System and method for wireless communication in a backplane fabric architecture

• US 8,897,184 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vubiq Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vubiq Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Pettus, Michael Gregory, Bardeen, James Robert Amos
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US13/561,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/162 the devices being mounted on two or more different substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/165 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method of wirelessly communicating in a backplane mesh network is disclosed. A data message received from a first network device is handled at a first antenna system located in a first network device cabinet via a first network interface. The data message is wirelessly transmitted from a first millimeter wave antenna coupled to the first antenna system over a high speed backplane network to a second network device in a second device cabinet using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation. The data message is wirelessly received at a second millimeter wave antenna over the high speed backplane network using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation, wherein the received data message is handled by a second antenna system coupled to the second millimeter wave antenna. The received data message is sent, via a second network interface, from the second antenna system to the second network device.

Claims

1. A wireless backplane network comprising:

a first antenna system partially located in a first network device cabinet including at least one first network device;

a first millimeter wave antenna of the first antenna system located external to the first device cabinet and configured to communicate with the first network device, the first millimeter wave antenna configured to wirelessly transmit a data message from the first network device over a high speed wireless backplane using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation;

a second antenna system partially located in a second network device cabinet including at least one second network device, wherein the first and second device cabinets are positioned spatially apart from one another; and

a second millimeter wave antenna of the antenna system coupled to the second antenna system and located external to the second device cabinet, the second millimeter wave antenna configured to wirelessly receive the data message over the high speed wireless backplane using millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation emitted from the first millimeter wave antenna, wherein the received data message is handled by the second network device.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the first millimeter wave antenna further comprises a first antenna pedestal including:

a base; and

at least one antenna housing coupled to the base, the at least one antenna housing having one or more waveguide antennas therein, the one or more waveguide antennas radially positioned about the at least one antenna housing.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein the at least one antenna housing is removably coupled to the base.

4. The network of claim 2, wherein the one or more waveguide antennas further comprise:

a flange shaped antenna having an antenna aperture facing a distal end of the antenna housing;

a communication device;

a launch transducer coupled to the communication device, wherein the launch transducer emits millimeter wave electromagnetic energy configured to propagate out the antenna aperture as millimeter wave radiation.

5. The network of claim 2, wherein the antenna housing includes a plurality of waveguide antennas, at least one of the waveguide antennas configured to transmit data.

6. The network of claim 2, wherein the antenna housing includes a plurality of waveguide antennas, at least one of the waveguide antennas configured to receive data.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the first antenna system further comprises a processor configured to operate an executable data handler stored in a memory, wherein the processor, when executing the executable data handler, causes the processor to select a transmission path for the data message to the second antenna system.

8. The network of claim 7, wherein the transmission path further comprises at least one intermediate antenna system.

9. The network of claim 1 wherein the first and second antenna systems wirelessly communicate without using a central switch.

10. The network of claim 1 wherein the first and second antenna systems communicate using time division multiplexing access and frequency division multiplexing access.

11. A method for wirelessly communicating in a backplane network, the method comprising:

handling, at a first antenna system partially located in a first network device cabinet, a data message received from a first network device of the first network device cabinet via a first network interface;

wirelessly transmitting the data message from a first millimeter wave antenna that is coupled to the first antenna system, the first millimeter wave antenna configured to wirelessly transmit the data message over a high speed wireless backplane network to a second network device in a second device cabinet using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation;

wirelessly receiving the data message at a second millimeter wave antenna of the second device cabinet, the second millimeter wave antenna configured to wirelessly receive the data message over the high speed wireless backplane network using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation, wherein the received data message is handled by a second antenna system coupled to the second millimeter wave antenna; and

sending, via a second network interface, the received data message from the second antenna system to the second network device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first millimeter wave antenna further comprises a first antenna pedestal including:

a base; and

at least one antenna housing coupled to the base, the at least one antenna housing having one or more waveguide antennas therein, the one or more waveguide antennas radially positioned about the at least one antenna housing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one antenna housing is removably coupled to the base.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more waveguide antennas further comprise:

a flange shaped antenna having an antenna aperture facing a distal end of the antenna housing;

a communication device;

a launch transducer coupled to the communication device, wherein the launch transducer emits millimeter wave electromagnetic energy configured to propagate out the antenna aperture as millimeter wave radiation.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the antenna housing includes a plurality of waveguide antennas, at least one of the waveguide antennas configured to transmit data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the antenna housing includes a plurality of waveguide antennas, at least one of the waveguide antennas configured to receive data.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first antenna system further comprises a processor configured to operate an executable data handler stored in a memory, wherein the processor, when executing the executable data handler, causes the processor to select a transmission path for the data message to the second antenna system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission path further comprises at least one intermediate antenna system.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second antenna systems wirelessly communicate without using a central switch.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second antenna systems communicate using time division multiplexing access and frequency division multiplexing access.