Automatic antenna selection for mesh backhaul network nodes

• US 20040137924A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: BelAir Networks (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Rayment, Stephen G., Smith, Roland A., Herscovich, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/061 using feedback from receiving side

Abstract

Methods and devices related to wireless networking. A wireless device has multiple directional antennas and multiple backhaul radio modules which provide point to point wireless links with other wireless devices. Each radio module can use any one of the available directional antennas to link to one other routing device. Antennas are automatically selected for each wireless device by merely setting one device in a “hunt” mode and setting another device in a “listen” mode. Devices in a hunt mode cycle through the available antennas by sequentially transmitting transmit messages to devices in the listen mode using each of the available antennas in turn. Devices in the listen mode also cycle through their available antennas by sequentially “listening” for transmit messages. A listen mode device, receives transmit messages on each of its available antennas, and, after gathering the relevant data, determines which of its antennas is best suited for communicating with the hunt mode device. The listen mode device antenna which is best suited is then used to transmit a response message to the hunt mode device. This listen mode device antenna is thus configured for communicating with the hunt mode device. Similarly, when the hunt mode device receives the response message, it designates its antenna which transmitted the transmit message as being configured for communications with the listen mode device.

Claims

1. A method for selecting an antenna in a first wireless device for communicating with a second wireless device, said first wireless device having at least two available antennas, the method comprising:

a) selecting a selected antenna from said at least two available antennas;

b) transmitting a specific transmit message to said second wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) waiting for a predetermined amount of time for a response message from said second wireless device;

d) in the event said response message is received, processing said response message to determine which of said at least two available antennas is to be designated for communicating with said second wireless device; and

e) in the event said response message is not received, selecting another antenna from said at least two available antennas as the selected antenna and repeating steps b)-e).

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least two available antennas are selected from a group comprising:

directional antennas;

polarization diversity antennas; and

spatial diversity antennas.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said response message is a response to said transmit message.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said response message includes an indication of which antenna from said at least two available antennas transmitted said transmit message.

5. A method according claim 1 wherein said transmit message includes an indication of which of said at least two available antennas transmitted said transmit message.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said response message includes an indication of which antenna from said at least two available antennas transmitted said transmit message.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein one of said at least two available antennas is designated for communicating with said second wireless device based on said response message.

8. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of:

designating said selected antenna for communicating with said second wireless device.

9. A method according to claim 4 wherein said antenna which transmitted said transmit message is designated for communicating with said second device.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein said antenna which transmitted said transmit message is designated for communicating with said second device.

11. A method for selecting an antenna for use in communicating with a first wireless device, said antenna to be selected from at least two available antennas at a second wireless device, the method comprising:

a) selecting an antenna from said at least two available antennas as a selected antenna;

b) receiving at least one transmit message from said first wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) determining a quality of the or each transmit message;

d) in the event said quality conforms to a predefined criteria, transmitting a response message to said first device; and

e) in the event said quality does not conform to said predefined criteria, selecting another antenna from said at least two available antennas as the selected antenna and repeating steps b)-e).

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein step d) further includes designating said selected antenna for communicating with said first device.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein step c) includes calculating a metric being indicative of a transmission quality of a signal from said first device.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein said metric is based on said transmit message received from said first device.

15. A method according to claim 11 further including the step of determining which antenna of said first device is transmitting said transmit messages.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said response message includes an indication of which antenna of said first device transmitted said transmit messages.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said response message is transmitted in response to said transmit message.

18. A method according to claim 11 wherein said response message includes an indication of which of said at least two available antennas received said response message.

19. A method according to claim 11 wherein said response message is transmitted using one of said at least two available antennas.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said selected antenna is used to transmit said response message.

21. A method according to claim 11 wherein in the event said quality conforms to said predefined criteria, said selected antenna is an antenna best suited among said at least two available antennas for communicating with said first wireless device.

35. A method according to claim 14 wherein said metric is based on a content of said transmit message.

22. A wireless device for communicating with other wireless devices, said device comprising:

at least two antennas;

at least two radio modules, each radio module being for communicating with at least one other wireless device using one of said at least two antennas in a point to point wireless link; and

a switch module for switching between said radio modules and said antennas such that each radio module can transmit or receive through any of said antennas,

wherein each of said radio modules automatically select one of said at least two antennas for communicating with said at least one other wireless device.

23. A wireless device according to claim 22 wherein each of said radio modules selects one of said antennas using a method comprising:

a) selecting a selected antenna from said at least two antennas;

b) transmitting a specific transmit message to second wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) waiting for a predetermined amount of time for a response message from said second wireless device;

d) in the event said response message is received, processing said response message to determine which of said at least two antennas is to be designated for communicating with said second wireless device; and

e) in the event said response message is not received, selecting another antenna from said at least two antennas as the selected antenna and repeating steps b)-e).

24. A wireless device according to claim 22 wherein each of said radio modules selects one of said antennas using a method comprising:

a) selecting an antenna from said at least two antennas as a selected antenna;

b) receiving transmit messages from a second wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) determining a quality of said transmit messages;

d) in the event said quality conforms to a predefined criteria, transmitting a response message to said second device; and

e) in the event said quality does not conform to said predefined criteria, selecting another antenna from said at least two available antennas as the selected antenna and repeating steps b)-e).

25. A wireless device according to claim 22 further including a communications module for communicating with a network.

26. A wireless device according to claim 22 comprising at least three router antennas wherein said at least three antennas are positioned to allow said device to communicate with other devices using three-dimensional coverage.

27. A wireless device according to claim 22 wherein at least one of said antennas is selected from a group comprising:

a directional antenna;

a polarization diversity antenna; and

a spatial diversity antenna.

33. A wireless device according to claim 22 wherein at least one of said radio modules is a backhaul radio module for communicating with a wireless backhaul mode.

34. A wireless device according to claim 22 wherein at least one of said radio modules is an access radio module for communicating with consumer wireless devices.

48. A wireless device according to claim 22 wherein each of said radio modules selects one of said antennas using a method comprising:

a) selecting an antenna from said at least two available antennas as a selected antenna;

b) receiving transmit messages from said first wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) determining a quality of said transmit messages;

d) repeating steps a)-c) for each one of said at least two available antennas; and

e) selecting one of said at least two available antennas for communicating with said first wireless devices based on said quality of received transmit messages.

28. A method for configuring wireless devices, the method comprising:

selecting a first wireless device;

selecting a second wireless device to communicate with said first wireless device using a wireless link;

configuring said first wireless device to operate in a listen mode, said listen mode causing said first wireless device to await a transmission from said second wireless device;

configuring said second wireless device to operating in a hunt mode, said hunt mode causing said second wireless device to transmit messages to said first wireless device and wherein each of said first wireless device and said second wireless device automatically selects an antenna for optimal communications with each other.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein said listen mode causes said first wireless device to execute a method comprising:

a) selecting an antenna from at least two available antennas as a selected antenna;

b) receiving transmit messages from said second wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) determining a quality of said transmit messages;

d) in the event said quality conforms to a predefined criteria, transmitting a response message to said second device; and

e) in the event said quality does not conform to said predefined criteria, selecting another antenna from said at least two available antennas as the selected antenna and repeating steps b)-e).

30. A method according to claim 28 wherein said hunt mode causes said second wireless device to execute a method comprising:

a) selecting a selected antenna from at least two available antennas;

b) transmitting a specific transmit message to said first wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) waiting for a predetermined amount of time for a response message from said first wireless device;

d) in the event said response message is received, processing said response message to determine which of said at least two available antennas is to be designated for communicating with said first wireless device; and

e) in the event said response message is not received, selecting another antenna from said at least two available antennas as the selected antenna and repeating steps b)-e).

36. A method according to claim 28 wherein said wireless link is a point to point link.

47. A method according to claim 28 wherein said listen mode causes said first wireless device to executed a method comprising:

a) selecting an antenna from said at least two available antennas as a selected antenna;

b) receiving transmit messages from said first wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) determining a quality of said transmit messages;

d) repeating steps a)-c) for each one of said at least two available antennas; and

e) selecting one of said at least two available antennas for communicating with said first wireless devices based on said quality of received transmit messages.

31. An antenna subsystem for use by a wireless device, the subsystem comprising:

a) at least two antennas;

b) at least two radio modules; and

c) a switch module for switching between said radio modules and said antennas such that each radio module can transmit or receive through any of said antennas.

32. An antenna subsystem according to claim 31 wherein said wireless device automatically selects one of said antennas for one of said radios such that a selected antenna is best suited for a task being executed by a corresponding radio.

37. An antenna subsystem according to claim 31 wherein each of said two antennas include a low noise amplifier.

38. An antenna subsystem according to claim 31 wherein each of said two antennas include a power amplifier.

39. An antenna subsystem according to claim 31 wherein said switch module switches signals selected from a group comprising:

amplified RF (radio frequency) signals;

IF (intermediate frequency) signals;

non-amplified RF signals; and

baseband signals.

40. A method for selecting an antenna for use in communicating with a first wireless device, said antenna to be selected from at least two available antennas at a second wireless device, the method comprising:

a) selecting an antenna from said at least two available antennas as a selected antenna;

b) receiving transmit messages from said first wireless device using said selected antenna;

c) determining a quality of said transmit messages;

d) repeating steps a)-c) for each one of said at least two available antennas; and

e) selecting one of said at least two available antennas for communicating with said first wireless devices based on said quality of received transmit messages.

41. A method according to claim 40 wherein one of said at least two available antennas selected in step e) received highest quality transmit messages among said available antennas.

42. A method according to claim 40 wherein one of said at least two available antennas selected in step e) is best suited for communicating with said first wireless device based on received transmit messages.

43. A method according to claim 40 further including the step of designating an antenna selected in step e) for communicating with said first device.

44. A method according to claim 40 wherein step c) includes calculating at least one metric indicative of said quality of said transmit messages.

45. A method according to claim 44 wherein said at least one metric includes at least one metric selected from a group comprising:

signal strength of a signal from said first wireless device;

bit error rate;

packet error rate;

soft decision threshold;

delay spread; and

interference.

46. A method according to claim 40 further including the step of determining which antenna of said first wireless device is best suited for communicating with said second wireless device based on said quality of said transmit messages.