Management of Backhaul Nodes in a Microwave Backhaul

• US 20140003332A1
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Asia Singapore Pte Ltd. (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James, Friedmann, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,794,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A communications network is disclosed that includes one or more microwave backhaul nodes for routing communications between one or more near end mobile communications devices and one or more far end mobile communications devices. The communications network includes a central monitoring and control infrastructure, a remote monitoring and control infrastructure and/or a local monitoring and control infrastructure. The central monitoring and control infrastructure, the remote monitoring and control infrastructure and/or the local monitoring and control infrastructure can directly manage the one or more microwave backhaul nodes. Alternatively, the remote monitoring and control infrastructure and/or the local monitoring and control infrastructure can indirectly manage the one or more microwave backhaul nodes through the central monitoring and control infrastructure.

Claims

1. A monitoring and control system for managing a plurality of backhaul nodes in a microwave backhaul, the monitoring and control system comprising:

a processing module configured to provide;

(i) a first service configured to assist in a process of aiming a first portion of a first phased array feeder (PAF) of a first backhaul node from among the plurality of backhaul nodes toward a first portion of a second PAF of a second backhaul node from among the plurality of backhaul nodes, and

(ii) a second service configured to establish location information and status information for each of the plurality of backhaul nodes, the status information being received via communication exchanges with each of the plurality of backhaul nodes.

2. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to provide:

(iii) a third service configured to selectively route communications between the plurality of backhaul nodes.

3. The monitoring and control system of claim 2, wherein the third service is further configured to dynamically configure a plurality of microwave pathways between the plurality of backhaul nodes based upon the status information.

4. The monitoring and control system of claim 2, wherein the third service is further configured to route communications from the first backhaul node to a third backhaul node from among the plurality of backhaul nodes upon an impairment of the second backhaul node.

5. The monitoring and control system of claim 4, wherein the first service is further configured to re-aim the first portion of the first PAF toward a first portion of a third PAF of the third backhaul node.

6. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the first service is further configured to dynamically configure and arrange the first portion of the first PAF to provide a plurality of microwave pathways, at least one of the plurality of microwave pathways being communicatively coupled to the first portion of the second PAF.

7. The monitoring and control system of claim 6, wherein the first service is further configured to logically separate the first PAF to provide the plurality of microwave pathways.

8. monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the status information comprises:

loading of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

type of data to be communicated by each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

Quality of Service (QoS) of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

power levels for each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

or

data rates for each of the plurality of backhaul nodes.

9. The remote monitoring and control infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the location information comprises:

orientation of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

compass coordinates of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

azimuth of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

altitude of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

pitch of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

roll of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

or

yaw of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes.

10. A backhaul node in a microwave backhaul, comprising:

a phased array feeder (PAF) configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of backhaul nodes in the microwave backhaul using a plurality of microwave pathways;

a sensor configured to determine location information and status information for the backhaul node; and

a processing module configured to dynamically configure the PAF to provide the location information and the status information to a remote central control system via the plurality of microwave pathways.

11. The backhaul node of claim 10, wherein the status information comprises:

loading of the backhaul node;

type of data to be communicated by the backhaul node;

Quality of Service (QoS) of the backhaul node;

power levels for the backhaul node;

or

data rates for the backhaul node.

12. The backhaul node of claim 10, wherein the location information comprises:

orientation of the backhaul node;

compass coordinates of the backhaul node;

azimuth of the backhaul node;

altitude of the backhaul node;

pitch of the backhaul node;

roll of the backhaul node;

or

yaw of the backhaul node.

13. The backhaul node of claim 10, wherein the processing module is further configured to dynamically configure the PAF to aim first portion of the PAF toward a first portion of a second PAF of a second backhaul node from among the plurality of backhaul nodes and to communicate the location information and the status information to the remote central control system using the first portion of the PAF.

14. The backhaul node of claim 13, wherein the processing module is further configured to dynamically configure and arrange the first PAF to provide the plurality of microwave pathways, at least one of the plurality of microwave pathways being communicatively coupled to the first portion of the second PAF.

15. The backhaul node of claim 14, wherein the processing module is further configured to logically separate the first PAF to provide the plurality of microwave pathways.

16. A monitoring and control system for managing a plurality of backhaul nodes in a microwave backhaul, the plurality of backhaul nodes include a first backhaul node that is communicatively coupled to a second backhaul node, the monitoring and control system comprising:

a processing module configured to provide;

(i) a first service configured to assist in a process of configuring the plurality of backhaul nodes, the plurality of backhaul nodes each including an associated wireless access point and switch fabric circuitry, at least a portion of the process of configuring being associated with at least a portion of the wireless access point and switch fabric circuitry, and

(ii) a second service configured to establish location information and status information for each of the plurality of backhaul nodes, the status information being received via communication exchanges with each of the plurality of backhaul nodes,

wherein the first service is further configured to reconfigure the first backhaul node to be communicatively coupled to a first backhaul node from among the plurality of backhaul nodes when the location information or the status information indicates an impairment in the second backhaul node.

17. The monitoring and control system of claim 16, wherein the first service is configured to aim a first portion of a first phased array feeder (PAF) of the first backhaul node toward a first portion of a second PAF of the second backhaul node and to re-configure the first portion of the first PAF toward a first portion of a third PAF of the third backhaul node when the location information or the status information indicates the impairment in the second backhaul node.

18. The monitoring and control system of claim 17, wherein the first service is further configured to dynamically configure and arrange the first PAF to provide a plurality of microwave pathways, at least one of the plurality of microwave pathways being communicatively coupled to the first portion of the second PAF.

19. The monitoring and control system of claim 16, wherein the status information comprises:

loading of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

type of data to be communicated by each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

Quality of Service (QoS) of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

power levels for each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

or

data rates for each of the plurality of backhaul nodes.

20. The monitoring and control system of claim 16, wherein the location information comprises:

orientation of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

compass coordinates of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

azimuth of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

altitude of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

pitch of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

roll of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes;

or

yaw of each of the plurality of backhaul nodes.