Antenna installation apparatus and method

• US 8,836,607 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Charles I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US14/068,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20140054436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 343/878, 343/890
• US Class Current: 343/890
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1228 on a boom
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1235 Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1242 Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling installation of antennas in a cost effective and efficient manner. The methods and systems disclosed herein provide a hollow pole and an elevating mechanism, wherein the elevating mechanism can be used to position antenna equipment located in one or more capsules attached to the elevating mechanism. The antenna equipment may be attached to a removable power source located in the capsule or to a non-removable power source located at the base of the hollow pole. Additionally, the antenna equipment may also be attached to communications equipment adapted to communicate with one or more communications networks. In an embodiment disclosed herein, the capsules may be adapted to rotate around a one or more axis in response to received commands and/or in accordance with instructions stored on a memory module attached to the capsules.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enabling installation of antenna equipment, the apparatus comprising:

a pole having a base end and a top end, the base end and the top end being opposite each other;

an elevating mechanism located on an outside surface of the pole; and

a capsule for holding an antenna equipment, the capsule being removably attachable to the elevating mechanism wherein;

the capsule is further configured to rotate around a central axis in response to rotation commands; and

wherein,

the elevating mechanism is designed to elevate the capsule from near the based end to near the top end of the pole.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism comprises a pulley mechanism.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism comprises a track and a ring mechanism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elevating mechanism comprises a gear mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a radome attached at the top end of the pole.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an elevation control mechanism attached to the elevating mechanism, wherein the elevation control mechanism is configured to receive elevational information and to move the capsule in response to the elevational information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support base for the pole, the support base being attachable to the base end of the pole, wherein the support base is configured to host at least one of (1) a power source;

and (2) a transceiver equipment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises:

a removable power source; and

a signaling mechanism that measures the power level of the removable power source and transmits a signal including information about the power level measurement.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises:

a memory module for storing information about axial position of the capsule; and

an axial rotation module configured to rotate the capsule around an axis based on the information about axial position of the capsule.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory module is further configured to store information about elevation position of the capsule and to transmit the information about elevation position to the elevating mechanism.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises a communication device configured to allow a user to send signals to the capsule and receive signals from the capsule.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communications device comprises an input/output module configured to access a passive optical network.

13. A method of installing an antenna, the method comprising:

providing a pole having a base end and a top end, the base end and the top end being opposite each other;

providing an elevating mechanism located on an outside surface of the pole;

providing a capsule for holding an antenna equipment, the capsule being removably attachable to the elevating mechanism;

inserting an antenna in the capsule;

attaching the capsule to the elevating mechanism;

elevating the capsule from near the base end of the pole to near the top end of the pole;

transmitting rotation commands to the capsule; and

rotating the capsule around an axis in response to the rotation commands received by the capsule.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising attaching a radome to the top end of the pole.

15. The method if claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a request for information about the capsule'"'"'s axial position; and

in response to the request, transmitting information the capsule'"'"'s axial position.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a memory module attached to the capsule;

providing an axial rotation module attached to the capsule;

storing axial position instructions on the memory module;

transmitting the axial position instructions to the axial rotation module; and

rotating the capsule around the axis in response to the axial position instructions.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

storing elevation position instructions on the memory module;

transmitting the elevation position instructions to the elevating mechanism; and

changing the elevation of the capsule in response to the elevation position instructions.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

attaching a removable power source to the capsule;

generating a signal regarding the power level of the removable power source; and

transmitting the signal regarding the power level.