Integrated Wireless Distribution and Mesh Backhaul Networks
First Claim
1. A wireless network for providing services to a plurality of end users, the network comprising:
- a plurality of routing nodes for routing traffic by using at least one wireless signal, each routing node being wirelessly coupled to at least one other node,at least one network aggregation node for routing said traffic between said wireless network and another network, the or each network aggregation node being coupled to at least one routing node;
wherein at least one routing node also performs a distribution function for distributing said traffic to at least one wireless end user device.
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Abstract
Networks, devices and methods related to wireless networking. A wireless network using nodes that perform both distribution and backhaul functions is provided. These nodes constitute the key elements of a wireless network that would be deployed and controlled by a wireless network operator. Each node contains a distribution wireless module which is wirelessly coupled to the wireless end user device using a point to multipoint scheme. Also integrated into each node is at least one backhaul wireless module with a directional wireless antenna. Each backhaul wireless module communicates by way of a point to point wireless link with the backhaul module of one other node. The nodes in the wireless network are interconnected to form a mesh backhaul network. Because of the nature of a mesh network, data traffic can be routed around obstacles that may prevent line of site links. Furthermore, the mesh network allows dynamic routing of data traffic to avoid congestion points or downed links in the network.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A wireless network for providing services to a plurality of end users, the network comprising:
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a plurality of routing nodes for routing traffic by using at least one wireless signal, each routing node being wirelessly coupled to at least one other node, at least one network aggregation node for routing said traffic between said wireless network and another network, the or each network aggregation node being coupled to at least one routing node; wherein at least one routing node also performs a distribution function for distributing said traffic to at least one wireless end user device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
a wireless distribution module for communicating with said least one wireless end user device, wherein each end node receives said at least one wireless signal from said at least one node by way of the at least one backhaul module and transmits at least a portion of at least one of said at least one wireless signal to said at least one end user device by way of the wireless distribution module and the or each wireless backhaul module communicates with a single node in the wireless network at any one time.
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10. A wireless network according to claim 1 wherein at least one routing node comprises:
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at least two backhaul modules; and a switch/router module for routing traffic between different modules in said at least one routing node, said traffic being extracted from said at least one wireless signal, wherein the or each routing node receives said at least one wireless signal from said at least one other node by way of the at least two backhaul module and transmits at least a portion of at least one of said at least one wireless signal to either, another node in the wireless network by way of the at least one backhaul module, or; to said at least one end user device by way of the wireless distribution module
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11. A wireless network according to claim 1 wherein the or each network aggregation node comprises:
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at least one wireless backhaul module for communicating with at least one node in said wireless network; a switch/router module for routing traffic between different modules in said aggregation node, said traffic being extracted from said at least one wireless signal; at least one network interface module for communicating with said another network; wherein the or each network aggregation node receives said at least one wireless signal from said at least one node by way of the at least one backhaul module and transmits at least a portion of at least one of said at least one wireless signal to a destination selected from a group comprising; another node in the wireless network by way of the at least one backhaul module; said another network by way of the at least one network interface module; and
whereinthe or each wireless backhaul module communicates with a single node in the wireless network at any one time.
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12. A wireless network according to claim 11 wherein the or each network aggregation node further comprises a wireless distribution module for communicating with at least one wireless end user device.
Specification