IP Library Granted Patent US 9,894,538
Granted Patent B2
US 9,894,538 · App. 15/582,910 · Granted Feb 13, 2018

Autoconfigured backhaul transceiver

Inventor: Curtis Ling (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: Maxlinear, Inc.
H04W16/28H04W24/08H04W64/003H04W84/045H04W88/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,894,538
App. No.
15/582,910
Granted
Feb 13, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A microwave transceiver comprises a plurality of antenna arrays, each of which is oriented in a different direction, and circuitry operable to automatically select which of the antenna arrays to use for establishing a microwave backhaul link with a link partner. The circuitry may comprise a plurality of front-ends, each of which may be operable to perform beamforming of signals transmitted and received via a respective one of the antenna arrays. The circuitry may comprise a modem circuit. For transmit operations, the modem may generate a modulated signal for output to one of the plurality of front-end circuits. For receive operations, the modem may demodulate a signal received from one of the plurality of front-end circuits. Each of the antenna arrays may be mounted to a different one of a plurality of surfaces of a housing of the microwave transceiver. The housing of the microwave transceiver may form a polyhedron.

Claims (35)

1. A system comprising:

a microwave backhaul transceiver operably coupled to a plurality of antenna arrays, each of the plurality of antenna arrays being oriented in a different direction, wherein in response to loss of a microwave backhaul link, the microwave backhaul transceiver is operable to, at least:

listen, using each of a plurality of radiation patterns for each of the plurality of antenna arrays, for beacon signals transmitted by-one or more possible link partners, wherein the one or more possible link partners comprises a conventional microwave tower;

select one of the possible link partners for establishing a new microwave backhaul link based on the beacon signals;

establish the new microwave backhaul link using a selected one of the antenna arrays; and

dynamically compensate for a misalignment of the selected one of the antenna arrays.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microwave backhaul transceiver comprises a plurality of front-end circuits, wherein each of the front-end circuits is operable to perform beamforming of signals transmitted and received via a respective one of the antenna arrays.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the microwave backhaul transceiver comprises a modem circuit operable to:

generate a modulated signal for output to one of the plurality of front-end circuits during a transmit operation; and

demodulate a signal received from one of the plurality of front-end circuits during a receive operation.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the front-end circuits is coupled to the modem circuit via a serial bus.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the antenna arrays is mounted to a different one of a plurality of surfaces of a housing of the microwave backhaul transceiver.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the housing of the microwave backhaul transceiver forms a polyhedron.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a selection of which one of the antenna arrays to use for establishing the new microwave backhaul link with the selected link partner comprises a determination of a location of the selected link partner.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the determination of the location of the selected link partner comprises a measurement of signal strength of a signal received via the plurality of antenna arrays.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the determination of the location of the selected link partner comprises a measurement of signal strength of a signal received via a particular one of the plurality of antenna arrays over a plurality of radiation patterns for the particular one of the plurality of antenna arrays.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microwave backhaul transceiver is operable to establish a backup microwave backhaul link with a link partner other than the selected link partner.

11. A method comprising:

in a microwave backhaul transceiver comprising a plurality of antenna arrays, each of the plurality of antenna arrays being oriented in a different direction, automatically performing at least the following in response to loss of a microwave backhaul link:

scanning a plurality of radiation patterns to listen for beacon signals from one or more possible link partners that are within communication range wherein the one or more possible link partners comprises a conventional microwave tower;

selecting, based on beacon signals received during the scanning, one of the possible link partners for establishing a new microwave backhaul link;

automatically selecting which one of the antenna arrays to use for establishing the new microwave backhaul link;

establishing the new microwave backhaul link via the selected one of the plurality of antenna arrays; and

dynamically compensating for a misalignment of the selected one of the plurality of antenna arrays.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising controlling a radiation pattern of each of the antenna arrays with a respective one of a plurality of front-end circuits.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

generating a modulated signal for output to one of the plurality of front-end circuits; and

demodulating a signal received from one of the plurality of front-end circuits.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the front-end circuits is coupled to a modem via a serial bus.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the antenna arrays is mounted to a different one of a plurality of surfaces of a housing of the microwave backhaul transceiver.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the housing of the microwave backhaul transceiver forms a polyhedron.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the automatic selecting which one of the antenna arrays to use for establishing the new microwave backhaul link with the selected link partner comprises determining a location of the selected link partner.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the determining the location of the selected link partner comprises measuring signal strength of a signal received via the plurality of antenna arrays.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the determining the location of the selected link partner comprises measuring signal strength of a signal received via a particular one of the plurality of antenna arrays over a plurality of radiation patterns for the particular one of the plurality of antenna arrays.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises establishing a backup microwave backhaul link with a link partner other than the selected link partner.

Assignments (1)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: MAXLINEAR, INC.; MAXLINEAR COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; EXAR CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 056816/0089 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14602809 · Jan 22, 2015
Provisional Application 61930005 · Jan 22, 2014
Related Publication 20170238194A1 · Aug 17, 2017