Wireless network communication apparatus, methods, and integrated antenna structures

Abstract

Wireless mesh network communication apparatus and methods are disclosed. Directional antennas are respectively operatively coupled to dedicated communication devices to provide multiple independent wireless communication links. Exchange of communication traffic through the wireless communication links provided by the communication devices and the antennas is controlled by a switch. Any or all of the antennas may be adjustable so as to provide for flexibility in antenna beam alignment. Beam alignment may be physically or electronically adjustable. Radio units including the communication devices and the antennas, and possibly also the switch, may be enclosed in a single housing. The housing may be shared with other components such as wireless communication network base station antennas.

1 . A communication apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of directional antennas;   a plurality of dedicated communication devices, comprising a respective dedicated communication device for each of the plurality of directional antennas respectively operatively coupled to the plurality of antennas; and   a switch, operatively coupled to the plurality of communication devices, for controlling exchange of communication traffic through wireless communication links that are provided by the plurality of communication devices and the plurality of antennas.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antennas comprises an antenna arranged for a predetermined alignment of its antenna beam. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antennas comprises an adjustable antenna for which beam alignment is adjustable to any of a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a mounting structure for carrying the plurality of antennas,   wherein the mounting structure comprises an adjustable mount for the adjustable antenna, the adjustable mount enabling the adjustable antenna to be physically oriented to align its antenna beam in any of the plurality of directions.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the adjustable antenna is carried by its dedicated communication device, and wherein the adjustable mount carries the dedicated communication device to thereby indirectly carry the adjustable antenna. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the adjustable antenna comprises a steerable array of antenna elements, the steerable array allowing the antenna beam of the adjustable antenna to be steered to any of a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each antenna of the plurality of antennas comprises an adjustable antenna for which antenna beam alignment is adjustable to any of a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each antenna of the plurality of antennas has an associated operating beam width of about 10° or less. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each antenna of the plurality of antennas has an associated operating beam width, and wherein a total of the operating beam widths of the plurality of antennas is less than 360°. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is operatively coupled to a further communication link, and wherein the switch is operable to switch communication traffic between the further communication link and the plurality of wireless communication links. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wireless communication links comprises a backhaul communication link in a wireless communication network, and wherein the switch is further operatively coupled to an access communication link and is operable to switch communication traffic between the access communication link and the backhaul communication link. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises an Ethernet switch. 
     
     
         14 . A wireless communication network node comprising:
 the apparatus of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         15 . A wireless mesh network comprising:
 a plurality of wireless communication network nodes as claimed in  claim 14 .   
     
     
         16 . The wireless mesh network of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of antennas of each of the plurality of wireless communication network nodes comprises at least one antenna having its antenna beam aligned with an antenna beam of an antenna of another node of the plurality of wireless communication network nodes. 
     
     
         17 . A communication method comprising:
 receiving a communication signal at a communication apparatus over a first communication link of a plurality of communication links, the plurality of communication links comprising dedicated communication devices respectively operatively coupled to a plurality of directional antennas, the dedicated communication devices comprising a respective dedicated communication device for each of the plurality of directional antennas;   determining a second communication link of the plurality of communication links over which the received communication signal is to be transmitted from the communication apparatus; and   switching the received communication signal from the first communication link to the second communication link.   
     
     
         18 . The communication method of  claim 17 , implemented at a wireless communication network node, the method further comprising:
 aligning an antenna beam of at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas with an antenna beam of an antenna of another wireless communication network node.   
     
     
         19 . The communication method of  claim 18 , wherein aligning comprises physically orienting the at least one antenna. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 providing a plurality of radio units, each radio unit comprising a directional antenna and a dedicated communication device for the antenna and operatively coupled to the antenna;   orienting each radio unit to align an antenna beam of the antenna of the radio unit in a respective desired direction for each radio unit; and   operatively coupling the plurality of radio units to a switch, the switch being for controlling exchange of communication traffic through wireless communication links that are provided by the communication devices and the antennas of the radio units.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 at least partially enclosing the radio units in a housing.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein enclosing comprises at least partially enclosing the radio units and the switch in the housing. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the housing comprises a multi-part housing, and wherein enclosing comprises assembling parts of the multi-part housing. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein enclosing comprises installing the plurality of radio units in a shared housing, the shared housing being for housing the radio units and further communication equipment. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the further communication equipment comprises a base station antenna for a base station in a wireless communication network. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 mounting the plurality of radio units to an adjustable mounting structure, the adjustable mounting structure enabling each radio unit of the plurality of radio units to be physically oriented to align its antenna beam in any of a plurality of directions.   
     
     
         28 . An antenna structure comprising:
 a housing;   a wide-beam antenna in the housing for enabling wireless communications for a first coverage area associated with an antenna beam of the wide-beam antenna; and   a narrow-beam antenna in the housing for enabling wireless communications for a second coverage area associated with an antenna beam of the narrow-beam antenna, the antenna beam of the narrow-beam antenna having a beam width that is less than a beam width of the antenna beam of the wide-beam antenna.   
     
     
         29 . The antenna structure of  claim 28 , wherein the first coverage area comprises an access area in a wireless communication network, the wide-beam antenna being for enabling access communications with access communication equipment located in the first coverage area. 
     
     
         30 . The antenna structure of  claim 28 , wherein the wide-beam antenna comprises a panel antenna. 
     
     
         31 . The antenna structure of  claim 28 , wherein the narrow-beam antenna is for enabling communications with a fixed site in a wireless communication network over a dedicated wireless communication link. 
     
     
         32 . The antenna structure of  claim 31 , wherein the fixed site comprises a network element of the wireless communication network, and wherein the dedicated wireless communication link comprises a wireless backhaul communication link. 
     
     
         33 . The antenna structure  claim 28 , wherein the narrow-beam antenna comprises an antenna of a radio unit, the radio unit comprising a dedicated communication device that is operatively coupled to the narrow-beam antenna and is at least partially enclosed by the housing. 
     
     
         34 . The antenna structure of  claim 28 , wherein the narrow-beam antenna comprises an adjustable antenna for which beam alignment is adjustable to any of a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         35 . The antenna structure of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 one or more further narrow-beam antennas in the housing, each further narrow-beam antenna being for enabling wireless communications for a respective further coverage area associated with its antenna beam, the antenna beam of each further narrow-beam antenna having a beam width that is less than the beam width of the antenna beam of the wide-beam antenna.   
     
     
         36 . The antenna structure of  claim 35 , wherein the narrow-beam antenna and the one or more further narrow-beam antennas comprise narrow-beam antennas having different beam widths. 
     
     
         37 . The antenna structure of  claim 28 , wherein the housing comprises respective housing sections for at least partially enclosing the wide-beam antenna and the narrow-beam antenna, the respective housing sections differing from each other in at least one physical dimension. 
     
     
         38 . A network element for a wireless communication network, the network element comprising:
 the antenna structure of  claim 28 .   
     
     
         39 . A network element for a wireless communication network, the network element comprising:
 a plurality of antenna structures, each antenna structure of the plurality of antenna structures comprising:
 a housing; and 
 a wide-beam antenna in the housing for enabling wireless communications for a respective one of a plurality of first coverage areas, 
   at least one antenna structure of the plurality of antenna structures further comprising a narrow-beam antenna at least partially enclosed by the housing in an antenna structure as claimed in  claim 28 .   
     
     
         40 . A method comprising:
 providing a housing;   providing a wide-beam antenna in the housing for enabling wireless communications for a first coverage area associated with an antenna beam of the wide-beam antenna; and   providing a narrow-beam antenna in the housing for enabling wireless communications for a second coverage area associated with an antenna beam of the narrow-beam antenna, the antenna beam of the narrow-beam antenna having a beam width that is less than a beam width of the antenna beam of the wide-beam antenna.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the housing comprises a multi-part housing, and wherein providing a housing comprises assembling parts of the multi-part housing. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein providing a wide-beam antenna comprises providing a panel antenna as the wide-beam antenna. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein providing a narrow-beam antenna comprises providing in the housing a radio unit comprising the narrow-beam antenna and a dedicated communication device that is operatively coupled to the narrow-beam antenna. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 providing one or more further narrow-beam antennas in the housing, each further narrow-beam antenna being for enabling wireless communications for a respective further coverage area associated with its antenna beam, the antenna beam of each further narrow-beam antenna having a beam width that is less than the beam width of the antenna beam of the wide-beam antenna.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 ,
 wherein providing a wide-beam antenna comprises providing a plurality of wide-beam antennas for enabling wireless communications for a plurality of first coverage areas, and   wherein providing a housing comprises at least partially enclosing each wide-beam antenna in a respective housing, and at least partially enclosing the narrow-beam antenna in the housing of one of the wide-beam antennas.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an access antenna; and   an access communication device operatively coupled to the access antenna and to the switch, the switch further controlling exchange of communication traffic between the wireless communication links and an access communication link that is provided by the access communication device and the access antenna.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 providing an access radio unit, the access radio unit comprising an access antenna and an access communication device operatively coupled to the access antenna;   operatively coupling the access radio unit to the switch, the switch further controlling exchange of communication traffic between the plurality of radio units and the access radio unit; and   at least partially enclosing the plurality of radio units and the access radio unit in a housing.   
     
     
         48 . A communication apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a backhaul radio unit in the housing, the backhaul radio unit enabling backhaul communications over a wireless communication link in a communication network, the backhaul radio unit comprising a backhaul antenna and a backhaul communication device;   an access radio unit in the housing, the access radio unit enabling access communications in an access area, the access radio unit comprising an access antenna and an access communication device; and   a switch, operatively coupled to the backhaul radio unit and to the access radio unit, for controlling exchange of communication traffic between the backhaul radio unit and the access radio unit.   
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 one or more further backhaul radio units in the housing, each further backhaul radio unit being operatively coupled to the switch and enabling backhaul communications over a respective further wireless communication link.   
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 one or more further access radio units in the housing, each further access radio unit being operatively coupled to the switch and enabling access communications in a respective further access area.   
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 one or more further access radio units in the housing, each further access radio unit being operatively coupled to the switch and enabling access communications in a respective further access area.   
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the access antenna has a beam width which is greater than a beam width of the backhaul antenna. 
     
     
         53 . A communication equipment housing comprising:
 a plurality of sections to respectively accommodate either of: a backhaul radio unit that comprises a backhaul antenna and a backhaul communication device and enables backhaul communications over a wireless communication link in a communication network; and an access radio unit that comprises an access antenna and an access communication device and enables access communications in an access area; and   a further section to accommodate a switch for controlling exchange of communication traffic between the backhaul radio unit and the access radio unit.   
     
     
         54 . The housing of  claim 53 , wherein the further section further accommodates additional components of communication equipment. 
     
     
         55 . The housing of  claim 54 , in combination with at least one backhaul radio unit, at least one access radio unit, and the switch.