Mote networks having directional antennas

• US 7,366,544 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendell; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/813,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20050233699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.3, 455/19, 455/25, 455/562.1, 455/575.7, 343/757
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A mote network having and/or using one or more directional antennas.

Claims

1. A mote system comprising:

at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit;

a directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit, wherein said directional antenna system further includes but is not limited to an antenna steering unit; and

a mote having said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit.

2. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a beam-forming antenna system.

3. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a beam-steering antenna system.

4. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a switched-beam antenna system.

5. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a horn antenna system.

6. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

one or more electromagnetic reflectors of one or more shapes corresponding to one or more selected antenna patterns.

7. The mote system of claim 1, wherein directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

an adaptive-antenna system.

8. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a Yagi antenna.

9. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a log-periodic antenna.

10. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a parabolic antenna.

11. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

an array antenna.

12. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a horn antenna.

13. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit further comprises:

a biconical antenna.

14. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said antenna steering unit further comprises:

an electro-mechanical system.

15. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said antenna steering unit further comprises:

a micro-electro-mechanical system.

16. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said antenna steering unit further comprises:

an electromagnetic system.

17. The mote system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of an animate or inanimate unit in physical contact with said mote having said directional antenna system operably coupled with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit.

18. A mote method of using comprising:

distributing a mote, the mote having

(i) at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit, and

(ii) a directional antenna system operably couplable with said at least one of an antenna signal generation unit or an antenna signal detection unit.

19. The mote method of claim 18, wherein said distributing a mote further comprises:

emplacing at least one of an animate or inanimate unit in physical contact with the mote.

20. The mote method of claim 19, wherein said emplacing at least one of an animate or inanimate unit in physical contact with the mote further comprises:

positioning an inanimate component in physical contact with the mote.

21. The mote method of claim 19, wherein said emplacing at least one of an animate or inanimate unit in physical contact with the mote further comprises:

positioning an animate component in physical contact with the mote.

22. A mote method of making comprising:

forming a mote body; and

emplacing a directional antenna and an antenna steering unit proximate to the mote body.

23. The mote method of claim 22, wherein said forming a mote body further comprises:

forming at least a part of the mote body from a substrate.

24. The mote method of claim 22, wherein said emplacing a directional antenna and an antenna steering unit proximate to the mote body further comprises:

forming at least a part of the directional antenna from a substrate.

25. The mote method of claim 22, wherein said emplacing a directional antenna and an antenna steering unit proximate to the mote body further comprises:

affixing at least a part of the directional antenna to the mote body.

26. A mote method comprising:

integrating an antenna steering unit and a directional antenna proximate to a mote body with at least one of an animate or inanimate unit.

27. The mote method of claim 26, wherein said integrating an antenna steering unit and a directional antenna proximate to a mote body with at least one of an animate or inanimate unit further comprises:

at least one of affixing the mote body to or encasing the mote body in an inanimate structural component.

28. The mote method of claim 26, wherein said integrating an antenna steering unit and a directional antenna proximate to a mote body with at least one of an animate or inanimate unit further comprises:

at least one of affixing the mote body to or encasing the mote body in an animate structural component.