Active link cable mesh

• US 8,818,458 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• 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): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US13/872,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.3, 455/25, 455/63.4, 455/562.1, 455/82, 455/575.7, 343/751, 343/757, 343/810, 343/824, 370/310, 370/221
• 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 cable access point configured to transmit and receive data over a cable network;

a plurality of transceivers communicatively coupled to each other in a wireless mesh network configuration, wherein the plurality of transceivers are configured to provide access to the cable network through the cable access point for a transfer of information to and from one or more associated end user devices,

wherein the cable access point is equipped with an electronically steerable phased array antenna transmitting a plurality of beams, the electronically steerable phased array antenna configured to direct at least one of the plurality of beams to a predetermined transceiver in the wireless mesh network configuration; and

a controller, of the electronically steerable phased array antenna, configured to;

determine whether a communication link between the cable access point and the predetermined transceiver in the wireless mesh network configuration is unavailable, and

steer at least one beam of the plurality of beams associated with the unavailable communication link to another transceiver of the plurality of transceivers in the wireless mesh network configuration when the controller determines that the communication link between the cable access point and the predetermined transceiver is unavailable.

2. The wireless cable network of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to direct one or more of the plurality of beams around an interferer.

16. The wireless cable network of claim 1,

wherein to determine whether the communication link between the cable access point and the predetermined transceiver in the wireless mesh network configuration is unavailable, the controller is configured to determine whether the communication link between at least one radiating element and the cable access point is unavailable, and

wherein to steer a signal beam associated with the unavailable communication link to another transceiver of the plurality of transceivers in the wireless mesh network configuration, the controller is configured to steer the at least one radiating element of the electronically steerable phased array antenna away from the predetermined transceiver to the another transceiver of the plurality of transceivers.

17. The wireless cable network of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to electronically steer a reception pattern of the electronically steerable phased array antenna to null out an interferer signal or jammer signal.

18. The wireless cable network of claim 1, wherein the controller steers beams by steering at least one radiating element of the programmable antenna to direct a transmission of a signal.

19. The wireless cable network of claim 1, wherein the controller determines an availability of the communication link by determining whether any messages or messages received in response to a transmitted message are received within a predetermined period.

20. The wireless cable network of claim 1, wherein the controller determines an availability of the communication link by determining a power level of a return signal, wherein the communication link is deemed unavailable if the power level of the return signal is below a predefined power level.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronically steerable phased array antenna at the cable access point is communicatively coupled with other access point transceivers in the cable network.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless mesh network configuration of transceivers enables a signal to be rerouted between the one or more associated end user devices.

3. A method of transmitting data in a wireless cable mesh network, the method comprising:

transmitting, from a phased array antenna, a signal to a first transceiver in the wireless cable mesh network, the signal transmitted over a first communication link associated with a first one of a plurality of antennas which form the phased array antenna,

wherein a plurality of transceivers in the wireless cable mesh network are configured to provide access to a cable network;

determining whether the first communication link between the first one of the plurality of antennas of the phased array antenna and the first transceiver is unavailable; and

steering the first one of the plurality of antennas to a second transceiver in the wireless cable mesh network when the first communication link between the first one of the plurality of antennas of the phased array antenna and the transceiver is unavailable, the second transceiver being communicatively coupled to the first transceiver in a wireless mesh network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the first communication link between the first one of the plurality of antennas of the phased array antenna and the transceiver is unavailable comprises determining whether an acknowledgement message has been received in response to a transmission of the signal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the phased array antenna is an electronically steerable phased array antenna comprising a controller configured to steer antenna beams to a desired receive location.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

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

directing one or more of the phased array antenna beams around the interferer.

7. A system for phased array control in a wireless mesh cable network configuration, the system comprising:

a cable access point equipped with at least one programmable antenna for transmitting electronically steerable beams, the cable access point configured to transmit and receive signals over a cable network;

a plurality of transceivers communicatively coupled to each other in a wireless mesh network configuration, wherein the plurality of transceivers are configured to access the cable network through the cable access point; and

a controller configured to electronically control at least one of a phasing or a steering of beams radiating from at least one antenna radiating element of the programmable antenna,

wherein the controller is configured to switch from a first path to a destination, the first path comprising one or more transceivers in the wireless mesh network configuration, to a second path to the destination, the second path comprising one or more transceivers in the wireless mesh network configuration, and

wherein the controller switches paths based on a determination of an availability of a communication link between the programmable antenna and the one or more transceivers in the first path or between the one or more transceivers in the first path.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller steers at least one radiating element of the programmable antenna away from a first transceiver in the wireless mesh network to a second transceiver upon the determination that the communication link between the at least one antenna radiating element and the first transceiver is unavailable.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to electronically steer a reception pattern of the programmable antenna to null out an interferer signal or jammer signal.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller steers the beams by steering at least one radiating element of the programmable antenna to direct at least one signal transmitted from the programmable antenna to one or more of the plurality of transceivers in the wireless mesh network.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller determines the availability of the communication link by determining whether any message or messages received in response to a transmitted message are received within a predetermined period.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller determines the availability of the communication link by determining a power level of a return signal, wherein a link is considered broken if the power level of the return signal is below a predefined power level.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the programmable antenna at the cable access point is communicatively coupled with other access point transceivers in the cable network.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the programmable antenna is an electronically steerable phased array antenna.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the wireless mesh network configuration enables a signal to be rerouted through multiple transceivers in the second path in the wireless mesh network when the communication link associated with the first path is unavailable.