Network access communication system

• US 6,665,296 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gigabeam Acquisition Corporation
• Original Assignee: Social Fabric Corporation
• Inventors: Sturza, Mark A., Liron, Moshe L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US09/457,806
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/352, 370/353, 370/380, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/404, 370/427, 370/435, 370/456, 370/465, 370/485, 379/88.13, 707/10
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2896 Distributed processing, e.g. on line cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A communication system (10) is disclosed which provides two-way communications access to a wide area network (WAN)(11) for a very large number of subscribers (17). It offers an inexpensive “last-mile” hookup from a subscriber terminal (15) to a communications hub (12). The hub (12) is connected to a WAN (11) such as the Internet. The system comprises service areas (14), 0.7 to 1.5 km radius (18), wherein the hub (12) and subscribers (17) are located. Subscribers (17) are connected to a subscriber terminal (15), directly or through a local area network (LAN)(39). Each terminal (15) communicates with the hub by a SHF radio link (13). Distributed routing of signals provides subscribers (17) with no-waiting, transmission of information at speeds about ten Mbps. Availability of a communication path approximates a fiber optic cable. The LAN (39) may be a local public switched telephone network. Each service area (14) is divided into one to forty sectors (16). Eight sectors (16) can support approximately 1,600 subscribers (17). Service areas (14) may be arranged to cover larger areas. Overlapping service areas (14) permit subscribers (17) to be within line-of-sight of a hub (12). Service area arrangement is readily adapted to terrain, existing structure and number of subscribers (17).

Claims

1. A network communication system (10) comprising:

a communications hub (12) having a first router (34) and a hub radio unit (32);

said first router (34) being coupled at a first end to said radio unit (32) by a plurality of ports (35) and being coupled at a second end to a plurality of network providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) by port (36);

a subscriber terminal (15) having a second router (44) and a radio frequency processing unit (42);

said second router (44) being coupled at a first end by port (59) to subscribers (17) in a local area network (LAN)(39) and being coupled at a second end to said radio frequency processing unit (42);

said communications hub radio unit (32) and said subscriber terminal radio frequency processing unit (42) exchanging information as radio signals (13); and

said information input by subscribers (17) to said LAN (39) and destined for service providers (ISP) coupled to said WAN (11) being routed by said first router (34) and said second router 44 as outbound traffic on said system (10) and said information input by said network service providers (ISP) to said WAN (11) and destined for said subscribers (17) being routed by said first router 34 and said second router (44) as inbound traffic on said system (10);

said communications hub (12) and said subscriber terminal (15) being disposed within a service area (14);

said service area (14) having a radius of seven tenths kilometer to one and one-half kilometers;

said communications hub (12) being centrally disposed within said service area (14);

said communications hub (12) and said subscriber terminal (15) being disposed within a service area (14);

said service area (14) including a plurality of sectors (16), preferably one to forty sectors (16);

each one of said plurality of sectors (16) having a subscriber terminal (15); and

said radio signals (13) are transmitted and received in the 59-64 GHz frequency band.

2. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, further including a plurality of service areas (14) which cover a larger area;

said plurality of service areas (14) capable of being overlapped such that each one of said plurality of subscribers (17) is within line-of-sight of at least one said communications hub (12).

3. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, in which said subscriber terminal (15) further includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)(52) for modulating and demodulating information signals and routing said information signals to and from an appropriate subscriber (17), an intermediate frequency stage, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)(54) for processing modulated information signals received (70a) and to be transmitted (70b), and a microwave integrated circuit (MIC)(56) for transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13).

4. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, in which each one of said plurality of ports (35) operate to a 100BaseT standard.

5. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, in which said port (36) is operable as a T3 and an OC3 standard.

6. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, in which said LAN (39) is an Ethernet™

10BaseT network.

7. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, in which said communication hub (12) includes directional antennas (41), configured to communicate with each said sector (16) on a separate frequency.

8. The network communication system as claimed in claim 1, in which interference is avoided between subscribers '"'"'signals by use of channel hopping;

use of a duplex technique selected from a group consisting of time division duplex (TDD), frequency division duplex (FDD), code division duplex (CDD), and polarization division duplex (PDD);

a multiple access technique selected from a group consisting of time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), polarization division multiple access (PDMA) multi-frequency CDMA, multi-frequency PDMA, and combinations of these;

a modulation technique selected from a group consisting of M-ary frequency shift keying (FSK), M-ary phase shift keying (PSK), M-ary amplitude shift keying (ASK), M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), M-ary pulse position modulation (PPM), M-ary Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK), M-ary continuous phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK), M-ary vestigal sideband (VSB) and M-ary continuous phase modulation (CPM), where M=2, 3, to 100 and greater; and

a coding technique selected from a group consisting of concatenated codes, block codes, convolutional codes, turbo codes, turbo block codes and combinations thereof.

9. The network communication system as claimed in claim 3, in which said microwave integrated circuit (56) includes a low-power. transmitter (76) not requiring Federal Communications Commission Licensing.

10. The network communication system as claimed in claim 3, in which said microwave integrated circuit (56) includes a transmit/receive module (142) comprising:

a low-noise amplifier/power amplifier (156);

an image rejection filter (154);

a mixer (152);

having as a first input a frequency (162) produced in a local oscillator (150);

a transmit/receive selector (158) having a plurality of switching contacts (160a, b, c, d);

said low-noise/power amplifier (156) being operated as a receiver front end when said transmit/receive selector (158) and said switching contacts (160a, b, c, d) are disposed in a first position and an incoming signal (146) from an antenna (58) is conducted through said low-noise/power amplifier (156) to said image rejection filter (154), then to said mixer (152) where it is heterodyned with said local oscillator frequency (162) to produce an intermediate frequency signal (144) for later demodulation; and

said low-noise/power amplifier (156) being operated as a transmitter final stage when said transmit/receive selector (158) and said switching contacts (160a, b, c, d) are disposed in a second position and a modulated, intermediate frequency signal (144) is heterodyned with said local oscillator frequency (162) in said mixer (152) to produce a radio frequency signal which is conducted through said image rejection filter (154) and amplified in said low-noise/power amplifier (156) to produce a radio frequency signal (147) delivered to said antenna (58).

11. A network communication system comprising:

a communications hub (12) having a hub radio unit (32);

said communications hub (12) being coupled to a plurality of network service providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) through a first router (34);

said first router having a plurality of 100BaseT interfaces with said hub radio unit (32) and T3 and OC3 interfaces with said WAN (11);

a plurality of subscriber terminals (15), each of said plurality of subscriber terminals (15) having a radio frequency processor (42) and a second router (44);

said plurality of subscriber terminals (15) being coupled to a plurality of subscribers (17) through said router (44) and a local area network (LAN)(39) operating at Ethernet™

10BaseT standards;

each one of said plurality of subscriber terminals (15) being located within a service area (14) and being reached by said communications hub (12) through a radio link (13) between said hub radio unit (32) and said radio frequency processor (42);

said radio link (13) carrying information-modulated signals at microwave and millimeter wave frequencies;

said plurality of subscriber terminals (15) delivering information input by said plurality of subscribers (17) on said LAN (39) to said communications hub (12) by said information-modulated radio signals (13) and thereafter routed to said plurality of network service providers (ISP) over said WAN (11) by said first router (34); and

said communications hub (12) delivering information input by network service providers (ISP) to said WAN (11) and routed by said first router (34) to said radio unit (32), to said plurality of subscriber terminals (15) by said information-modulated radio signals (13);

said subscriber terminals (15) thereafter delivering said information to said subscribers (17) over said LAN (39) by said second router (44).

12. A method of communication comprising the steps of:

providing a communications hub (12) having a first router (34) and a hub radio unit (32);

coupling said first router (34) at a first end to said radio unit (32) by a plurality of ports (35);

coupling said first router (34) at a second end to network service providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) by a port (36);

providing a subscriber terminal (15) having a second router (44) and a radio frequency processing unit (42);

coupling said second router (44) at a first end to subscribers (17) in a local area network (LAN)(39) by port (59);

coupling said second router (44) at a second end to said radio frequency processing unit (42);

exchanging information as radio signals (13) between said communications hub radio unit (32) and said subscriber terminal radio frequency processing unit (42); and

routing said information input by subscribers (17) to said LAN (39) and destined for service providers (ISP) coupled to said WAN (11) with said first with said second router (44) and then with said first router (35), and routing said information input by said network service providers (ISP) to said WAN (11) and destined for said subscribers (17) to the appropriate said sector (16) with said first router (34) and thereafter to the appropriate said subscriber(17) with said second router (44);

disposing said communications hub (12), said subscriber terminal (15) within a service area (14) having a radius of seven tenths kilometer to one and one-half kilometers; and

centrally disposing said communications hub (12) within said service area (14);

dividing said service area into a plurality of sectors (16), preferably one to forty sectors (16);

disposing a subscriber terminal (15) within each one of said plurality of sectors (16); and

providing access to said system (10) for approximately 200 subscribers (17) in each of said plurality of sectors (16); and

transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13) in the 59-64 GHz frequency band.

13. The method of communication claimed in claim 12, further including the steps of:

providing a plurality of service areas (14) which cover a larger area; and

providing a plurality of service areas (14) capable of being overlapped such that said plurality of subscribers (17) are within line-of-sight of at least one said communications hub (12).

14. The method of communication as claimed in claim 12, in which the step of providing access to said system (10) for approximately 200 subscribers (17) in each of said plurality of sectors (16), includes the step of avoiding interference between subscribers'"'"' signals by using channel hopping;

using a duplex technique selected from a group consisting of time division duplex (TDD), frequency division duplex (FDD), code division duplex (CDD), and polarization division duplex (PDD);

using a multiple access technique selected from a group consisting of time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), polarization division multiple access (PDMA) multi-frequency CDMA, multi-frequency PDMA, and combinations of these;

using a modulation technique selected from a group consisting of M-ary frequency shift keying (FSK), M-ary phase shift keying (PSK), M-ary amplitude shift keying (ASK), M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), M-ary pulse position modulation (PPM), M-ary Faussian minimum shift keying (GMSK), M-ary continuous phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK), M-ary vestigal sideband (VSB) and M-ary continuous phase modulation (CPM), where M=2,3, to 100 and greater; and

using a coding technique selected from a group consisting of concatenated codes, block codes, convolutional codes, turbo codes, turbo block codes and combinations thereof.

15. The method of communication claimed in claim 13, further including the steps of:

within said subscriber terminal (15),

modulating and demodulating information signals and routing said information signals to and from an appropriate subscriber (17) with an application specific integrated circuit (52);

processing modulated information signals received (70a) and to be transmitted (70b) with an intermediate frequency stage, application-specific integrated circuit (54); and

transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13) with a microwave integrated circuit (56).

16. The method of communication as claimed in claim 13, in which the steps of:

coupling said first router (34) at a first end to said radio unit (32) by a plurality of ports (35) includes the step of coupling said plurality of ports (35) which operate to a 100BaseT standard to said radio unit (32); and

coupling said first router (34) at a second end to network service providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) by port (36) includes the step of coupling said port (36) which is operable to a T3 and an OC3 standard to said WAN (11).

17. The method of communication as claimed in claim 12, in which the steps of providing said communication hub (12) and dividing said service areas (14) into a plurality of sectors (16) include providing said communications hub (12) with directional antennas (41), configured to communicate with each said sector (16) on a separate frequency.

18. The method of communication as claimed in claim 13, in which the step of providing approximately 200 subscribers (17) in each of said plurality of sectors (16) with access to said system (10) includes the step of providing said subscribers (17) access to said LAN (39) which is an Ethernet™

10BaseT network.

19. The method of communication as claimed in claim 15, in which the step of transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13) with a microwave integrated circuit (56), includes the step of transmitting said radio signals with a low-power transmitter (76) not requiring Federal Communications Commission Licensing.

20. A network communication system (10) comprising:

communications hub means (12) for collecting and routing information signals passing between a plurality of subscriber terminals (15) and a plurality of network service providers (ISP);

said communication hub means (12) coupled to said network service providers through a wide area network (WAN)(11);

subscriber terminal means (15) for collecting information from said plurality of subscribers (17) and converting said information into information signals which are then communicated by radio link (13) to said communications hub means (12);

said subscriber terminal means (15) coupled to said subscribers (17) through a local area network (LAN)(39);

said communication hub means (12) and said subscriber terminal means (15) acting as gateways for a stream of information signals passing in both inbound and outbound directions between said subscribers (17) and said network service providers (ISP);

said information signals passing between said subscribers (17) and said subscriber terminal means (15) on said LAN (39); and

said information signals passing between said communication hub means (12) and said network service providers (ISP) on said WAN (11).

21. The communications system claimed in claim 20, in which:

said communication hub means (12) includes a first router means (34) for routing information signals and a hub radio unit means (32) for receiving and transmitting said information signals;

said first router means (34) being coupled at a first end to said radio unit means (32) by a plurality of ports (35) and being coupled at a second end to a plurality of network service providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) by port (36); and

said subscriber terminal means (15) having a radio frequency processing unit means (42) for communicating with said communications hub (12) and second router means (44) for routing information signals between said subscribers (17) and said radio frequency processing unit means (42);

said second router means (44) being coupled at a first end to subscribers (17) through said (LAN) (39) by port (59) and being coupled at a second end to said radio frequency processing unit means (42);

said communications hub radio unit means (32) and said subscriber terminal radio frequency processing unit means (42) exchanging said information signals as radio signals (13) in a super high frequency (SHF) band; and

said information signals input by subscribers (17) to said LAN (39) and destined for service providers (ISP) coupled to said WAN (11) being routed by said first router (34) as outbound traffic on said system (10) and said information signals input by said network service providers (ISP) to said WAN (11) and destined for said subscribers (17) being routed by said second router (44) as inbound traffic on said system (10).

22. The communication system as claimed in claim 21, in which said communications hub (12) and said subscriber terminal (15) are disposed within a service area (14);

said service area (14) having a radius of seven tenths kilometer to one and one-half kilometers;

said communications hub (12) being centrally disposed within said service area (14).

23. The communication system as claimed in claim 22, in which said service area (14) further includes a plurality of sectors (16), preferably one to forty sectors (16);

each one of said plurality of sectors (16) having a subscriber terminal (15);

each of said plurality of sectors (16) supporting approximately 200 subscribers (17).

24. The communication system as claimed in claim 23, in which said SHF radio signals (13) are transmitted and received in the microwave and millimeter wave bands, preferably the 59-64 GHz frequency band.

25. The communication system as claimed in claim 23, further including a plurality of service areas (14) which cover a larger area;

said plurality of service areas (14) capable of being overlapped such that said plurality of subscribers (17) are within line-of-sight of at least one said communications hub (12).

26. The communication system as claimed in claim 23, in which said subscriber terminal means (15) further includes:

digital signal processing means (52) for modulating and demodulating information signals and routing said information signals to and from an appropriate subscriber (17);

intermediate frequency stage means (54) for processing modulated information signals received (70a) and to be transmitted (70b); and

transceiver means (56) for transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13).

27. The communication system as claimed in claim 23, in which said communication hub means (12) includes a plurality of directional antennas (41), configured to communicate with each said sector (16) on a separate frequency.

28. The communication system as claimed in claim 24, in which said plurality of ports (35) operate to a 100BaseT standard.

29. The communication system as claimed in claim 24, in which said port (36) is operable as a T3 and an OC3 standard.

30. The communication system as claimed in claim 24, in which said LAN (39) is an Ethernet™

, 10BaseT network.

31. The communication system as claimed in claim 24, in which interference is avoided between subscribers signals by use of channel hopping;

use of a duplex technique selected from a group consisting of time division duplex (TDD), frequency division duplex (FDD), code division duplex (CDD), and polarization division duplex (PDD);

a multiple access technique selected from a group consisting of time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), polarization division multiple access (PDMA) multi-frequency CDMA, multi-frequency PDMA, and combinations of these;

a modulation technique selected from a group consisting of M-ary frequency shift keying (FSK), M-ary phase shift keying (PSK), M-ary amplitude shift keying (ASK), M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), M-ary pulse position modulation (PPM), M-ary Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK), M-ary continuous phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK), M-ary vestigal sideband (VSB) and M-ary continuous phase modulation (CPM), where M=2,3, to 100 and greater; and

a coding technique selected from a group consisting of concatenated codes, block codes, convolutional codes, turbo codes, turbo block codes and combinations thereof.

32. The communication system as claimed in claim 26, in which said transceiver means (56) includes a low-power transmitter (76) not requiring Federal Communications Commission Licensing.

33. The communication system as claimed in claim 26, in which said transceiver means (56) further includes:

a low-noise amplifier/power amplifier (156);

image rejection means (154) for filtering a radio frequency signal (146, 147) to be transmitted or received;

a mixer (152);

having as a first input a frequency (162) produced in a local oscillator (150);

transmit/receive selector means (158) for switching a plurality of switching contacts (160a, b, c, d);

said low-noise/power amplifier (156) being operated as a receiver front end when said transmit/receive selector means (158) and said switching contacts (160a, b, c, d) are disposed in a first position and an incoming radio frequency signal (146) from an antenna (58) is conducted through said low-noise/power amplifier (156) to said image rejection means (154), then to said mixer (152) where it is heterodyned with said local oscillator frequency (162) to produce an intermediate frequency signal (144) for later demodulation; and

said low-noise/power amplifier (156) being operated as a transmitter final stage when said transmit/receive selector means (158) and said switching contacts (160a, b, c, d) are disposed in a second position and a modulated intermediate frequency signal (144) is heterodyned with said local oscillator frequency (162) in said mixer (152) to produce a radio frequency signal which is conducted through said image rejection means (154) and amplified in said low-noise/power amplifier (156) to produce a radio frequency signal (147) delivered to said antenna (58).

34. A network communication system (10) comprising:

a communications hub (12) having a first router (34) and a hub radio unit (32);

said first router (34) being coupled at a first end to said radio unit (32) by a plurality of ports (35) and being coupled at a second end to a plurality of network providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) by port (36);

a subscriber terminal (15) having a second router (44) and a radio frequency processing unit (42);

said second router (44) being coupled at a first end by port (59) to subscribers (17) in a local area network (LAN)(39) and being coupled at a second end to said radio frequency processing unit (42);

said communications hub radio unit (32) and said subscriber terminal radio frequency processing unit (42) exchanging information as radio signals (13); and

said information input by subscribers (17) to said LAN (39) and destined for service providers (ISP) coupled to said WAN (11) being routed by said first router (34) and said second router 44 as outbound traffic on said system (10) and said information input by said network service providers (ISP) to said WAN (11) and destined for said subscribers (17) being routed by said first router 34 and said second router (44) as inbound traffic on said system (10);

said communications hub (12) and said subscriber terminal (15) being disposed within a service area (14);

said service area (14) having a radius of seven tenths kilometer to one and one-half kilometers;

said communications hub (12) being centrally disposed within said service area (14);

said communications hub (12) and said subscriber terminal (15) being disposed within a service area (14);

said service area (14) including a plurality of sectors (16) between one to forty sectors (16);

each one of said plurality of sectors (16) having a subscriber terminal (15);

said radio signals (13) are transmitted and received in the 59-64 GHz frequency band;

a plurality of service areas (14) which cover a larger area;

said plurality of service areas (14) capable of being overlapped such that each one of said plurality of subscribers (17) is within line-of-sight of at least one said communications hub (12); and

said communication hub (12) including directional antennas (41), configured to communicate with each said sector (16) on a separate frequency; and

a microwave integrated circuit (MIC)(56) for transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13);

said microwave integrated circuit (56) including a low-power transmitter (76) not requiring Federal Communications Commission Licensing.

35. A method of communication comprising the steps of:

providing a communications hub (12) having a first router (34) and a hub radio unit (32);

coupling said first router (34) at a first end to said radio unit (32) by a plurality of ports (35);

coupling said first router (34) at a second end to network service providers (ISP) in a wide area network (WAN)(11) by a port (36);

providing a subscriber terminal (15) having a second router (44) and a radio frequency processing unit (42);

coupling said second router (44) at a first end to subscribers (17) in a local area network (LAN)(39) by port (59);

coupling said second router (44) at a second end to said radio frequency processing unit (42);

exchanging information as radio signals (13) between said communications hub radio unit (32) and said subscriber terminal radio frequency processing unit (42); and

routing said information input by subscribers (17) to said LAN (39) and destined for service providers (ISP) coupled to said WAN (11) with said first with said second router (44) and then with said first router (35), and routing said information input by said network service providers (ISP) to said WAN (11) and destined for said subscribers (17) to the appropriate said sector (16) with said first router (34) and thereafter to the appropriate said subscriber(17) with said second router (44);

disposing said communications hub (12), said subscriber terminal (15) within a service area (14) having a radius of seven tenths kilometer to one and one-half kilometers; and

centrally disposing said communications hub (12) within said service area (14);

dividing said service area into a plurality of sectors (16), preferably one to forty sectors (16);

disposing a subscriber terminal (15) within each one of said plurality of sectors (16);

providing access to said system (10) for approximately 200 subscribers (17) in each of said plurality of sectors (16); and

transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13) in the 59-64 GHz frequency band;

providing a plurality of service areas (14) which cover a larger area;

providing a plurality of service areas (14) capable of being overlapped such that said plurality of subscribers (17) are within line-of-sight of at least one said communications hub (12);

dividing said service areas (14) into a plurality of sectors (16) include providing said communications hub (12) with directional antennas (41), configured to communicate with each said sector (16) on a separate frequency; and

transmitting and receiving said radio signals (13) with a microwave integrated circuit (56), includes the step of transmitting said radio signals with a low-power transmitter (76) not requiring Federal Communications Commission Licensing.