RADIO SYSTEM FOR LONG-RANGE HIGH-SPEED WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

• US 20140218248A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquiti Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gary D. Schulz
• Inventors: SCHULZ, Gary D., Lee, Jude, Macenski, Charles D., Keniuk, Richard J., Lascari, Lance D., Odlyzko, Paul, Sanford, John R., Fay, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,496,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/761
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1228 on a boom
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/16 curved in two dimensions, e.g. paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/134 Rear-feeds; Splash plate feeds
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices

Abstract

Devices and systems, and methods of using them, for point-to-point transmission/communication of high bandwidth signals. Radio devices and systems may include a pair of reflectors (e.g., parabolic reflectors) that are adjacent to each other and configured so that one of the reflectors is dedicated for sending/transmitting information, and the adjacent reflector is dedicated for receiving information. Both reflectors may be in a fixed configuration relative to each other so that they are aligned to send/receive in parallel. In many variations the two reflectors are formed of a single housing, so that the parallel alignment is fixed, and reflectors cannot lose alignment. The device/systems may be configured to allow switching between duplexing modes. These devices/systems may be configured as wide bandwidth zero intermediate frequency radios including alignment modules for automatic alignment of in-phase and quadrature components of transmitted signals.

Claims

1. A radio device for point-to-point transmission of high bandwidth signals, the device comprising:

a housing comprising a first parabolic reflector and a second parabolic reflector wherein the first and second reflectors are aimed directionally parallel with each other;

a transmitter feed coupled to the first parabolic reflector;

a receiver feed coupled to the second parabolic reflector; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising both a first transmitter connected to the transmitter feed and a first receiver connected to the receiver feed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the PCB comprises a second transmitter connected to the transmitter feed and a second receiver connected to the receiver feed.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a rigid housing.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector and the second parabolic reflector are separated by an isolation choke boundary layer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector and the second parabolic reflector have a focal length to diameter ratio (f_l/d) is less than 0.25.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a barrier between the first parabolic reflector and the second parabolic reflector that comprises a very low edge taper to reduce edge diffraction and improve isolation between the first and second parabolic reflectors.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the first parabolic reflector cuts into the outer diameter of the second parabolic reflector.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector is smaller than the second parabolic reflector.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a radome cover over the first and second parabolic reflectors configured to add additional stiffness to the housing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises ribs configured to stiffen the housing and keep the first and second reflectors directionally parallel.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector is a dedicated transmitting antenna configured to transmit but not to receive;

further wherein the second parabolic reflector is a dedicated receiving antenna configured to receive but not to transmit.

11. (canceled)

13. A radio device for point-to-point transmission of high bandwidth signals, the device comprising:

a housing forming a pair of reflectors including a first reflector and a second reflector, wherein the pair of reflectors are situated on a front side of the antenna housing unit and aimed directionally parallel with each other; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising at least a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter couples with the first reflector to form a dedicated transmitting antenna configured to transmit but not to received and the receiver couples with the second reflector to form a dedicated receiving antenna configured to receive but not to transmit.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the transmitter and the receiver can be operated either a full-duplex mode or a half-duplex mode.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the pair of reflectors are formed using a single mold.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein each reflector comprises an parabolic reflector having a parabolic reflecting surface and the parabolic reflecting surfaces have different diameters, and wherein a reflector with a larger diameter is coupled to the receiver.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the profiles of the first and second reflectors overlap.

21. The device of claim 13, further comprising a mounting unit for mounting the radio device onto a pole, wherein the mounting unit is coupled to the backside of the housing.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the mounting unit includes:

an azimuth-adjustment mechanism for adjusting the reflectors'"'"' azimuth; and

an elevation-adjustment mechanism for adjusting the reflectors'"'"' elevation.

23. The device of claim 13, wherein the PCB further comprises a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chip coupled to the transmitter and the receiver.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the PCB further comprises a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the FPGA chip.

25. The device of claim 23, further comprising an Ethernet transceiver coupled to the FPGA chip.

26. The device of claim 13, wherein the PCB further comprises a GPS receiver.

27. The device of claim 13, wherein the transmitter further comprises a quadrature modulator for modulating transmitted signals.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the transmitter further comprises an IQ alignment module for automatic alignment of in-phase and quadrature components of transmitted signals.

29. The device of claim 13, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are configured to operate in a 24 GHz frequency band.

14. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

30-106. -106. (canceled)