optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the first range of frequencies into an electrical signal including the mobile radio channels having a combined power of ten watts or less.

Claim 10

A transducer as claimed in claim 7, including a first optical fiber (39) for receiving the modulated optical carrier produced by the laser (38); and a second optical fiber (26) for applying another modulated optical carrier to the transducing means (27).

Claim 11

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (42) CHARACTERIZED BY a laser (38), an antenna (45) for transmitting and receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in different ranges of frequencies, means (27) for converting an optical carrier modulated with mobile radio channels in a first band of frequencies into an electrical signal to be applied to the antenna, and circulator means (43) for coupling the electrical signal in the first band of frequencies to the antenna for radiating to mobile units and for coupling an electrical signal, received in a second band of frequencies from the mobile units through the antenna, to the laser for modulating the optical output with the electrical signal in the second band of frequencies.

Claim 12

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (42) CHARACTERIZED BY a laser (38), an antenna (45) for transmitting and receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in different ranges of frequencies, means (27) for converting an optical carrier modulated with mobile radio channels in a first band of frequencies into an electrical signal to be applied to the antenna, and circulator means (43) for coupling the electrical signal in the first band of frequencies to the antenna for radiating to mobile units and for coupling an electrical signal, received in a second band of frequencies from the mobile units through the antenna, to the laser for modulating the optical output with the electrical signal in the second band of frequencies.

Claim 13

An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, including a first optical fiber (39) for receiving the electrical signal modulated laser output; and a second optical fiber (26) for applying the mobile radio channels modulated optical carrier to the converting means (27).

Claim 14

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (62) CHARACTERIZED BY a first antenna (60) for transmitting radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a first range of frequencies, a second antenna (61) for receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a second range of frequencies, laser means (64), responsive to the received radio signals, for producing an optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the second range of frequencies, means (57) for transducing another optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the first range of frequencies into an electrical signal including the mobile radio channels; an optical fiber (55), and means (56) for optical wavelength multiplexing a first optical wavelength (λ₁) from the optical fiber to the transducing means, and for wavelength multiplexing a second optical wavelength (λ₂) from the laser means to the optical fiber.

Claim 15

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (62) CHARACTERIZED BY a first antenna (60) for transmitting radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a first range of frequencies, a second antenna (61) for receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in a second range of frequencies, laser means (64), responsive to the received radio signals, for producing an optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the second range of frequencies, means (57) for transducing another optical carrier modulated by the mobile radio channels in the first range of frequencies into an electrical signal including the mobile radio channels; an optical fiber (55), and means (56) for optical wavelength multiplexing a first optical wavelength (λ₁) from the optical fiber to the transducing means, and for wavelength multiplexing a second optical wavelength (λ₂) from the laser means to the optical fiber.

Claim 16

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (72) CHARACTERIZED BY a laser (64); an antenna (70) for transmitting and receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in different ranges of frequencies, means (57) for converting an optical carrier modulated with mobile radio channels in a first band of frequencies into an electrical signal to be applied to the antenna, circulator means (69) for coupling the electrical signal in the first band of frequencies to the antenna for radiating to mobile units and for coupling an electrical signal, received in a second band of frequencies from the mobile units through the antenna, to the laser for modulating the optical output with the electrical signal in the second band frequencies, an optical fiber (55), and means (M) for wavelength multiplexing a first optical wavelength (λ₁) from the optical fiber to the converting means, and for wavelength multiplexing a second optical wavelength (λ₂) from the laser means to the optical fiber.

Claim 17

A mobile radio microcell transducer arrangement (72) CHARACTERIZED BY a laser (64); an antenna (70) for transmitting and receiving radio signals including multiplexed mobile radio channels in different ranges of frequencies, means (57) for converting an optical carrier modulated with mobile radio channels in a first band of frequencies into an electrical signal to be applied to the antenna, circulator means (69) for coupling the electrical signal in the first band of frequencies to the antenna for radiating to mobile units and for coupling an electrical signal, received in a second band of frequencies from the mobile units through the antenna, to the laser for modulating the optical output with the electrical signal in the second band frequencies, an optical fiber (55), and means (M) for wavelength multiplexing a first optical wavelength (λ₁) from the optical fiber to the converting means, and for wavelength multiplexing a second optical wavelength (λ₂) from the laser means to the optical fiber.

Claim 18

An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein, in operation, the electrical signal applied to the antenna has a combined channel power of ten watts or less.