System and method for line of sight path communication

• US 6,678,259 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1999
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schwengler, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, CHI HO A
• Application Number:
  US09/320,071
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/217, 370/437, 370/329, 370/328, 370/334, 375/347, 375/426.2, 455/450, 455/9, 455/8, 455/67.15, 455/13.3, 455/25, 455/63.4, 455/63.15, 455/562.1, 455/101, 455/143, 455/225, 455/275, 455/303, 455/67.11, 455/67.16, 455/508, 343/725, 343/729, 343/751, 343/835, 343/875, 343/878
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for broadband communication between a network and a customer premise along the line of sight path utilizes redundant communication paths. The primary communication path is along a first line of sight, and the primary transmitter is configured to transmit at a sufficiently high frequency to require line of sight communications. The redundant or secondary communication path may be a different line of sight path to the same or a different transmitter, or may be a lower frequency communication path in different embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for broadband communication between a network and a customer premise along a line of sight path, the system comprising:

a customer premise equipment having a first directional antenna operative to communicate in a first line of sight, and having a second directional antenna operative to communicate in a second line of sight that is different than the first line of sight;

at least one transmitter in communication with the network and configured to transmit at a sufficiently high frequency to require line of sight, wherein the at least one transmitter, the first antenna, and the second antenna are located so as to form a primary communication path along the first line of sight and to form a redundant communication path along the second line of sight;

wherein the at least one transmitter further comprises;

a first transmitter located within the first line of sight and selectively operative to communicate with the first antenna along the primary communication path;

a second transmitter located within the second line of sight and selectively operative to communicate with the second antenna along the redundant communication path; and

network control logic configured to select one of the primary and redundant communication paths based a status of the first and second lines of sight so as to permit transmission by the first transmitter when the primary path is selected and to permit transmission by the second transmitter when the redundant path is selected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transmitter includes a hub connected to the network.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transmitter includes a repeater operative to communicate with a hub connected to the network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the customer premise equipment further includes a decoder configured to decode communications received at the first and second antennas.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the customer premise equipment further includes a coaxial cable connecting at least one antenna of the first and second antennas to the decoder, and wherein the at least one antenna connects to the coaxial cable through a converter to down convert communications to an intermediate frequency.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the customer premise equipment further includes a fiber connecting at least one antenna of the first and second antennas to the decoder.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the customer premise equipment further includes a twisted pair connected to the decoder.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the sufficiently high frequency is within Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS) frequencies.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the sufficiently high frequency is within infrared frequencies.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the sufficiently high frequency is greater than about 12 Gigahertz.

11. A system for broadband communication between a network and a customer premise along a line of sight path, the system comprising:

a customer premise equipment having a first directional antenna operative to communicate in a first line of sight, and having a second directional antenna operative to communicate in a second line of sight that is different than the first line of sight;

at least one transmitter in communication with the network and configured to transmit at a sufficiently high frequency to require line of sight, wherein the at least one transmitter, the first antenna, and the second antenna are located so as to form a primary communication path along the first line of sight and to form a redundant communication path along the second line of sight;

wherein the at least one transmitter is a single transmitter within the first line of sight and within the second line of sight, and wherein the first and second antennas are sufficiently spaced apart to separate the primary and redundant communication paths; and

customer premise control logic configured to select one of the primary and redundant communication paths based on signal quality at the first and second antennas due to a status of the first and second lines of sight.

12. A system for broadband communication between a network and a customer premise along a line of sight path, the system comprising:

a customer premise equipment having a directional antenna operative to communicate in a line of sight;

a primary transmitter in communication with the network and configured to selectively transmit at a sufficiently high frequency to require line of sight, wherein the primary transmitter and the antenna are located so as to form a primary communication path along the line of sight;

a secondary transmitter in communication with the network and configured to selectively transmit at a frequency sufficient to communicate absent line of sight, wherein the secondary transmitter and the antenna are located so as to form a secondary communication path; and

network control logic configured to select the primary communication path when the line of sight is clear, and to select the secondary communication path when the line of sight is blocked.