Wi-Fi Hotspot Repeater

• US 20160149635A1
• Filed: 09/08/2015
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mimosa Networks, Inc. (Airspan Networks Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mimosa Networks, Inc. (Airspan Networks Inc.)
• Inventors: Hinman, Brian L., Rangwala, Mustafa, Fink, Jaime
• Granted Patent: US 10,958,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04

Abstract

WiFi repeater devices described provided herein. An example device includes an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a window that divides an outdoor area from an indoor area. The enclosure houses a 5 GHz WiFi client radio coupled with a high order MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antenna, the high order MIMO antenna transmitting and receiving data from a 5 GHz access point located in the outdoor area, and a 2.4 GHz WiFi access point radio coupled with a MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antenna, the MIMO antenna transmitting and receiving data from 2.4 GHz UEs located in the indoor area.

Claims

1. A repeater device, comprising:

an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a window that divides an outdoor area from an indoor area, the enclosure housing;

a 5 GHz WiFi client radio coupled with a high order MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antenna, the high order MIMO antenna transmitting and receiving data from a 5 GHz access point located in the outdoor area; and

a 2.4 GHz WiFi access point radio coupled with a MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antenna, the MIMO antenna transmitting and receiving data from 2.4 GHz UEs located in the indoor area.

2. The repeater device according to claim 1, wherein the repeater device comprises a microprocessor that is configured to convert 5 GHz data received by the 5 GHz WiFi client radio into 2.4 GHz data.

3. The repeater device according to claim 2, wherein the repeater device comprises a microprocessor that is configured to convert 2.4 GHz data received by the 2.4 GHz WiFi access point radio into 5 GHz data.

4. A repeater device, comprising:

an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a window that divides an outdoor area from an indoor area, the enclosure housing;

a first radio operating on a first frequency, the radio coupled with a first antenna, the first antenna transmitting and receiving data from an outdoor access point located in the outdoor area; and

an access point radio coupled with a second antenna, the second antenna transmitting to and receiving data from UEs located in the indoor area using a second frequency.

5. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the repeater device comprises a microprocessor that is configured to convert data having the first frequency received by the first radio into data having the second frequency.

6. The repeater device according to claim 5, wherein the repeater device comprises a microprocessor that is configured to convert data having the second frequency received by the access point radio into data having the first frequency.

7. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different from one another.

8. The repeater device according to claim 5, wherein the first frequency is 5 GHz and the second frequency is 2.4 GHz.

9. The repeater device according to claim 4, further comprising a data cable coupled to the repeater device and a wall adapter.

10. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the first antenna is disposed proximate the window and the second antenna is disposed away from the window.

11. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the first antenna uses beam-forming to direct its radiation in a direction that is parallel and relative to a beam-forming plane that is normal N to the window.

12. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the first antenna is a high order MIMO antenna, and further wherein the first antenna uses beam-forming which allows a maximum gain for radiation produced by the first antenna to be steered in a direction that is advantageous for communicating with the outdoor access point.

13. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the microprocessor is configured to implement firewall policies to secure a private network created by the repeater device for the UEs located in the indoor area.

14. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the first radio receives the data on a first channel from the outdoor access point, further wherein the microprocessor is configured to:

receive a channel change signal from the first radio transmitted by the outdoor access point; and

request a change of the first channel used by the first radio and the access point radio to a second channel.

15. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein the repeater device transmits a signal change signal to the UEs informing the UEs of the change to the second channel.

16. The repeater device according to claim 4, wherein wireless interface is disposed within a wall adapter that can electrically couple with an electrical outlet.

17. The repeater device according to claim 16, wherein the wall adapter comprises a power over Ethernet adapter that electrically and communicatively couples the wireless interface with the microprocessor and first radio using a power over Ethernet connection.

18. A repeater device, comprising:

an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a window that divides an outdoor area from an indoor area, the enclosure housing;

a first radio operating on a first frequency, the radio coupled with a first antenna, the first antenna receiving data from an outdoor access point located in the outdoor area;

a microprocessor that converts the data from the first frequency to a second frequency and data from the second frequency to the first frequency; and

a wireless interface for coupling with a wireless router, the wireless router transmitting the converted data to UEs located in the indoor area using the second frequency.

19. The repeater device according to claim 18, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different from one another.