Adjustable-tilt housing with flattened dome shape, array antenna, and bracket mount

• US 9,531,067 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquiti Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (Ubiquiti Inc.)
• Inventors: Huerta, Gerardo, Lee, Jude, Chen, Hsin-Ming, Pera, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dawkins, Collin
• Application Number:
  US14/170,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 343/872, 343/882, 343/892
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/428 Collapsible radomes; rotatable, tiltable radomes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/50 Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0428 radiating a circular polarised wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/045 with particular feeding means for circular polarisation H01Q9/0428
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

Radio devices for wireless transmission including an integrated adjustable mount allowing mounting to a pole or stand and adjustment of the angle of the device (e.g., the altitude). The device may include a compact array antenna having a high gain configured to operate in, for example, the 5.15 to 5.85 GHz band and/or the 2.40-2.48 GHz band. The antenna emitters may be arranged in a separate plane from a plane containing the antenna feed connecting the emitting elements and also from a ground plane. The antenna array may be contained within a protective weatherproof housing along with the radio control circuitry.

Claims

1. A radio and antenna device for providing wireless broadband access, the device comprising:

a disc-shaped housing comprising a rear region having an integrated bracket mount and a front region configured as a dome, wherein the integrated bracket mount comprises a ball socket;

a bubble level integrated onto the housing;

at least four antennas emitters held within the housing arranged as an array antenna, wherein each antenna emitter has a radiating surface, wherein the radiating surfaces are all in a same plane, and wherein each radiating surface is differently sized;

control circuitry connected to the array antenna and configured to send and receive wireless broadband signals using the array antenna; and

a bracket comprising an arm having a ball joint at an end of the arm, the bracket configured support the device, wherein the bracket and integrated bracket mount cooperate to provide a plurality of selectable tilt positions of the housing relative to the bracket.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to send and receive wireless broadband signals using a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising optical indicators within the housing that are visible through a wall of the housing.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a region of a wall of the housing that is thinner than other regions of the wall, through which a plurality of lights within the housing are visible.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured for outdoor use and is water resistant.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated bracket mount comprises a deformable locking projection.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated bracket mount comprises a crush rib within the ball socket.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least four antenna emitters comprises at least nine antenna emitters.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power over Ethernet (PoE) port through the housing and configured to receive a PoE cable.

6. A radio and antenna device for providing wireless broadband access, the device comprising:

a disc-shaped housing comprising a rear region having an integrated bracket mount and a front region configured as a dome, wherein the integrated bracket mount comprises a ball socket;

a bubble level integrated onto the housing;

at least four antenna emitters held within the housing arranged as an array antenna, wherein each antenna emitter has a radiating surface, wherein the radiating surfaces are all in a same plane that is above an antenna feed which is above a ground plane, and wherein each radiating surface is differently sized or differently shaped;

control circuitry connected to the array antenna and configured to send and receive wireless broadband signals using the array antenna; and

a bracket comprising an arm having a ball joint at an end of the arm, the bracket configured support the device, wherein the bracket and integrated bracket mount cooperate to provide a plurality of selectable tilt positions of the housing relative to the bracket.