PROVIDING WIRELESS SERVICE AT A VENUE USING HORN ANTENNAS

• US 20160056543A1
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: KWIATKOWSKI, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 9,761,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04

Abstract

A system may include horn antennas arranged at a venue. The horn antennas may be connected to an operator network that provides a wireless service. The horn antennas may provide the wireless service to at least one mobile device at the venue. The horn antennas may be arranged at the venue based on a configuration of the venue.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of horn antennas arranged at a venue,

the plurality of horn antennas being connected to an operator network that provides a wireless service,

the plurality of horn antennas providing the wireless service to at least one mobile device at the venue, and

the plurality of horn antennas being arranged at the venue based on a configuration of the venue.

2. The system of claim 1, where the venue includes at least one of a stadium, an arena, a concert hall, a convention center, an amphitheater, an auditorium, or a park.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a distributed antenna system,

the distributed antenna system including the plurality of horn antennas.

4. The system of claim 1, where each of the plurality of horn antennas includes a waveguide shaped like a horn to direct radio waves in a particular direction.

5. The system of claim 1, where each the plurality of horn antennas is arranged to provide wireless service to a respective part of the venue.

6. The system of claim 1, where at least one of the plurality of horn antennas is angled based on an angle of seating at the venue.

7. The system of claim 1, where the plurality of horn antennas include a first horn antenna and a second horn antenna, and the venue includes an event area,

the first horn antenna being arranged to face toward the event area, and

the second horn antenna being arranged to face away from the event area.

8. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive venue information for a venue,

the venue information indicating a configuration of the venue;

determine horn information for a plurality of horn antennas,

the horn information indicating at least one property of the plurality of horn antennas;

determine a placement of the plurality of horn antennas at the venue based on the venue information and the horn information,

the plurality of horn antennas being configured to provide a wireless service at the venue,

the placement of the plurality of horn antennas causing each of the plurality of horn antennas to provide the wireless service to targeted parts of the venue; and

provide antenna system information indicating the determined placement of the plurality of horn antennas at the venue.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the venue information indicates a seating arrangement and a seating capacity of the venue, and

where the one or more instructions, that determine the placement of the plurality of horn antennas, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine the placement of the plurality of horn antennas based on the seating arrangement and the seating capacity of the venue.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the venue information indicates a seating angle of seating at the venue, and

where the one or more instructions, that determine the placement of the plurality of horn antennas, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine an angle of the plurality of horn antennas based on the seating angle of the seating at the venue.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the horn information, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine the at least one property of the plurality of horn antennas based on the configuration of the venue.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the venue information indicates at least one of a size of the venue, a shape of the venue, a location of an obstruction at the venue, a seating arrangement of the venue, an angle of seating in the venue, or a seating capacity of the venue, and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the processors to determine the horn information, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a beamwidth for the plurality of horn antennas based on at least one of the size of the venue, the shape of the venue, the location of the obstruction at the venue, the seating arrangement of the venue, the angle of seating in the venue, or the seating capacity of the venue,

the at least one property of the antenna including the beamwidth.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the plurality of horn antennas include a first horn antenna and a second horn antenna, and the venue includes an event area, and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the placement of the plurality of horn antennas, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine the first horn antenna be placed to face toward the event area; and

determine the second horn antenna be placed to face away from the event area.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine the placement of the plurality of horn antennas, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine the first horn antenna be declined with respect to the event area, and

determine the second horn antenna be inclined with respect to the event area.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, venue information for a venue,

the venue information indicating a configuration of the venue;

receiving, by the device, horn information for a plurality of horn antennas,

the horn information indicating at least one property of the plurality of horn antennas;

determining, by the device, a respective placement and a respective orientation of the plurality of horn antennas at the venue based on the venue information and the horn information,

the plurality of horn antennas being configured to provide a wireless service at the venue,

the placement and the orientation of the plurality of horn antennas causing each of the plurality of horn antennas to provide the wireless service to targeted parts of the venue; and

providing, by the device, information indicating the placement and the orientation of the plurality of horn antennas at the venue.

16. The method of claim 15, where the venue information indicates a seating arrangement and a seating capacity of the venue, and

where determining the respective placement and the respective orientation of the plurality of horn antennas further comprises:

determining the respective placement and the respective orientation of the plurality of horn antennas based on the seating arrangement and the seating capacity of the venue.

17. The method of claim 15, where the venue information indicates a seating angle of seating at the venue, and

where determining the respective placement and the respective orientation of the plurality of horn antennas further comprises:

determining an angle of the plurality of horn antennas based on the seating angle of the seating at the venue.

18. The method of claim 15, where determining the respective placement and the respective orientation of the plurality of horn antennas further comprises:

determining a distance between the plurality of horn antennas based on the venue information and the horn information.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a quantity of the plurality of horn antennas to place at the venue based on the venue information and the horn information.

20. The method of claim 15, where the plurality of horn antennas include a first horn antenna and a second horn antenna, and the venue includes an event area, and

where determining the placement and the orientation of the plurality of horn antennas further comprises:

determining the first horn antenna be arranged to face toward the event area, and

determining the second horn antenna be arranged to face away from the event area.