Small cell base station integrated with storefront sign
An assembly includes: a) a housing comprising a floor, a ceiling, a rear wall, a front wall, and opposed side walls that define a cavity, wherein the side walls include illuminable informational markings; an antenna; c) a radio residing in the cavity of the housing connected with the antenna; and d) a power source attached to the radio; wherein the power source is employed to illuminate the informational markings.
1. An assembly, comprising:
(a) a housing comprising a floor, a ceiling, a rear wall, a front wall, and opposed side walls that define a cavity, wherein the side walls include illuminable informational markings;
(b) an antenna;
(c) first and second radios residing in the cavity of the housing connected with the antenna; and
(d) a power source attached to the radios;
wherein the power source is employed to illuminate the informational markings;
wherein the housing is mounted to a storefront; and
wherein the housing is mounted to an illuminated sign of the storefront.
2. The assembly defined in claim 1 , further comprising an optical signal source attached to the radios.
3. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing is mounted substantially perpendicularly to the storefront.
4. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the assembly has overall dimensions of between about 50 cm×50 cm×20 cm to 70 cm×70 cm×25 cm.
5. The assembly defined in claim 1 , further comprising LEDs within the housing, the LEDs configured and positioned to illuminate the informational markings.
6. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the floor is perforated.
7. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the ceiling is mounted above upper edges of the sidewalls to create at least one gap therebetween.
8. The assembly defined in claim 1 , further comprising a blower.
9. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the front wall, the side walls, the floor and the ceiling comprise a monolithic cap.
10. The assembly defined in claim 9 , wherein rails are mounted to and extend forwardly from the rear wall and fit within the cap.
11. The assembly defined in claim 10 , wherein LEDs are mounted to the rails to provide illumination to the informational markings.
12. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a flat panel antenna.
13. The assembly defined in claim 12 , wherein the antenna is mounted at an oblique angle to the side walls and the front wall.
14. The assembly defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a fiber optic splice tray, a circuit breaker, and a radio frequency combiner located in the housing.
15. The assembly defined in claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the housing is accessible through one of the side walls of the housing.
16. An assembly, comprising:
(a) a housing comprising a floor, a ceiling, a rear wall, a front wall, and opposed side walls that define a cavity, wherein the side walls include illuminable informational markings;
(b) an antenna;
(c) a radio residing in the cavity of the housing connected with the antenna; and
(d) a power source attached to the radio;
wherein the power source is employed to illuminate the informational markings;
wherein the housing is mounted substantially perpendicularly to an illuminated sign of a storefront via a bracket, the bracket being generally U-shaped in profile and mounted to the rear wall of the housing.
17. An assembly, comprising:
(a) a housing comprising a floor, a ceiling, a rear wall, a front wall, and opposed side walls that define a cavity, wherein the side walls include illuminable informational markings;
(b) an antenna;
(c) a radio residing in the cavity of the housing connected with the antenna; and
(d) a power source attached to the radio;
wherein the power source is employed to illuminate the informational markings; and
wherein the antenna is mounted at an oblique angle to the front wall and side walls.
18. The assembly defined in claim 17 , wherein the antenna is a flat panel antenna.