Broadband repeater with security for ultrawideband technologies

• US 20050042999A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Original Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Inventors: Rappaport, Theodore S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/307
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15521 combining by calculations packets received from different stations before transmitting the combined packets as part of network coding network coding aspects for detection or prevention of errors in the information received H04L1/0076; network traffic management with optimizing of information sizing, e.g. header compression, by using assembly and disassembly of packets H04W28/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15557 Selecting relay station operation mode, e.g. between amplify and forward mode, decode and forward mode or FDD - and TDD mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/125 Protection against power exhaustion attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 : of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 : Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

An ultrawideband radio transceiver/repeater provides a low cost infrastructure solution that merges wireless and wired network devices while providing connection to the plant, flexible repeater capabilities, network security, traffic monitoring and provisioning, and traffic flow control for wired and wireless connectivity of devices or networks. The ultrawidebande radio transceiver/repeater can be implemented in discrete, integrated, distributed or embedded forms.

Claims

1. A broadband wireless repeater, comprising:

at least one receiver for receiving electronic signals at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices, and at least one transmitter for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be separate components or be combined as a transceiver, and wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be dedicated receive only and transmit only or may function alternatively as a receiver and as a transmitter; and

a controller, which is either pre-programmed or programmable with network information, which controls the screening of data received by said at least one receiver, and either passes, ignores, rejects, redirects, modifies, or kills received data, said controller providing such data screening in order to differentiate between desired and undesired data for network security, network management, or interference mitigation purposes,

said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver and transmission by said at least one transmitter,

said controller further providing for the collecting, reporting, or storing of network usage, network statistics, or network information.

2. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said network information includes IDs for each of the components to be used in a network.

3. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said network information includes IDs for users permitted to be used in a network.

4. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said network information includes a specified coverage area for wireless devices to permit use of a network.

5. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said network information includes specified applications permitted to be used in a network.

6. The broadband repeater of claim 1 further comprising a buffer memory for storing received electronic signals for processing by said controller.

7. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said at least one receiver receives electronic signals by either or both a wireless communication or a wired link.

8. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said at least one transmitter transmits electronic signals by wireless communication.

9. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said at least one transmitter transmits electronic signals by wired link.

10. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said at least one transmitter transmits electronic signals by either or both wireless communication or by wired link.

11. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said at least one receiver and said at least one transmitter and said controller are associated with an AC outlet or a wall fixture.

12. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said controller permits network information to be modified.

13. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said controller uses adaptive or steerable antennas or MIMO technologies to control the direction or coverage zones of transmissions or reception.

14. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said controller permits support of position location capabilities for use by a network.

15. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said controller directs undesired user or intruder information to be passed to other components of a network from said at least one transmitter using either wireless or wired connectivity.

16. The broadband repeater of claim 1 where network provisioning information is passed to or pre-programmed with said controller, for purposes of network traffic provisioning, wherein said controller uses said provisioning information to prioritize either or both reception of data and transmission of data to or from said repeater.

17. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein said transmitter and said receiver have reversible input/output directions.

42. The broadband repeater of claim 1 wherein either pre-programmed or programmable network information supplied to said controller is communicated using either a wireless or wired link.

43. The broadband repeater of claim 42 wherein said network information is further supplied to said controller by over-the-air ultrawideband signaling.

44. The broadband repeater of claim 42, wherein said network information is further supplied to said controller by a wired connection from another device.

18. A broadband wireless repeater, comprising:

at least one receiver for receiving electronic signals at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices, and at least one transmitter for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be separate components or be combined as a transceiver, and wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be dedicated receive only and transmit only or may function alternatively as a receiver and as a transmitter; and

a controller which is either pre-programmed or programmable with provisioning information for purposes of network traffic provisioning, wherein said controller uses said provisioning information to prioritize either or both reception of data by said at least one receiver and transmission of data by said at least one transmitter, said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver and transmission of electronic signals or data by said at least one transmitter.

19. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said provisioning information prioritizes by network user.

20. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said provisioning information prioritizes by type of data being received by said at least one receiver.

21. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said provisioning information prioritizes by type of data being transmitted by said at least one transmitter.

22. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said provisioning information prioritizes by the particular type of application being used by one or more users of the network and being received by said at least one receiver.

23. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said provisioning information prioritizes by the particular type of application being used by one or more users of the network being transmitted by said at least on transmitter.

24. The broadband repeater of claim 18 further comprising a buffer memory for storing received electronic signals or data for processing by said controller.

25. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said at least one receiver receives electronic signals or data by either or both a wireless communication or a wired link.

26. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said at least one transmitter transmits electronic signals or data by wireless communication.

27. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said at least one transmitter transmits electronic signals or data by wired link.

28. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said at least one transmitter transmits electronic signals or data by either or both wireless communication or by wired link.

29. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said at least one receiver and said at least one transmitter and said controller are associated with an AC outlet or a wall fixture.

30. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said controller permits provisioning information to be modified.

31. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said provisioning information supplied to said controller is communicated using either a wireless or wired link.

32. The broadband repeater of claim 31 wherein said provisioning information is further supplied to said controller by over-the-air ultrawideband signaling.

33. The broadband repeater of claim 31, wherein said provisioning information is further supplied to said controller by a wired connection from another device.

34. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said controller uses adaptive or steerable antennas or MIMO technologies to control the direction or coverage zones of transmissions or reception.

35. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said controller permits support of position location capabilities for use by a network

36. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said controller directs undesired user or intruder information to be passed to other components of a network from said at least one transmitter using either wireless or wired connectivity.

37. The broadband repeater of claim 18 wherein said transmitter and said receiver have reversible input/output directions.

38. A broadband wireless repeater, comprising:

at least one receiver for receiving electronic signals at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices, and at least one transmitter for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be separate components or be combined as a transceiver, and wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be dedicated receive only and transmit only or may function alternatively as a receiver and as a transmitter; and

a controller which is either pre-programmed or programmable to collect traffic information or security information related to received and transmitted data, said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver and transmission by said at least one transmitter.

39. The broadband repeater of claim 38 further comprising a means for exporting traffic information or security information to one or more computer processors or devices.

40. The broadband repeater of claim 38 further comprising means for adjusting one or more operations of said controller based on said traffic information or security information.

41. A broadband repeater, comprising:

at least one receiver for receiving electronic signals at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices and at least some of said signals being sent by a wired link, and at least one transmitter for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be separate components or be combined as a transceiver, and wherein said at least one receiver and at least one transmitter may be dedicated receive only and transmit only or may function alternatively as a receiver and as a transmitter; and

a controller for controlling reception of electronic signals by said at least one receiver and transmission by said at least one transmitter,

wherein said controller supports a hub or router function to allow for the commingling of both wireless and wired traffic within said broadband repeater.