High data rate wireless communication system

• US 20030224801A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corporation
• Original Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corporation
• Inventors: Lovberg, John, Chedester, Richard, Johnson, Paul, Slaughter, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/454
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/52 Hybrid arrangements, i.e. arrangements for transition from single-path two-direction transmission to single-direction transmission on each of two paths or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1123 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity

Abstract

A high data rate communication system operating at frequencies greater than 70 MHz and at data rates of about 1.25 Gbps or greater. Preferred embodiments include modulators with a resonant LC circuit including a diode which is back-biased for “off” (i.e., no transmit) and forward biased for “on” (or transmit). The modulator is a part of high performance transceivers for wireless, millimeter wave communications links. A preferred embodiment provides a communication link of more than eight miles which operates within the 71 to 76 GHz portion of the millimeter spectrum and provides data transmission rates of 1.25 Gbps with bit error rates of less than 10⁻¹⁰ . A first transceiver transmits at a first bandwidth and receives at a second bandwidth both within the above spectral range. A second transceiver transmits at the second bandwidth and receives at the first bandwidth. The transceivers are equipped with antennas providing beam divergence small enough to ensure efficient spatial and directional partitioning of the data channels so that an almost unlimited number of transceivers will be able to simultaneously use the same spectrum. In a preferred embodiment the first and second spectral ranges are 71.8+/−0.63 GHz and 73.8+/−0.63 GHz and the half power beam width is about 0.2 degrees or less. Preferably, a backup transceiver set is provided which would take over the link in the event of very bad weather conditions. In other embodiments especially useful for mobile applications at least one of the transceivers include a GPS locator.

Claims

1. A millimeter wave communications system comprising:

A) a first millimeter wave transceiver system located at a first site capable of transmitting and receiving to and from a second site through atmosphere digital information at frequencies greater than 70 MHz and at data rates of about 1.25 Gbps or greater, said first transceiver comprising at least one antenna producing a beam having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less, and

B) a second millimeter wave transceiver system located at said second site capable of transmitting and receiving to and from said first site digital information at frequencies greater than 70 MHz and at data rates of about 1.25 Gbps or greater, said second transceiver comprising at least one antenna producing a beam having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first transceiver system or said second transceiver system comprises a GPS unit.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 71 and 76 GHz.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 81 and 86 GHz.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 71 and 86 GHz.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 92 and 95 GHz.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 71 and 95 GHz.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second transceiver systems is configured to transmit at frequencies in the range of about 71.8+/−

0.63 GHz and to receive information at frequencies in the range of about 73.8+/−

0.63 GHz.

9. The system as in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second transceiver systems is configured to transmit at frequencies in the range of about 92.3 to 93.2 GHz and to receive information at frequencies in the range of about 94.1 to 95.0 GHz.

10. The system as in claim 1 and further comprising a back-up transceiver system and configured to provide continue transmittal of information between said first and second sites in the event of abnormal weather conditions.

11. The system as in claim 10 wherein said backup transceiver system is a microwave system.

12. The system as in claim 10 wherein said backup transceiver system is configured to operate in the frequency range of less than 11.7 GHz.

13. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first and said second sites are separated by at least one mile.

14. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first and said second sites are separated by at least 2 miles.

15. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first and said second sites are separated by at least 7 miles.

16. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first and said second sites are separated by at least 10 miles.

17. The system as in claim 1 wherein each of said first and said second transceiver are configured to transmit and receive information at bit error rates of less than 10⁻

10 during normal weather conditions.

18. The system as in claim 1 wherein both said first and said second transceiver systems are equipped with antennas providing a gain of greater than 50 dB.

20. The system as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said antennas is a flat panel antenna.

21. The system as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said antennas is a Cassegrain antenna.

22. The system as in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second transceivers comprise two antennas, a transmit antenna and a receive antenna.

23. The system as in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second transceivers comprise only one antenna configured to transmit and to receive.

24. The system as in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second modulators for high data rate communication at high frequencies comprises a resonant LC circuit comprising:

(1) a capacitor,

(2) an inductor,

(3) a diode

(4) a biasing means for back-biasing said diode to minimize transmission and forward biasing said diode to transmit.

25. The system as in claim 24 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies greater than 70 GHz.

26. The system as in claim 24 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies greater than 80 GHz.

27. The system as in claim 24 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies greater than 90 GHz.

28. The system as in claim 24 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 71 and 76 GHz.

29. The system as in claim 24 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 81 and 86 GHz.

30. The system as in claim 24 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 92 and 95 GHz.

31. The system as in claim 24 wherein one of said first and second transceiver systems is configured to transmit at frequencies in the range of about 71.8+/−

0.63 GHz and to receive information at frequencies in the range of about 73.8+/−

0.63 GHz.

32. The system as in claim 24 wherein one of said first and second transceiver systems is configured to transmit at frequencies in the range of about 92.3 to 93.2 GHz and to receive information at frequencies in the range of about 94.1 to 95.0 GHz.

33. The system as in claim 24 and further comprising a back-up transceiver system and configured to provide continue transmittal of information between said first and second sites in the event of abnormal weather conditions.

45. The system as in claim 1 wherein each of said first and said second transceiver systems comprises a single local oscillator wherein said local oscillator frequency is modulated to produce a transmit frequency and mixed with incoming signals to produce an intermediate frequency, wherein the single local oscillator in said first transceiver operates at a frequency different from the frequency of the single local oscillator in said second transceiver.

46. The system as in claim 45 wherein the frequency of said first local oscillator and the frequency of said second local oscillator defines a difference frequency equal to said intermediate frequency.

34. The system as in claim 34 wherein said backup transceiver system is a microwave system.

35. The point-to-point communications system comprising:

A) a first transceiver system located at a first site for transmitting and receiving information to and from a second site through the atmosphere,

B) a second transceiver system located at said second site for transmitting and receiving to and from said first site information through the atmosphere,

C) a power control means for controlling transmit power at said first transceiver system based on information derived from received signal strength at said second transceiver system and for controlling transmit power at said second transceiver system based on information derived from received signal strength at said first transceiver system.

36. The system as in claim 35 wherein at least one of said first and second transceiver systems is an optical or laser system.

37. A method of point-to-point communications comprising the steps of:

A) transmitting information from a first millimeter wave transceiver system located at a first site to second millimeter wave transceiver system at a second site through the atmosphere,

B) transmitting information from the second millimeter wave transceiver system located at the second site to the first millimeter wave transceiver system at a the first site through the atmosphere,

C) using a power control means for controlling transmit power at said first transceiver system based on information derived from received signal strength at said second transceiver system and for controlling transmit power at said second transceiver system based on information derived from received signal strength at said first transceiver system.

38. The method as in claim 37 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies greater than 57 GHz.

39. The method as in claim 37 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies greater than 90 GHz.

40. The method as in claim 37 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 71 and 76 GHz.

41. The method as in claim 37 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 81 and 86 GHz.

42. The method as in claim 37 wherein said first transceiver system is configured to transmit and receive information at frequencies between 92 and 95 GHz.

43. The method as in claim 37 wherein at least one GPS unit is used to align said first or said second transceivers.

44. The method as in claim 37 wherein each of said first and said second transceiver comprises a GPS unit, each GPS unit being used for alignment.