Integrated radio and directional antenna system

• US 6,259,933 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bambridge, Timothy Brooks, Feder, Peretz Moshes, Ner, Haim Shalom
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/119,438
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/558, 455/559, 455/550, 455/575, 455/90, 455/25, 455/349, 455/347, 455/348, 343/702, 343/906
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving

Abstract

An integrated outdoor radio and directional antenna system provides a direct RF connection(s) on the signal path between a directional antenna and radio components to remove the lossy RF cable(s). Direct connections between the various components of the integrated radio and directional antenna system enable reduced cost and ease of manufacture. In certain embodiments, the integrated directional antenna and radio system provides a direct RF connection between the directional antenna and the radio, and a printed wiring board (PWB) -mounted connector provides a direct digital connection between the radio board(s) and a medium access control (MAC) board. An input/output (I/O) interface provides a digital network interface between the MAC unit and indoor processing circuitry. The digital network interface enables packets of digital information to pass between the indoor processing circuitry and the integrated directional antenna and radio system. An external connection is made between the digital network interface and indoor processing circuitry, such as a personal computer or digital network equipment, but the losses associated with such a digital connection are less significant due to the robustness associated with the processing of digital information in a digital packet data form. In other embodiments, the integrated antenna and radio system provides a direct RF connection between the antenna and RF signal circuitry, such as an RF matrix board which accommodates polar diversity for the antenna and includes a duplexer, RF switching for multiple radios, filtering and any other appropriate RF signal circuitry. A direct RF connection also exists between the RF signal circuitry and the radio components. A direct digital connection is provided between the radio board and the MAC board, and the I/O interface provides a digital network interface with the indoor processing circuitry. In yet other embodiments, all or some of the above components described for the integrated directional antenna and radio system are integrated onto a single printed circuit board and are directly connected together and to the directional antenna.

Claims

1. An integrated outdoor wireless communication system, said system comprising:

a housing;

a directional antenna mounted within said housing and having a radio frequency (RF) connector; and

a radio board mounted within said housing and having at least one radio and an RF connector which couples with said RF connector for said directional antenna to directly connect said directional antenna to said radio board;

a medium access controller (MAC) mounted within said housing and connected to said radio; and

a digital interface directly connected to said MAC and providing at least one terminal through which packets of digital data pass.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a MAC board mounted within said housing and mounting said MAC and a connector which couples to a connector on said radio board to directly connect said radio to said MAC.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

indoor processing circuitry connected to said at least one terminal which receives or sends said packets of digital data.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said board further including RF matrix circuitry.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said board further including at least one medium access controller coupled to said at least one radio.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said board further including a digital interface coupled to said at least one MAC and providing at least one terminal through which packets of digital data pass.

7. An outdoor communication system, said system comprising:

a housing;

a directional antenna board mounted within said housing and having a radio frequency (RE) connector; and

a radio matrix mounted within said housing and having a RE connector which couples to said RE connector for said directional antenna board;

a radio board mounted within said housing and having at least one radio and an RE connector which couples with a second RE connector from said radio matrix to directly connect said at least one radio to said radio matrix;

a medium access controller (MAC) mounted within said housing and connected to said radio; and

a digital interface directly connected to said MAC and providing at least one terminal through which packets of digital data pass.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

MAC board mounted within said housing and mounting said MAC and a connector which couples to a connector on said radio board to directly connect said at least one radio matrix to said MAC.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

indoor processing circuitry connected to said at least one terminal which receives or sends said packets of digital data.