Patent ID: 8509850

Claim:
A method for reverse path summation for a distributed antenna system, the method comprising: normalizing an uplink noise floor for a plurality of remote antenna units of a distributed antenna system, the plurality of remote antenna units including at least a first remote antenna unit having a first noise floor that is the lowest noise floor of any of the plurality of remote antenna unit, wherein the uplink noise floor of each of the plurality of remote antenna units is normalized based on the first noise floor that is the lowest noise floor of any of the plurality of remote antenna units, wherein normalizing the uplink noise floor for the plurality of remote antenna units includes adjusting the noise power of each of the plurality of remote antenna units to match the first noise floor that is the lowest noise floor of the any of the plurality of remote antenna units, wherein the lowest noise floor is a performance characteristic of the at least a first remote antenna unit having a lowest noise power; and scaling an uplink output gain of each of the plurality of remote antenna units by a scaling factor, wherein the scaling factor attenuates the uplink output gain based on a composite maximum host peak power for a host unit coupled to the plurality of remote antenna units, wherein the scaling factor is the same for each remote antenna unit of the plurality of remote antenna units, wherein the scaling factor changes when there is a change in a number of remote antenna units in the plurality of remote antenna units; wherein the normalizing and scaling are performed at least one antenna unit of the plurality of remote antenna units by attenuating a gain of digital samples generated from wireless RF signals received by the at least one antenna unit, prior to summing of said digital samples with other digital samples received at the at least one remote antenna unit.