Method and apparatus for wireless communications to mitigate interference

• US 9,948,333 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US14/807,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 4551142
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating a wireless signal at a first network device and directing the wireless signal towards a second network device of another utility pole, which includes directing the wireless signal away from another network device of the other utility pole. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by a first network device in a pair of devices mounted on shared utility poles, wireless signals, wherein a physical path is formed along a position of the shared utility poles, wherein the physical path divides a first area and a second area, wherein each pair of devices comprises a first network device and a second network device that are spaced apart from each other on one of the shared utility poles, wherein the first network device in each pair of devices is positioned in the first area on different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein the second network device in each pair of devices is positioned in the second area on the different ones of the shared utility poles; and

directing, by the first network device, the wireless signals towards the second network device on an adjacent shared utility pole, wherein the directing of the wireless signals includes directing the wireless signals away from another of the first network devices on the adjacent shared utility pole.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network device of the pair of devices is directing another wireless signal towards another of the first network devices on a third utility pole of the shared utility poles.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises an infrared interface for calibrating transmitting of wireless signals transmitted between adjacent utility poles of the shared utility poles.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an interference associated with the directing of the wireless signals; and

adjusting the directing of the wireless signals at the first network device of the first network devices according to the interference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining of the interference is based on interference measurements by another first network device of the first network devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating a communication path between the first network device and the second network device according to infrared signals transmitted between at least some of the first network devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing infrared signals between the first network devices; and

generating operational parameters for the directing of the wireless signals according to the directing of the infrared signals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein an infrared signal of the infrared signals contains information analyzed by a first network device of the first network devices that receives the infrared signal.

9. A system comprising:

a group of network devices, wherein pairs of the group of network devices are mounted on shared utility poles, wherein a physical path is formed along a position of the shared utility poles, wherein the physical path divides a first area and a second area, wherein each of the pairs comprises a first network device and a second network device that are spaced apart from each other on one of the shared utility poles, wherein the first network device in each of the pairs is positioned in the first area on different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein the second network device in each of the pairs is positioned in the second area on the different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein one of the first network devices on one of the shared utility poles comprises;

a first processor; and

a first memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

generating a wireless signal; and

directing the wireless signal towards the second network device on an adjacent shared utility pole, wherein the directing of the wireless signal includes directing the wireless signal away from another of the first network devices on the adjacent shared utility pole.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second network device comprises:

a second processor; and

a second memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

directing another wireless signal towards another of the first network devices on a third utility pole of the shared utility poles.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises an infrared interface for calibrating transmitting of wireless signals transmitted between adjacent utility poles of the shared utility poles.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises an infrared interface for emitting an infrared signal, wherein the operations of the first processor further comprise:

directing, via the infrared interface, the infrared signal towards one of the second network devices on another adjacent shared utility pole; and

determining an operational parameter for the directing of the wireless signal according to the directing of the infrared signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the infrared signal contains information received and analyzed by the one of the second network devices on the another adjacent shared utility pole.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the directing of the wireless signal comprises:

determining an interference at the other of the first network devices on the adjacent shared utility pole, wherein the interference is associated with the directing of the wireless signal towards the second network device on the adjacent shared utility pole; and

adjusting the directing of the wireless signal according to the interference.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the determining of the interference is based on interference measurements by the another of the first network devices on the adjacent shared utility pole.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of the first network devices further comprises a waveguide system that receives electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a non-optical frequency range, and wherein the transmission medium comprises a line connected between adjacent utility poles of the shared utility poles.

17. A first network device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the first network device is in a group of network devices, wherein pairs of the group of network devices are mounted on shared utility poles, wherein a physical path is formed along a position of the shared utility poles, wherein the physical path divides a first area and a second area, wherein each of the pairs comprises a first network device and a second network device that are spaced apart from each other on one of the shared utility poles, wherein the first network device in each of the pairs is positioned in the first area on different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein the second network device in each of the pairs is positioned in the second area on the different ones of the shared utility poles, wherein the memory stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

generating a wireless signal; and

directing the wireless signal towards the second network device on an adjacent shared utility pole, wherein the directing of the wireless signal includes directing the wireless signal away from another first network device on the adjacent shared utility pole.

18. The first network device of claim 17, wherein the directing of the wireless signal includes directing an infrared signal toward the second network device to determine an operational parameter for transmitting the wireless signal.

19. The first network device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining an interference at the another first network device, wherein the interference is associated with the directing of the wireless signal towards the second network device of the adjacent shared utility pole, and wherein the determining of the interference is based on interference measurements by the another first network device; and

adjusting the directing of the wireless signal towards the second network device according to the interference.

20. The first network device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a beam width associated with the directing of the wireless signal according to a signal strength of the wireless signal and according to an interference associated with directing the wireless signal towards the second network device on the adjacent shared utility pole.