Systems and methods for vibration amelioration in a millimeter-wave communication network
View Patent ↗Various embodiments of a millimeter-wave wireless point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication system which maintains a stable communication link even in the face of mechanical vibration of the transceivers. The system comprises a transmitter, a receiver, a high-gain antenna, and allied equipment as described. In various embodiments, the system is planned and engineered to maintain the communication link even at a maximum vibration of X/2 degrees in either an up or down direction. In some embodiments, the system uses the energy of a concentrated horizontal beam-width to compensation for the energy pattern in a dispersed vertical beam-width. The system may be set to compensate for different degrees of vibration. The system may be set to maintain different degrees of communication gain.
1. A millimeter-wave communication system operative to maintain a stable point-to-point communication link under mechanical vibration conditions, comprising:
a millimeter-wave transmitter;
a millimeter-wave receiver, located away from the millimeter-wave transmitter; and
a high-gain antenna, belonging to the millimeter-wave transmitter, mounted on an elevated structure that vibrates mechanically such that said vibration causes said high-gain antenna to point to a direction which varies up and down by no more than a total of X degrees; said high-gain antenna operative to generate a radiation pattern having a horizontal beam-width that is less than X degrees and a vertical beam-width that is substantially X degrees;
wherein said horizontal beam-width is operative to provide said high-gain antenna with high gain, and said vertical beam-width is operative to allow the millimeter-wave transmitter to maintain stable communication with the millimeter-wave receiver, via said high-gain antenna and using millimeter-waves, despite said vibration.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein during said vibration, the millimeter-wave receiver does not go outside coverage of said high-gain antenna, thereby facilitating said stable communication.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said vertical beam-width is operative to compensate for said vibration.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said vibration is caused by wind.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said wind causes an upper portion of the elevated structure to move back and forth, away and toward the millimeter-wave receiver respectively, while a lower portion of said elevated structure is held fix by ground, thereby causing said high-gain antenna to point to a direction which varies up and down.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said vibration is the elevated structure resonating with said wind.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said vibration is caused by a mechanically vibrating device located on or nearby said elevated structure.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said vibration is a movement of said elevated structure.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said movement is caused, over time, by mechanical stresses exerted on said elevated structure.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said movement is caused by a change of load placed on the elevated structure.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said elevated structure is a pole.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein said elevated structure in a communication tower.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said horizontal beam-width is between 2 and 4 degrees and said vertical beam-width is between 6 and 10 degrees, thereby X is between 6 and 10 degrees respectively.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the high-gain of said high-gain antenna is between 30 dBi and 35 dBi.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operating frequency of said high-gain antenna is between 50 GHz and 80 Ghz.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein said horizontal beam-width is between 1 and 6 degrees and said vertical beam-width is between 7 and 12 degrees.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein said high-gain antenna is a reflector antenna, and a horizontal size of said reflector antenna is bigger than a vertical size of said reflector antenna, thereby facilitating generation of said radiation pattern having a horizontal beam-width that is less than X degrees and a vertical beam-width that is substantially X degrees.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein said high-gain antenna is a shaped parabolic antenna, having a vertical shape operative to de-focuses said radiation pattern in the vertical direction, thereby facilitating generation of said radiation pattern having a horizontal beam-width that is less than X degrees and a vertical beam-width that is substantially X degrees.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein said high-gain antenna is an array of patches or slots.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein there are more patches or slots in a horizontal direction of said array, than there are patches or slots in a vertical direction of said array, thereby facilitating generation of said radiation pattern having a horizontal beam-width that is less than X degrees and a vertical beam-width that is substantially X degrees.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein said radiation pattern having a horizontal beam-width that is less than one-half X degrees and a vertical beam-width that is substantially X degrees.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the high-gain of said high-gain antenna is higher than 20 dBi, and the operating frequency of said high-gain antenna in between 30 GHz and 80 GHz.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the high-gain of said high-gain antenna is higher than 30 dBi, and the operating frequency of said high-gain antenna in between 30 GHz and 80 GHz.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein said radiation pattern having a horizontal beam-width that is less than one-quarter X degrees and a vertical beam-width that is substantially X degrees.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the high-gain of said high-gain antenna is higher than 25 dBi, and the operating frequency of said high-gain antenna in between 30 GHz and 80 GHz.
26. The system of claim 24 , wherein the high-gain of said high-gain antenna is higher than 35 dBi, and the operating frequency of said high-gain antenna in between 30 GHz and 80 GHz.
27. The system of claim 1 , wherein said vibration causes said high-gain antenna to point to a direction which varies up and down by an amount of between X degrees and one-half X degrees.
28. The system of claim 1 , wherein said vibration causes said high-gain antenna to point to a direction which varies up and down by an amount of between X degrees and one-quarter X degrees.