System and method for broadband millimeter wave data communication

• US 6,016,313 A
• Filed: 11/07/1996
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BWA Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavtrace, Inc. (Gores Broadcast Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Schafer, David C., Foster, Robert B. Jr., Baugh, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YAO, KWANG BIN
• Application Number:
  US08/740,332
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/336, 370/337, 370/338, 370/345, 370/347, 370/315, 370/319, 370/321, 370/323, 370/325, 370/326, 370/330, 370/343, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/272, 455/278.1, 455/65, 455/63, 455/62, 455/501, 455/557, 455/562
• US Class Current: 370/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0682 by delay compensation, e.g. by compensation of propagation delay or variations thereof, by ranging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/06 using space diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for information communication between physically separated processor-based systems. Disclosed is a centralized communication array providing point to multipoint information communication between processor-based systems utilizing communication nodes. Such information communication may be between two processor-based systems, each utilizing communication nodes or may be between a processor-based system utilizing a communication node and a processor-based system coupled to the centralized communication array through a backbone.

Claims

1. A system for providing broadband information communication between a plurality of locations, said system comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each node having associated therewith at least one node antenna adapted for broadband communication in a frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies, said at least one node antenna having a predetermined communication beam to provide directional communication, said plurality of nodes comprising;

a first node of said plurality of nodes adapted to communicate via at least a first frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a second node of said plurality of nodes adapted to communicate via at least a second frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a processor-based communication hub comprising;

a plurality of hub antennas, each hub antenna having a predetermined communication beam to provide directional communication;

a first hub antenna of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate with said first node via said first frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a second hub antenna of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate with said second node via said second frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second frequencies are the same.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second hub antennas are the same.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said hub is coupled to a communications backbone.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein broadband access is provided between said hub and said coupled communications backbone.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said communications backbone includes an information communication link selected from the group consisting of:

a public switched network;

a cable communication network;

a broadband data grade connection; and

the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said hub is expandable to provide additional directional communication by coupling an individual antenna unit thereto, said coupled individual antenna unit thereby becoming a hub antenna of said plurality of hub antennas.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of hub antennas is switchably connected to an internal signal provided within said hub.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said hub further comprises a first radio frequency modem, said first modem providing said internal signal switchably connected to said at least one hub antenna.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said hub further comprises a second radio frequency modem, said second modem providing a second internal signal switchably connectable to said at least one hub antenna.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said first modem is dynamically configurable to provide variable information density within said internal signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein communication between ones of said plurality of hub antennas and ones of said plurality of nodes are sampled to identify at least one communication parameter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said variable information density is dynamically configured as a function of said at least one communication parameter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one communication parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

an error rate of a receive signal;

a signal to noise ratio;

a signal to interference ratio;

a power level of a receive signal;

a distance between said one of said plurality of hub antennas and said one of said plurality of nodes; and

a signal propagation delay experienced in communication between said hub and one of said plurality of nodes.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said internal signal is time divided to include a plurality of information bursts.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said plurality of information bursts include at least a forward channel set of information bursts and a reverse channel set of information bursts.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said forward channel set of bursts and said reverse channel set of bursts each include a predetermined number of bursts as a function of reuse of frequencies at said hub.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said predetermined number of bursts are dynamically configurable.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said forward channel set of bursts includes a different number of bursts than said reverse channel set of bursts.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said forward channel information comprise a predetermined percentage of said plurality of information bursts and said reverse channel information bursts comprise the remaining percentage of said plurality of information bursts.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said forward and reverse channel information bursts comprise a percentage of said plurality of information bursts selected from the group consisting of:

approximately 94% forward channel information bursts and approximately 6% reverse channel information bursts;

approximately 50% forward channel information bursts and approximately 50% reverse channel information bursts; and

approximately 6% forward channel information bursts and approximately 94% reverse channel information bursts.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein said switchable connection is accomplished according to a predefined regimen to provide time division multiple access of said internal signal to ones of said plurality of hub antennas.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for said hub initially communicating with ones of said plurality of nodes according to a predetermined regimen; and

means for causing attributes of said initial communication with ones of said plurality of nodes to be stored at said hub.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said predefined regimen is determined at least in part as a function of said stored attributes.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein ones of said plurality of nodes further include a radio frequency modem, said modem being coupled to said node antenna.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said modem is dynamically configurable to provide variable information density.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said modem is adjusted to provide a particular information density upon receipt of a control signal from said hub.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said variable information density comprises the use of quadrature amplitude modulation.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein a signal from said modem is time divided to include a plurality of information bursts.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said plurality of information bursts include forward channel information bursts and reverse channel information bursts.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said forward channel information bursts comprise a predetermined percentage of said plurality of information bursts and said reverse channel information bursts comprise the remaining percentage of said plurality of information bursts.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said forward and reverse channel information bursts are defined to comprise a percentage of said plurality of information bursts selected from the group consisting of:

approximately 94% forward channel information bursts and approximately 6% reverse channel information bursts;

approximately 50% forward channel information bursts and approximately 50% reverse channel information bursts; and

approximately 6% forward channel information bursts and approximately 94% reverse channel information bursts.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said predetermined percentage is dynamically adjustable.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second frequency bands are within the range of 10 to 60 GHz.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein ones of said plurality of hub antennas comprise a hybrid mode lens corrected horn providing approximately 32 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 16 degrees, operating within 10 to 60 GHz.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein ones of said plurality of nodes include an antenna comprising a parabolic dish providing approximately 42 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 2 degrees, operating within 10 to 60 GHz.

37. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of processor-based communication hubs, said plurality of hubs disposed to provide a cellular communication frequency reuse pattern.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein ones of said plurality of hubs are in information communication via a link provided at least in part by an antenna unit of each of the ones of said plurality of hubs.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said link provides broadband access between the ones of said plurality of hubs.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein said information communication link is utilized at least in part to provide back-hauling of information between at least two hubs of said plurality of hubs.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein ones of said plurality of hubs are in information communication via a link provided by a physical link interconnecting each of the ones of said plurality of hubs.

42. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first set of hub antennas of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate via at least said first frequency band of said plurality of frequency bands, each hub antenna of said first set disposed to provide substantially non-overlapping directional communication.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein each node has associated therewith one node antenna, said node antenna having a single predetermined communication beam to provide directional communication.

44. A system for providing broadband information communication between a plurality of processor-based systems, said system comprising:

a first communication node coupled to a first processor-based system, said first node comprising;

a communication unit including an antenna, a first radio frequency modem, and a first communication module coupled there between, said antenna adapted for receiving radio frequency communication in the extremely high frequency spectrum; and

a first controller unit including a processor coupled to a first electronic memory and an interface, said processor also being coupled to said first modem, said interface being adapted for coupling to a processor-based system;

a second communication node coupled to a second processor-based system, said second node comprising;

a communication unit including an antenna, a second radio frequency modem, and a second communication module coupled there between, said antenna adapted for receiving radio frequency communication in the extremely high frequency spectrum; and

a second controller unit including a processor coupled to a second electronic memory and an interface, said processor also being coupled to said second modem, said interface being adapted for coupling to a processor-based system;

a communication hub adapted for information communication with said first node and said second node, said hub comprising;

a plurality of antenna elements, each antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements adapted for receiving radio frequency communication in the extremely high frequency spectrum, each antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements having a hub communication module coupled thereto;

a third radio frequency modem, said third modem switchably coupled to at least one module of said plurality of antenna elements through a first switch, said third modem adapted to receive said communication from said hub module; and

a third controller unit including a processor coupled to a third electronic memory and said switch, said processor also being coupled to said third modem.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said hub is adapted to accept the coupling of an individual antenna element thereto, said coupled individual antenna element thereby becoming an antenna element of said plurality of antennas elements.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein ones of said antenna elements comprise a group of antenna elements, said antenna elements comprising said group having substantially non-overlapping radiation patterns.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein ones of said antenna elements comprise a first group of antenna elements and other ones of said antenna elements comprise a second group of antenna elements, and wherein ones of said antenna elements of said first group have radiation patterns substantially overlapping ones of said antenna elements of said second group.

48. The system of claim 44, wherein said hub further comprises a fourth radio frequency modem, said fourth modem switchably coupled to at least one module of said plurality of antenna elements through a second switch.

49. The system of claim 44, wherein said hub comprises a plurality of radio frequency modems, each modem of said plurality being switchably coupled to at least one module of said plurality of antenna elements through a switch.

50. The system of claim 44, wherein each of said first, second, and third modems is adapted to communicate information at various predetermined information densities.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein each of said first, second, and third modems are dynamically configurable to select ones of said various predetermined information densities.

52. The system of claim 44, wherein said hub is further adapted for coupling to an information communication backbone.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein said communication backbone provides information communication between a plurality of hubs, each hub of said plurality of hubs disposed to provide information communication within a substantially non-overlapping predetermined area.

54. The system of claim 44, wherein said third controller unit routes information communication received by said hub for transmission by said hub according to information contained within said information communication.

55. The system of claim 44, wherein said third controller unit routes information communication received by said hub for transmission by said hub according to information stored within said third controller unit.

56. The system of claim 44, wherein said extremely high frequency spectrum is a band of approximately 1.4 GHz at approximately 38 GHz.

57. The system of claim 44, wherein said hub communication module is adapted for converting said received extremely high frequency to a first intermediate frequency and said first communication module is further adapted for converting said first intermediate frequency to a second intermediate frequency.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said first intermediate frequency is approximately 3 GHz.

59. The system of claim 57, wherein said second intermediate frequency is approximately 400 to 500 MHZ.

60. The system of claim 44, wherein said antenna comprises a parabolic dish providing approximately 42 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 2 degrees.

61. The system of claim 44, wherein ones of said plurality of antenna elements comprises a hybrid mode lens corrected horn providing approximately 32 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 16 degrees.

62. The system of claim 44, wherein said first switch is controlled by said processor according to a regimen stored in said second electronic memory.

63. The system of claim 44, wherein said hub further comprises an initialization algorithm stored in said third electronic memory, said initialization algorithm causing said hub to communicate with ones of said first and second node, said initialization algorithm further causing attributes of said communication with ones of said first and second node to be stored in said third electronic memory.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein said first controller unit of said first node controls information communication between said first node and said hub at least in part according to said regimen and said communication attributes stored in said second electronic memory.

65. A system for providing broadband information communication between a plurality of locations, said system comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each node having associated therewith at least one node antenna adapted for broadband communication in a frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies, said at least one node antenna having a predetermined communication beam to provide direction al communication, said plurality of nodes comprising;

a first node of said plurality of nodes adapted to communicate via at least a first frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a second node of said plurality of nodes adapted to communicate via at least a second frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a processor-based communication hub comprising;

a plurality of hub antennas, each hub antenna having a predetermined communication beam to provide directional communication, wherein at least one of said plurality of hub antennas is switchably connected to an internal signal provided within said hub, wherein said internal signal is time divided to include a plurality of information bursts, wherein said plurality of information bursts include at least a forward channel set of information bursts and a reverse channel set of information bursts, wherein said forward channel set of bursts and said reverse channel set of bursts are dynamically configurable;

a first hub antenna of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate with said first node via said first frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a second hub antenna of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate with said second node via said second frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said hub is coupled to a communications backbone.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein broadband access is provided between said hub and said coupled communications backbone.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein said communications backbone includes an information communication link selected from the group consisting of

a public switched network;

a cable communication network;

a broadband data grade connection; and

the Internet.

69. The system of claim 65, further comprising a first set of hub antennas of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate via at least said first frequency band of said plurality of frequency bands, each hub antenna of said first set disposed to provide substantially non-overlapping directional communication.

70. A system for providing broadband information communication between a plurality of locations, said system comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each node having associated therewith at least one node antenna adapted for broadband communication in a frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies, said at least one node antenna having a predetermined communication beam to provide directional communication, wherein ones of said plurality of nodes further include a radio frequency modem, said modem being coupled to said node antenna, wherein a signal from said modem is time divided to include a plurality of information bursts, wherein said plurality of information bursts include forward channel information bursts and reverse channel information bursts, wherein said forward channel information bursts comprise a predetermined percentage of said plurality of information bursts and said reverse channel information bursts comprise the remaining percentage of said plurality of information bursts, wherein said predetermined percentage is dynamically adjustable, said plurality of nodes comprising;

a first node of said plurality of nodes adapted to communicate via at least a first frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a second node of said plurality of nodes adapted to communicate via at least a second frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a processor-based communication hub comprising;

a plurality of hub antennas, each hub antenna having a predetermined communication beam to provide directional communication;

a first hub antenna of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate with said first node via said first frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies; and

a second hub antenna of said plurality of antennas adapted to communicate with said second node via said second frequency band of the millimeter wave spectrum of frequencies.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein said modem is dynamically configurable to provide variable information density.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein said modem is adjusted to provide a particular information density upon receipt of a control signal from said hub.

73. The system of claim 71, wherein said variable information density comprises the use of quadrature amplitude modulation.

74. A system for providing broadband information communication between a plurality of processor-based systems, said system comprising:

a first communication node coupled to a first processor-based system, said first node comprising;

a communication unit including an antenna, a first radio frequency modem, and a first communication module coupled there between, said antenna adapted for receiving radio frequency communication in the extremely high frequency spectrum; and

a first controller unit including a processor coupled to a first electronic memory and an interface, said processor also being coupled to said first modem, said interface being adapted for coupling to a processor-based system;

a second communication node coupled to a second processor-based system, said second node comprising;

a communication unit including an antenna, a second radio frequency modem, and a second communication module coupled there between, said antenna adapted for receiving radio frequency communication in the extremely high frequency spectrum; and

a second controller unit including a processor coupled to a second electronic memory and an interface, said processor also being coupled to said second modem, said interface being adapted for coupling to a processor-based system;

a communication hub adapted for information communication with said first node and said second node, said hub comprising;

a plurality of antenna elements, each antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements adapted for receiving radio frequency communication in the extremely high frequency spectrum, each antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements having a hub communication module coupled thereto;

a third radio frequency modem, said third modem switchably coupled to at least one module of said plurality of antenna elements through a first switch, said third modem adapted to receive said communication from said hub module; and

a third controller unit including a processor coupled to a third electronic memory and said switch, said processor also being coupled to said third modem;

wherein each of said first, second, and third modems is adapted to communicate information at various predetermined information densities, and wherein each of said first, second, and third modems are dynamically configurable to select ones of said various predetermined information densities.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein said hub comprises a plurality of radio frequency modems, each modem of said plurality being switchably coupled to at least one module of said plurality of antenna elements through a switch.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein said hub is further adapted for coupling to an information communication backbone.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein said communication backbone provides information communication between a plurality of hubs, each hub of said plurality of hubs disposed to provide information communication within a substantially non-overlapping predetermined area.

78. The system of claim 74, wherein said extremely high frequency spectrum is a band of approximately 1.4 GHz at approximately 38 GHz.

79. The system of claim 74, wherein said hub communication module is adapted for converting said received extremely high frequency to a first intermediate frequency and said first communication module is further adapted for converting said first intermediate frequency to a second intermediate frequency.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein said first intermediate frequency is approximately 3 GHz.

81. The system of claim 79, wherein said second intermediate frequency is approximately 400 to 500 MHZ.

82. The system of claim 74, wherein said antenna comprises a parabolic dish providing approximately 42 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 2 degrees.

83. The system of claim 74, wherein ones of said plurality of antenna elements comprises a hybrid mode lens corrected horn providing approximately 32 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 16 degrees.

84. The system of claim 74, wherein said first switch is controlled by said processor according to a regimen stored in said second electronic memory.

85. The system of claim 74, wherein said hub further comprises an initialization algorithm stored in said third electronic memory, said initialization algorithm causing said hub to communicate with ones of said first and second node, said initialization algorithm further causing attributes of said communication with ones of said first and second node to be stored in said third electronic memory.

86. The system of claim 85, wherein said first controller unit of said first node controls information communication between said first node and said hub at least in part according to said regimen and said communication attributes stored in said second electronic memory.