Point-to-multipoint access network integrated with a backbone network

• US 20020167954A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: P-Com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: P-Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Wood, John R., Highsmith, William R.
• Application Number:
  US10/142,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20020167954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2861 Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures

Abstract

A communication system includes a plurality of network nodes and communication links that link the network nodes to form a high bandwidth backbone network. At least one of the communication links forms a point-to-multipoint communications link between two network nodes. At least one of the network nodes has a point-to-multipoint remote device at one end the point-to-multipoint communications link. At least one of the network nodes has a point-to-multipoint sector transceiver at the other end of the communications link for transmitting in a sectored point-to-multipoint downstream communications link with remote devices, including the linked point-to-multipoint remote device at the network node and receiving data from the point-to-multipoint remote device at the network node in a point-to-multipoint upstream communications link.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of network nodes and communications links that link said network nodes to form a high bandwidth backbone network, wherein at least one of said communications links forms a point-to-multipoint communications link between two network nodes;

at least one of said network nodes having a point-to-multipoint remote device at one end of the point-to-multipoint communications link;

at least one of said network nodes having a point-to-multipoint sector transceiver at the other end of the point-to-multipoint communications link for transmitting data in a sectored point-to-multipoint downstream communications link with remote devices including the linked point-to-multipoint remote device at the network node and receiving data from the point-to-multipoint remote device at the network node in a point-to-multipoint upstream communications link.

2. The communications system according to claim 1, wherein the backbone network comprises a single-ring network, a double-ring network, a full mesh network, a partial mesh network, a hierarchical network, a grid network or a concatenated network.

3. The communications system according to claim 1, wherein said node having said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver comprises a plurality of sector transceivers each operative for covering a respective geographic area.

4. The communications system according to claim 1, wherein said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver comprises a radio transceiver having a sector antenna for wirelessly communicating with remote devices.

5. The communications system according to claim 4, wherein said sector antenna comprises a waveguide antenna, a horn antenna, a smart antenna, a scanning antenna, or a beam-shaping antenna.

6. The communications system according to claim 1, wherein a remote device comprises a radio transceiver and a radio antenna.

7. The communications system according to claim 6, wherein said radio antenna comprises a parabolic antenna, a cassegrain antenna, a smart antenna, a scanning antenna, a beam-shaping antenna or a waveguide sector antenna.

8. The communications system according to claim 1, wherein communications links comprise optical communications links.

9. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of network nodes and communications links that link network nodes to form a high bandwidth backbone network, wherein at least one of said communications links forms a point-to-multipoint communications link between two network nodes;

at least one of said network nodes having a point-to-multipoint remote device at one end of the point-to-multipoint communications link;

at least one of said nodes having a point-to-multipoint sector transceiver at the other end of the point-to-multipoint communications link for transmitting data in a sectored point-to-multipoint downstream communications link with the linked point-to-multipoint remote device at the network node and receiving data from the point-to-multipoint remote device in a point-to-multipoint upstream communications link; and

a plurality of point-to-multipoint remote devices positioned within a coverage area provided by the point-to-multipoint sector transceiver for receiving data from said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver through the sectored point-to-multipoint downstream communications link and transmitting data to the point-to-multipoint sector transceiver in a point-to-multipoint upstream communications link.

10. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein said node having said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver further comprises a multiplexer/switch circuit for switching data between the backbone network and the plurality of point-to-multipoint remote devices.

11. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver and plurality of point-to-multipoint remote devices forms an access network for the backbone network.

12. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein the backbone network comprises a single-ring network, a double-ring network, a full mesh network, a partial mesh network, a hierarchical network, a grid network or a concatenated network.

13. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein said node having said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver comprises a plurality of sector transceivers each operative for covering a respective area.

14. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver comprises a radio transceiver having a sector antenna for communicating with remote devices.

15. The communications system according to claim 14, wherein said sector antenna comprises a waveguide antenna, a horn antenna, a smart antenna, a scanning antenna, or a beam-shaping antenna.

16. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein a remote device comprises a radio transceiver and a radio antenna.

17. The communications system according to claim 16, wherein said radio antenna comprises a parabolic antenna, a cassegrain antenna, a smart antenna, a scanning antenna, a beam-shaping antenna or a waveguide sector antenna.

18. The communications system according to claim 9, wherein communications links comprise optical communications links.

20. A communications system according to claim 19, and further comprising a duplex communications controller operatively connected to said beam directing circuit for determining when said scanning antenna may transmit and receive data.

21. A communications system according to claim 20, wherein said duplex communications controller comprises a time division multiple access controller.

22. A communications system according to claim 20, wherein said duplex communications controller comprises a time division multiple access controller.

23. The communications system according to claim 19, wherein said node having said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver further comprises a multiplexer/switch circuit for switching the transfer of data between the backbone network and the plurality of point-to-multipoint remote devices.

24. The communications system according to claim 19, wherein said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver and plurality of point-to-multipoint remote devices forms an access network for the backbone network.

25. The communications system according to claim 19, wherein the backbone network comprises a single-ring network, a double-ring network, a full mesh network, a partial mesh network, a hierarchical network, a grid network or a concatenated network.

26. The communications system according to claim 19, wherein said node having said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver comprises a plurality of sector transceivers each operative for covering a respective geographic area.

27. The communications system according to claim 19, wherein a remote device comprises a radio transceiver and a radio antenna.

28. The communications system according to claim 27, wherein said radio antenna comprises a parabolic antenna, a cassegrain antenna, a smart antenna, a scanning antenna, a beam-shaping antenna or a waveguide sector antenna.

29. The communications system according to claim 19, wherein communications links comprise optical communications links.

19. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of network nodes and communications links that link network nodes to form a high bandwidth backbone network, wherein at least one of said communications links forms a point-to-multipoint communications link between two network nodes;

at least one of said network nodes comprising a point-to-multipoint remote device at one end of the point-to-multipoint communications link;

at least one of said nodes comprising a point-to-multipoint wireless sector transceiver at the other end of the point-to-multipoint communications link for transmitting data in a sectored point-to-multipoint downstream communications link with the linked point-to-multipoint remote device at the network node and receiving data from the point-to-multipoint remote device in a point-to-multipoint upstream communications link;

a plurality of point-to-multipoint remote devices positioned within a coverage area provided by the point-to-multipoint sector transceiver for receiving data from said point-to-multipoint sector transceiver through the sectored point-to-multipoint downstream communications link and transmitting data to the point-to-multipoint sector transceiver in a point-to-multipoint upstream communications link; and

wherein said point-to-multipoint wireless sector transceiver includes a scanning antenna comprising a beam directing circuit and beam controller circuit for controlling the beam angle and dwell time of the scanning antenna and a message unit interface operatively connected to said beam directing circuit and/or beam controller circuit wherein the beam angle and dwell time for the scanning antenna are based on addressing information within the message data.

30. A scanning antenna comprising:

a beam shaping antenna;

a beam directing controller operatively connected to said beam shaping antenna for controlling said beam shaping antenna;

a beam directing circuit operatively connected to said beam directing controller;

a message interface unit operatively connected to said beam directing circuit and beam shaping antenna for transmitting message data from said beam shaping antenna, wherein the beam angle and dwell time for the beam shaping antenna are responsive to address information within the message data.

31. A scanning antenna according to claim 30, and further comprising a duplex communications controller operatively connected to said beam directing circuit for determining when said scanning antenna may transmit and receive data.

32. A scanning antenna according to claim 30, wherein said duplex communications controller comprises a time division multiple access controller.

33. A scanning antenna according to claim 30, wherein said duplex communications controller comprises a time division multiple access controller.