Access point device

Abstract

The invention discloses an access point device. This document describes access point devices and associated systems and methods. Techniques and methods include an access point device including a housing having an antenna carrier, a circuit board assembly, a heat sink, and a heat shield positioned within the housing. The housing includes a top housing member connected to a bottom housing member. The top housing member includes a downwardly recessed top end portion that is connected to a substantially cylindrical vertical wall via a circular corner. The antenna carrier supports a plurality of antennas positioned proximate an inner surface of the vertical wall. A heat sink is positioned between the antenna carrier and the circuit board assembly. The circuit board assembly is positioned between the heat shield and the heat sink, and the heat shield is positioned between the circuit board assembly and the bottom housing member.

Description

[0001] Description of the case

[0002] This application is a divisional application of Chinese invention patent application 202010979859.7, with a filing date of September 17, 2020. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to access point devices. Background Art

[0004] Due to hardware limitations, network access point devices can be large and visually unappealing. Some devices include external antennas that, depending on the location of the device in the user's home, are within the reach of small children or animals that could move or damage the antennas. Access point devices may include complex controls and status indicators that may be difficult for some users to understand. These aspects of conventional access point devices can frustrate users and significantly diminish the user experience. Summary of the invention

[0005] This document describes an access point device and associated systems and methods. The access point device described herein includes a housing that is generally cylindrical with smooth rounded edges. The described access point device has improved robustness, simplicity, and compactness compared to conventional access point devices. As further described herein, the access point device includes a housing having an antenna carrier, a circuit board assembly, a heat sink, and a heat shield positioned within the housing. The housing includes a top housing member connected to a bottom housing member. The top housing member includes a downwardly recessed top portion that is connected to a generally cylindrical vertical wall via a rounded corner. The antenna carrier supports a plurality of antennas positioned proximate to an inner surface of the vertical wall. The heat sink is positioned between the antenna carrier and the circuit board assembly. The circuit board assembly is positioned between the heat shield and the heat sink.

[0006] This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of access point devices, which are further described below in the detailed implementation and drawings. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The details of one or more aspects of the access point device are described herein with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to similar features and components:

[0008] Figure 1 A top front perspective view of an example implementation of an access point device is illustrated.

[0009] Figure 2A Diagram Figure 1A front elevation view of an example implementation of an access point device.

[0010] Figure 2B Diagram Figure 1 A rear elevation view of an example implementation of an access point device.

[0011] Figure 2C Diagram Figure 1 A left elevation view of an example implementation of an access point device.

[0012] Figure 2D Diagram Figure 1 A right elevation view of an example implementation of an access point device.

[0013] Figure 3 Diagram Figure 1 A top view of an example implementation of an access point device.

[0014] Figure 4 Diagram Figure 1 A bottom view of an example implementation of an access point device.

[0015] Figure 5 The figure is taken along section line 5-5 Figure 4 Rear cross-sectional view of an access point device.

[0016] Figure 6 The figure is taken along section line 6-6 Figure 4 Right elevation view of an access point device.

[0017] Figure 7 Diagram Figure 5 An enlarged view of a portion of the rear cross-sectional view showing the connection points between the top and bottom shell members of the shell.

[0018] Fig. 8A and 8B Diagram Figure 1 Exploded view of an access point device.

[0019] Fig. 9 A front perspective view of an exemplary antenna carrier of an access point device is illustrated.

[0020] Fig. 10A A perspective view of an example circuit board assembly for an access point device is illustrated.

[0021] Fig. 10B Diagram Fig. 10A A top view of the circuit board assembly.

[0022] Fig. 10C Diagram Fig. 10A Right elevation view of the circuit board assembly.

[0023] Fig. 10D Diagram Fig. 10A Bottom view of the circuit board assembly.

[0024] Fig.11 is a block diagram illustrating an example mesh network device that may be implemented as a reference Figure 1 to Figure 1 0 to implement an access point device.

[0025] Fig.12 is a block diagram illustrating an example system with example devices that may implement aspects of an access point device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Overview

[0027] This document describes techniques and systems that support access point devices that have improved robustness, simplicity, and compactness compared to conventional access point devices.

[0028] In various aspects, an access point device is disclosed. The access point device includes a housing, an antenna carrier, a circuit board assembly, a heat sink and a heat shield. The housing includes a top housing member having a substantially cylindrical vertical wall and a top end portion connected to a first end of the vertical wall via a rounded corner. The vertical wall has a longitudinal axis, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface. Based on the outer surface of the vertical wall bent in the direction of the longitudinal axis and the inner surface of the vertical wall substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the vertical wall has an uneven thickness in the direction of the longitudinal axis. In addition, the top end portion is concave downward in a side view of the top end portion. The housing also includes a bottom housing member connected to the top housing member at the second end of the vertical wall. The bottom housing member has a bottom outer surface and an opposite inner surface, wherein the bottom outer surface defines a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. The bottom housing member includes a curved edge between the bottom outer surface and the vertical wall of the top housing member. The antenna carrier supports a plurality of antennas operable to send and receive communication signals. In various aspects, the antenna carrier has a generally disc-shaped body and a plurality of flanges, wherein one of the plurality of flanges is connected to one of the plurality of antennas. The antenna carrier is positioned within the housing such that the plurality of antennas are positioned proximate to an inner surface of a vertical wall. A circuit board assembly is positioned within the housing and is operable to provide a gateway to a wireless network. A heat sink is positioned within the housing between the antenna carrier and the circuit board assembly. A heat shield is proximate to the circuit board assembly to shield the circuit board assembly from electromagnetic interference. The circuit board assembly is positioned between the heat shield and the heat sink.

[0029] In various aspects, a system is disclosed. The system includes a housing having first and second housing members that share a common central axis and are connected to each other. At least one of the first housing member or the second housing member includes a sidewall having an inner surface with a zero drift and a partially curved outer surface. The housing also includes a rounded edge. Furthermore, the system includes a plurality of dual-band antennas positioned within the housing proximate the zero-drift inner surface of the sidewall. Furthermore, the system includes a circuit board assembly that is communicatively connected to the plurality of dual-band antennas to provide a gateway to a wireless network and a node to a wireless mesh network. In addition, the system includes a radiator positioned between the circuit board assembly and the plurality of antennas.

[0030] These are just a few examples of how the described techniques and devices can be used to support access point devices. Other examples and implementations are described throughout this document. Now, this document turns to example devices and then describes example systems.

[0031] Example Device

[0032] Figure 1 A top front perspective view 100 of an example implementation of an access point device 102 is illustrated. The access point device 102 includes a housing 104 having a substantially cylindrical shape with rounded edges. The housing 104 includes a central axis 106 (e.g., a longitudinal axis). The housing 104 is simple, such that the housing 104 has a smooth outer surface with few visible features. In various aspects, the housing 104 includes a top housing member 108 and a bottom housing member 110.

[0033] As described further below, the shell includes a seam 112 on an outer surface of the shell 104. The seam 112 is aligned with the location where the top shell member 108 is attached to the bottom shell member 110. The top shell member 108 can be connected (e.g., threaded, snapped, fastened, pressed, glued, ultrasonically welded, etc.) to the bottom shell member 110.

[0034] Access point devices are configured to provide access to wireless networks. In some aspects, access point devices can also be used as nodes of wireless mesh networks. For example, an access point device can be docked with a modem in a user's home to act as a wireless router for the user's local wireless network.

[0035] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D Various elevation views of the access point device 102 are illustrated. Figure 2AA front elevation view 200 of the access point device 102 is shown, wherein the central axis 106 is shown vertically. The top housing member 108 includes a substantially vertical wall 202 that is generally cylindrical about the central axis 106 (e.g., the x-axis radius of the vertical wall is substantially equal to the y-axis radius, such that the x-axis radius is within a tolerance of approximately ten millimeters of the y-axis). Moreover, the top housing member 108 includes a top portion 204 that is concave downward in the front elevation view 200, such that the top portion 204 is curved toward the vertical wall 202. The top portion 204 is connected to a first end (e.g., a top end) of the vertical wall 202 via a rounded edge 206.

[0036] The bottom shell member 110 shares the central axis 106 with the top shell member 108 and is connected to the top shell member 108 at a second end (e.g., a bottom end) of the vertical wall 202 opposite the first end. The bottom shell member 110 includes a rounded edge 208 that can have a radius similar to the rounded edge 206 of the top shell member 108. In the illustrated example 200, the bottom shell member 110 is substantially shorter than the top shell member 108 in the direction of the central axis 106, so that the seam 112 is located on the lower half of the shell 104. However, the bottom shell member 110 and the top shell member 108 can be any suitable height, so that the seam 112 can be located at any position on the shell where the top shell member 108 is connected to the bottom shell member 110. The radius of the vertical wall 202 about the central axis 106 can be any suitable radius, such as a radius in the range of about 38 mm to about 65 mm.

[0037] The bottom housing member 110 includes a bottom outer surface ( Figures 2A to 2D 104 and 106). The bottom outer surface of the housing 104 is formed of any suitable material having a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to reduce slippage between the housing 104 and the surface on which the housing 104 rests. The foot pads 212 may be any suitable height, examples of which include heights in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm.

[0038] Figure 2B A rear elevation view 220 of the access point device 102 is shown. As shown in the rear elevation view 220, the bottom housing member 110 includes an opening 222. The opening provides access to cables (e.g., power cables, Ethernet cables, etc.) to connect to ports on the bottom of the housing without causing the housing 104 to rest on the cables.

[0039] Figure 2C A left elevation view 230 of the access point device 102 is illustrated. As illustrated, the contour of the opening 222 changes the curvature of the circular edge 208 proximate the opening 222 relative to the curvature of the circular edge 208 at other portions. Likewise, Figure 2D A right elevation view 240 of the access point device 102 is shown. Here, the opening 222 changes the curvature of the rounded edge 208. However, the other edges, sides, and exterior surfaces of the housing 104 remain similar in each of the different elevation views.

[0040] Figure 3 A top view 300 of the access point device 102 is shown. Here, the access point device 102 is generally annular in shape with no distinct surface features. In the top view 300, the top portion 204 of the housing 104 is shown.

[0041] Figure 4 A bottom view 400 of the access point device 102 is shown. The bottom housing member 110 includes an external cavity 402 formed by a portion of the bottom outer surface and accessible via the opening 222. As further described below, the cavity 402 includes an opening 404 that aligns with various ports on the circuit board assembly located within the housing. Example ports include an Ethernet port and a power connector. The opening 404 is located in a vertical wall of the cavity 402 that is substantially parallel to the central axis 106 of the housing 104, such that the angle between the central axis 106 and the vertical wall of the cavity 402 is less than about five degrees.

[0042] The foot pad 212 is connected to the bottom outer surface of the bottom housing member 110. The foot pad 212 has a generally C-shape such that the foot pad 212 partially surrounds the cavity 402 to the opposite side of the opening 222.

[0043] In addition, the bottom shell member 110 includes a cantilever member 406 formed within the bottom shell member 110 and connected to the bottom shell member 110 at a fulcrum. The cantilever member 406 is illustrated as a dashed line because in the bottom view 400, the cantilever member 406 is located behind the foot pad 212. Therefore, the cantilever member 406 may be hidden from view due to the positioning of the foot pad 212. The cantilever member 406 is coplanar with the plane 210 defined by the bottom outer surface of the bottom shell member 110. The cantilever member 406 is capable of bending by a force applied to the free end of the cantilever member 406 to interface with a reset mechanism on the circuit board assembly positioned within the housing 104 (with respect to FIG. 1 ). Fig. 10DIn various aspects, the cantilever member 406 functions as a reset button that a user can press to reset the access point device 102. The foot pad 212 includes a hole 408 that is aligned with the free end of the cantilever member 406. The hole 408 in the foot pad 212 provides an indication of the location of the reset button to the user. The bottom view 400 includes section line 5-5, which corresponds to Figure 5 The cross-sectional view in FIG. 6 and the section line 6-6 correspond to Figure 6 Cross-sectional view of .

[0044] Figure 5 The illustration is taken at and in the horizontal section indicated by section line 5-5. Figure 4 500 of an access point device 102. In the cross-sectional view 500, the access point device 102 is turned upside down such that the top shell member 108 is shown in the lower area of ​​the illustration and the bottom shell member 110 is shown in the upper area of ​​the illustration. The access point device 102 includes various hardware components within the housing 104 in a compact assembly. For example, the access point device 102 includes an antenna carrier 502 that supports a plurality of antennas 504 attached thereto. The antenna carrier 502 is positioned within the housing 104 proximate to (e.g., adjacent to) an inner surface of the top end portion 204 of the top shell member 108. In addition, each antenna 504 is positioned proximate to the inner surface of the vertical wall 202 such that the antenna 504 is located within a tolerance distance of approximately two millimeters of the inner surface of the vertical wall 202.

[0045] The access point device also includes a heat sink 506 and a circuit board assembly 508. The heat sink 506 is positioned within the housing 104 proximate (e.g., adjacent) and abutting the antenna carrier 502 such that the heat sink 506 is between the antenna carrier 502 and the circuit board assembly 508. The heat sink 506 may be formed of any suitable thermally conductive material, including die-cast aluminum.

[0046] The circuit board assembly 508 may include any suitable circuit board having electronic components connected in any suitable arrangement. One example includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The circuit board assembly 508 is positioned between the heat sink 506 and the heat shield 510. The heat shield 510 blocks heat transfer between opposite sides of the heat shield 510, for example, in the direction of the central axis 106. Therefore, the heat shield 510 shields the heat generated by the circuit board assembly 508 from being transferred to the bottom housing member 110 of the access point device 102. This reduces the risk of thermal damage to cables or wires (not shown) connected to the access point device 102. In addition, the heat shield 510 is adjacent to the circuit board assembly 508 to shield the circuit board assembly 508 from electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external wires or cables connected to the access point device 102, such as a power cable connected to a power connector 512 (e.g., a barrel jack) or a cable connected to an Ethernet port 514 of the access point device 102. The Ethernet port 514 and the power connector 512 are accessible via the exterior cavity 402 of the bottom housing member 110 . A thermal shield 510 is positioned between the circuit board assembly 508 and the bottom housing member 110 .

[0047] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view 600 of the access point device 102 is shown taken at and in a vertical cross-sectional direction indicated by section line 6-6. In the cross-sectional view 600, the access point device 102 is shown with the central axis 106 being horizontal such that the top housing member 108 is shown on the right and the bottom housing member 110 is shown on the left. Figure 6 , the Ethernet port 514 extends substantially perpendicularly from the circuit board assembly 508 in the direction of the central axis 106 and toward the bottom housing member 110. The circuit board assembly 508 is positioned substantially perpendicular to the central axis 106. The heat shield 510 is positioned between a portion of the circuit board assembly 508 and the bottom housing member such that the heat shield 510 is positioned between the outer cavity 402 of the bottom housing member 110 and a portion of the circuit board assembly 508. However, the heat shield 510 is not positioned between the Ethernet port 514 and the bottom housing member 110. The heat shield 510 is shaped as a partial disk (e.g., about 60% to about 75% of an annular disk) to enable the Ethernet port 514 to be positioned adjacent to the bottom housing member 110.

[0048] The top shell member 108 has a substantially uniform thickness at the top portion 204 and the rounded edge 206. For example, the inner and outer surfaces of the rounded edge 206 and the top portion 204 follow substantially the same curve. However, the vertical wall 202 of the top shell member 108 may not include a uniform thickness. This is because the outer surface of the vertical wall 202 has a curve and the inner surface of the vertical wall 202 has a substantially zero-drift surface (e.g., a straight surface with approximately zero taper). In various aspects, the zero-drift surface is substantially parallel to the center axis 106 such that the angle between the zero-drift surface and the center axis is less than approximately five degrees. The zero-drift inner surface of the vertical wall 202 enables components within the housing to be slidably removed for disassembly and / or slidably inserted for assembly. A more detailed view of this aspect is shown in FIG. Figure 7 Shown in.

[0049] Figure 7 Diagram Figure 5 An enlarged view 700 of a portion of the rear cross-sectional view 500 is shown. Figure 5 , and illustrates the connection point between the top and bottom shell members of the shell. In the enlarged view 700, the top shell member 108 is connected to the bottom shell member 110. As described above, the vertical wall 202 of the top shell member 108 includes a varying (e.g., non-uniform) thickness based on the zero-drift inner surface 702 and the curved outer surface 704. The curved outer surface 704 provides a seemingly soft surface for the exterior of the access point device 102, while the zero-drift inner surface 702 supports easy insertion or removal of internal components of the access point device 102. A portion of the heat sink 506 is also shown in the enlarged view 700, which includes a protrusion 706 that is positioned within a recess 708 of the bottom shell member 110 to maintain stability.

[0050] The housing 104 includes a vertical step member 710 that docks the bottom housing member 110 to the top housing member 108. As illustrated, the vertical step member 710 is inserted toward the central axis of the housing 104 by a distance x 712 in the range of about 0.25 mm to about 1.0 mm (horizontally offset from the outer surfaces of the top housing member 108 and the bottom housing member 110). The vertical step member 710 has a height y 714 in the range of about 0.2 mm to about 2.0 mm. The vertical step member 710 creates a horizontal gap (e.g., Figure 1714 and a depth x 712 that the vertical step member 710 is inserted. The resulting gap has a height variation of less than 0.5 mm, making the gap substantially uniform according to the user's perception. Without the vertical step member 710, the connection between the top shell member 108 and the bottom shell member 110 would create a seam that is more easily perceived by the human eye as being uneven in height. Therefore, the gap created by the vertical step member 710 is less likely to be perceived by the user as being uneven.

[0051] Fig. 8A and 8B Example exploded views 800 and 850 of access point devices are shown, respectively. Fig. 8A and Figure 8B As shown in , the antenna carrier 502 is positioned between the top shell member 108 and the heat sink 802. Fasteners 804 can be used to secure the antenna carrier 502 to the top shell member 108. Any suitable fasteners can be used, such as screws, bolts, rivets, etc. The first heat sink 802 is positioned between the antenna carrier 502 and the heat sink 506 to help spread heat over the surface of the heat sink 506. The heat sink 506 is positioned between the first heat sink 802 and the circuit board assembly 508. Additional fasteners 806 can be used to secure the heat sink 506 to the antenna carrier 502. The first heat sink 802 includes a plurality of holes, and the protrusions on the heat sink 506 pass through these holes to abut the antenna carrier 502. Additional fasteners 806 are positioned in the holes in the protrusions and connected to the antenna carrier 502.

[0052] A thermal interface material 808 (e.g., thermal gel, thermally conductive pad) is positioned between the heat sink 506 and the circuit board assembly 508. The circuit board assembly 508 is positioned between the heat sink 506 and a second heat sink 810. The second heat sink 810 is adjacent to the heat shield 510, such that the second heat sink 810 is positioned between the circuit board assembly 508 and the heat sink 510. The heat sink 510 is adjacent to the bottom case member 110. Fasteners 812 can be used to secure the circuit board assembly 508 to the heat sink 506. Additionally, fasteners 814 can be used to secure the heat shield 510 to the circuit board assembly 508, or to secure the heat shield 510 to the heat sink 506 via holes in the circuit board assembly 508. Fasteners 816 can be used to secure the bottom case member 110 to the heat sink 506 via holes in the heat shield 510 and the circuit board assembly 508. Any suitable adhesive can be used to adhere the foot pads 212 to the bottom case member 110. Additionally, in Figure 4 Within the exterior cavity 402 , a label 818 is shown adhered to the bottom of the bottom housing member 110 to cover the fastener 816 and the cantilever member 406 .

[0053] The top shell member 108 also includes a recess 820 in the inner surface of the vertical wall. The top shell member 108 is translucent between the recess 820 and the outer surface of the top shell member 108. The top shell member 108 is formed of a partially translucent material (e.g., a polymer or thermoplastic) so that light can pass through the material if the thickness of the material is below a threshold. For example, a light source (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED)) connected to the circuit board assembly 508 can radiate light onto the inner surface of the top shell member 108. Based on the thickness of the top shell member 108 being less than a threshold at a position aligned with the LED, such as between the recess 820 and the outer surface of the vertical wall 202, the light passes through the top shell member 108 at this position. The light can correspond to the operating state of the access point device 102. Any suitable position on the top shell member 108 can be used to provide a status light, including a position on the top portion 204 of the top shell member 108. The light blocker 822 is positioned around the recess 820 to prevent light from leaking through the top housing member 108 at locations or areas other than the intended location (e.g., the recess 820). Any suitable material can be used as the light blocker 822. One exemplary light blocker 822 includes graphite (e.g., a graphite adhesive) adhered to the top housing member 108. Another example light blocker 822 can be polyethylene terephthalate (PET) adhered to the top housing.

[0054] Fig. 9 A front perspective view 900 of an antenna carrier of an access point device is illustrated. The antenna carrier 502 has a generally disc-shaped body 902 having a flange 904 connected to an antenna 504. The antenna carrier 502 can be formed from any suitable non-conductive material, such as a polymer or a thermoplastic. In this implementation, the antenna carrier 502 includes four flanges 904, each of which carries a dipole (e.g., antenna 504) that can be implemented as a dual-band antenna. The antenna carrier 502 also includes a plurality of protrusions 906 (e.g., vertical beams) that abut the inner surface of the top portion 204 of the top shell member 108. The protrusions 906 define the position of the antenna 504 relative to the top portion 204 of the top shell member 108. Each antenna 504 includes a circuit board assembly 508 ( Figure 5 , 6 , 8A and 8B) of the wired connection.

[0055] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D Various views of an example circuit board assembly are illustrated. Fig. 10A Diagram Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Fig. 8A as well as Figure 8BAnd a perspective view 1000 of the circuit board assembly 508 oriented based on an axis 1002. The axis 1002 is aligned with a plane defined by a PCB 1004 of the circuit board assembly 508. Fig. 10B Diagram Fig. 10A 1010 of a top view of the circuit board assembly 508 of the access point device 102. The circuit board assembly 508 includes a system on a chip (SoC) 1012, a memory device 1014, a thread control block 1016, a wireless network module 1018, and a light emitting diode (LED) 1020. The memory device 1014 may include any suitable memory, such as a double data rate memory. The wireless network module 1018 may include any suitable wireless network module, such as a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi module. The LED 1020 corresponds to the operating state of the access point device 102. In various aspects, the LED 1020 is aligned with the recess 820 in the top shell member 108 to radiate light through the translucent portion of the top shell member 108 between the recess 820 and the outer surface of the top shell member 108.

[0056] Fig. 10C Diagram Fig. 10A 1030 of the circuit board assembly 508. Here, the Ethernet port 514 is shown extending vertically from the plane defined by the PCB 1004 of the circuit board assembly 508. Fig. 10D Diagram Fig. 10A 1040 is a bottom view of the circuit board assembly 508. The circuit board assembly 508 includes an additional wireless network module 1042, such as a 5 GHz Wi-Fi module. Using the wireless network module 1018 and the additional wireless network module 1042, the circuit board assembly 508 can be implemented as a dual-band router. In addition, the circuit board assembly 508 includes a tactile switch 1044 that can be used to switch power to the power connector 512. The circuit board assembly also includes a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) 1046 to control various components of the circuit board assembly 508, as well as components of the access point device 102. FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D The arrangement of components on the circuit board assembly 508 illustrated in FIG. 1004 is shown only as an example and should not be construed as limiting. The components of the circuit board assembly 508 may be implemented on the PCB 1004 in any suitable configuration to implement various aspects of the access point device 102 .

[0057] Example computing system

[0058] Fig.111 is a block diagram illustrating an example mesh network device 1100, which can be implemented as any mesh network device in a mesh network according to one or more aspects of the access point device described herein. The device 1100 can be integrated with electronic circuits, microprocessors, memory, input and output (I / O) logic control, communication interfaces and components, and other hardware, firmware, and / or software to implement a device in a mesh network. In addition, the mesh network device 1100 can be implemented with various components, such as with any number and combination of different components, as described with reference to Fig.12 The example apparatus shown is further described.

[0059] In this example, the mesh network device 1100 includes a low-power microprocessor 1102 and a high-power microprocessor 1104 (e.g., a microcontroller or a digital signal processor) that process executable instructions. The device also includes an input-output (I / O) logic control 1106 (e.g., to include an electronic circuit). The microprocessor may include an integrated circuit, a programmable logic device, a logic device formed using one or more semiconductors, and components of other implementations in silicon and / or hardware, such as a processor and memory system implemented as a system on a chip (SoC). Alternatively or additionally, the device may be implemented with any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuits that may be implemented by processing and control circuits. The low-power microprocessor 1102 and the high-power microprocessor 1104 may also support one or more different device functions of the device. For example, the high-power microprocessor 1104 may perform computationally intensive operations, while the low-power microprocessor 1102 may manage less complex processes, such as detecting danger or temperature from one or more sensors 1108. The low power processor 1102 may also wake up or initialize the high power processor 1104 to perform computationally intensive processing.

[0060] One or more sensors 1108 may be implemented to detect various characteristics, such as acceleration, temperature, humidity, water, supplied power, proximity, external motion, device motion, sound signals, ultrasonic signals, optical signals, fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, global positioning satellite (GPS) signals, radio frequency (RF), other electromagnetic signals or electromagnetic fields, etc. Thus, the sensors 1108 may include any one or combination of temperature sensors, humidity sensors, hazard-related sensors, safety sensors, other environmental sensors, accelerometers, microphones, optical sensors up to and including cameras (e.g., charge-coupled devices or video cameras), active or passive radiation sensors, GPS receivers, and radio frequency identification detectors. In implementations, the mesh network device 1100 may include one or more primary sensors and one or more secondary sensors, such as primary sensors that sense data central to the device's core operations (e.g., sensing temperature in a thermostat or sensing smoke in a smoke detector), while secondary sensors may sense other types of data (e.g., motion, light, or sound), which may be used for energy-saving purposes or smart operation purposes.

[0061] The mesh network device 1100 includes a memory device controller 1110 and a memory device 1112, such as any type of non-volatile memory and / or other suitable electronic data storage device. The mesh network device 1100 may also include various firmware and / or software, such as an operating system 1114, which is stored by the memory as computer executable instructions and executed by the microprocessor. The device software may also include a smart home application 1116 that implements various aspects of the access point device. The mesh network device 1100 also includes a device interface 1118 for docking with another device or peripheral component, and includes an integrated data bus 1120 that couples various components of the mesh network device for data communication between the components. The data bus in the mesh network device may also be implemented as any one or combination of different bus structures and / or bus architectures.

[0062] The device interface 1118 can receive input from the user and / or provide information to the user (e.g., as a user interface), and the received input can be used to determine the settings. The device interface 1118 can also include mechanical or virtual components that respond to user input. For example, the user can mechanically move a sliding or rotatable component, or motion along a touch pad can be detected, and such motion can correspond to a setting adjustment of the device. Physical and virtual movable user interface components can allow the user to set along a portion of the apparent continuum. The device interface 1118 can also receive input from any number of peripheral devices such as buttons, keypads, switches, microphones, and imagers (e.g., camera devices).

[0063] The mesh network device 1100 may include a network interface 1122, such as a mesh network interface for communicating with other mesh network devices on the mesh network, and an external network interface for network communications such as via the Internet. The mesh network device 1100 also includes a wireless radio system 1124 for wirelessly communicating with other mesh network devices via the mesh network interface and for a plurality of different wireless communication systems. The wireless radio system 1124 may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, TM , mobile broadband, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and / or point-to-point IEEE 802.15.4. Each different radio system may include a radio, antenna, and chipset implemented for a specific wireless communication technology. The mesh network device 1100 also includes a power supply 1126 such as a battery and / or for connecting the device to line voltage. AC power may also be used to charge the battery of the device.

[0064] Fig.12 is a block diagram illustrating an example system 1200 including an example device 1202 that can be implemented to implement the system 1200 as described previously with reference to FIG. Figure 1-11 The example device 1202 may be any type of computing device, client device, mobile phone, tablet computer, communication, entertainment, gaming, media playback, and / or other type of device. In addition, the example device 1202 may be implemented as any other type of mesh network device configured to communicate on a mesh network, such as a thermostat, a hazard detector, a camera, a lighting unit, a commissioning device, a router, a border router, a junction router, a junction device, an end device, a boot segment, an access point, a hub, and / or other mesh network devices.

[0065] Device 1202 includes a communication device 1204 that enables wired and / or wireless communication of device data 1206, such as data communicated between devices in a mesh network, data being received, data scheduled for broadcast, data packets of data, data synchronized between devices, etc. The device data may include any type of communication data, as well as audio, video, and / or image data generated by an application executing on the device. The communication device 1204 may also include a transceiver for cellular telephone communications and / or for network data communications.

[0066] The device 1202 also includes an input / output (I / O) interface 1208, such as a data network interface that provides a connection and / or communication link between the device, a data network (e.g., a mesh network, an external network, etc.), and other devices. The I / O interface can be used to couple the device to any type of component, peripheral device, and / or accessory device. The I / O interface also includes a data input port, via which any type of data, media content, and / or input can be received, such as user input to the device and any type of communication data, such as audio, video, and / or image data received from any content and / or data source.

[0067] The device 1202 includes a processing system 1210, which may be implemented at least in part using hardware, such as using any type of microprocessor or controller that processes executable instructions. The processing system may include integrated circuits, programmable logic devices, logic devices formed using one or more semiconductors, and components in other implementations of silicon and / or hardware (such as a processor and memory system implemented as a system on a chip (SoC)). Alternatively or additionally, the device may be implemented using any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuits that may be implemented using processing and control circuits. The device 1202 may further include any type of system bus or other data and command transmission system that couples the various components within the device. The system bus may include any one or combination of different bus structures and architectures, as well as control and data lines.

[0068] Device 1202 also includes computer-readable storage memory 1212, such as a data storage device that can be accessed by a computing device and provides persistent storage of data and executable instructions (e.g., software applications, modules, programs, functions, etc.). Computer-readable storage memory as described herein does not include propagating signals. Examples of computer-readable storage memory include volatile and non-volatile memory, fixed and removable media devices, and any suitable memory device or electronic data storage that holds data for access by a computing device. Computer-readable storage memory can include various implementations of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, and other types of storage memory in various memory device configurations.

[0069] The computer readable storage memory 1212 provides storage for device data 1206 and various device applications 1214, such as an operating system that is saved as a software application using the computer readable storage memory and executed by the processing system 1210. The device applications may also include a device manager, such as any form of control application, software application, signal processing and control module, code inherent to a specific device, and hardware abstraction layer for a specific device, etc. In this example, the device applications also include a smart home application 1216 that implements various aspects of an access point device, such as when the example device 1202 is implemented as any mesh network device described herein.

[0070] In aspects, at least a portion of the techniques described for an access point device can be implemented in a distributed system, such as on a "cloud" 1224 in a platform 1226. Cloud 1224 includes and / or is representative of platform 1226 of services 1228 and / or resources 1230.

[0071] The platform 1226 abstracts the underlying functionality of hardware such as server devices (e.g., included in services 1228) and / or software resources (e.g., included as resources 1230), and communicatively connects the example device 1202 to other devices, servers, etc. The resources 1230 may also include applications and / or data that can be utilized when performing computer processing on a server remote from the example device 1202. In addition, the services 1228 and / or resources 1230 may facilitate subscriber network services, such as over the Internet, a cellular network, or a Wi-Fi network. The platform 1226 may also be used to abstract and scale resources to service needs for resources 1230 implemented via the platform, such as in an interconnected device embodiment with functionality distributed throughout the system 1200. For example, the functionality may be partially implemented at the example device 1202 and via the platform 1226 that abstracts the functionality of the cloud 1224.

[0072] In addition to the above description, controls can also be provided to users (e.g., guests or hosts) that allow users to choose whether and when the systems, programs, or features described herein can collect user information (e.g., information about the user's social network, social activities or behaviors, occupation, the user's preferences, or the user's current location) and whether to send content or communications from the server to the user. In addition, before certain data is stored or used, the data may be processed in one or more ways to remove personally identifiable information. For example, the user's identity can be processed so that no personally identifiable information can be determined for the user, or the user's geographic location can be generalized when location information (such as city, zip code, or state level) is obtained so that the user's specific location cannot be determined. Therefore, the user can control what information is collected about the user, how the information is used, and what information is provided to the user.

[0073] Some examples are described below.

[0074] Example 1. An access point, comprising: a shell, comprising: a top shell member, the top shell member having a substantially cylindrical vertical wall; and a top portion, the top portion connected to a first end of the vertical wall via a rounded corner, the vertical wall having a longitudinal axis, the vertical wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface, based on the outer surface of the vertical wall being bent in the direction of the longitudinal axis and the inner surface of the vertical wall being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the vertical wall has a non-uniform thickness in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the top portion being concave downward in a side view of the top portion; and a bottom shell member, the bottom shell member connected to the top shell member at the second end of the vertical wall, the bottom shell member having a bottom outer surface and an opposite inner surface, the bottom outer surface defining a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, The bottom shell member includes a curved edge between the bottom outer surface and the vertical wall of the top shell member; an antenna carrier, the antenna carrier supporting multiple antennas operable to send and receive communication signals, the antenna carrier having a generally disc-shaped body and multiple flanges, one of the multiple flanges being connected to one of the multiple antennas, the antenna carrier being positioned within the shell so that the multiple antennas are positioned proximate to the inner surface of the vertical wall; a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly being positioned within the shell and operable to provide a gateway to a wireless network; a heat sink, the heat sink being positioned between the antenna carrier and the circuit board assembly within the shell; and a heat shield, the heat shield being positioned adjacent to the circuit board assembly to shield the circuit board assembly from electromagnetic interference, the circuit board assembly being positioned between the heat shield and the heat sink.

[0075] Example 2. The access point of Example 1, further comprising a heat sink positioned between the heat sink and the antenna carrier, the heat sink positioned between the heat sink and the circuit board assembly.

[0076] Example 3. The access point of Example 1, further comprising a heat sink positioned between the circuit board assembly and the thermal shield positioned between the circuit board assembly and the bottom housing member.

[0077] Example 4. The access point of Example 1, wherein the circuit board assembly includes one or more Ethernet ports.

[0078] Example 5. An access point according to Example 4, wherein: the bottom shell member includes an external cavity formed by a portion of the bottom outer surface; and the external cavity includes an inner side substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the external cavity has one or more openings aligned with one or more Ethernet ports of the circuit board assembly.

[0079] Example 6. The access point of Example 5, wherein the interior side of the external cavity further includes an additional opening aligned with a power connector on the circuit board assembly.

[0080] Example 7. The access point according to Example 1 further includes a cantilevered member, which is formed within the bottom shell member and connected to the bottom shell member at a fulcrum, wherein the cantilevered member is coplanar with a plane defined by the bottom outer surface; and is capable of being bent by a force applied to the free end of the cantilevered member to dock with a reset mechanism on the circuit board assembly.

[0081] Example 8. An access point according to Example 1, wherein: the top shell member includes a recess in the inner surface of the vertical wall; the vertical wall has a translucent portion between the recess and the outer surface of the vertical wall; and the access point further includes a light source, which is aligned with the recess to radiate light through the translucent portion of the vertical wall, and the light corresponds to the operating state of the access point.

[0082] Example 9. The access point of Example 8, further comprising a light blocker positioned around the recess to prevent light from passing through the vertical wall at locations other than the translucent portion.

[0083] Example 10. An access point according to Example 1, wherein: the shell includes a vertical step member, which connects the bottom shell member to the top shell member; the vertical step member is inserted toward the longitudinal axis; and the vertical step member forms a gap horizontally between the bottom shell member and the top shell member, and the gap has a substantially uniform height.

[0084] Example 11. The access point of Example 1, wherein the plurality of antennas comprises a plurality of dual-band antennas.

[0085] Example 12. The access point of Example 1, wherein the circuit board assembly is further operable to provide a node to a wireless mesh network.

[0086] Example 13. The access point of Example 1, wherein at least one of the top housing member or the bottom housing member is injection molded.

[0087] Example 14. The access point of Example 1, wherein the antenna carrier comprises a non-conductive material.

[0088] Example 15. The access point of example 1, wherein the thermal shield is shaped as a partial disk to enable one or more Ethernet ports on the circuit board assembly to be positioned adjacent to the bottom housing member.

[0089] Example 16. A system comprising: a shell, the shell comprising: first and second shell members, the first and second shell members sharing a common central axis and connected to each other, at least one of the first or second shell members comprising a side wall having an inner surface with a zero drift and a partially curved outer surface; and a rounded edge; a plurality of dual-band antennas, the plurality of dual-band antennas being positioned within the shell near the inner surface of the zero offset of the side wall; a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly being communicatively connected to the plurality of dual-band antennas to provide a gateway to a wireless network and to a node of a wireless mesh network; and a heat sink, the heat sink being positioned between the circuit board assembly and the plurality of antennas.

[0090] Example 17. The system of Example 16, further comprising a thermal shield positioned proximate to the circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly positioned between the thermal shield and the heat sink.

[0091] Example 18. The system of Example 17, wherein the thermal shield shields the circuit board assembly from electromagnetic interference from at least one of a power cable or an Ethernet cable.

[0092] Example 19. The system of Example 16, wherein one of the first or second housing members includes one or more openings that align with one or more Ethernet ports on the circuit board assembly.

[0093] Example 20. A system according to Example 19, wherein: the circuit board assembly further includes a power connector, which is positioned proximate to the one or more Ethernet ports; and one of the first or second shell members includes an opening through the shell, which is aligned with the power connector.

[0094] Example 21. A system according to Example 16, wherein: the partially curved outer surface of the side wall is curved in the direction of the central axis; and the side wall has a thickness that varies based on the inner surface of the zero point offset and the partially curved outer surface.

[0095] Example 22. The system of Example 16, further comprising an antenna carrier supporting the plurality of dual-band antennas, the antenna carrier comprising a non-conductive material.

[0096] Example 23. A system according to Example 16, wherein: the shell includes a flange that docks the first shell member to the second shell member, and based on the flange being horizontally offset from the outer surfaces of the first and second shell members, the outer surfaces of the first and second shell members are separated by a gap, and the gap has a substantially uniform height.

[0097] Example 24. The system of Example 16 further includes a light emitting diode (LED) connected to the circuit board assembly and positioned within the housing, wherein: a portion of one of the side walls is translucent between the partially curved outer surface and a recess in the inner surface of the zero offset of at least one of the first or second housing members; and the LED is positioned proximate to the recess to radiate light through the translucent portion of one of the side walls.

[0098] in conclusion

[0099] Although aspects of the access point device have been described in language specific to features and / or methods, the subject matter of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations of the access point device, and other equivalent features and methods are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, various different aspects are described, and it should be understood that each described aspect may be implemented independently or in combination with one or more other described aspects.

Claims

1. An access point, comprising: A housing, the housing comprising: a top housing member having a wall curved about a longitudinal axis, the top housing member having a top end portion connected to a first end of the wall, the wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface; and a bottom shell member connected to the top shell member at a second end of the wall, the bottom shell member having a bottom exterior surface and an opposite interior surface, the bottom shell member including a curved edge between the bottom exterior surface and the second end of the wall of the top shell member, the bottom shell member including an exterior cavity formed by a portion of the bottom exterior surface, the exterior cavity being accessible via an opening in the curved edge of the bottom shell member; a plurality of antennas positioned within the housing and operable to transmit and receive communication signals; A circuit board assembly positioned within the housing and operable to provide a gateway to a wireless network, wherein the bottom housing member includes a plurality of additional openings located on a surface of the external cavity, the surface of the external cavity being located on a side of the longitudinal axis opposite the opening of the curved edge of the bottom housing member, the plurality of additional openings including one or more first openings for receiving one or more Ethernet cables and a second opening for receiving a power connector, the plurality of additional openings being configured to receive the one or more Ethernet cables and the power connector in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

2. The access point according to claim 1, wherein: The circuit board assembly includes one or more Ethernet ports.

3. The access point of claim 2, wherein: The external cavity includes an inner side parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the one or more openings are aligned with the one or more Ethernet ports of the circuit board assembly.

4. The access point according to claim 3, wherein: The second opening is aligned with a power connector on the circuit board assembly.

5. The access point of claim 1 , further comprising a cantilever member formed within the bottom housing member and connected to the bottom housing member at a fulcrum, wherein: The cantilevered member is bendable by a force applied to a free end of the cantilevered member to interface with a reset mechanism on the circuit board assembly.

6. The access point of claim 1, wherein: said top housing member comprising a recess in said inner surface of said wall; The wall has a translucent portion between the recess and the outer surface of the wall; and The access point further includes a light source aligned with the recess to radiate light through the translucent portion of the wall, the light corresponding to an operational state of the access point.

7. The access point of claim 6, further comprising a light blocker positioned around the recess to prevent light from passing through the wall at locations other than the translucent portion.

8. The access point of claim 1, wherein: The housing includes a step member that docks the bottom housing member to the top housing member; The step member is inserted toward the longitudinal axis; and The step member forms a gap having a uniform height between the bottom housing member and the second end of the top housing member.

9. The access point of claim 8, wherein: The uniform height of the gap is in the range of 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm; The step member is inserted from the outer surface of the top housing member by a distance in the range of 0.25 mm to 1.0 mm; and The gap has a height variation of less than 0.5 mm.

10. The access point according to claim 8, wherein: The bottom housing member is shorter than the top housing member such that the gap is located on a lower half of the housing.

11. The access point according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of antennas include a plurality of dual-band antennas.

12. The access point according to claim 1, wherein: The circuit board assembly is further operable to provide a node to a wireless mesh network.

13. The access point of claim 1, wherein: At least one of the top housing member and the bottom housing member is injection molded.

14. The access point of claim 1, further comprising: an antenna carrier positioned within the housing and configured to support the plurality of antennas, wherein: The antenna carrier has a disc-shaped body and a plurality of flanges; A flange of the plurality of flanges is connected to an antenna of the plurality of antennas; and The plurality of antennas are positioned proximate the inner surface of the wall.

15. The access point of claim 14, further comprising: a heat sink positioned between the antenna carrier and the circuit board assembly within the housing; as well as A heat shield is positioned adjacent to the circuit board assembly to shield the circuit board assembly from electromagnetic interference, the circuit board assembly being positioned between the heat shield and the heat sink.

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