Broadband wireless relay

• US 8,611,812 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Original Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Inventors: Rappaport, Theodore S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US13/676,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/427.7, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/16, 370/226, 370/243, 370/246, 370/274, 370/279, 370/293, 370/315, 370/316, 370/492, 370/501
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15521 combining by calculations packets received from different stations before transmitting the combined packets as part of network coding network coding aspects for detection or prevention of errors in the information received H04L1/0076; network traffic management with optimizing of information sizing, e.g. header compression, by using assembly and disassembly of packets H04W28/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15557 Selecting relay station operation mode, e.g. between amplify and forward mode, decode and forward mode or FDD - and TDD mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/125 Protection against power exhaustion attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 : of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 : Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

An ultrawideband radio transceiver/repeater provides a low cost infrastructure solution that merges wireless and wired network devices while providing connection to the plant, flexible repeater capabilities, network security, traffic monitoring and provisioning, and traffic flow control for wired and wireless connectivity of devices or networks. The ultrawidebande radio transceiver/repeater can be implemented in discrete, integrated, distributed or embedded forms.

Claims

1. A broadband wireless relay, comprising:

at least one receiver or transceiver for receiving electronic signals or data at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices in a network;

at least one transmitter or transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein a transceiver used for receiving electronic signals or data can be the same or different from a transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data; and

a controller, which is either pre-programmed or programmable with network information which at least identifies one or more ultrawideband devices and is configurable for operation in one or more wireless networks, said controller cooperating with said at least one receiver or transceiver to receive transmissions of said one or more ultrawideband devices wherein said one or more ultrawideband devices either or both transmit and receive electromagnetic signals that have an instantaneous or overall occupied bandwidth of 100 MHz or more or have a data transmission rate of 100 Megabits per second or more,

said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver or transceiver and transmission of received, modified or stored electronic signals or data by said at least one transmitter or transceiver, and

said controller cooperates with said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver to perform one or more of;

a) ignore or filter out transmissions or data from one or more undesired transmitters, data sources, or noise sources; and

b) instruct one or more ultrawideband devices to ignore or disregard the transmissions or data of one or more undesired transmitters, undesired users or noise sources.

2. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller performs a).

3. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller performs b).

4. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller performs a) and b).

5. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller provides collecting, reporting, or storing of network usage, network statistics, or network information for at least one wireless or wired network.

6. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller controls screening of signals or data received by said at least one receiver or transceiver, and either passes, ignores, rejects, redirects, modifies or kills received data or signals.

7. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said network information includes one or more of:

IDs for each of the components to be used in said a network, and IDs for users pennitted to be used in said a network.

8. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said network information includes one or more of:

a specified coverage area for wireless devices to permit use of said at least one network, and specified applications permitted to be used in said at least one network.

9. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 further comprising a buffer memory for storing received or to be transmitted electronic signals for processing by said controller.

10. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein either or both said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver respectively receives or transmits electronic signals by either or both a wireless or a wired link.

11. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said at least one receiver or transceiver, said at least one transmitter or transceiver, and said controller are stationary or mobile/portable and are associated with one or more of:

an AC outlet, a room fixture, a display terminal, a gaming device, office or home equipment, a ceiling fixture, a wall fixture, furniture, or a computer.

12. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller permits one or more of:

modification of network information and support of position location capabilities for use by said network.

13. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said controller either or both

a) uses adaptive or steerable antennas or MIMO technologies to control the direction or coverage zones or capacity or quality of transmissions or reception, and

b) directs undesired user or intruder information to be passed to other components of said network from said at least one transmitter or transceiver using either wireless or wired connectivity.

14. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein network provisioning information is passed to or pre-programmed with said controller, for purposes of network traffic provisioning, wherein said controller uses said provisioning information to prioritize either or both reception of data and transmission of data to or from said broadband wireless relay.

15. The broadband wireless relay of claim 1 wherein said at least one transmitter or transceiver or said at least one receiver or transceiver have reversible input/output directions.

16. A broadband wireless relay, comprising:

at least one receiver or transceiver for receiving electronic signals or data at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices in a network;

at least one transmitter or transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein a transceiver used for receiving electronic signals or data can be the same or different from a transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein said at least one receiver or transceiver for receiving electronic signals or data and said at least one transmitter or transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data may be respectively receive only and transmit only or may function alternatively as a receiver and as a transmitter; and

a controller, which is either pre-programmed or programmable with network information for purposes of network traffic provisioning, wherein said controller uses provisioning information to prioritize either or both reception of signals or data by said at least one receiver or transceiver and transmission of signals or data by said at least one transmitter or transceiver to said one or more ultrawideband devices,

said controller cooperating with said at least one receiver or transceiver to receive transmissions of said one or more ultrawideband devices wherein said one or more ultrawideband devices either or both transmit and receive electromagnetic signals that have an instantaneous or overall occupied bandwidth of 100 MHz or more or have a data transmission rate of 100 Megabits per second or more, and

said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver or transceiver and transmission of received, modified or stored electronic signals or data by said at least one transmitter or transceiver.

17. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver to perform one or more of:

a) ignore or filter out transmissions or data from one or more undesired transmitters, data sources, or noise sources; and

b) instruct one or more ultrawideband devices to ignore or disregard the transmissions or data of one or more undesired transmitters, undesired users or noise sources.

18. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein said provisioning information prioritizes by one or more of:

network user, type of data being received by said at least one receiver or transceiver, type of data being transmitted by said at least one transmitter or transceiver, and the particular type of application being used by one or more users of the network being transmitted by said at least one transmitter or transceiver.

19. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 further comprising a buffer memory for storing received or to be transmitted electronic signals or data for processing by said controller.

20. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein either or both said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver respectively receives or transmits electronic signals or data by either or both a wireless or a wired link.

21. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein said at least one receiver or transceiver, said at least one transmitter or transceiver, and said controller are stationary or mobile/portable and are associated with one or more of:

an AC outlet, a room fixture, a display terminal, a gaming device, office or home equipment, a ceiling fixture, a wall fixture, furniture, or a computer.

22. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein said controller permits one or more of:

provisioning information to be modified and supporting position location capabilities for use by said at least one network.

23. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein said provisioning information supplied to said controller is communicated using either a wireless or wired link.

24. The broadband wireless relay of claim 23 wherein said provisioning information is further supplied to said controller by one or more of:

over-the-air ultrawideband signaling, and wired connections from another device.

25. The broadband wireless relay of claim 23 wherein said controller either or both

a) uses adaptive or steerable antennas or MIMO technologies to control the direction or coverage zones or capacity or quality of transmissions or reception, and

b) directs undesired user or intruder information to be passed to other components of said at least one network from said at least one transmitter or transceiver using either wireless or wired connectivity.

26. The broadband wireless relay of claim 16 wherein said at least one transmitter or transceiver or said at least one receiver or transceiver has or have reversible input/output directions.

27. A broadband wireless relay, comprising:

at least one receiver or transceiver for receiving electronic signals or data at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices in a network;

at least one transmitter or transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein a transceiver used for receiving electronic signals or data can be the same or different from a transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data; and

a controller which is either pre-programmed or programmable to collect traffic information or security information related to received or transmitted signals or data at least some of which is received from or sent to said one or more ultrawideband devices in said network,

said controller cooperating with said at least one receiver or transceiver to receive transmissions of said one or more ultrawideband devices wherein said one or more ultrawideband devices either or both transmit and receive electromagnetic signals that have an instantaneous or overall occupied bandwidth of 100 MHz or more or have a data transmission rate of 100 Megabits per second or more, and

said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver or transceiver and transmission of received, modified or stored electronic signals or data by said at least one transmitter or transceiver.

28. The broadband wireless receiver of claim 27 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver to perform one or more of:

a) ignore or filter out transmissions or data from one or more undesired transmitters, data sources, or noise sources; and

b) instruct one or more ultrawideband devices to ignore or disregard the transmissions or data of one or more undesired transmitters, undesired users or noise sources.

29. The broadband wireless receiver of claim 27 further comprising one or more of:

a means for exporting traffic information or security information to one or more computer processors or devices, and

a means for adjusting one or more operations of said controller based on said traffic information or security information.

30. A broadband wireless relay, comprising:

at least one receiver or transceiver for receiving electronic signals or data at least some of which are sent by one or more ultrawideband devices in a network and at least some of said signals being sent by a wired link;

at least one transmitter or transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data, wherein a transceiver used for receiving electronic signals or data can be the same or different from a transceiver for transmitting received, modified, or stored electronic signals or data and wherein said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver may be respectively receive only and transmit only or may function alternatively as a receiver and as a transmitter; and

a controller for controlling reception of electronic signals by said at least one receiver or transceiver from said one or more ultrawideband devices and said wired link and transmission by said at least one transmitter or transceiver to said one or more ultrawideband devices and said wired link, said controller cooperating with said at least one receiver or transceiver to receive transmissions of said one or more ultrawideband devices wherein said one or more ultrawideband devices either or both transmit and receive electromagnetic signals that have an instantaneous or overall occupied bandwidth of 100 MHz or more or have a data transmission rate of 100 Megabits per second or more,

said controller controlling reception of electronic signals or data by said at least one receiver or transceiver and transmission of received, modified or stored electronic signals or data by said at least one transmitter or transceiver, and

said controller supports a hub or router function to allow for the comingling of both wireless and wired traffic within said broadband wireless relay.

31. The broadband wireless relay of claim 30 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one receiver or transceiver and said at least one transmitter or transceiver to perform one or more of:

a) ignore or filter out transmissions or data from one or more undesired transmitters, data sources, or noise sources; and

b) instruct one or more ultrawideband devices to ignore or disregard the transmissions or data of one or more undesired transmitters, undesired users or noise sources.

32. The broadband wireless relay of claim 30 wherein either pre-programmed or programmable network information supplied to said controller is communicated using either a wireless or wired link.

33. The broadband wireless relay of claim 32 wherein said network information is further supplied to said controller by one or more of:

over-the-air ultrawideband signaling, and a wired connection from another device.