MILLIMETER WAVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100227547A1
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eagle Technology, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pine Valley Investments, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: DiPiazza, Gerald C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A communication system includes a first communication module, and a second communication module. The first communication module may receive a first type of communication signal (e.g. a mobile telephone signal) and convert it into a second-type of communication signal (e.g., a millimeter wave radio signal). The first type of communication signal may be a mobile telephone signal from a first fire fighter'"'"'s mobile telephone who is located outside of the building. The first communication module may transmit the second-type of communication signal to the second communication module.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A communication system comprising:

a first communication module configured to be mounted on a vertical outer surface of a given building; and

a second communication module configured to be mounted on the vertical outer surface of the given building on a different vertical level from said first communications module;

said second communication module also configured to

receive radio signals from and transmit radio signals to said first communication module so that the radio signals propagate vertically along the vertical outer surface of the given building, and

transmit the radio signals horizontally into the given building.

29. The communication system of claim 28, wherein said second communications module comprises a horizontally facing antenna array directed horizontally into the given building.

30. The communication system of claim 28, wherein said second communications module comprises a vertically facing antenna array directed vertically toward said first communication module.

31. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the radio signal comprises an up-converted mobile communication signal.

32. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the radio signal comprises an up-converted legacy wireless communication signal.

33. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the radio signal comprises a down-converted legacy wireless communication signal.

34. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the radio signal comprises a millimeter wave radio signal.

35. A communication system comprising:

a first communication module configured to be mounted on a vertical outer surface of a given building; and

a second communication module configured to be mounted on the vertical outer surface of the given building on a different vertical level from said first communications module;

said second communication module comprising

a vertically facing antenna array configured to receive radio signals from and transmit radio signals to said first communication module so that the radio signals propagate vertically along the vertical outer surface of the given building, and

a horizontally facing antenna array configured to transmit the radio signals horizontally into the given building.

36. The communication system of claim 35, wherein the radio signal comprises an up-converted mobile communication signal.

37. The communication system of claim 35, wherein the radio signal comprises an up-converted legacy wireless communication signal.

38. The communication system of claim 35, wherein the radio signal comprises a down-converted legacy wireless communication signal.

39. The communication system of claim 35, wherein the radio signal comprises a millimeter wave radio signal.

40. A communications method comprising:

receiving at a first communication module a radio signal transmitted from a second communication module, wherein the first and second communication modules are mounted to a vertical outer surface of a given building at different levels;

encoding the radio signal at the second communication module with a predetermined code based on the level of the second communication module; and

transmitting the radio signal from the first communication module horizontally into the given building based on the predetermined code.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein encoding the radio signal further comprises encoding the radio signal with the predetermined code based upon at least one service priority.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the radio signal comprises an up-converted mobile communication signal.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the radio signal comprises an up-converted legacy wireless communication signal.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the radio signal comprises a down-converted legacy wireless communication signal.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the radio signal comprises a millimeter wave radio signal.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the radio signal includes an indication of the level of the second communication module.