Circuit switched millimeter wave communication network

• US 20120135724A1
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corporation
• Original Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corporation
• Inventors: Lewis, Brett, Lovberg, John, Hsieh, Tzu-Chiang, Tang, Kenneth Y., Fein, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A high bandwidth, low latency middle-mile core communications network providing low-cost and high-speed communications among the users of the network. Embodiments of the invention include a number of network access points located at a number of spaced apart sites. At least some of these network access points in the network are in communication with each other via millimeter radio links with microwave backup links. In preferred embodiments the millimeter radio links include two millimeter radios, one transmitting in the frequency range of 71-76 GHz and receiving in the frequency range if 81 to 86 GHz and the other radio transmitting in the frequency range of 81-86 GHz and receiving in the frequency range if 71 to 76 GHz. In these preferred embodiments each millimeter wave radio is equipped with an antenna designed to produce a millimeter wave beam with an angular spread of less than two degrees. A high-speed switch is located at each network access point. The switches include a plurality of ports through which a plurality of network users transmits information through the network. Preferred embodiments utilize Ethernet switches programmed to encapsulate and tag incoming packets with a special set of tags which allow the tagging switch and other Ethernet switches in the network to direct the packets to one or more output ports of itself and/or one or more of the output ports of other Ethernet switches at one or more distant network access points, without a need for any of the network equipment to read any MAC or IP address information contained in the packets.

Claims

3-1. The network as in claim 1 and further comprising backup communication equipment for each said at least two radio systems.