Low power wireless network

• US 6,885,846 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1997
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Anthony B., Panasik, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lele, Tanmay
• Application Number:
  US08/829,278
• Time in Patent Office: 2,948 Days
• Field of Search: 379/55.1, 455/14, 455/39, 455/41, 455/66, 455/500, 455/517, 455/523, 455/66.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/203 Leaky coaxial lines

Abstract

A network of electronic devices such as computers (50) and/or calculators (36, 38) uses low power communication to transmit wireless signals through a distributed antenna system (40). The distributed antenna system may be formed in conjunction with ceiling or floor tiles 62 or modular office components (44 and 46) or student desks. The distributed antenna system 40 reduces the effective distance between a transmitting and receiving device to a nominal distance.

Claims

1. A wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of mobile electronic devices having internal circuitry capable of sending and receiving signals by wireless communication; and

a distributed antenna system for transferring signals between said mobile electronic devices and an adjacent one or more network access points, said one or more access points comprising a plurality of ceiling tiles, each ceiling tile comprising;

a substrate for forming the ceiling;

antenna wire attached to said substrate;

and further comprising connectors for connecting antenna wires of adjacent ceiling tiles, wherein said connectors are formed on ceiling tiles.

2. The wireless network of claim 1 and further comprising ceiling support members, wherein said connectors are formed on said support members.

3. The wireless network of claim 1 wherein at least some of said mobile electronic devices are portable computers.

4. The wireless network of claim 1 wherein at least some of said mobile electronic devices are calculators.

5. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication is RF wireless communication.