Wireless array device and system for managing wireless arrays having magnetometers

• US 9,635,509 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cambium Networks Limited (Cambium Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Xirrus Incorporated
• Inventors: Mason, Brian, Krattiger, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Scheibel, Robert C
• Application Number:
  US14/245,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0094 Sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/106 using two or more intersecting plane surfaces, e.g. corner reflector antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless array for providing access to a network is provided. The wireless array includes at least two transceivers in signal communication with a client. A magnetometer of the wireless array provides orientation information relating to an orientation of the wireless array relative to a magnetic field. A controller of the wireless array is in signal communication with the transceivers and the magnetometer. The controller manages the communications exchanged via the transceivers and receives the orientation information provided by the magnetometer.

Claims

1. A wireless array for providing wireless access to a network comprising:

a plurality of transceivers in signal communication with a corresponding plurality of antennas disposed to form a circular array of antennas, each antenna configured to radiate a directional antenna pattern covering a portion of the circular area surrounding the circular array, each transceiver configured to communicate with a client in the portion of the circular area covered by the antenna corresponding to the transceiver;

a magnetometer that provides orientation information relating to an orientation of the wireless array relative to a magnetic field; and

a controller in signal communication with the plurality of transceivers and in signal communication with the magnetometer, the controller manages the communications exchanged via the transceivers and receives the orientation information provided by the magnetometer.

2. The wireless array of claim 1 wherein the magnetometer provides the orientation information as geospatial orientation information relating to the orientation of the wireless array relative to the surface of the Earth.

3. The wireless array of claim 2 wherein the orientation information provided by the magnetometer comprises an azimuth, the azimuth comprising an angular measurement between a bearing of the wireless array and a reference bearing.

4. The wireless array of claim 3 wherein the reference bearing is magnetic north.

5. The wireless array of claim 3 further comprising an orientation module in signal communication with the controller, the orientation module determines a respective geospatial orientation of at least one transceiver in the plurality of transceivers based on the orientation information provided by the magnetometer and respective position of the at least one transceiver in the wireless array.

6. The wireless array of claim 5 wherein the orientation module determines the respective geospatial orientation of the at least one transceiver based on the azimuth and the respective position of the at least one transceiver in the wireless array.

7. The wireless array of claim 6 wherein the orientation module calculates the respective geospatial orientation of the at least one transceiver by adding the azimuth to the respective position of the at least one transceiver in the wireless array.

8. The wireless array of claim 5 further comprising a distance module in signal communication with the controller, the distance module determines a distance between the wireless array and a client in signal communication with the wireless array such that a combination of the distance determined by the distance module and the respective geospatial orientation of the at least one transceiver provided by the orientation module identifies a geospatial sector in which the client is located.

9. The wireless array of claim 8 wherein the geospatial sector is defined by an antenna pattern of a transceiver in the plurality of transceivers of the wireless array that the client is in signal communication with.

10. The wireless array of claim 8 wherein the distance module determines the distance between the wireless array and the client in signal communication with the wireless array based on a signal strength of a signal received at the wireless array from the client.

11. The wireless array of claim 1 wherein the orientation information provided by the magnetometer is stored in the memory during a boot-up operation, at a periodic interval, or in response to a command received at the wireless array.

12. The wireless array of claim 1 further comprising a network interface in signal communication with the controller, the network interface transmits the orientation information provided by the magnetometer to a data network.