Autoconfigured backhaul transceiver
View Patent ↗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.
1. A system comprising:
a modem 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 link, the modem is operable to:
receive one or more beacon signals via at least one of the plurality of antenna arrays, wherein at least one of the one or more beacon signals is transmitted from a microwave tower;
select a link partner for establishing a new microwave link according to the one or more beacon signals;
establish the new microwave 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 system 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 modem is 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 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 system.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the housing of the system 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 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 system is operable to establish a backup microwave link with a link partner other than the selected link partner.
11. A method comprising:
in a system 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 link:
receiving one or more beacon signals via at least one of the plurality of antenna arrays, wherein at least one of the one or more beacon signals is transmitted from a microwave tower;
selecting, according to the one or more beacon signals, a link partner for establishing a new microwave link;
automatically selecting which one of the antenna arrays to use for establishing the new microwave link;
establishing the new microwave 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 12 , 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 13 , 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 system.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the housing of the system 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 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 a 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 link with a link partner other than the selected link partner.