Using directional antennas to mitigate the effects of interference in wireless networks

• US 20040242274A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Corbett, Christopher, Hassan, Amer, Barkley, Warren
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The principles of the present invention provides for using directional antennas to mitigate the effects of interference in a wireless network. An antenna device includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna. Each directional antenna (e.g., an electronically steered phased array antenna) can have one or more feeds for directing beams at wireless devices. The antenna device utilizes the omni-directional antenna to send and receive control data that facilitates locating wireless devices and determining when a wireless device is to send program data to or receive program data from the antenna device. The antenna device utilizes directional antennas to send program data to and receive program data from wireless devices. Since directional antennas use directional beams, directional antennas can be tuned channels with reduced interference based on the location of wireless devices relative to the antenna device.

Claims

1. In an antenna device that includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna, a method for the antenna device wirelessly receiving data from a wireless device in a manner that reduces interference in the wireless communication, the method comprising the following:

an act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a data notification signal from the wireless device, the data notification signal being indicative of the wireless device having program data to send to the antenna device;

an act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device;

an act of the antenna device selecting a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in receiving program data from the wireless device based on results of the detection of current usage; and

an act of the antenna device using one of the at least one directional antennas to receive program data from the wireless device on the selected channel in response to having received the data notification signal.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a data notification signal from the wireless device comprises an act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a ready to send signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of detecting frequency usage in a 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of detecting frequency usage in a 5 GHz frequency spectrum.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of the omni-directional antenna detecting usage of the frequency spectrum.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of one of the at least one directional antennas detecting usage of the frequency spectrum.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of the detecting frequency spectrum usage that could potentially interfere with the antenna device sufficiently receiving the program data from the wireless device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device selecting a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in receiving program data from the wireless device comprises an act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in the frequency spectrum.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in the frequency spectrum comprises an act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in a 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in the frequency spectrum comprises an act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in a 5 GHz frequency spectrum.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the an act of the antenna device selecting a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in receiving program data from the wireless device comprises an act of selecting a channel that has reduced interference in the direction of the wireless device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an act of the antenna device directing a beam from one of the at least one directional antennas towards the wireless device in response to having received the data notification signal.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device using one of the at least one directional antennas to receive program data from the wireless device on the selected channel comprises an act of receiving program data that was transported in accordance with the Internet Protocol.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the antenna device using one of the at least one directional antennas to receive program data from the wireless device on the selected channel comprises an act of using an electronically steered phased array antenna to receive program data from the wireless device on the selected.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an act of the antenna device simultaneously using another of the at least one directional antennas to communicate with a second wireless device on a second channel during reception of the program data from the wireless device on the selected channel.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the second channel is in the frequency spectrum.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the second channel is in a second frequency spectrum that is different from the frequency spectrum.

18. In an antenna device that includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna, a method for the antenna device wirelessly receiving data from a wireless device in a manner that reduces interference in the wireless communication, the method comprising the following:

an act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a data notification signal from the wireless device, the data notification signal being indicative of the wireless device having program data to send to the antenna device;

a step for configuring one of the at least one directional antennas to receive data on a selected channel of a frequency spectrum based on interference in the frequency spectrum, the selected channel having reduced interference as compared to at least one other channel in the frequency spectrum; and

an act of the antenna device using the one of the at least one directional antennas to receive program data from the wireless device on the selected channel in response to having received the data notification signal.

31. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the act of the antenna device selecting a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in receiving program data from the wireless device comprises an act of selecting a channel that has reduced interference in the direction of the wireless device.

32. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

an act of the antenna device directing a beam from one of the at least one directional antennas towards the wireless device in response to having received the location signal.

33. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the act of the antenna device using one of the at least one directional antennas to send program data to the wireless device on the selected channel comprises an act of sending program data that is to be transported in accordance with the Internet Protocol.

34. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the act of the antenna device using one of the at least one directional antennas to send program data to the wireless device on the selected channel comprises an act using an electronically steered phased array antenna to send program data to the wireless device on the selected channel.

35. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

an act of the antenna device simultaneously using another of the at least one directional antennas to communicate with a second wireless device on a second channel during the sending of the program data to the wireless device on the selected channel.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the second channel is in the frequency spectrum.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the second channel is in a second frequency spectrum that is different from the frequency spectrum.

19. In an antenna device that includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna, a method for the antenna device wirelessly sending data to a wireless device in a manner that reduces interference in the wireless communication, the method comprising the following:

an act of the omni-directional antenna transmitting a location request, the location request requesting the location of the wireless device;

an act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a location signal from the wireless device, the location signal indicating the location of the wireless device;

an act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device;

an act of the antenna device selecting a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in sending program data to the wireless device based on results of the detection of current usage; and

an act of the antenna device using one of the at least one directional antennas to send program data to the wireless device on the selected channel in response to having received the location signal.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

an act of receiving an indication that an application has program data to send to the wireless device.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a location signal from the wireless device comprises an act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a clear to send signal.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the omni-directional antenna receiving a location signal from the wireless device comprises an act of the omni-directional antenna receiving location data indicating the location of the wireless device.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of detecting frequency usage in a 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of detecting frequency usage in a 5 GHz frequency spectrum.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of the omni-directional antenna detecting usage of the frequency spectrum.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of one of the at least one directional antennas detecting usage of the frequency spectrum.

27. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the antenna device detecting current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device comprises an act of the detecting frequency spectrum usage that could potentially interfere with the antenna device sending the program data to the wireless device.

28. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of the antenna device selecting a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in receiving program data from the wireless device comprises an act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in the frequency spectrum.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in the frequency spectrum comprises an act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in a 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in the frequency spectrum comprises an act of selecting a channel that is mapped to a specified frequency in a 5 GHz frequency spectrum.

38. In an antenna device that includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna, a method for the antenna device wirelessly sending data to a wireless device in a manner that reduces interference in the wireless communication, the method comprising the following:

an act of the omni-directional antenna transmitting a location request, the location request requesting the location of the wireless device;

a step for configuring one of the at least one directional antennas to send program data on a selected channel in a frequency spectrum based on interference in the frequency spectrum, the selected channel having reduced interference as compared to at least one other channel in the frequency spectrum; and

an act of the antenna device using the one of the at least one directional antennas to send program data to the wireless device on the selected channel in response to having received a location signal.

39. A computer program product for use in an antenna device that includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna, the computer program product for implementing a method for the antenna device wirelessly receiving data from a wireless device in a manner that reduces interference in the wireless communication, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the antenna device to perform the following:

receive a data notification signal from the wireless device, the data notification signal being indicative of the wireless device having program data to send to the antenna device;

detect current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device;

select a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in receiving program data from the wireless device based on results of the detection of current usage; and

use one of the at least one directional antennas to receive program data from the wireless device on the selected channel in response to having received the data notification signal.

40. The computer program product as recited in claim 39, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical media.

41. The computer program product as recited in claim 39, wherein the one or more computer-readable media include system memory.

42. A computer program product for use in an antenna device that includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna, the computer program product for implementing a method for the antenna device wirelessly sending data to a wireless device in a manner that reduces interference in the wireless communication, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the antenna device to perform the following:

transmit a location request, the location request requesting the location of the wireless device;

receive a location signal from the wireless device, the location signal indicating the location of the wireless device;

detect current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device;

select a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in sending program data to the wireless device based on results of the detection of current usage; and

use one of the at least one directional antennas to send program data to the wireless device on the selected channel in response to having received the location signal.

43. The computer program product as recited in claim 42, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical media.

44. The computer program product as recited in claim 42, wherein the one or more computer-readable media include system memory.

45. An antenna device configured to wirelessly communicate with wireless devices comprising the following:

an omni-directional antenna;

one or more directional antennas, each directional antenna having one or more feeds for directing beams at wireless devices;

one or more processing units; and

one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a control module, the control module being configured to;

exchange control data with the omni-directional antenna, the control data indicating that a wireless device is to exchange program data with the antenna device;

detect current usage of a frequency spectrum in the direction of the wireless device;

select a channel in the frequency spectrum for use in exchanging program data with the wireless device based on results of the detection of current usage; and

use one of the one or more directional antennas to exchange program data with the wireless device on the selected channel in response to the exchanged control data.