Covert spatially separated antenna package for repeater

• US 20040176026A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tantivy Communications Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Proctor, James A. Jr., Gainey, Kenneth M., Lynch, Michael J., Haenggi, Stefan, Regnier, John A., Hughes, Jonathan L.
• Application Number:
  US10/462,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence

Abstract

A repeater for a wireless network in which a signal radiation path provided by building wiring is used to provide spatial separation between at least two radiating points. The repeater is preferably packaged into a housing that is suitable for use as an Alternating Current-to-Direct Current (AC/DC) transformer (or wall wart). If the radiating point includes at least one antenna, the antenna may also be incorporated within the transformer housing. The radiating points can be are provided by at least two antennas, in which case the building wiring includes a coaxial cable, such for carrying video or cable signals. The building wiring may also be standard Alternating Current (AC) three wire conductor cable which may or may not be placed within building walls. In this implementation, the radiating point is determined by a matching circuit. A frequency conversion circuit can cause the radiation from at least one radiating point to occur at a carrier frequency that is different from the carrier frequency of the other radiating point.

Claims

1. A bi-directional wired repeater device for a wireless network comprising:

at least two radiating points that are spatially separated by at least several feet;

a signal path provided to interconnect the two radiating points;

repeater radio circuitry, for receiving at least one radio signal from at least one of the radiating points and transmitting such received signal at another one of the radiating points;

and a housing, for packaging at least a portion of the repeater radio circuitry.

2. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein the housing is suitable for use as an Alternating Current-to-Direct Current (AC/DC) transformer.

3. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein at least one radiating point is provided by an antenna.

4. A repeater device as in claim 3 wherein the antenna is incorporated into the housing.

5. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein the radiating points are provided by at least two antennas, and the building wiring is a coaxial cable.

6. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein the wired signal path is standard Alternating Current (AC) two conductor cable.

7. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein the signal path is placed within at least one wall of the building.

8. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the radiating points is provided by the signal path.

9. A repeater device as in claim 1 additionally comprising:

a switch, to select either of a first or second direction in the repeater radio circuitry to be active at a given time.

10. A repeater device as in claim 1 wherein a frequency conversion circuit causes the radiation transmitted from at least one radiating point to be repeated at a carrier frequency that is different from the carrier frequency of the signal received at the other radiating point.