Intelligent Backhaul Controller

• US 20130089083A1
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CBF Networks, Inc. (COMSovereign Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: CBF Networks, Inc. (COMSovereign Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Negus, Kevin J., Duffy, Kevin J.
• Application Number:
  US13/632,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0469 taking special antenna structures, e.g. cross polarized antennas into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 using subgroups of receive antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A intelligent backhaul system is disclosed to manage and control multiple intelligent backhaul radios within a geographic zone. The intelligent backhaul system includes multiple intelligent backhaul radios (IBRs) that are able to function in both obstructed and unobstructed line of sight propagation conditions, one or more intelligent backhaul controllers (IBCs) connecting the IBRs with other network elements, and an intelligent backhaul management system (IBMS). The IBMS may include a private and/or public server and/or agents in one or more IBRs or IBCs.

Claims

1. An intelligent backhaul controller comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces;

a host controller;

an intelligent backhaul management system agent; and

a managed switch coupled to the plurality of network interfaces and the host controller,

wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent is capable of communicating with or comprised within either of the host controller or the managed switch, and

wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent is capable of communicating with either a server or at least one of one or more other intelligent backhaul management system agents to exchange at least one policy that affects operation of the managed switch.

2. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 1 further comprising:

a power supply configured to receive a power input;

and a remote power switch coupled to the power supply and the plurality of network interfaces.

3. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 2 further comprising a battery backup coupled to the power supply.

4. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 2 wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent or the host controller is capable of communicating with the remote power switch.

5. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 4 wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent or the host controller directs the remote power switch to restrict or terminate power to one or more of the plurality of network interfaces based on at least one of one or more current policies set within the intelligent backhaul controller.

6. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 5 wherein the at least one of the one or more current policies set within the intelligent backhaul controller for operation of the remote power switch is derived from communication between the intelligent backhaul management system agent and either the server or at least one of the other intelligent backhaul management system agents.

7. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 4 wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent reports a power status corresponding to one or more of the plurality of network interfaces to either the server or at least one of the other intelligent backhaul management system agents.

8. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more wireless adapters;

wherein at least one wireless adapter is specifically coupled to the managed switch via at least one of the plurality of network interfaces or via at least one of one or more internal ports of the managed switch.

9. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 8 wherein the at least one wireless adapter specifically coupled to the managed switch is interoperable with other wireless devices based on one or more standard specifications of IEEE 802.11.

10. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 9 wherein the at least one wireless adapter specifically coupled to the managed switch is configured as a public or private access point.

11. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 9 wherein the at least one wireless adapter specifically coupled to the managed switch exchanges traffic with one or more wireless devices within a wireless access network.

12. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 11 wherein the wireless devices include one or more of smartphones, tablets, or laptop computers.

13. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 8 wherein the managed switch provides for an exchange of traffic between the at least one wireless adapter specifically coupled to the managed switch and at least one of the plurality of network interfaces not otherwise specifically coupled to said at least one wireless adapter coupled to the managed switch.

14. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 13 wherein the managed switch determines parameters associated with the exchange of traffic between the at least one wireless adapter specifically coupled to the managed switch and the at least one of the plurality of network interfaces not otherwise specifically coupled to said at least one wireless adapter coupled to the managed switch based upon at least one policy that can be exchanged between the intelligent backhaul management system agent and either the server or at least one of the other intelligent backhaul management system agents.

15. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 8 wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent can exchange the at least one policy that affects operation of the managed switch with a wireless device in communication with at least one of the one or more wireless adapters.

16. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 13 wherein the managed switch determines parameters associated with the exchange of traffic between the at least one wireless adapter specifically coupled to the managed switch and the at least one of the plurality of network interfaces not otherwise specifically coupled to said at least one wireless adapter coupled to the managed switch based upon at least one policy that can be exchanged between the intelligent backhaul management system agent and a wireless device in communication with at least one of the one or more wireless adapters.

17. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 15 wherein the at least one policy that affects operation of the managed switch and that can be exchanged with the wireless device is based upon or derived from at least one service level agreement stored at or accessible from said wireless device.

18. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 1 wherein the at least one policy that affects operation of the managed switch is based upon or derived from at least one service level agreement stored at or accessible from either the server or at least one of the other intelligent backhaul management system agents.

19. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 18 wherein the at least one policy that affects operation of the managed switch affects at least one of access control, security key management, traffic shaping or prioritization, load balancing, VLAN segmentation, routing paths, port mirroring, port redundancy, failover procedures, synchronization methodologies and port mappings, or power management modes.

20. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 17 wherein the at least one policy that affects operation of the managed switch affects at least one of access control, security key management, traffic shaping or prioritization, load balancing, VLAN segmentation, routing paths, port mirroring, port redundancy, failover procedures, synchronization methodologies and port mappings, or power management modes.

21. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 8 wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent reports operational parameters or statistics to a wireless device in communication with at least one of the one or more wireless adapters, said operational parameters or statistics comprising information related to at least one of active sessions, connected device identifiers, MAC addresses, packet counts associated with particular MAC addresses or physical ports, packet or frame error rates, transfer rates, latencies, link availability status for certain ports, power consumption for certain ports, or power status of the intelligent backhaul controller.

22. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 1 wherein the intelligent backhaul management system agent reports operational parameters or statistics to any of the server or at least one of the other intelligent backhaul management system agents, said operational parameters or statistics comprising information related to at least one of active sessions, connected device identifiers, MAC addresses, packet counts associated with particular MAC addresses or physical ports, packet or frame error rates, transfer rates, latencies, link availability status for certain ports, power consumption for certain ports, or power status of the intelligent backhaul controller.

23. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 8 wherein the at least one wireless adapter is directly coupled to at least one of the plurality of network interfaces.

24. The intelligent backhaul controller of claim 8 wherein the at least one wireless adapter is directly coupled to at least one of one or more internal ports of the managed switch.