Cable having embedded access points

• US 7,231,224 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Atheros Communications Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chesson, Gregory Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAO, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US10/294,394
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 455/523, 455/3.03, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 174/101.5, 174/10, 174/13, 174/24
• US Class Current: 455/523
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10303 Pin-in-hole mounted pins
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10356 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10689 Leaded Integrated Circuit [IC] package, e.g. dual-in-line [DIL]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10962 Component not directly connected to the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1189 Pressing leads, bumps or a die through an insulating layer

Abstract

A cable has miniaturized, low-cost, highly-integrated wireless network access points embedded in the cable at periodic intervals along the length of the cable. Power conductors that run the length of the cable supply each of the access points with electrical power. Each access point has an antenna for receiving and transmitting radio signals. The antenna of an access point is encapsulated, along with the rest of the access point circuitry, underneath an insulating protective outer sheath of the cable. The cable includes conductors that are usable for a purpose other than deploying a wireless network. When the cable is physically installed (for example, in the wall or ceiling of a building) for the other purpose, the access points are simultaneously physically installed. The access points so installed can then be activated and used as part of a wireless network.

Claims

1. A cable comprising:

a plurality of integrated circuits for implementing access points capable of being used in a wireless network, the access points connected to antennas for receiving and transmitting signals; and

a plurality of flexible conductors including a first set of flexible conductors to provide power to the plurality of integrated circuits and a second set of flexible conductors to facilitate deployment of the wireless network,

wherein the plurality of integrated circuits, the antennas, and the plurality of flexible conductors are disposed within the cable.

2. The cable of claim 1, further comprising a protective outer sheath, wherein:

the protective outer sheath is configured to encapsulate the plurality of integrated circuits, the antennas, and the plurality of flexible conductors; and

the plurality of integrated circuits are disposed at intervals along the cable.

3. The cable of claim 2, wherein the protective outer sheath is substantially tubular.

4. The cable of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of circuit boards, each integrated circuit coupled to a corresponding circuit board.

5. The cable of claim 4, wherein the antennas are formed in the plurality of circuit boards.

6. The cable of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of flexible conductors include a plurality of flexible circuit boards;

each flexible circuit board includes an integrated circuit disposed thereon;

the flexible circuit board has a strip-shape that is elongated in a direction;

the plurality of flexible circuit boards are spaced from one another at intervals along the flexible conductors in the direction; and

the cable further includes a protective outer sheath that encapsulates the plurality of flexible circuit boards and the plurality of integrated circuits.

7. The cable of claim 1, wherein each access point is configured to use a corresponding antenna to facilitate two-way communication with a device not connected to the cable.

8. The cable of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the first set of flexible conductors is connected to a first subset of the access points, and a second subset of the first set of flexible conductors is connected to a second subset of the access points.

9. The cable of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the second set of flexible conductors is connected to a first subset of the access points, and a second subset of the second set of flexible conductors is connected to a second subset of the access points.

10. The cable of claim 9, wherein each of the second set of flexible conductors is a dedicated conductor for an access point.

11. The cable of claim 1, wherein the first set of flexible conductors and the second set of flexible conductors are symmetrically distributed about the access points in the cable.

12. The cable of claim 1, wherein each access point is configured to be remotely disabled and thereby removed from the wireless network.

13. The cable of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless network includes a controller;

the plurality of flexible conductors include a plurality of information conductors;

each of the information conductors is coupled between only one of the plurality of wireless access points and the controller; and

each access point is configured to receive information from and transmit information to the wireless network through the information conductor.

14. The cable of claim 1, wherein a plurality of access points are coupled together in a star configuration in which each access point communicates with a controller via a dedicated conductor.

15. The cable of claim 1, wherein a plurality of access points are coupled together in a ring configuration in which a controller at one end of the cable communicates with an access point at another end of the cable using a relay including multiple flexible conductors and multiple access points.

16. The cable of claim 1, wherein the cable is a multi-access point cable including a plurality of access points connected in series using the plurality of flexible conductors.

17. The cable of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of flexible conductors comprises a first plurality of flexible conductors and a second plurality of flexible conductors;

a first group of the plurality of integrated circuits is disposed on a first printed circuit board;

a second group of the plurality of integrated circuits is disposed on a second printed circuit board;

a first connector and a second connector are coupled to the first printed circuit board;

a third connector and a fourth connector are coupled to the second printed circuit board;

the first plurality of flexible conductors are coupled to the first connector;

the second plurality of flexible conductors are coupled to the second connector and to the third connector;

the second group of integrated circuits are powered by a current that flows through at least one of the first plurality of flexible conductors, through the first connector, across the first printed circuit board and to the second connector, through the second connector, through at least one of the second plurality of flexible conductors, through the third connector, and to the second group of integrated circuits; and

the first plurality of integrated circuits are powered by a current that flows through the at least one of the first plurality of flexible conductors, through the first connector, and to the first group of integrated circuits.

18. A wireless network access point comprising:

access point circuitry;

a first connector adapted for coupling to a first cable;

a second connector adapted for coupling to a second cable; and

an electrical connection extending from a terminal on the first connector to a terminal on the second connector;

wherein the access point circuitry is coupled to the electrical connection such that the access point circuitry is powered by electrical energy received onto the wireless network access point via the terminal of the first connector, wherein;

the first connector further comprises a second terminal;

the wireless network access point further comprises an antenna; and

the wireless network access point is configured to receive information on the antenna and output information in a serial fashion onto the second terminal of the first connector.

19. The wireless network access point of claim 18, further comprising:

a first and a second section of cable; and

a second and a third wireless network access point;

wherein;

the wireless network access point is coupled to the second wireless network access point via the first section of cable;

the first section of cable extending from the first connector of the wireless access device and to the second wireless network access point;

the wireless network access point is coupled to the third wireless network access point via the second section of cable; and

the second section of cable extending from the second connector of the wireless access device and to the third wireless network access point.

20. A method, comprising:

coupling a first access point to at least one of a plurality of flexible conductors such that the first access point can receive power from the flexible conductors; and

coupling a second access point to at least one of the plurality of flexible conductors such that the second access point can receive power from the flexible conductors;

wherein the first access point, the second access point, and the flexible conductors form a flexible cable; and

encapsulating the first access point, the second access point and the flexible conductors within a protective sheath, the protective sheath forming a part of the flexible cable.

21. A method of deploying a plurality of access points, comprising:

placing a cable in a building, the cable comprising;

a plurality of access points, each access point including an integrated circuit configurable to function in a wireless network;

a plurality of flexible conductors; and

a plurality of antennas,

wherein each access point has a corresponding antenna for communicating with the wireless network,

wherein each of the plurality of access points is coupled to a first set of the plurality of flexible conductors for power and to a second set of the plurality of flexible conductors for information transfer, and

wherein a third set of the plurality of flexible conductors function independently of the wireless network.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of configuring at least one of the plurality of access points to be part of the wireless network.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of using at least one of the plurality of access points as part of the wireless network.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

coupling the cable to a network connector.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein:

the controller and the plurality of access points are configured to receive power only from the network connector;

the controller and the plurality of access points including no battery; and

the controller having no plug through which the controller receives AC power.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

coupling the cable to a controller.

27. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

setting up at least one of the access points as part of the wireless network via setup communications sent from a controller to the at least one of the access points.