Systems and methods for wireless network range extension

• US 20050255892A1
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Liew, Soung C., Lau, Vincent, Wong, Pui Bill, Wong, Cheong-Yui
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide high bandwidth data communication with respect to a large coverage area using smart antenna and/or directional antenna techniques. Embodiments provide extended wireless local area network (WLAN) coverage areas using a directional antenna, with the cooperation of a cellular system or proprietary WLAN infrastructure to perform best antenna beam pattern estimation and signaling. Stations disposed beyond a WLAN coverage area may establish contact and exchange signaling information with an access point through a secondary control channel. Such a secondary control channel signaling may be relatively low bandwidth and may be utilized to identify the need to communicate data, to identify a “best” directional antenna beam through which to communicate data, etcetera. Payload data may then be transmitted at a high bit rate through one or more smart antenna beams targeted at the appropriate stations.

Claims

1. A wireless network system comprising:

a wireless access point, said wireless access point providing high data rate wireless communication within a high data rate coverage area;

an antenna system providing directional antenna patterns;

a beam pattern finder storing information with respect to a best directional antenna pattern for a station disposed outside of said high data rate coverage area; and

an extended range controller in communication with said beam pattern finder and said access point and operable to control said access point to provide high data rate wireless communication to said station using said best directional antenna pattern, thereby providing extended range high data rate wireless communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein an extended range coverage area associated with said extended range high data rate wireless communication is co-extensive with a cell of a cellular communication system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein an extended range coverage area associated with said extended range high data rate wireless communication comprises an area consistent with that of a macrocell of a cellular communication system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said macrocell area comprises a radius of at least 500 meters.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point comprises a wireless local area network access point.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said wireless local area network access point provides communications according to IEEE 802.11 protocols.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said high data rate wireless communication comprises data communication in the range of 12 to 54 Mbps.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said antenna system provides a plurality of angularly diverse narrow antenna beams, said best directional antenna pattern corresponding to one of said plurality of narrow antenna beams.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said antenna system further provides at least one broad antenna beam for use when a station is disposed within said high data rate coverage area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said broad antenna beam comprises an omni-directional antenna beam native to said access point.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said beam pattern finder analyzes information with respect to communication between said access point and said station using each antenna beam of said plurality of narrow antenna beams in identifying said best directional antenna pattern.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said station is disposed within a wireless local area network coverage area associated with said wireless access point.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said extended range controller recognizes a request for high data rate wireless communication from said station on a lower data rate link provided by said wireless access point in said wireless local area network coverage area.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said station is disposed outside of a wireless local area network coverage area associated with said wireless access point.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said extended range controller recognizes a request for high data rate wireless communication from said station using an extended range communication protocol of said wireless access point.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said extended range controller recognizes a request for high data rate wireless communication from said station on a network connection not provided by said wireless access point.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said network connection not provided by said wireless access point is provided by a cellular communication system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said station comprises a dual-mode station, said dual-modes including a wireless local area network communication mode and a cellular network communication mode.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cellular node in communication with said beam pattern finder and said extended ranged controller.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said beam pattern finder analyzes information with respect to communication between said cellular node and said station using each antenna beam of a plurality of narrow antenna beams in identifying said best directional antenna pattern.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said cellular node arbitrates a request from said station for high data rate wireless communication by said access node.

22. A method for providing an extended coverage area for high data rate communications, said method comprising:

deploying a wireless access point to provide wireless data communication within a wireless coverage area, said wireless data communication including high data rate communication in at least a portion of said wireless coverage area;

determining a best antenna pattern for use with respect to stations disposed beyond said high data rate of said wireless coverage area;

recognizing a request for high data rate communication with respect to a station of said stations disposed beyond said first coverage area, wherein said request is carried through a communication link other than a high data rate communication link;

identifying a best antenna pattern of said determined best antenna patterns associated with said station; and

scheduling high data rate communication between said station and said wireless access point using said identified best antenna pattern, thereby providing high data rate communication within an extended high data rate wireless coverage area.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said station is disposed in said wireless coverage area, and wherein said recognizing said request for high data rate communication comprises:

receiving a lower data rate communication at said wireless access point.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said station is disposed outside of said wireless coverage area, and wherein said recognizing said request for high data rate communication comprises:

receiving a wireless communication via a network separate from said wireless access point.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said separate network comprises a cellular network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said wireless access point comprises a part of a wireless local area network.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein said extended high data rate wireless coverage area comprises an area corresponding to that of a macro cell.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein said extended high data rate wireless coverage area comprises a radius of at least 500 meters from said wireless access point.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein said determining said best antenna pattern comprises:

communicating test packets between said wireless access point and a particular station of said stations using each of a plurality of antenna beams; and

determining an antenna beam of said plurality of antenna beams providing a best communication attribute.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said best communication attribute comprises a receive signal strength indicator.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein said determining said best antenna pattern comprises:

providing a test signal between a particular station of said stations and a wireless node of a network separate from a network associated with said wireless access point using each of a plurality of antenna beams; and

determining an antenna beam of said plurality of antenna beams providing a best communication attribute.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein best communication attribute comprises a receive signal strength indicator.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said separate network comprises a cellular network and said network associated with said wireless access point comprises a wireless local area network.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein said high data rate communication between said station and said wireless access point is provided in a downlink.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said communication link other than a high data rate communication link is used to provide data communication in an uplink after said high data rate communication between said station and said wireless access point is provided.

36. A method of providing extended high data rate communication in a network using wireless local area network infrastructure, said method comprising:

deploying a base station for use in conducting wireless communication within a communication coverage area, said base station including a wireless local area network access point to provide wireless data communication within a wireless local area network coverage area, said wireless local area network coverage area including a high data rate communication coverage area portion and a lower data rate communication coverage area portion, and an antenna system coupled to said access point, said antenna system providing an antenna pattern native to said access point and a plurality of narrow antenna beam patterns which are selectively implemented with respect to signals associated with said access point;

determining a best antenna pattern of said plurality of narrow antenna beam patterns for use with respect stations of a plurality of stations disposed within said wireless coverage area;

recognizing initiation of communication between said base station and a first station of said plurality of stations disposed within said high data rate communication coverage area portion;

scheduling high data rate communication between said first station and said base station using an antenna pattern native to said access point;

recognizing initiation of communication between said base station and a second station of said plurality of stations disposed within said wireless coverage area but outside of said high data rate communication coverage area portion;

selecting an antenna pattern of said determined best antenna patterns associated with said second station; and

scheduling high data rate communication between said second station and said base station using said selected antenna pattern.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said initiation of communication between said base station and said second station is between said access point and said second station, said initiation of communication comprising lower data rate communication than said high data rate communication.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said second station is disposed within said lower data rate communication coverage area portion.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said base station further including a cellular node to provide wireless data communication within said communication coverage area, wherein said initiation of communication between said base station and said second station is between said cellular node and said second station, said initiation of communication comprising communication through a separate network than said wireless local area network.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said second station is disposed outside of said wireless local area network coverage area.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein said selecting said antenna pattern and said scheduling said high data rate communication provide an extended wireless local area network coverage area substantially co-extensive with said communication coverage area.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

coupling said access point native antenna pattern to said access point when data communication using said access point is not otherwise scheduled.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein said access point comprises an access point operable according to IEEE 802.11 protocols.