System and method for optimizing a directional communication link
First Claim
1. A system for optimizing a directional communication link, the system comprising:
- a directional transmitter having a steerable antenna, and configured to transmit a signal over the directional communication link, and further configured to align the steerable antenna based in part on a feedback signal;
a directional receiver configured to receive the signal transmitted by the directional transmitter and determine a signal metric based in part on the received signal;
a feedback transmitter coupled to the directional receiver and configured to transmit the signal metric over a feedback link distinct from the directional communication link; and
a feedback receiver coupled to the directional transmitter and configured to receive the signal metric from the feedback transmitter and communicate the signal metric to the directional transmitter as the feedback signal.
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Abstract
A feedback link is provided in a directional communication system, such as a millimeter wave communication link, to allow a directional transmitter to optimize an antenna alignment and gain. A remote receiver in the directional link can receive a transmission over the directional link and determine a signal metric, such as received signal strength or data error rate, based on the received signal. The receiver can then couple the signal metric to a feedback transmitter that communicates the signal metric back to the originating directional transmitter using a feedback communication link that is distinct from the directional link. The feedback communication link can be a wireless communication link, such as an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication link. The directional transmitter can receive the signal metric using a receiver coupled to the feedback link. The directional transmitter can adjust a gain or alignment of the antenna based on the signal metric.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for optimizing a directional communication link, the system comprising:
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a directional transmitter having a steerable antenna, and configured to transmit a signal over the directional communication link, and further configured to align the steerable antenna based in part on a feedback signal;
a directional receiver configured to receive the signal transmitted by the directional transmitter and determine a signal metric based in part on the received signal;
a feedback transmitter coupled to the directional receiver and configured to transmit the signal metric over a feedback link distinct from the directional communication link; and
a feedback receiver coupled to the directional transmitter and configured to receive the signal metric from the feedback transmitter and communicate the signal metric to the directional transmitter as the feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for optimizing a millimeter wave communication link, the system comprising:
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a millimeter wave transmitter having a steerable antenna, and configured to transmit a radio signal over a millimeter wave communication link, and further configured to align the steerable antenna based in part on a feedback signal received from a wireless feedback link;
a millimeter wave receiver configured to receive the radio signal transmitted by the millimeter wave transmitter and determine a signal metric based in part on the received signal;
a first wireless feedback transmitter coupled to the millimeter wave receiver and configured to transmit the signal metric over the wireless feedback link distinct from the millimeter wave communication link; and
a first feedback receiver coupled to the millimeter wave transmitter and configured to receive the signal metric from the feedback transmitter and communicate the signal metric to the millimeter wave transmitter as the feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An apparatus for optimizing a millimeter wave communication link, the apparatus comprising:
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a steerable antenna;
a millimeter wave receiver coupled to the steerable antenna and configured receive a signal from a millimeter wave transmitter transmitted over the millimeter wave communication link, and to determine a signal metric based in part on the received signal; and
a wireless transmitter coupled to the receiver and configured to transmit the signal metric to a wireless receiver coupled to the millimeter wave transmitter to enable the millimeter wave transmitter to optimize an alignment of a transmit antenna relative to the steerable antenna.
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18. A method of optimizing a directional communication link, the method comprising:
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aligning a directional receiver to a directional transmitter sufficiently to enable the directional communication link; and
aligning a transmit antenna based in part on a signal metric derived from a signal received by the directional receiver. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of optimizing a directional communication link, the method comprising:
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transmitting a directional signal over the directional communication link;
receiving a signal metric over a wireless feedback link distinct from the directional communication link; and
adjusting a transmit antenna, based in part on the signal metric, to improve communication over the directional communication link.
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26. A method of optimizing a millimeter wave communication link, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal over the millimeter wave communication link from a millimeter wave transmitter;
determining a signal metric based in part on the signal;
transmitting the signal metric to the millimeter wave transmitter over a feedback link distinct from the millimeter wave communication link.
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27. A method of optimizing a millimeter wave communication link, the method comprising:
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establishing a non-directional communication link;
communicating, over the non-directional communication link, an ability to operate over a directional communication link;
initializing communications over the directional communication link; and
optimizing operation of the directional communication link, in part, using a signal metric communicated over the non-directional communication link. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method of optimizing a millimeter wave communication link, the method comprising:
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receiving a transmission over a wireless communication link indicating availability of a millimeter wave communication link;
establishing communications over the millimeter wave communication link, establishing communications comprising;
receiving a signal over the millimeter wave communication link from a millimeter wave transmitter;
determining a signal metric based in part on the signal; and
transmitting the signal metric to the millimeter wave transmitter over the wireless communication link distinct from the millimeter wave communication link to optimize communications over the millimeter wave communication link; and
communicating data over the wireless communication link rather than the millimeter wave communication link if the signal metric is less than a predetermined threshold.
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Specification