Wireless node with antenna detachability

• US 20050003872A1
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Inventors: Rada, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US10/462,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.700
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment

Abstract

Disclosed is a wireless node with antenna detachability. Various wireless node configurations allow the 802.11a antenna element and/or the 802.11b/g element to be detached from the base unit.

Claims

1. A wireless node, comprising:

a base unit, including;

a first antenna connection point detachably coupleable to an 802.11a antenna element, and

802.11 circuitry including 802.11a circuitry,

wherein detachably coupling at least the 802.11a antenna element to the first antenna connection point permits the wireless node to have at least 802.11a communications.

2. The node of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting 802.11a communications with spatial diversity.

3. The node of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting 802.11a communications with multiple input multiple output.

4. The node of claim 1, wherein the base unit further comprises a second antenna connection point detachably coupleable to at least one of an 802.11b antenna element and an 802.11g antenna element, the 802.11 circuitry further includes at least one of 802.11b circuitry and 802.11g circuitry, and detachably coupling at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element to the second antenna connection point permits the wireless node to have at least one of 802.11b communications and 802.11g communications.

5. The node of claim 4, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11b communications with spatial diversity and 802.11g communications with spatial diversity.

6. The node of claim 4, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11b communications with multiple input multiple output and 802.11g communications with multiple input multiple output.

7. The node of claim 4, further comprising:

an antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point, and

at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, detachably coupleable to the second antenna connection point.

8. The node of claim 7, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are merged.

9. The node of claim 7, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are separate.

10. The node of claim 4, further comprising:

a first antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point, and

a second antenna including;

at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, detachably coupleable to the second antenna connection point.

11. The node of claim 1, wherein the base unit further comprises a second antenna connection point nondetachably coupled to at least one of an 802.11b antenna element and an 802.11g antenna element, the 802.11 circuitry further includes at least one of 802.11b circuitry and 802.11g circuitry, and at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element permits the wireless node to have at least one of 802.11b communications and 802.11g communications.

12. The node of claim 11, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11b communications with spatial diversity and 802.11g communications with spatial diversity.

13. The node of claim 11, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11b communications with multiple input multiple output and 802.11g communications with multiple input multiple output.

14. The node of claim 11, further comprising:

an antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point, and

at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, nondetachably coupled to the second antenna connection point.

15. The node of claim 14, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are merged.

16. The node of claim 14, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are separate.

17. The node of claim 11 further comprising:

a first antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point, and

a second antenna including;

at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, nondetachably coupled to the second antenna connection point.

18. The node of claim 1, wherein the wireless node includes an access point.

19. The node of claim 1, wherein the wireless node includes a router.

20. The node of claim 1, wherein the wireless node includes a gateway.

21. The node of claim 1, wherein the wireless node includes a modem.

22. The node of claim 1, wherein the wireless node includes a client adapter.

23. The node of claim 1, wherein the wireless node includes a bridge.

24. The node of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point.

25. A wireless node, comprising:

a base unit, including;

a first antenna connection point detachably coupleable to at least;

an 802.11a antenna element, and at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, and

802.11 circuitry including 802.11a circuitry and at least one of 802.11b circuitry and 802.11g circuitry,

wherein detachably coupling the 802.11a antenna element, and at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, to the first antenna connection point permits the wireless node to have at least 802.11a communications, and at least one of 802.11b communications and 802.11g communications.

26. The node of claim 25, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11a communications with spatial diversity, 802.11b communications with spatial diversity, and 802.11g communications with spatial diversity.

27. The node of claim 25, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11a communications with multiple input multiple output, 802.11b communications with multiple input multiple output, and 802.11g communications with multiple input multiple output.

28. The node of claim 25, wherein the first antenna connection point communicates through a plurality of conductors.

29. The node of claim 28, wherein a first conductor of the plurality of conductors communicates 802.11a signals, and a second conductor of the plurality of conductors communicates at least one of 802.11b signals and 802.11g signals.

30. The node of claim 25 wherein the first antenna connection point communicates through one conductor.

31. The node of claim 30, wherein the one conductor communicates 802.11a signals and at least one of 802.11b signals and 802.11g signals.

32. The node of claim 25, further comprising:

an antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point, and

at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, detachably coupleable to the first antenna connection point.

33. The node of claim 32, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are merged.

34. The node of claim 32, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are separate.

35. The node of claim 25, wherein the wireless node includes an access point.

36. The node of claim 25, wherein the wireless node includes a router.

37. The node of claim 25, wherein the wireless node includes a gateway.

38. The node of claim 25, wherein the wireless node includes a modem.

39. The node of claim 25, wherein the wireless node includes a client adapter.

40. The node of claim 25, wherein the wireless node includes a bridge.

41. A wireless node, comprising:

a base unit, including;

a first antenna connection point nondetachably coupled to an 802.11a antenna element,

a second antenna connection point detachably coupleable to at least one of an 802.11b antenna element and an 802.11g antenna element, and

802.11 circuitry including 802.11a circuitry and at least one of 802.11b circuitry and 802.11g circuitry, and

a first antenna including;

the 802.11a antenna element nondetachably coupled to the first antenna connection point,

wherein the 802.11a antenna element permits the wireless node to have at least 802.11a communications, and detachably coupling at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element to the second antenna connection point permits the wireless node to have at least one of 802.11b communications and 802.11g communications.

42. The node of claim 41, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11a communications with spatial diversity, 802.11b communications with spatial diversity, and 802.11g communications with spatial diversity.

43. The node of claim 41, further comprising one or more additional antenna connection points permitting at least one of 802.11a communications with multiple input multiple output, 802.11b communications with multiple input multiple output, and 802.11g communications with multiple input multiple output.

44. The node of claim 41, further comprising:

a second antenna including;

at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, detachably coupleable to the second antenna connection point.

45. The node of claim 41, wherein the first antenna further includes at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element, detachably coupleable to the second antenna connection point.

46. The node of claim 45, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are merged.

47. The node of claim 45, wherein the 802.11a antenna element and the at least one of the 802.11b antenna element and the 802.11g antenna element are separate.

48. The node of claim 41, wherein the wireless node includes an access point.

49. The node of claim 41, wherein the wireless node includes a router.

50. The node of claim 41, wherein the wireless node includes a gateway.

51. The node of claim 41, wherein the wireless node includes a modem.

52. The node of claim 41, wherein the wireless node includes a client adapter.

53. The node of claim 41, wherein the wireless node includes a bridge.