Wireless radio device alignment tools and methods

• US 10,367,592 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2018
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquiti Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (Ubiquiti Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardy, Matthew A., Pera, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US16/112,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20180367226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 455 677
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others

Abstract

Described herein are methods for point-to-point alignment of wireless radio devices and alignment tools to assist in aligning wireless radio devices. These alignment tools may automatically or manually receive location information and may use a local compass function to determine a rough or initial alignment and additional tools to provide further (fine) alignment based on calculated and actual signal strength between the two devices being aligned.

Claims

1. An alignment tool to assist in aligning a first wireless radio device and a second wireless radio device, the alignment tool comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

determine a location of the first wireless radio device;

determine a location of the second wireless radio device;

calculate a direction of the first wireless radio device relative to the second wireless radio device; and

use a compass to determine a direction to point the second wireless radio device so that the second wireless device is oriented towards the first wireless radio device; and

cause an indicator of the direction to point the second wireless radio device to be displayed.

2. The alignment tool of claim 1, further comprising a mount configured to secure the alignment tool to a wireless radio device in a fixed orientation relative to an antenna of the alignment tool.

3. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

calculate an estimate of optimal signal strength between the first and second wireless radio devices; and

cause an indicator of the optimal signal strength between the first and second wireless radio devices to be displayed.

4. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

calculate an estimate of optimal signal strength between the first and second wireless radio devices; and

cause an indicator of how optimal the signal strength between the first and second wireless radio devices is to be displayed.

5. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of a smartphone.

6. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

receive an identity of the first wireless radio device into the alignment tool.

7. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

receive an identity of the second wireless radio device into the alignment tool.

8. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

receive GPS information indicating the location of the first wireless radio device.

9. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

receive GPS information indicating the location of the second wireless radio device.

10. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

determine the location of the second wireless radio device from a location of the alignment tool.

11. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

cause an indicator of a measured signal strength between the first and second radio devices to be displayed by the alignment tool.