Interleaved and directional wireless mesh network
First Claim
1. An apparatus for wirelessly communicating signals between nodes in a wireless mesh network, the apparatus included in a first node of the wireless mesh network and comprising:
- a first directional antenna; and
a relay radio configured to be coupled to the first directional antenna, the relay radio configured to be coupled to at least a second, third, and fourth directional antenna on the first node by way of a radio frequency (RF) splitter, wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas is configurable to be aimed in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to at least one other of the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas, wherein coupled between each of the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas and the RF splitter, is a respective first, second, third, and fourth RF switch, each configured to select via individual control of the respective single first, second, third, or fourth RF switch, for transmission of packets, a unique direction associated with a selected directional antenna of the first, second, third and fourth directional antennas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A directional and interleaved wireless mesh network is described where mesh nodes have directional antennas facing in horizontally orthogonal directions. The antennas can be focused to have a beam width of less than ninety degrees in order to achieve greater strength of signal and radiation. Each mesh node can have two radios that communicate on separate channels, such that packets propagated through the mesh network can utilize either channel in order to hop from one node to the next. Each radio can be connected to four orthogonally directed antennas in order to enable communication with adjacent nodes. Alternatively, a separate independent radio can be connected to each antenna in order to achieve greater simultaneity of transmission and reception to the node. For example, two such radio-antenna combinations can be facing in each of the four orthogonal directions, each of the two combinations operating on a different RF channel.
53 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for wirelessly communicating signals between nodes in a wireless mesh network, the apparatus included in a first node of the wireless mesh network and comprising:
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a first directional antenna; and a relay radio configured to be coupled to the first directional antenna, the relay radio configured to be coupled to at least a second, third, and fourth directional antenna on the first node by way of a radio frequency (RF) splitter, wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas is configurable to be aimed in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to at least one other of the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas, wherein coupled between each of the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas and the RF splitter, is a respective first, second, third, and fourth RF switch, each configured to select via individual control of the respective single first, second, third, or fourth RF switch, for transmission of packets, a unique direction associated with a selected directional antenna of the first, second, third and fourth directional antennas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system, comprising:
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a first relay radio included on a first node in an interleaved wireless mesh network, the first relay radio configured to be coupled to a first plurality of directional antennas via a first radio frequency (RF) splitter, wherein at least one of the directional antennas in the first plurality is aimed in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to at least one other directional antenna in the first plurality; and a second relay radio included on the first node and configured to be coupled to a second plurality of directional antennas via a second RF splitter, wherein at least one of the directional antennas in the second plurality is aimed in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to at least one other directional antenna in the second plurality of directional antennas, wherein a first, second, third, and fourth independently controllable RF switch is coupled between at least a respective first, second, third, and fourth directional antenna of the second plurality of directional antennas and the second RF splitter, each of the first, second, third, and fourth independently controllable RF switches configured to select via individual control of the single respective first, second, third, or fourth independently controllable RF switch, for transmission of packets, a specific direction associated with a selected directional antenna of the first, second, third or fourth directional antenna. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for receiving and transmitting packets in an interleaved wireless mesh network including a plurality of nodes, said method comprising:
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receiving a stream of packets on a first RF channel at a first radio of a first node in the interleaved wireless mesh network, the first radio coupled to a first, second, third, and fourth directional antenna, wherein a first, second, third, and fourth independently controllable RF switch is coupled between each of the respective first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas and the first radio; and transmitting the stream of packets on a second RF channel from a second radio, the second radio coupled to a respective fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth directional antenna by way of an RF splitter, wherein coupled between each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth directional antennas and the RF splitter is each of a respective fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth individually-controllable RF switch, each configured to select a unique direction associated with a single selected antenna of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth directional antenna for transmission of the stream of packets. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification