DYNAMIC FREQUENCY SELECTION (DFS) ANTENNAS FOR ACCESS POINTS AND METHODS FOR OPERATING DFS ANTENNAS
A method of operating an access point using Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) includes selecting an operating mode of a reconfigurable antenna that is configured to operate in both a low cross-polarization mode and in a depolarization (high cross-polarization) mode, listening, when the antenna is operating in the depolarization mode, for transmissions/receiving from other entities on a DFS communication channel, and transmitting on the DFS communication channel if it is determined that the DFS communication channel is free of high priority users. Related access points are also discussed.
1 . A method of operating an access point using Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), the method comprising:
selecting an operating mode of an antenna that is configured to operate in both a single polarization mode and in a depolarization mode;
listening, when the antenna is operating in the depolarization mode, for transmissions from other entities on a DFS communication channel; and
transmitting on the DFS communication channel if it is determined that the DFS communication channel is free of high priority users.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the listening for transmissions occurs on a plurality of DFS communication channels comprising the DFS communication channel, the method further comprising:
selecting the DFS communication channel of the plurality of DFS communication channels that is free of the transmissions from other entities, responsive to the listening.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the listening for transmissions from the other entities comprises:
listening for the transmissions at a first polarization of the antenna in the depolarization mode and at a second polarization of the antenna in the depolarization mode.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first polarization is one of a vertical polarization, a horizontal polarization, a slanted polarization, or a depolarization, and
wherein the second polarization is different from the first polarization.
5 . The method claim 4 , wherein the first polarization comprises the vertical polarization and the second polarization comprises the horizontal polarization that is orthogonal to the vertical polarization.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point comprises a single transceiver and the antenna comprises a single antenna configured to operate in two polarizations.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring the antenna to operate in the depolarization mode comprises:
switching the antenna of the access point to the depolarization mode,
wherein the antenna is switchable between a low cross-polarization in the single polarization mode and a high cross-polarization in the depolarization mode.
8 . The method claim 1 , further comprising:
switching, by a controller, a connection of the antenna to a DFS circuit or to a Wi-Fi circuit.
wherein when the controller switches the connection of the antenna to the Wi-Fi circuit, the antenna operates at a first polarization in the single polarization mode, and
wherein the Wi-Fi circuit is connected to an additional antenna that is configured to operate at a second polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization.
9 . (canceled)
10 . (canceled)
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises a slot with a plurality of switching elements adjacent to the slot.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the configuring the antenna to operate in the single polarization mode comprises:
turning on the plurality of switching elements such that the antenna has a low cross-polarization.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the configuring the antenna to operate in the depolarization mode comprises:
turning off the plurality of switching elements such that the antenna has a high cross-polarization.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of switching elements comprises a plurality of diodes, and
wherein the plurality of diodes are configured to provide a current path across the slot when the plurality of diodes are turned on.
15 . (canceled)
16 . An access point configured to use Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), the access point comprising:
an antenna configured to operate in both a single polarization mode and in a depolarization mode;
a controller configured to select an operating mode of the antenna, wherein the operating mode comprises the single polarization mode or the depolarization mode; and
a transceiver configured to listen, when the antenna is operating in the depolarization mode, for transmissions from other entities on a DFS communication channel,
wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit using the DFS communication channel if it is determined that the DFS communication channel is free of high priority users.
17 . The access point of claim 16 , wherein the transceiver is configured to listen for transmissions on a plurality of DFS communication channels comprising the DFS communication channel, the access point further comprising:
a DFS circuit that is configured to select the DFS communication channel of the plurality of DFS communication channels that is free of the transmissions from other entities,
wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit using the DFS communication channel that was selected.
18 . The access point of claim 16 , wherein the transceiver is configured to listen for transmissions at a first polarization of the antenna in the depolarization mode and at a second polarization of the antenna in the depolarization mode,
wherein the first polarization is one of a vertical polarization, a horizontal polarization, a slanted polarization, or a depolarization, and
wherein the second polarization is different from the first polarization.
19 . (canceled)
20 . (canceled)
21 . (canceled)
22 . The access point of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to switch the antenna to the depolarization mode, and
wherein the antenna is switchable between a low cross-polarization in the single polarization mode and a high cross-polarization in the depolarization mode.
23 . The access point of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to switch a connection of the antenna to a DFS circuit or to a Wi-Fi circuit,
wherein when the controller switches the connection of the antenna to the Wi-Fi circuit, the antenna operates at a first polarization in the single polarization mode, and
wherein the Wi-Fi circuit is connected to an additional antenna that is configured to operate at a second polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization.
24 . (canceled)
25 . (canceled)
26 . The access point of claim 16 , wherein the antenna comprises a slot with a plurality of switching elements adjacent to the slot.
27 . The access point of claim 26 , wherein when the plurality of switching elements is turned on, the antenna operates at a low cross-polarization, and
wherein when the plurality of switching elements is turned off, the antenna operates at a high cross-polarization.
28 . (canceled)
29 . The access point of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of switching elements comprises a plurality of diodes, and
wherein the plurality of diodes are configured to provide a current path across the slot when the plurality of diodes are turned on.
30 . (canceled)