Active link cable mesh

• US 8,433,368 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rahm, James K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US11/613,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20080151745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,323 Days
• Field of Search: 370/221, 370/310, 455/562.1, 455/13.3, 455/25, 455/63.475, 343/751, 343/757
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

An active link wireless cable mesh network and a method for transmitting data in a wireless cable mesh network are provided. A plurality of end devices are connected in a mesh configuration. A data message is transmitted to a first end device via one of a plurality of antennas radiating elements which form a phased array antenna. If the message is not successfully received, the antenna radiating elements is steered to another transceiver in the mesh network to complete the transmission.

Claims

1. A wireless cable network comprising:

a first transceiver associated with a cable access point and configured to transmit and receive data over a cable network and to a node of a wireless mesh network; and

a plurality of second transceivers, each second transceiver being associated with one of a like plurality of end user devices, wherein the plurality of second transceivers are communicatively coupled to each other in a wireless mesh network configuration, and wherein the plurality of second transceivers provide access to the cable network through the first transceiver for the transfer of information to and from the like plurality of end user devices;

wherein, the first transceiver and at least one of the second transceivers are each equipped with an electronically steerable phased array antenna and wherein the first transceiver and the at least one of the second transceivers are each capable of steering the beams of their electronically steerable phased array antenna to form a first link between the first transceiver and the one of the second transceivers when the first transceiver determines that a second link between the first transceiver and another one of the second transceivers is unavailable, wherein determining that the second link is unavailable comprises determining that no acknowledgement message has been received in response to a message sent to the other one of the second transceivers.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the electronically steerable phased array antenna comprises:

a controller configured to steer the steered beams to a selected plurality of the second transceivers.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is configured to direct the steered beams around an interferer.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein each of the steered beam(s) is steered to one of the second transceivers forming the link.

5. The network of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a communication link between the first transceiver and one of the plurality of second transceivers is unavailable.

12. The network of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to form a pattern to receive signals from the selected plurality of transceivers while suppressing transmissions from those of the plurality of transceivers that are not selected.

6. A method of transmitting data, the method used in transceivers of a wireless mesh network, comprising:

transmitting a data message from a first transceiver to a second transceiver of the wireless mesh network over a first communication link using a steered beam formed by a phased array antenna of the first transceiver and a steered beam formed by a phased array antenna of the second transceiver, wherein the message has a destination of a cable network access point external to the wireless mesh network that also has a phased array antenna; and

determining that the first communication link is unavailable when no acknowledgment is received for the data message,

wherein when the determination is that the first communication link is unavailable, steering the steered beam to a third transceiver of the wireless mesh network, wherein the third transceiver steers a beam formed by a phased array antenna of the third transceiver and retransmitting the data message when a link is established with the third transceiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the phased array antennas is an electronically steerable phased array antenna comprising a controller configured to steer an antenna beam to a desired receive location.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining whether there is an interferer blocking communications to the third transceiver; and

directing the steered beams of the second and third transceivers around the interferer.

9. A tangible computer readable medium carrying instructions for a computer to perform a method of transmitting and receiving data by a cable access point (CAP) transceiver over a cable network and to a node of a wireless mesh network, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a data message to a first transceiver that is within the wireless mesh network over a first communication link using a steered beam formed by a phased array antenna of the CAP transceiver that has a steered beam, wherein the message has a source of a cable network; and

determining that the first communication link is unavailable when no acknowledgment is received for the data message,

wherein when the determination is that the first communication link is unavailable, steering the steered beam to a second transceiver of the wireless mesh network and retransmitting the data message when a link is established with the second transceiver, wherein determining that the data message is not successfully received comprises determining that no acknowledgement message has been received.

10. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the phased array antenna is an electronically steerable phased array antenna comprising a controller configured to steer an antenna beam to a desired receive location.

11. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether there is an interferer blocking communications to the second transceiver; and

directing the steered beam around the interferer.

13. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises electronically steering a reception pattern of the phased array antenna of the CAP transceiver to provide a high gain pattern when in the presence of ground reflections and noise sources.