Mote networks having directional antennas

• US 7,725,080 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Lee
• Application Number:
  US11/998,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 455/25, 455/41.2, 455/63.4, 455/562.1, 342367-368, 342371-375
• US Class Current: 455/63.4
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• 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:

an antenna signal generation unit; and

a directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit, said directional antenna system including;

an antenna control unit configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna such that the beam of the directional antenna will likely operably align with a field of regard of an other directional antenna, including being configured to direct a sweep of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of sweep of a field of regard of an other directional antenna.

2. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

a beam-forming antenna system.

3. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

a beam-steering antenna system.

4. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

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

5. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

an adaptive-antenna system.

6. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

an array antenna.

7. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

an antenna steering unit.

8. The mote system of claim 7, wherein said antenna steering unit further comprises:

an electro-mechanical system.

9. The mote system of claim 7, wherein said antenna steering unit further comprises:

a micro-electro-mechanical system.

10. The mote system of claim 7, wherein said antenna steering unit further comprises:

an electromagnetic system.

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

a mote having said directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit.

12. The mote system of claim 11, further comprising:

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

13. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

a modulator.

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

said antenna signal generation unit activatable to combine a beacon signal with a carrier signal of a modulator.

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

an antenna control unit operably coupled to direct said antenna signal generation unit to vary a carrier frequency of a modulator.

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

an antenna control unit operably coupled to direct said antenna signal generation unit to vary a carrier frequency of a modulator relative to a benchmark in a deterministic fashion.

17. The mote system of claim 1, wherein said antenna signal generation unit further comprises:

an antenna control unit operably coupled to direct said antenna signal generation unit to vary a carrier frequency of a modulator relative to a benchmark in a quasi-random fashion.

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, said directional antenna system including;

an antenna control unit configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna such that the beam of the directional antenna will likely operably align with a field of regard of an other directional antenna, including being further configured to at least one of;

direct a sweep of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of sweep of a field of regard of an other directional antenna;

direct a rotation of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate of rotation varied by a quasi-random amount from a nominal rate of rotation;

direct a movement of a beam of the directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected rate of movement;

direct a movement of a beam of the directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected period of time;

or

direct a rate of rotation of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of rotation of a field of regard of an other directional antenna.

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

emplacing at least one unit in physical contact with the mote.

20. The mote method of claim 19, wherein said emplacing at least one 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 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 a modulator proximate to the mote body, at least one of the directional antenna or the modulator being configured to at least one of;

direct a sweep of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of sweep of a field of regard of an other directional antenna;

direct a rotation of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate of rotation varied by a quasi-random amount from a nominal rate of rotation;

direct a movement of a beam of the directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected rate of movement;

direct a movement of a beam of the directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected period of time;

or

direct a rate of rotation of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of rotation of a field of regard of an other directional antenna.

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 a modulator 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 a modulator 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 a directional antenna and a modulator proximate to a mote body with at least one unit, at least one of the directional antenna or the modulator being configured to at least one of;

direct a sweep of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of sweep of a field of regard of an other directional antenna;

direct a rotation of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate of rotation varied by a quasi-random amount from a nominal rate of rotation;

direct a movement of a beam of the directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected rate of movement;

direct a movement of a beam of the directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected period of time;

or

direct a rate of rotation of a beam of the directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of rotation of a field of regard of an other directional antenna.

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

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

29. A mote system comprising:

an antenna signal generation unit; and

a directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit, said directional antenna system including;

an antenna control unit configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna such that the beam of the directional antenna will likely operably align with a field of regard of an other directional antenna, including being configured to direct a rotation of a beam of a directional antenna at a rate of rotation varied by a quasi-random amount from a nominal rate of rotation.

30. A mote system comprising:

an antenna signal generation unit; and

a directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit, said directional antenna system including;

an antenna control unit configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna such that the beam of the directional antenna will likely operably align with a field of regard of an other directional antenna, including being configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected rate of movement.

31. A mote system comprising:

an antenna signal generation unit; and

a directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit, said directional antenna system including;

an antenna control unit configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna such that the beam of the directional antenna will likely operably align with a field of regard of an other directional antenna, including being configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna at a quasi-randomly selected period of time.

32. A mote system comprising:

an antenna signal generation unit; and

a directional antenna system operably coupled with said antenna signal generation unit, said directional antenna system including;

an antenna control unit configured to direct a movement of a beam of a directional antenna such that the beam of the directional antenna will likely operably align with a field of regard of an other directional antenna, including being configured to direct a rate of rotation of a beam of a directional antenna at a rate likely to be different from that of a rate of rotation of a field of regard of an other directional antenna.