System and method for broadband millimeter wave data communication

• US 6,735,452 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1999
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BWA Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Harris Broadband Wireless Access Incorporated
• Inventors: Schafer, David C., Foster, Robert B. Jr., Baugh, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/434,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.2, 455/428, 455/13.3, 455/25, 455/524, 455/63.4, 455/108, 455/562.1, 455/561, 370/316, 370/330, 370/18, 370/94.3, 370/389, 370/319
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• 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 information communication between a plurality of processor-based systems, said system comprising:

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap, said node information communication comprising a beam directed toward a predetermined area; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein said hub comprises a plurality of antenna units each antenna unit of said plurality of antenna units adapted for receiving radio frequency communication;

wherein information communication received by ones of said plurality of antenna units is routed for transmission at said hub by a processor;

wherein said route is indicated by information contained within said information communication.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap, said node information communication comprising a beam directed toward a predetermined area; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein said hub comprises a plurality of antenna units, each antenna unit of said plurality of antenna units adapted for receiving radio frequency communication;

wherein information communication received by ones of said plurality of antenna units is routed for transmission at said hub by a processor;

wherein said route is indicated by routing information contained within an electronic memory coupled to said processor, said routing information comprising antenna unit correlation data sets indicating a route for information communication received by a particular one of said plurality of said antenna units.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap, said node information communication comprising a beam directed toward a predetermined area; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area,

wherein said hub comprises a plurality of antenna units, each antenna unit of said plurality of antenna units adapted for receiving radio frequency communication,

wherein ones of said plurality of antenna units comprise a hybrid mode lens corrected horn providing approximately 32 to 48 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 4 to 20 degrees, operating within 10 to 60 GHz.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap, said node information communication comprising a beam directed toward a predetermined area; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein said hub comprises a plurality of antenna units, each antenna unit of said plurality of antenna units adapted for receiving radio frequency communication;

wherein said hub further comprises a radio frequency modern, said modem being switchably coupled to ones of said plurality of antenna units.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said modem is configurable to provide variable information density within said first signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said variable information density is accomplished at least in part through the use of quadrature amplitude modulation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said variable information density is configurable at various times, said configuration being a function of an attribute of said communication provided by ones of said plurality of antenna units.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said hub further comprises a controller unit including a processor coupled to an electronic memory and said switch, said processor also being coupled to said modem, said processor controlling said switch, said switch coupling said modem and said plurality of antenna units.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said hub further comprises an initialization algorithm stored in said electronic memory, said initialization algorithm causing said hub to initially communicate with ones of said plurality of nodes according to a predetermined regimen, said initialization algorithm further causing attributes of said initial communication with ones of said plurality of nodes to be stored in said electronic memory.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap, said node information communication comprising a beam directed toward a predetermined area; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein ones of said plurality of nodes comprises an antenna unit, said antenna unit being adapted for receiving radio frequency communication;

wherein said antenna unit provides approximately 40 to 42 dB of gain with a predetermined communication lobe of approximately 2 degrees, within the frequency spectrum of 10 to 60 GHz.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap, said node information communication comprising a beam directed toward a predetermined area; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein ones of said plurality of nodes comprises an antenna unit, said antenna unit being adapted for receiving radio frequency communication;

wherein ones of said plurality of nodes further comprise a radio frequency modern, said modem being coupled to said antenna unit;

wherein ones of said plurality of nodes further comprise a controller unit including a processor coupled to an electronic memory and an interface, said processor also being coupled to said modem;

wherein said interface comprises at least two different communication protocol standards for selectively coupling said node to said processor-based systems.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system through an interface operating under control of a communication node processor, each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap through a modem coupled to said interface; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein said interface comprises at least two different communication protocol standards for selectively coupling said node to said processor-based systems.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system through an interface operating under control of a communication node processor, each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap through a modem coupled to said interface; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein information communication received through ones of said plurality of beams is routed at said hub by a processor;

wherein said route is indicated by information contained within said information communication.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system through an interface operating under control of a communication node processor, each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap through a modem coupled to said interface; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area;

wherein information communication received through ones of said plurality of beams is routed at said hub by a processor;

wherein said route is indicated by routing information contained within an electronic memory of said hub.

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

a plurality of communication nodes, each node of said plurality of nodes adapted for coupling to a processor-based system through an interface operating under control of a communication node processor, each node of said plurality of nodes further adapted for information communication across an air-gap through a modem coupled to said interface; and

a processor-based communication hub, said hub adapted for information communication with said plurality of nodes across said air-gap, said hub information communication comprising a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area,

wherein said hub further comprises an initialization algorithm, said initialization algorithm causing said hub to initially communicate with ones of said plurality of nodes according to a predetermined regimen, said initialization algorithm further causing attributes of said initial communication with ones of said plurality of nodes to be stored in an electronic memory for use in providing subsequent communications.

16. A method for providing information communication between a plurality of processor-based systems, said method comprising the steps of:

deploying a plurality of processor-based communication hubs to provide a plurality of beams each directed toward a predetermined area, wherein said plurality of beams of a first hub of said plurality of communication hubs define a first area of service and said plurality of beams of a second hub of said plurality of communication hubs defines a second area of service, and wherein said first and second areas of service are substantially mutually exclusive;

disposing a plurality of communication nodes in each of said first and second areas of service;

establishing information communication between each communication node of said plurality of communication nodes and at least one hub of said communication hubs across an air-gap; and

coupling a processor based system to each of said communication nodes via a node interface, said interface coupled to a radio frequency modem of said communication node,

wherein said step of establishing information communication comprises the steps of;

causing a hub of said plurality of communication hubs to initially communicate with ones of said plurality of nodes according to a predetermined regimen; and

causing attributes of said initial communication with ones of said plurality of nodes to be stored in an electronic memory.