Wireless method, system and device for communicaton

• US 8,687,532 B1
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: BelAir Networks Inc (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): Esmaeilian, Majid
• Application Number:
  US13/328,497
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A method and system for wirelessly communicating information from a bidirectional high speed data modem/router in a housing via an Ethernet connection on a first radio transceiver communicating with a second radio transceiver at a customer'"'"'s premises, wherein the housing connects to a supporting strand that supports a coaxial cable carrying a RF spectrum signal and AC power signal.

Claims

1. Wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a weather-resistant housing containing (i) a DOCSIS cable modem, (ii) a radio transceiver, (iii) a radio processor, and (iv) a power supply, the housing further comprising mounting structure configured to couple the housing to a substantially horizontally-disposed outdoor aerial cable strand, such that a top of the housing is disposed vertically below a location at with the cable strand supports a shielded two-conductor coaxial cable which carries an RF signal and AC power;

a connector coupled to the housing and configured to couple to the shielded two-conductor coaxial cable;

a splitter connected to the connector and configured to split the RF signal from the AC power, the RF signal being provided to the DOCSIS cable modem, and the AC power being provided to the power supply, the power supply converting the AC power to DC power, the DC power being provided to the DOCSIS cable modem, to the radio transceiver, and to the radio processor; and

an antenna coupled to both the housing and to the radio transceiver.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling structure configured to cool the housing.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to send a wireless signal from the radio transceiver to another antenna on a mobile user device.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing is formed of a material comprising at least one of molded plastic, a metal, a composite material, and weatherproof sealed coated laminate.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is disposed in parallel communication with a further transceiver disposed in the housing.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modem, the radio transceiver, the processor, and the power supply, are all mounted on a single device.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a location detecting device.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing is weatherproof.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is configured to couple the housing to more than one location on the cable strand.

10. Wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a housing containing a DOCSIS cable modem, a radio transceiver, a radio processor, and a power supply, wherein the housing includes mounting structure configured to be coupled to an outdoor cable strand which supports a shielded two-conductor coaxial cable carrying an RF signal and AC power, the mounting structure being dimensioned so as to cause a top of the housing to be disposed below a portion of the coaxial cable where it is supported by the cable strand;

a splitter coupled to the housing and configured to be connected to the coaxial cable, the splitter splitting the RF signal from the AC power;

an antenna coupled to the radio transceiver;

cooling structure configured to cool contents of the housing; and

wherein the radio processor is configured to provide a signal to the radio transceiver, which provides a corresponding signal to the antenna, which is configured to beam the signal to a second antenna coupled to a device outside of the wireless communication apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mounting structure is configured to hang the housing from more than one location on the cable strand.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the mounting structure comprises plural mounting brackets.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cooling structure comprises a cooling device.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the power supply receives the AC power from the splitter and provides DC power to the modem, the radio transceiver, and the processor.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the modem, the radio transceiver, the processor, and the power supply, are all mounted on a single device.

16. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the housing includes plural radio transceivers.

17. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the housing is weatherproof.

18. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the splitter is disposed inside the housing.

19. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mounting structure is configured to couple the housing to an aerial outdoor substantially-horizontally-disposed cable strand.

20. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the antenna is configured to beam the signal to the second antenna, which is coupled to at least one of a computer, a local area network, a network hub, a remote terminal unit for monitoring remote equipment, a fax, a phone, an Ethernet switch, and a router, outside of the wireless communication apparatus.

21. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the antenna is configured to beam the signal to the second antenna, which is coupled to at least one of a laptop, a personal digital assistant, a personal electronic device communicating with a satellite, a cell phone, a GPS location device, and a digital camera, outside of the wireless communication apparatus.

22. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the antenna is configured to beam the signal to the second antenna, which is incorporated in a mobile electronic device with a radio transceiver card installed therein.

23. Wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a weather-resistant housing containing a modem, a radio transceiver, a radio processor, and a power supply, wherein the housing has at least one mounting bracket configured to be coupled to outdoor aerial cable strand which supports a shielded two-conductor coaxial cable carrying an RF signal and AC power, the at least one mounting bracket being dimensioned to cause a top of the housing to hang down below a bottom portion of the coaxial cable where it is supported by the cable strand;

a splitter disposed inside the housing and configured to be connected to the coaxial cable, the splitter splitting the RF signal from the AC power, the RF signal being provided to the cable modem, the AC power being provided to the power supply;

the power supply providing DC power to the cable modem, the radio transceiver, and the radio processor;

the cable modem receiving the RF signal from the splitter and providing a digital signal, corresponding to the received RF signal, to the radio processor;

the radio processor receiving the digital signal from the modem and providing a processed signal, corresponding to the received digital signal, to the radio transceiver; and

the radio transceiver receiving the processed signal from the radio processor and providing a transmit signal, corresponding to the received processed signal, to an antenna coupled to the radio transceiver;

wherein the antenna is configured to beam the transmit signal to a second antenna coupled to a device outside of the wireless communication apparatus.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one mounting bracket is configured to hang the housing from more than one location on the cable strand.

25. Apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a cooling structure configured to cool an interior of the housing.

26. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the power supply receives the AC power from the splitter and provides DC power to the modem, the radio transceiver, and the processor.

27. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the housing includes plural radio transceivers.

28. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the splitter is disposed inside the housing.

29. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the antenna is configured to beam the signal to a second antenna, which is incorporated in a mobile electronic device with a radio transceiver card installed therein.