Patent ID: 7203488

Claim:
A method for forwarding a received signal from a wireless wideband receiving unit operating under a first communication protocol to a transmitting unit operating under a second communication protocol different than said first communication protocol, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a wireless wideband RF signal at said receiving unit; converting said wireless wideband RF signal to a wideband IF signal and thereafter transmitting said wideband IF signal to a first switching unit; transmitting said wideband IF signal from said first switching unit to one of a plurality of narrowband signal converters, said one of a plurality of narrowband signal converters chosen using logic residing in said first switching unit; converting said wideband IF signal to a narrowband signal of a first communication protocol at said one of a plurality of narrowband signal converters; receiving said narrowband signal of a first communication protocol from said narrowband signal converter at a second switching unit; transmitting said narrowband signal of a first communication protocol from said second switching unit to a protocol converter, said protocol converter configured to receive a narrowband signal having said first communication protocol; selecting a second communication protocol from a protocol data storing memory having a plurality of communication protocols and thereafter configuring said protocol converter to generate a narrowband signal of a second communication protocol, said protocol data storing memory coupled to said protocol converter; converting said narrowband signal of a first communication protocol into a narrowband signal of a second communication protocol at said protocol converter; transmitting said narrowband signal of a second communication protocol from said protocol converter to said second switching unit; selecting a transmitting unit from a plurality of transmitting units using logic residing in said second switching unit, each transmitting unit of the plurality of transmitting units adapted to receive and transmit a narrowband signal; and transmitting said narrowband signal of a second communication protocol from said second switching unit to the selected transmitting unit of the plurality of transmitting units.