Outdoor lighting systems and methods for wireless network communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An outdoor lighting fixture comprising:
- at least a first ballast for controllably providing power to at least one lamp for illuminating an outdoor area;
a housing;
a radio frequency transceiver;
an antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and extending away from the housing; and
a control circuit that operates the radio frequency transceiver as a wireless router for wireless network communications, wherein the control circuit is configured to wirelessly connect one or more computing devices proximate to the outdoor lighting fixture to a communications network using the radio frequency transceiver as a wireless router.
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Abstract
An outdoor lighting fixture includes at least a first ballast for controllably providing power to at least one lamp for illuminating an outdoor area. The outdoor lighting fixture further includes a housing and a radio frequency transceiver. The outdoor lighting fixture yet further includes an antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and extending away from the housing. The outdoor lighting fixture also includes a control circuit that operates the radio frequency transceiver as a wireless router for wireless network communications.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An outdoor lighting fixture comprising:
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at least a first ballast for controllably providing power to at least one lamp for illuminating an outdoor area; a housing; a radio frequency transceiver; an antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and extending away from the housing; and a control circuit that operates the radio frequency transceiver as a wireless router for wireless network communications, wherein the control circuit is configured to wirelessly connect one or more computing devices proximate to the outdoor lighting fixture to a communications network using the radio frequency transceiver as a wireless router. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system of outdoor lighting fixtures, comprising:
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a first outdoor lighting fixture comprising a first housing and a first radio frequency transceiver mounted to the first housing; and a second outdoor lighting fixture comprising a second housing and a second radio frequency transceiver mounted to the second housing; wherein the first outdoor lighting fixture further comprises wireless routing circuitry and a wired uplink connection to a data communications network, wherein the wireless routing circuitry and wired uplink connection are configured to wirelessly connect one or more computing devices proximate to the first outdoor lighting fixture to the data communications network; wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to extend the range of the first radio frequency transceiver by forwarding data communications to and from the first radio frequency transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for providing municipal wireless network connectivity, comprising:
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coupling a plurality of outdoor lighting fixtures to existing street light poles; powering the plurality of outdoor lighting fixtures using power wires from the existing street light poles; and establishing a wireless network of outdoor lighting fixtures by configuring radio frequency transceivers of the plurality of outdoor lighting fixtures to serve as wireless network access points, wherein the radio frequency transceivers of the outdoor lighting fixtures are configured to wirelessly connect one or more computing devices proximate to the outdoor lighting fixtures to a communications network.
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Specification