Radio system for long-range high-speed wireless communication

• US 9,496,620 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquiti Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (Ubiquiti Inc.)
• Inventors: Macenski, Charles D., Schulz, Gary D., Odlyzko, Paul, Sanford, John R., Fay, Christopher, Lee, Jude, Keniuk, Richard J., Lascari, Lance D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karacsony, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/843,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1228 on a boom
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/16 curved in two dimensions, e.g. paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/134 Rear-feeds; Splash plate feeds
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices

Abstract

Devices and systems, and methods of using them, for point-to-point transmission/communication of high bandwidth signals. Radio devices and systems may include a pair of reflectors (e.g., parabolic reflectors) that are adjacent to each other and configured so that one of the reflectors is dedicated for sending/transmitting information, and the adjacent reflector is dedicated for receiving information. Both reflectors may be in a fixed configuration relative to each other so that they are aligned to send/receive in parallel. In many variations the two reflectors are formed of a single housing, so that the parallel alignment is fixed, and reflectors cannot lose alignment. The device/systems may be configured to allow switching between duplexing modes. These devices/systems may be configured as wide bandwidth zero intermediate frequency radios including alignment modules for automatic alignment of in-phase and quadrature components of transmitted signals.

Claims

1. A radio device for point-to-point transmission of high bandwidth signals, the device comprising:

a solid housing comprising a first parabolic reflector and a second parabolic reflector wherein the first and second reflectors are aimed and aligned directionally parallel with each other so that the first reflector and the second reflector are seen as a single device by a paired partner during point-to-point transmission;

a transmitter feed coupled to the center of the first parabolic reflector;

a receiver feed coupled to the center of the second parabolic reflector; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising both a first transmitter connected to the transmitter feed and a first receiver connected to the receiver feed,

further wherein an outer diameter of the first parabolic reflector cuts into an outer diameter of the second parabolic reflector so that a distance between the transmitter feed and the receiver feed is less than a sum of the diameters of the two reflectors.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the PCB comprises a second transmitter connected to the transmitter feed and a second receiver connected to the receiver feed.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a rigid housing.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector and the second parabolic reflector are separated by an isolation choke boundary layer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector and the second parabolic reflector have a focal length to diameter ratio (f_l/d) is less than 0.25.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a barrier between the first parabolic reflector and the second parabolic reflector that comprises a very low edge taper to reduce edge diffraction and improve isolation between the first and second parabolic reflectors.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector is smaller than the second parabolic reflector.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a radome cover over the first and second parabolic reflectors configured to add additional stiffness to the housing.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises ribs configured to stiffen the housing and keep the first and second reflectors directionally parallel.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first parabolic reflector is a dedicated transmitting antenna configured to transmit but not to receive;

further wherein the second parabolic reflector is a dedicated receiving antenna configured to receive but not to transmit.

11. A radio device for point-to-point transmission of high bandwidth signals, the device comprising:

a solid housing comprising a first parabolic reflector and a second parabolic reflector wherein the first and second reflectors are aimed and aligned directionally parallel with each other so that the first reflector and the second reflector are seen as a single device by a paired partner during point-to-point transmission, further wherein a distance between a dedicated transmitter feed and a dedicated receiver feed is less than a sum of the diameters of the two reflectors;

the transmitter feed coupled to the center of the first parabolic reflector;

the receiver feed coupled to the center of the second parabolic reflector; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising both a first transmitter connected to the transmitter feed and a first receiver connected to the receiver feed.