Extended range wireless inter-networking system and device
View Patent ↗Aspects of the present disclosure generally pertains a system and method for wireless inter-networking between a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and a local area network (WLAN) employing one or more extended range wireless inter-networking devices. Aspects of the present disclosure more specifically are directed toward a high powered wireless interconnect device that includes high efficiency circuitry to make it possible to implement in a portable or in-vehicle form factor, which may provide reasonable battery life, size, weight, and thermal dissipation.
1. A wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio comprising:
a first WWAN transceiver/MODEM configured to communicate over one or more WWANs;
a standard power port communicably coupled to the first WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a standard duplex chain including a standard power port antenna, the standard power port configured to transmit at a first maximum power level; and
a high power port communicably coupled to the first WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a high power duplex chain including a high power amplifier, a frequency duplexer, and a high power antenna, the high power port configured to transmit at a second maximum power level, said second maximum power level being greater than said first maximum power level.
2. The WWAN radio of claim 1 , wherein the first maximum power level is below 0.3 watts, and the second maximum power level is greater than the first maximum power level by a factor equal or greater than four.
3. The WWAN radio of claim 1 , wherein the standard power port further includes a standard power port rejection filter configured to reject transmissions of the high power port that are received on the standard power port antenna.
4. The WWAN radio of claim 1 , wherein the WWAN transceiver/MODEM includes a WWAN MODEM, a WWAN transceiver, a multi-mode power amplifier, and a standard frequency duplexer, the WWAN MODEM functionally coupled to the WWAN transceiver, the WWAN transceiver including at least one transmit port and at least one receive port;
wherein the at least one transmit port is communicably coupled to the standard power port via the multi-mode power amplifier, and the at least one receive port is communicably coupled to the standard power port via the standard frequency duplexer; and
wherein the at least one transmit port is communicably coupled to the high power port via the high power amplifier, and the at least one receive port is communicably coupled to the high power port via the high power port frequency duplexer.
5. The WWAN radio of claim 4 , wherein the at least one transmit port and at least one receive port include a first transmit port, a second transmit port, first receive port, and a second receive port;
wherein the standard power port is communicably coupled to the first transmit port via the multi-mode power amplifier, and to the first receive port via the standard frequency duplexer; and
wherein the high power port is communicably coupled to the second transmit port via the high power amplifier, and to the second receive port via the high power port frequency duplexer.
6. The WWAN radio of claim 1 , wherein the high power amplifier includes a feedback loop configured to monitor an output of the high power amplifier, and is further configured to modify said output in response to said feedback loop.
7. The WWAN radio of claim 1 , further comprising a diversity port including a rejection filter and a diversity antenna, the diversity port communicably coupled to the first WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a complementary receive path for the WWAN radio.
8. A high power user equipment (HPUE) for wireless inter-networking, the HPUE comprising:
a support structure;
a power supply coupled to the support structure;
a processor mounted to the support structure and powered by the power supply;
a memory communicably coupled to and operable by the processor;
a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio communicably coupled to and operable by the processor, the WLAN radio including a WLAN transceiver/MODEM communicably coupled to a WLAN antenna; and
a wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio communicably coupled to and operable by the processor, the WWAN radio including
a WWAN transceiver/MODEM configured to communicate over one or more WWANs;
a standard power port communicably coupled to the WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a standard duplex chain including a standard power port antenna, the standard power port configured to transmit at a first maximum power level; and
a high power port communicably coupled to the WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a high power duplex chain including a high power amplifier, a frequency duplexer, and a high power antenna, the high power configured to transmit at a second maximum power level, said second maximum power level being greater than said first maximum power level.
9. The HPUE of claim 8 , wherein the first maximum power level is below 0.3 watts, and the second maximum power level is greater than the first maximum power level by a factor equal to or greater than four; and
wherein the standard power port further includes a standard power port rejection filter configured to reject transmissions of the high power port that are received on the standard power port antenna.
10. The HPUE of claim 8 , wherein the WWAN transceiver/MODEM includes a WWAN MODEM, a WWAN transceiver, a multi-mode power amplifier, and a standard frequency duplexer, the WWAN MODEM functionally coupled to the WWAN transceiver, the WWAN transceiver including at least one transmit port and at least one receive port;
wherein the at least one transmit port is communicably coupled to the standard power port via the multi-mode power amplifier, and the at least one receive port is communicably coupled to the standard power port via the standard frequency duplexer;
wherein the at least one transmit port is communicably coupled to the high power port via the high power amplifier, and the at least one receive port is communicably coupled to the high power port via the high power port frequency duplexer;
wherein the at least one transmit port and at least one receive port include a first transmit port, a second transmit port, first receive port, and a second receive port;
wherein the standard power port is communicably coupled to the first transmit port via the multi-mode power amplifier, and to the first receive port via the standard frequency duplexer; and
wherein the high power port is communicably coupled to the second transmit port via the high power amplifier, and to the second receive port via the high power port frequency duplexer.
11. The HPUE of claim 8 , further comprising a diversity port including a rejection filter and a diversity antenna, the diversity port communicably coupled to the WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a complementary receive path for at least one of the standard power port and the high power port.
12. The HPUE of claim 8 , wherein the WLAN antenna is a Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna.
13. The HPUE of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the high power port and the standard power port is configured as a MIMO port.
14. The HPUE of claim 8 , further comprising
a location radio; and
an n-axis accelerometer configured to provide inertial navigation enhancing resolution and reliability of the location radio.
15. A high power user equipment (HPUE) for wireless inter-networking, the HPUE comprising:
a support structure;
a power supply coupled to the support structure;
a processor mounted to the support structure and powered by the power supply;
a memory communicably coupled to and operable the processor;
a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio communicably coupled to and operable by the processor, the WLAN radio including a WLAN transceiver/MODEM communicably coupled to a WLAN antenna; and
a wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio communicably coupled to and operable by the processor, the WWAN radio including
a first WWAN transceiver/MODEM configured to communicate over one or more WWANs,
a standard power port communicably coupled to the first WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a standard duplex chain including a standard power port antenna, the standard power port configured to transmit at a first maximum power level,
a second WWAN transceiver/MODEM configured to communicate over one or more WWANs, and
a high power port communicably coupled to the first WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a duplex chain including a high power amplifier, a frequency duplexer, and a high power antenna, the high power configured to transmit at a second maximum power level, said second maximum power level being greater than said first maximum power level.
16. The HPUE of claim 15 , wherein the WWAN radio is a multi-band WWAN radio configured to communicate over one or more WWANs individually, or alternately, simultaneously.
17. The HPUE of claim 15 , further comprising a diversity port including a rejection filter and a diversity antenna, the diversity port communicably coupled to at least one of the first WWAN transceiver/MODEM and the second WWAN transceiver/MODEM, the diversity port configured as a complementary receive path for at least one of the standard power port and the high power port.
18. An inter-networking system comprising:
a wireless local area network (WLAN) configured to communicate with at least one mobile communication device according to a WLAN communication protocol;
a first wireless wide area network (WWAN) configured to communicate with at least one base station according to a first WWAN communication protocol; and
a high power user equipment (HPUE) configured to wirelessly communicate with the WLAN and the first WWAN, and further configured to communicably couple at least one mobile communication device with the first WWAN via the WLAN, the HPUE including:
a housing,
a power supply coupled to the housing,
a processor mounted to the housing and powered by the power supply,
a memory communicably coupled to and operable the processor,
a WLAN radio communicably coupled to and operable by the processor, the WLAN radio including a WLAN transceiver/MODEM communicably coupled to a WLAN antenna, and
a WWAN radio communicably coupled to and operable by the processor, the WWAN radio including
a WWAN transceiver/MODEM configured to communicate over one or more WWANs,
a standard power port communicably coupled to the WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a standard duplex chain including a standard power port antenna, the standard power port configured to transmit at a first maximum power level, and
a high power port communicably coupled to the WWAN transceiver/MODEM, and configured as a high power duplex chain including a high power amplifier, a frequency duplexer, and a high power antenna, the high power configured to transmit at a second maximum power level, said second maximum power level being greater than said first maximum power level.
19. The inter-networking system of claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of electronic devices selected from a group consisting of a computer, a mobile communication device, a handheld computer, a networking device, each configured to communicate with the WLAN radio of the HPUE and a base station via HPUE.
20. The inter-networking system of claim 18 , further comprising a second WWAN configured to communicate with another at least one base station according to a second WWAN communication protocol.
21. The inter-networking system of claim 20 , wherein the first WWAN communication protocol is a public safety band; and
wherein the second WWAN communication protocol is a cellular network.