Circuit switched millimeter wave communication network

• US 8,374,129 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corporation
• Original Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corporation
• Inventors: Lewis, Brett, Lovberg, John, Hsieh, Tzu-Chiang, Tang, Kenneth Y., Fein, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaur, Pamit
• Application Number:
  US12/930,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A high bandwidth, low latency middle-mile core communications network providing low-cost and high-speed communications among the users of the network. Embodiments of the invention include a number of network access points located at a number of spaced apart sites. At least some of these network access points in the network are in communication with each other via millimeter radio links with microwave backup links. In preferred embodiments the millimeter radio links include two millimeter radios, one transmitting in the frequency range of 71-76 GHz and receiving in the frequency range if 81 to 86 GHz and the other radio transmitting in the frequency range of 81-86 GHz and receiving in the frequency range if 71 to 76 GHz.

Claims

1. A cellular communications network providing wireless radio communication among a plurality of users comprising radio communication equipment located at a plurality of spaced apart sites, each site defining a network access point, said radio communication equipment at each of said plurality of spaced apart sites comprising;

A) at least two millimeter wave radio systems, each of said at least two radio systems having an antenna configured to produce a millimeter wave beam with angular spread of less than two degrees and configured for providing millimeter wave radio with other millimeter wave radio systems at other network access points,

B) a programmable high-speed communication switch having a plurality of input and output ports,

C) power distribution equipment for providing electric power to said millimeter wave systems and an Ethernet switch and said radio communication equipment at least some of said plurality of spaced apart sites also comprising a cellular base station comprising a microwave radio transceiver providing microwave communication and configured to provide point-to-multipoint microwave communication with network base station users located within a region defining a cell or part of a cell, and said radio communication equipment at least some of said plurality of spaced apart sites also comprising additional communication equipment configured for communication with other network user;

wherein said high speed switches are comprised of firmware which is configured to recognize tags applied the packets by other of said high speed switches and which is configured to encapsulate and tag incoming packets with a tag identifying one or more output ports of one or more of said high speed switches to which the packet is directed.

2. The network as in claim 1 wherein at least a plurality of said high speed communication switches are Ethernet service delivery switches.

3. The network as in claim 2 wherein at least a plurality of said high speed communication switches are Gigabit Ethernet service delivery switches.

4. The network as in claim 2 wherein at least a plurality of said high speed communication switches are Gigabit Ethernet service delivery switches.

5. The network as in claim 3 wherein said backup communication equipment comprises microwave communication equipment.

6. The network as in claim 1 wherein at least a plurality of said network access points are arranged in at least one ring.

7. The network as in claim 1 wherein at least a plurality of said network access points are arranged in a plurality of rings.

8. The network as in claim 1 wherein each of said at least two millimeter wave radio systems are configured to operate at frequencies in ranges of about 71 to 76 GHz and 81 to 86 GHz defining two millimeter frequency bands.

9. The network as in claim 1 wherein said additional communication equipment configured for communication with other network users is comprised of microwave radios.

10. The network as in claim 1 wherein said additional communication equipment configured for communication with other network users is comprised of millimeter wave radios.

11. The network as in claim 1 wherein said other network users includes at least one Internet service provider.

12. The network as in claim 1 wherein said other network users includes a plurality of Internet service providers.

13. The network as in claim 2 wherein said backup microwave radio is configured to utilize the same antenna as the millimeter wave radio it is backing up.