METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS TO MITIGATE INTERFERENCE

• US 20170026063A1
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, Thomas M. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,948,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating a wireless signal at a first network device and directing the wireless signal towards a second network device of another utility pole, which includes directing the wireless signal away from another network device of the other utility pole. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by network devices, wireless signals, wherein the network devices are mounted on utility poles, and wherein the utility poles include at least three utility poles that are arranged along a substantially straight path; and

directing, by the network devices, the wireless signals along a first communication, non-straight path between the network devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the network devices is mounted on a shared utility pole of the utility poles with a second network device to form a pair of devices, wherein the second network device of the pair is not directing the wireless signals along the first communication path, wherein the pair is spaced apart from each other on the shared utility pole, and wherein the directing of the wireless signals by the network devices along the first communication path includes directing the wireless signals away from the second network device of each of the pair of devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second network device of each of the pair of devices forms a group of second network devices, and further comprising:

generating, by the group of second network devices, second wireless signals; and

directing, by the group of second network devices, the second wireless signals along a second communication path between the group of second network devices that is not a straight path, wherein a first segment of the first communication path crosses a second segment of the second communication path in-between two of the utility poles.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining interference associated with the directing of the wireless signals between the network devices; and

adjusting the directing of a wireless signal of the wireless signals at a first network device of the network devices according to the interference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining of the interference is based on interference measurements by a second network device of the network devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating the first communication path between the network devices according to infrared signals transmitted between at least some of the network devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing infrared signals between the network devices; and

generating operational parameters for the directing of the wireless signals according to the directing of the infrared signals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein an infrared signal of the infrared signals contains information analyzed by a network device of the network devices that receives the infrared signal.

9. A system comprising:

a group of network devices, wherein pairs of the group of network devices are mounted on shared utility poles, wherein each of the pairs comprises a first and second network device that are spaced apart from each other on one of the shared utility poles, wherein first network devices in each of the pairs are positioned on a same first area of different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein second network devices in each of the pairs are positioned on a same second area of the different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein one of the first network devices on one of the shared utility poles comprises;

a first processor; and

a first memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

generating a wireless signal; and

directing the wireless signal towards one of the second network devices on one other of the shared utility poles, wherein the directing of the wireless signal includes directing the wireless signal away from another of the first network devices on the one other of the shared utility poles.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second network device comprises:

a second processor; and

a second memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

directing another wireless signal towards another of the first network devices on a third utility pole of the shared utility poles.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises an infrared interface for calibrating transmitting of wireless signals transmitted between adjacent utility poles of the shared utility poles.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises an infrared interface for emitting an infrared signal, wherein the operations of the first processor further comprise:

directing, via the infrared interface, the infrared signal towards the one of the second network devices on the one other of the shared utility poles; and

determining an operational parameter for the directing of the wireless signal according to the directing of the infrared signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the infrared signal contains information received and analyzed by the one of the second network devices on the one other of the shared utility poles.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the directing of the wireless signal comprises:

determining interference at the other of the first network devices on the one other of the shared utility poles, wherein the interference is associated with the directing of the wireless signal towards the one of the second network devices on the one other of the shared utility poles; and

adjusting the directing of the wireless signal according to the interference.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the determining of the interference is based on interference measurements by the other of the first network devices on the one other of the shared utility poles.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises a waveguide system that receives electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a non-optical frequency range, and wherein the transmission medium comprises a line connected between adjacent utility poles of the shared utility poles.

17. A network device comprising:

an infrared interface;

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the network device is mounted on a first utility pole, and wherein the memory stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

directing, via the infrared interface, an infrared signal towards a second network device mounted on a second utility pole;

determining an operational parameter for transmitting a wireless signal to the second network device, wherein the determining of the operational parameter is according to the directing of the infrared signal; and

directing the wireless signal towards the second network device of the second utility pole based on the operational parameter.

18. The network device of claim 17, wherein the directing of the wireless signal includes directing the wireless signal away from a third network device mounted on the second utility pole.

19. The network device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining interference at the third network device, wherein the interference is associated with the directing of the wireless signal towards the second network device of the second utility pole, and wherein the determining of the interference is based on interference measurements by the third network device; and

adjusting the directing of the wireless signal towards the second network device according to the interference.

20. The network device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a beam width associated with the directing of the wireless signal according to a signal strength of the wireless signal and according to interference associated with directing the wireless signal towards the second network device of the second utility pole.