Wireless access point in pedestal or hand hole

• US 10,249,962 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schwengler, Thomas, Heinz, John M., Elford, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US15/688,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/04 Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing antenna structures to optimize transmission and reception of wireless signals from ground-based signal distribution devices, which include, but are not limited to, pedestals, hand holes, and/or network access point platforms. Wireless applications with such devices and systems might include, without limitation, wireless signal transmission and reception in accordance with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ad/af standards, UMTS, CDMA, LTE, PCS, AWS, EAS, BRS, and/or the like. In some embodiments, an antenna might be provided within a signal distribution device, which might include a container disposed in a ground surface. A top portion of the container might be substantially level with a top portion of the ground surface. The antenna might be communicatively coupled to one or more of at least one conduit, at least one optical fiber, at least one conductive signal line, or at least one power line via the container.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing an antenna within a signal distribution device, the signal distribution device comprising a container disposed in a ground surface, a top portion of the container being substantially level with a top portion of the ground surface, wherein the antenna is in line of sight of one or more wireless transceivers each mounted on an exterior surface of a customer premises of one or more customer premises; and

communicatively coupling the antenna to one or more of at least one conduit, at least one optical fiber, at least one conductive signal line, or at least one power line via the container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the antenna within the signal distribution device comprises:

providing a pedestal disposed above the top portion of the container; and

providing the antenna in the pedestal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the antenna within the signal distribution device comprises:

providing an antenna lid covering the top portion of the container; and

providing the antenna in the antenna lid;

wherein the antenna lid is made of a material that provides predetermined omnidirectional azimuthal radio frequency (“

rf”

) gain.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the antenna within the signal distribution device comprises:

providing the antenna in the container; and

providing a lid to cover the top portion of the container, the lid being made of a material that allows for radio frequency (“

rf”

) signal propagation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna transmits and receives wireless broadband signals according to a set of protocols selected from a group consisting of IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, and IEEE 802.11af.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna transmits and receives wireless broadband signals according to a set of protocols selected from a group consisting of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“

UMTS”

), Code Division Multiple Access (“

CDMA”

), Long Term Evolution (“

LTE”

), Personal Communications Service (“

PCS”

), Advanced Wireless Services (“

AWS”

), Emergency Alert System (“

EAS”

), and Broadband Radio Service (“

BRS”

).

7. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna disposed within a signal distribution device, the signal distribution device comprising a container disposed in a ground surface, a top portion of the container being substantially level with a top portion of the ground surface, and the antenna communicatively coupled to one or more of at least one conduit, at least one optical fiber, at least one conductive signal line, or at least one power line via the container, wherein the antenna is in line of sight of one or more wireless transceivers each mounted on an exterior surface of a customer premises of one or more customer premises.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a pedestal disposed above the top portion of the container, wherein the antenna is disposed in the pedestal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pedestal comprises one of a fiber distribution hub or a network access point.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pedestal comprises a pedestal lid and an annular opening, the pedestal lid configured to cover the annular opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein one of the pedestal lid or the annular opening comprises a plurality of lateral patch antennas.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of lateral patch antennas comprises a plurality of arrays of patch antennas.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pedestal lid comprises a leaky planar waveguide antenna.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

an antenna lid covering the top portion of the container, wherein the antenna is disposed in the antenna lid.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the antenna lid comprises a plurality of lateral patch antennas.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of lateral patch antennas comprises a plurality of arrays of patch antennas.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the antenna lid comprises a leaky planar waveguide antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a lid covering the top portion of the container, wherein the antenna is disposed in the container, and the lid is made of a material that allows for radio frequency (“

rf”

) signal propagation.

19. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the antenna comprises one or more of at least one additional directing element or at least one additional dielectric layer including a plurality of directing elements.

20. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the antenna comprises one or more of at least one reversed F antenna, at least one planar inverted F antenna (“

PIFA”

), at least one planar waveguide antenna, or at least one lateral patch antenna.

21. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the antenna transmits and receives wireless broadband signals according to a set of protocols selected from a group consisting of IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, and IEEE 802.11af.

22. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the antenna transmits and receives wireless broadband signals according to a set of protocols selected from a group consisting of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“

UMTS”

), Code Division Multiple Access (“

CDMA”

), Long Term Evolution (“

LTE”

), Personal Communications Service (“

PCS”

), Advanced Wireless Services (“

AWS”

), Emergency Alert System (“

EAS”

), and Broadband Radio Service (“

BRS”

).

23. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one conductive signal line comprises at least one of one or more data cables, one or more video cables, or one or more voice cables.