A method for configuring a wireless communication node and a donor antenna and a service antenna therefor.

Abstract

A wireless communication node employs a method for configuring its antennas at or after node installation. The antennas are positioned at fixed locations in a predefined arrangement. The node includes antennas, one or more processors, and a memory storing processor-executable instructions for the processors. In response to the processor-executable instructions, the processor processes wireless signals received by a first antenna and determines whether such processed signals meet base station discovery criteria. If so, the processor designates the first antenna as a donor antenna and designates some or all of the remaining antennas as serving antennas. If not, the processor processes wireless signals received by a second antenna and determines whether such processed signals meet base station discovery criteria. If so, the processor designates the second antenna as a donor antenna and designates some or all of the remaining antennas, including the first antenna, as serving antennas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to antennas and antenna selection schemes. More specifically, although not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to wireless communication nodes such as repeaters and methods for configuring donor antennas and service antennas for such nodes.

Background Art

[0002] The successful deployment of 5G systems utilizing the new 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) band is complex and requires multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas or other antenna structures, adopting emerging standards such as millimeter wave or C-band 5G, and further improvement of performance parameters. Millimeter wave 5G systems may also require more base stations, especially in urban and other environments, due to the high propagation loss of mmWave signals. However, the cost of deploying base stations to increase the coverage and capacity of mmWave 5G networks in urban environments can be substantial considering the costs of equipment, new poles, land acquisition, obtaining utility power, and implementing fiber backhaul for such installations. Therefore, more cost-effective solutions are needed for the densification of mmWave 5G and other typical line-of-sight communication systems.

[0003] All of the subject matter described in the background art section is not necessarily prior art and should not be assumed to be prior art simply as a result of the description in the background art section. Along these lines, any recognition of problems in the prior art described in the background art section or related to such subject matter should not be treated as prior art unless explicitly stated as such. Instead, the description of any subject matter in the background art section should be treated as part of the inventor's approach to a particular problem that may itself be inventive.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node includes, among other things, a donor antenna and a service antenna, an actuator (e.g., a rotary actuator such as a servo, stepper, induction, or other type of motor), one or more processors, and memory. The donor antenna and the service antenna may each be implemented as a phased array antenna having an array of electronically controllable antenna elements. The donor antenna and the service antenna are positioned in a predetermined arrangement around a central axis which may be the central axis of a support structure to which the antennas are coupled. Each donor antenna is operable to communicate radio signals with a base station (e.g., a 5G gNodeB or gNB) after the base station has been discovered by the radio communication node (e.g., to transmit radio signals to and receive radio signals from the base station). Each service antenna is operable to communicate radio signals within one or more service areas or coverage areas (e.g., to transmit signals to and receive signals from mobile devices, tablet computers, wireless routers, or other user equipment located within one or more service areas). In one exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node can be mounted in the air on streetlights, utility poles, or other structures. In another exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node can function as an infrastructure component such as a repeater, relay node, small cell node, access point, gateway, or router in a radio communication system (e.g., a mmWave or C-band 5G system), or as an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node in a 5G IAB network. In a further exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node may include a total of four antennas: one donor antenna and three service antennas, each antenna configured approximately orthogonal to its adjacent antennas so as to form a substantially rectangular arrangement. Such an arrangement serves to improve radio frequency isolation between antennas. In another exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node may include a total of three antennas: one donor antenna and two service antennas, each antenna configured at approximately 120 degrees from its adjacent antennas so as to form a substantially triangular arrangement.In other embodiments, two or more antennas may be used, depending on the quantity and geography of the coverage area served by the service antenna.

[0005] The processor is operable, among other things, to communicate control signals to actuators and to process radio signals received by at least a donor antenna. For example, the processor may be operablely coupled directly or indirectly to an actuator and operably coupled to a donor antenna and / or a service antenna via conventional radio transceiver circuitry. Memory stores instructions (e.g., executable code) for execution by the processor. When such instructions are executed by the processor, they cause the processor to perform various steps or tasks. For example, when such instructions are executed, the processor can process a first radio signal received by a donor antenna and determine whether the first radio signal meets base station discovery criteria to enable base station discovery. In the context of this disclosure, a radio signal received by a donor antenna meets base station discovery criteria if the radio signal meets or exceeds the base station discovery criteria. The base station discovery criteria may include one or more of the following: a base station identifier, signal strength or other signal quality criteria (e.g., threshold or level), channel load criteria, and bandwidth criteria. For example, base station discovery criteria may include parameters, thresholds, or other criteria for determining whether a radio signal received by a donor antenna is of sufficient quality to be decoded by a radio communication node or user equipment with an acceptable level of accuracy, whether it meets or exceeds a signal strength threshold, whether it contains a base station identifier, whether it contains data or information on which the base station load can be determined, and / or whether it contains data or information on the channel frequencies and bandwidths supported by the base station.

[0006] When a first radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria, and a stored instruction is executed, the processor can provide one or more beam control signals to a donor antenna to cause the donor antenna to form a beam pattern in the direction of the base station. According to this disclosure, beam formation includes any one or more of beamforming, beam steering, spatial filtering, or other known or future beamforming techniques. In exemplary embodiments, the formed beam pattern is sufficient to achieve a signal intensity above a threshold for subsequent signals received from the base station.

[0007] When a first radio signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria, and a stored instruction is executed, the processor communicates a first control signal to the actuator. The actuator is operable to rotate the donor antenna and service antenna as a group around a central axis in response to the control signal from the processor. The first control signal received by the actuator from the processor causes the actuator to rotate the antennas as a group in incremental clockwise (e.g., to the right) or counterclockwise (e.g., to the left) by an angular displacement relative to the current position of the group of antennas. In one exemplary embodiment, such an angular displacement may be between about 5 degrees and about 10 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the current position of the group of antennas. If the group of donor antenna and service antenna is coupled to a support structure defining a central axis, the actuator can rotate the support structure around the central axis, thereby rotating the donor antenna and service antenna as a group around the central axis.

[0008] After the group of antennas has been collectively rotated by an angular displacement, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor processes the second radio signal received by the donor antenna and determines whether the second radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria. If the second radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria, when the stored instruction is executed, the processor can provide one or more beam control signals to the donor antenna to cause it to form a beam pattern in the direction of the base station. If the second radio signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria, when the stored instruction is executed, the processor can communicate the second control signal to the actuator. The second control signal can cause the actuator to incrementally rotate the antennas as a group by another angular displacement, which is the same or a different angular displacement as the one used when it was determined that the first radio signal did not meet the base station discovery criteria. For example, if the stored instruction implements coarse and fine adjustment methods, the angular displacement used after it is determined that the second radio signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria may be smaller than the angular displacement used in response to it being determined that the first radio signal did not meet the base station discovery criteria. In contrast, if the stored instruction implements a uniform rotation method, the angular displacement used after determining that the second radio signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria may be substantially the same as the angular displacement used in response to determining that the first radio signal did not meet the base station discovery criteria. Once the stored instruction is executed, the processor can continue the iterative processing-rotation-processing technique until a radio signal that meets the base station discovery criteria is received by the donor antenna.

[0009] After the donor antenna receives a radio signal that satisfies the base station discovery criteria, and a stored instruction is executed, the processor can provide the donor antenna with one or more beam control signals to cause the donor antenna to form a beam pattern in the direction of the base station. Also, once the stored instruction is executed, the processor can establish a radio connection with the base station (for example, if the radio communication node is a small cell node). Furthermore, once the stored instruction is executed, the processor can provide one or more beam control signals to each service antenna to cause the service antennas to form their respective beam patterns to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas or each of the service areas. According to one exemplary embodiment, the beam control signals provided to the donor antenna and service antennas are such that the donor antenna forms a beam pattern having a higher gain and narrower beamwidth than the beam pattern formed by one or more of the service antennas. Thus, beamforming control signals provided to the donor antenna or service antennas can be used to form a beam pattern of a desired gain and desired beamwidth that is directed or steered to a desired azimuth and / or elevation angle. Furthermore, the donor antenna, the service antenna, or both may include each array of antenna elements configured in their respective phased antenna arrays. In such cases, the processor can provide beam control signals to each phased antenna array to cause the phased antenna array to form a desired beam pattern directed towards the base station (for the donor antenna) or towards the service area (for the service antenna).

[0010] According to alternative embodiments, the donor antenna and service antenna may form part of or be housed within an antenna module that includes a housing, cover, or some other protective enclosure. The antenna module may also include a support structure to which the donor antenna and service antenna are coupled. Furthermore, the antenna module and / or support structure may be mounted on another electronic device or module, such as a streetlamp-mountable device, which includes other circuits of the radio communication node and, optionally, circuits for performing other functions such as streetlamp lighting control, power measurement, or location services. In such cases, or when the antenna is coupled to the support structure without an antenna module, the antenna module or support structure may include a light pipe that directs ambient light to the antenna module, the support structure, or a light sensor in the electronic device to which the antenna module or support structure is mounted. For example, if the antenna module or support structure is mounted on an electronic device mounted on a streetlamp lighting fixture and the electronic device includes a light sensor to facilitate the performance of light control functions, the antenna module or support structure may include a light pipe to allow ambient light to reach the light sensor of the electronic device. In this embodiment, the electronic device and the antenna module or support structure can form all or part of the wireless communication node, and the electronic device may include one or more processors, memory, and various other components of the wireless communication node.

[0011] According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, once a stored processor executable instruction is executed, the processor can detect that the radio communication node has been powered on and then communicate an initial control signal to the actuator. In this case, the initial control signal may be part of an automatic configuration operation for the radio communication node and can cause the actuator to rotate the donor antenna and service antenna as a group by a predetermined angular displacement (e.g., in increments of 5 to 10 degrees) until a predetermined amount of displacement or rotation (e.g., 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, or 360 degrees) is completed (e.g., rotate the support structure to which the antennas are coupled). At each angular displacement increment, the processor can process one or more radio signals received by the donor antenna to determine whether one or more signals meet the base station discovery criteria for enabling base station discovery. The processor can discover base stations to lock or establish a connection with before the completion of the automatic configuration process, or it can collect candidate base station data during the automatic configuration process and select (discover) a base station to lock or establish a connection with upon completion of the automatic configuration (e.g., after the group of antennas has been rotated over the entire predetermined angular displacement).

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a wireless communication node includes an antenna module, a donor antenna and a service antenna, an actuator, one or more processors, and memory. The antenna module includes a support structure defining a central axis. The antennas are oriented in a predetermined configuration about the central axis and coupled to the support structure. The actuators are operable to rotate the support structure about the central axis in response to one or more control signals. The processors are operable to communicate control signals to the actuators and to process wireless signals received by at least the donor antenna. The memory stores processor-executable instructions. When executed by the processor, the processor-executable instructions cause the processor to execute an antenna configuration routine.

[0013] For example, according to this exemplary embodiment, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor processes a first radio signal received by the donor antenna and determines whether the first radio signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria for enabling connection with a base station. The radio signal received by the donor antenna satisfies the base station discovery criteria if the radio signal satisfies or exceeds the base station discovery criteria. If the first radio signal does not satisfy the base station discovery criteria, when the stored instruction is executed, the processor communicates a first control signal to the actuator, thereby causing the actuator to rotate the support structure by an angular displacement. After the support structure has been rotated by the angular displacement, when the stored instruction is executed, the processor processes a second radio signal received by the donor antenna and determines whether the second radio signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria. If the second radio signal does not satisfy the base station discovery criteria, when the stored instruction is executed, the processor communicates an additional actuation control signal to the actuator to rotate the support structure incrementally by the angular displacement until the processor determines that at least one received radio signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria. When a radio signal received by a donor antenna meets the base station discovery criteria, the radio communication node can establish a connection with the base station that transmitted the criterion-measuring radio signal through the operation of the processor. After the connection is established, or as part of establishing the connection, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor can provide beam control signals to the donor antenna, causing it to form a desired beam pattern in the direction of the base station.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a wireless communication node includes a donor antenna and a service antenna positioned in a predetermined arrangement around a central axis, an actuator, one or more processors, and a memory. The actuator is operable to rotate the antennas as a group around the central axis in response to one or more control signals. The processor is operable to communicate control signals to the actuator and to process wireless signals received by at least the donor antenna. The memory stores processor-executable instructions. When executed by the processor, the processor-executable instructions cause the processor to execute an antenna configuration routine.

[0015] For example, according to this exemplary embodiment, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor communicates at least one control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to rotate a group of antennas incrementally by a predetermined angular displacement (e.g., 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, or 360 degrees) until the displacement is completed. Also when a stored instruction is executed, the processor processes one or more radio signals received by the donor antenna incrementally by each angular displacement to collect candidate base station data. Furthermore, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor selects a candidate base station from the candidate base station data to establish a connection and provides a beam control signal to the donor antenna to cause the donor antenna to form a desired beam pattern in the direction of the selected base station. Also when a stored instruction is executed, the processor can compare the candidate base station data of each candidate base station with a base station discovery criterion and select a candidate base station having candidate base station data that satisfies the base station discovery criterion. If the candidate base station data indicates that signals from two or more base stations satisfy the base station discovery criterion, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor can select a base station having the best overall candidate base station data. Furthermore, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor can provide beam control signals to each service antenna to cause the service antenna to form a desired beam pattern directed towards its respective service area. In this embodiment, if a predetermined angular displacement is greater than 180 degrees, when a stored instruction is executed, the processor can send control signals to the actuators to rotate the donor antenna and service antennas as a group by 180 degrees or less in either direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) from their starting position to mitigate any twisting of the antenna, the antenna module containing the antenna, or the cables that may be connected to the support structure to which the antenna is coupled.

[0016] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides an exemplary method for configuring donor and service antennas for operation in a wireless communication system including at least one base station and at least one wireless communication node. This method may be performed by one or more processors and / or other components of the wireless communication node. According to this embodiment, the donor and service antennas are configured in a predetermined arrangement around a central axis.

[0017] According to the exemplary method, a radio signal received by the donor antenna is processed, and a determination is made as to whether the radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria. If the radio signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria, the donor antenna and service antenna are rotated together around the central axis by an angular displacement. After the rotation, another radio signal received by the donor antenna is processed, and a determination is made as to whether that radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria. If the radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria, a beam pattern is formed on the donor antenna in the direction from which the radio signal was received (e.g., in the direction of the base station). The donor antenna beam pattern may be formed to achieve a signal intensity above a threshold for subsequent signals received from the base station. If the radio signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria, the donor antenna and service antenna are rotated together around the central axis by another angular displacement. The latter angular displacement may be the same as or different from the former angular displacement (e.g., when using a coarse / fine adjustment process, the angular displacement may change throughout the configuration process (e.g., become smaller)). After or during the formation of the donor antenna's beam pattern, a beam pattern is formed for each service antenna to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas or each of their respective service areas.

[0018] Accordingly, according to this exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node uses repetitive signal processing and antenna group rotation methods to automatically configure or position groups of donor and service antennas, enabling the donor antenna to establish a high-quality radio communication signal path with the base station. Such a method can be highly beneficial both in terms of performance and economics when the radio communication node is installed in a system where the support structure and utility power for the node are already available, such as on or above streetlights or other aerial lighting equipment, utility poles, buildings, etc.

[0019] Further embodiments of the present disclosure provide another exemplary method for configuring donor and service antennas of a radio communication node for operation in a radio communication system including at least one base station and at least one radio communication node. This method may be performed by one or more processors and / or other components of the radio communication node. According to this embodiment, the donor and service antennas are configured in a predetermined arrangement around a central axis.

[0020] In this exemplary method, the donor antenna and service antenna are rotated incrementally as a group by a predetermined angular displacement (e.g., 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, 360 degrees, etc.) until the predetermined angular displacement is completed. At each angular displacement increment, one or more radio signals received by the donor antenna are processed to collect candidate base station data. Once the predetermined angular displacement is completed, a base station is selected or discovered from the candidate base station data. Next, a beam pattern is formed for the donor antenna in the direction of the selected base station (e.g., to achieve a signal strength or signal quality above a desired level for subsequent signals received from the base station). Furthermore, a beam pattern is formed for each service antenna to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas. If the predetermined angular displacement is greater than 180 degrees, the rotation of the donor antenna and service antenna as a group may be limited to 180 degrees or less in either direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) from the starting position to mitigate any twisting of the antenna, the antenna module containing the antenna, or the cables that may be connected to the support structure to which the antenna is coupled.

[0021] Therefore, according to this exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node uses a more comprehensive analytical technique to automatically configure or position groups of donor and service antennas, enabling the donor antenna to establish a high-quality radio communication path with a base station. According to this embodiment, signals received by the donor antenna over larger angular displacements or rotations are processed before selecting a base station to establish a connection with. Such a method can be particularly useful when the radio communication node is installed in a fixed location in the system, such as on or above a streetlamp or other aerial lighting fixture, a utility pole, or a building, where the node's support structure and utility power are already available.

[0022] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a radio communication node includes a plurality of antennas positioned in a predetermined arrangement, one or more processors capable of processing radio signals received by the antennas and communicating one or more control signals to the antennas, and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions. In accordance with the stored instructions, the processor processes at least one radio signal received by a first antenna to generate at least one processed first antenna signal. The processor then determines whether the at least one processed first antenna signal satisfies a base station discovery criterion. The base station discovery criterion may include one or more of a base station identifier, signal strength or other signal quality criteria, channel load criteria, and bandwidth criteria.

[0023] When at least one processed first antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criterion, the processor designates the first antenna as a donor antenna, and the donor antenna is operable to communicate subsequent radio signals with the base station that transmitted the radio signal received by the first antenna (e.g., a base station discovered by a radio communication node). In addition, when the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna, the processor designates some or all of the remaining antennas as one or more service antennas. When at least one processed first antenna signal does not satisfy the base station discovery criterion, the processor processes at least one radio signal received by the second antenna to generate at least one processed second antenna signal, and when the processed second antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criterion, the processor designates the second antenna as a donor antenna. In such a case, the processor may further designate the other remaining antennas, including the first antenna, as one or more service antennas. Each service antenna is capable of communicating radio signals within one or more service areas or coverage areas (for example, transmitting signals to and receiving signals from mobile devices, tablet computers, wireless routers, or other user equipment located within one or more service coverage areas).

[0024] After designating an antenna as a donor antenna, the processor can provide the donor antenna with one or more beam control signals to cause it to form a beam pattern in the direction of the base station. Such beam control signals can also cause the donor antenna to form a beam pattern to achieve a signal strength above a threshold for subsequent signals received from the base station. Furthermore, the processor can provide each service antenna with one or more beam control signals to cause each service antenna to form its own beam pattern to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas (e.g., each service area). According to another exemplary embodiment, the beam pattern of the donor antenna has a higher gain and a narrower beamwidth than the beam pattern of the service antennas.

[0025] According to further exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the antenna comprises a total of four antennas, each antenna configured substantially orthogonal to adjacent antennas so as to form a substantially rectangular arrangement. Alternatively, the antennas may be housed within an antenna module, which includes a light pipe directing ambient light towards a light sensor. In such a case, or in other embodiments, the radio communication node may be constructed to be mountable on a streetlamp. The radio communication node may be a repeater in a radio access network, a relay node in a radio access network, or an IAB node in an IAB network. In another exemplary embodiment, the radio communication node may comprise a total of three antennas, each antenna configured at approximately 120 degrees from its adjacent antennas so as to form a substantially triangular arrangement. In other embodiments, two or more antennas may be used, depending on the quantity and geography of the coverage area to be served by the service antenna.

[0026] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a radio communication node includes a plurality of antennas positioned in a predetermined arrangement, one or more processors capable of processing radio signals received by the antennas and communicating one or more control signals to the antennas, and memory for storing processor-executable instructions. According to the stored instructions, the processor processes at least one radio signal received by a first antenna to collect first candidate base station data, and processes at least one radio signal received by a second antenna to collect second candidate base station data. Based on the first and second candidate base station data, the processor selects a base station to communicate with. When a base station is selected from the first candidate base station data, the processor designates the first antenna as a donor antenna capable of communicating the base station with subsequent radio signals. The processor also designates the remaining antennas as one or more service antennas. On the other hand, when a base station is selected from the second candidate base station data, the processor may designate the second antenna as a donor antenna and designate the remaining antennas, including the first antenna, as one or more service antennas. The designation or selection of a donor antenna may also be based on whether the candidate base station data meets base station discovery criteria, such as base station identifier, signal strength or other signal quality criteria, channel load criteria, and bandwidth criteria, one or more of these criteria.

[0027] After designating a donor antenna, the processor can provide beam control signals to the donor antenna to cause it to form a desired beam pattern in the direction of the base station. Furthermore, the processor can provide beam control signals to each service antenna to cause it to form a desired beam pattern directed towards each of one or more service areas.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the wireless communication node has a total of four antennas, and each of the antennas is configured to be substantially orthogonal to adjacent antennas among the antennas in a substantially rectangular arrangement. Alternatively or additionally, the antennas may be housed within an antenna module, and this antenna module includes a light pipe that directs ambient light towards a light sensor.

[0029] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the wireless communication node includes four antennas, one or more processors operable to process wireless signals received by the antennas and communicate one or more control signals to the antennas, and a memory storing processor-executable instructions. Each of the four antennas is configured to be substantially orthogonal to adjacent antennas among the antennas. In accordance with the stored instructions, the processor processes at least one wireless signal received by the first antenna to generate at least one processed first antenna signal. The processor determines whether the at least one processed first antenna signal meets a base station discovery criterion. If so, the processor designates the first antenna as a donor antenna operable to communicate subsequent wireless signals with the base station that transmitted the wireless signal received by the first antenna (i.e., the base station discovered by the wireless communication node). The processor also designates the three remaining antennas as service antennas.

[0030] When the at least one processed first antenna signal does not meet the base station discovery criterion, the processor processes at least one wireless signal received by the second antenna to generate at least one processed second antenna signal, and when the at least one processed second antenna signal meets the base station discovery criterion, designates the second antenna as the donor antenna. When the second antenna is the donor antenna, the processor designates the other three remaining antennas including the first antenna as service antennas.

[0031] According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, an exemplary method is provided for configuring an antenna of a radio communication node for operation in a radio communication system including at least one base station and a radio communication node. The method may be performed by one or more processors and / or other components of the radio communication node. According to this embodiment, the antenna is configured in a fixed position in a predetermined arrangement.

[0032] According to an exemplary method, at least one radio signal received by the first antenna is processed to determine whether the radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria. If the radio signal received by the first antenna meets the base station discovery criteria, the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna capable of communicating the subsequent radio signal with the base station that transmitted the radio signal. When the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna, some or all of the remaining antennas are designated as one or more service antennas. However, if the radio signal received by the first antenna does not meet the base station discovery criteria, at least one radio signal received by the second antenna is processed to determine whether the radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria. If the radio signal received by the second antenna meets the base station discovery criteria, the second antenna is designated as a donor antenna, and some or all of the remaining antennas, including the first antenna, may be designated as one or more service antennas.

[0033] According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, an exemplary method is provided for configuring an antenna of a radio communication node for operation in a radio communication system including at least one base station and a radio communication node. The method may be performed by one or more processors and / or other components of the radio communication node. According to this embodiment, the antenna is configured in a fixed position in a predetermined arrangement.

[0034] According to this exemplary method, at least one radio signal received by a first antenna is processed to collect first candidate base station data. Furthermore, at least one radio signal received by a second antenna is processed to collect second candidate base station data. The base station to communicate with is selected based on the first candidate base station data and the second candidate base station data.

[0035] When a base station is selected from the first candidate base station data, the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna capable of communicating with the base station and subsequent radio signals. In addition, some or all of the remaining antennas are designated as service antennas. When a base station is selected from the second candidate base station data, the second antenna is designated as a donor antenna, and some or all of the remaining antennas, including the first antenna, are designated as service antennas. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0036] Non-limiting and non-exclusive embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings, and similar reference numerals refer to similar parts or elements throughout the various drawings unless otherwise specified. The size and relative position of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements are selected, enlarged, and positioned to improve the readability of the drawings. The specific shapes of elements depicted are selected to facilitate recognition in the drawings. [Figure 1] A block diagram of a wireless communication node according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a wireless communication node mounted in an exemplary manner on a streetlamp, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] A further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure shows a logic flow diagram of the steps performed to select the donor antenna and service antenna of the wireless communication node in Figure 1. [Figure 4] A block diagram of an alternative wireless communication node according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 5] Figure 4 shows a combined top view and block diagram of the wireless communication node in an exemplary streetlamp-mountable configuration according to further embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a wireless communication node mounted in an exemplary manner on a streetlamp, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Further exemplary embodiments of this disclosure show exemplary antenna mounting and beam pattern formation for various antennas of the wireless communication node shown in Figure 2 or Figure 4. [Figure 8] A logic flow diagram of the steps performed to configure the donor antenna and service antenna of the wireless communication node in Figure 4, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown. [Figure 9] An alternative logic flow diagram of the steps performed to configure the donor antenna and service antenna of the wireless communication node in Figure 4 is shown according to an additional exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] The following description includes certain specific details to provide a complete understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without using one or more of these specific details, or using other methods, components, materials, etc. Also, in these examples, well-known structures are omitted or shown and described in reduced detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0038] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the wireless communication node 200 is shown in a block diagram and in a form mounted on a streetlamp according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The exemplary wireless communication node 200 includes a set or group of two or more antennas 101-104 (four are shown for illustrative purposes only) oriented in different directions, one or more processors 107 (one is shown for illustrative purposes only), and memory 109. The wireless communication node 200 may be a repeater, relay node, or small cell node in a radio access network (RAN), or an IAB node in an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network.

[0039] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, antennas 101-104 are fixed and positioned, and are immovable individually or as a group. If the set of antennas 101-104 includes four antennas 101-104, each antenna 101-104 may be configured substantially orthogonal to adjacent antennas 101-104, as shown in Figure 1. Positioning each antenna 101-104 substantially orthogonal to each adjacent antenna 101-104 helps to provide isolation between antennas 101-104 during operation. In other embodiments, such as those described below with respect to Figures 4-9, the antennas 101-104 may be rotatable as a group around a central axis (e.g., axis 606 in Figure 6).

[0040] In Figure 1, the antennas 101-104 of the exemplary wireless communication node 200 are shown as being substantially coplanar. However, in alternative embodiments, the antennas 101-104 may be positioned in different planes relative to each other (e.g., different parallel planes), such as in a stacked arrangement, an offset stacked arrangement, or other multiplanar configuration.

[0041] Memory 109 stores instructions that can be executed by the processor 107 during the operation of the wireless communication node 200. Instructions may be implemented as any set of firmware, software, or data that can be executed or made available by the processor 107 to cause the processor 107 to perform various routines, algorithms, processes, or methods. Memory 109 may also be used for other purposes, including storing data reported from sensors in or attached to the wireless communication node 200, and storing additional instructions to cause the processor 107 to perform artificial intelligence or other functions. The processor 107 may be any known processor, and in some embodiments may be field-programmable. If the processor 107 is field-programmable, the processor 107 may be implemented as or include a field-programmable gate array.

[0042] As very schematically shown in Figure 1 and described in more detail below, processor 107 interfaces with the set of antennas 101-104 to receive and process radio signals received by antennas 101-104, and provides beam control signals to antennas 101-104 when they are constructed to receive and respond to beam control signals. Antennas 101-104 may be controllable by processor 107 if they are constructed to facilitate electron beamforming (e.g., beamforming, beam steering, or spatial filtering), for example, if antennas 101-104 are electronically controllable phased array antennas.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will readily recognize and understand that the block diagram of Figure 1 does not depict various components that may be included in a particular wireless communication node 200, including but not limited to a power supply, one or more wireless transceivers, filters, a high-precision clock, and various other components and modules that may be included in a 5G wireless communication device. Such components have been omitted from the drawings to minimize complexity and facilitate a better understanding of the subject matter of this disclosure.

[0044] To protect antennas 101-104 from weather and other environmental influences, antennas 101-104 may form part of an antenna module 105 which may include a housing 201 and / or a support structure. If the wireless communication node 200 also performs functions based on the amount of ambient light detected, for example, if it provides control of a street light fixture 206 or other aerial lighting equipment configured to be mounted, attached to, or controlled by the wireless communication node 200, the wireless communication node 200 may include a light sensor 130. In some embodiments, the light sensor 130 may be located within the antenna module 105, or within another electronic device or module 202 of the wireless communication node 200 to which the antenna module 105 is mounted. The electronic module 202 may be a small cell node or multifunction device, for example, including small cell functions, light control functions, power measurement, tilt and / or vibration sensing, image capture functions, and / or general Internet of Things (IoT) functions. If the wireless communication node 200 includes an antenna module 105 and / or an electronic module 202 to which the antenna module 105 is mounted, the wireless communication node 200 or its antenna module 105 (for example, as part of the support structure for the antenna module) may further include a light pipe 120 for directing ambient light to the light sensor 130 of the wireless communication node. If the light sensor 130 is contained within the electronic module 202 to which the antenna module 105 is mounted, and the electronic module 202 and its light sensor 130 are positioned below (or above, depending on the installation configuration) the antenna module 105, the light pipe 120 may be routed through the antenna module housing 201 or through an antenna module support structure such as a post configured between the antenna module housing 201 and an opening in the electronic module 202 aligned with the light sensor 130.

[0045] As shown in Figure 2, the wireless communication node 200 may be mounted on a streetlamp or other equipment exposed to ambient light. When the wireless communication node 200 is mounted on a streetlamp, the light sensor 130 of the wireless communication node may be used as part of a system for controlling the operation of the streetlamp. In Figure 1, the light pipe 120 and the light sensor 130 are shown arranged linearly along the central vertical axis of the antenna module 105 or its support structure. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the light pipe 120 may be wired in any way to direct ambient light to the light sensor 130 positioned below or elsewhere than the antenna module 105. In a further embodiment, the light sensor 120 may be contained within the antenna module 105 rather than within the electronic module 202 to which the antenna module 105 is mounted.

[0046] Referring again to Figure 2, the wireless communication node 200 may be mounted on the streetlamp by using an electrical socket incorporated into the top of the streetlamp lighting fixture 206. To secure the wireless communication node 200 to the streetlamp with sufficient strength to withstand wind loads and various other environmental conditions, the wireless communication node 200 or a part of it (e.g., the electronic module 202) may be fixed to the streetlamp pole 208 by using a mounting bracket 204.

[0047] Figure 3 shows a logical flow diagram 300 of steps performed to select a donor antenna and one or more service antennas from a set of antennas 101-104 included as part of an exemplary wireless communication node 200. The logical flow steps in Figure 3 may be performed by one or more processors 107 of the wireless communication node 200 through the execution of instructions stored in the node's memory 109.

[0048] According to the logic flow in Figure 3, processor 107 processes at least one radio signal received by a first antenna among antennas 101 to 104 (301). The first antenna may be any one of antennas 101 to 104 from which a donor antenna and a service antenna are selected. Processor 107 determines whether any radio signal received by the first antenna satisfies base station discovery criteria (303). Such criteria may include, among other things, whether the signal contains an identifier for a base station (e.g., a gNB identifier), whether the signal strength or other signal quality metrics for the received signal meet a desired strength or quality level, whether the channel load for the base station is determined to be below a maximum threshold based on data or information in the signal, and / or whether the frequency and bandwidth supported by the base station are within a desired frequency range having a minimum bandwidth threshold.

[0049] In some embodiments, multiple radio signals may be detected from a first antenna (e.g., antenna 101) or any subsequently evaluated antennas (e.g., antennas 102-104). For example, as part of the evaluation of the first antenna, processor 107 may transmit control signals to antenna 101 to form a beam pattern having a predetermined or intelligently selected beamwidth or cone field of view (e.g., a 15-degree cone field of view). Processor 107 may then transmit control signals to antenna 101 to electronically steer the beam pattern over its omnidirectional range in which it seeks to receive any base station signal. If the radio communication node 200 includes four antennas 101-104 configured as shown in Figure 1, the azimuth range of each antenna 101-104 encompasses approximately 90 degrees (e.g., 360 degrees) of the omnidirectional range of the set of antennas 101-104. In such a case, each radio signal received by antennas 101-104 under evaluation may be processed to determine whether the signal meets the base station discovery criteria.

[0050] If the processor 107 determines that the radio signal received from the first antenna (e.g., antenna 101) meets the base station discovery criteria (303), the processor 107 designates antenna 101 as a donor antenna for the radio communication node 200 (305) and forms a beam pattern for the donor antenna 101 in the direction of the radio signal or the direction from which the radio signal was received, which is also likely to be the direction of the discovered base station (305). To form the beam pattern of the donor antenna, the processor 107 may provide one or more beam control signals to the donor antenna 101 (e.g., to the antenna elements of the phased array of the antenna) to give the beam pattern a desired gain, beamwidth, and / or cone field of view, or to achieve a signal intensity above a threshold for subsequent signals received from the base station. After designating the donor antenna 101, or simultaneously thereafter, the processor 107 designates some or all of the remaining antennas (e.g., antennas 102-104) as service antennas (307) and forms beam patterns for one or more of those antennas 102-104 to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas (307). To form beam patterns for the service antennas 102-104, the processor 107 can provide one or more beam control signals to each service antenna 102-104 (e.g., to the antenna elements of a phased array of antennas) to cause the service antennas 102-104 to form their respective beam patterns and provide radio coverage to one or more service areas.

[0051] If the processor 107 determines that the radio signal received from the first antenna 101 does not meet the base station discovery criteria (303), or if the radio signal received from the first antenna 101 does not meet the base station discovery criteria (for example, if the radio signal is received from the first antenna 101 over a predetermined or variable period of time), the processor 107 determines whether all antennas 101-104 of the radio communication node 200 have been processed (309). If all antennas 101-104 have not yet been processed, the processor 107 processes one or more radio signals received from another of the antennas 102-104 (301), and the signal analysis process is repeated until antennas 101-104 are designated as donor and service antennas and their beam patterns are formed, or until no more radio signals that meet the base station discovery criteria are received. If the latter condition occurs, when the instruction stored in memory 109 is executed, the processor 107 can wait for a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds to 5 minutes), and then repeat the logical flow shown in Figure 3.

[0052] If the wireless communication node 200 includes four fixed antennas 101-104 as schematically shown in Figure 1, the beam patterns of each antenna 101-104 may be formed to serve its determined purpose. For example, the beams of service antennas 102-104 may be formed to cover one or more desired or selected service areas, while the beam pattern of donor antenna 101 may be formed to achieve maximum signal strength for signals received from a discovered base station. Beamforming for each antenna 101-104 may depend on various factors, including the antenna's center frequency and bandwidth, the use case, and the number of phased antenna array elements. As an example, if three service antennas 102-104 are intended to cover an azimuth angle of 270 degrees after the determination of donor antenna 101, the beam patterns for each service antenna 102-104 may be formed to have a beam width of approximately 60 degrees and may be electronically steerable to cover a conical field of view of approximately 120 degrees in azimuth.

[0053] According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 107 may process at least one radio signal received by a first antenna (e.g., antenna 101) to collect first candidate base station data, and process at least one radio signal received by a second antenna (e.g., antenna 102, antenna 103, or antenna 104) to collect second candidate base station data. The processor 107 then selects a base station to communicate with based on the first and second candidate base station data. Once a base station is selected from the first candidate base station data, the processor 107 designates the first antenna (e.g., antenna 101) as a donor antenna capable of communicating with the base station and subsequent radio signals. The processor 107 also designates some or all of the remaining antennas (e.g., antennas 102-104) as one or more service antennas. On the other hand, once a base station is selected from the second candidate base station data, the processor 107 may designate the second antenna (e.g., antenna 102, antenna 103, or antenna 104, where applicable) as a donor antenna and designate some or all of the remaining antennas, including the first antenna (e.g., if antenna 103 is selected as the donor antenna, antennas 101, 102, and 104) as one or more service antennas. The designation or selection of donor antennas may also be based on whether the candidate base station data meets base station discovery criteria, such as one or more of the base station identifier, signal strength or other signal quality criteria, channel load criteria, and bandwidth criteria. After designating the donor antennas, the processor 107 may provide beam control signals to the donor antennas to cause them to form a desired beam pattern in the direction of the base station. Furthermore, the processor 107 may provide beam control signals to each service antenna to cause them to form a desired beam pattern directed towards one or more service areas. The determination of which antenna 101-104 is the donor antenna may be based on whether the candidate base station data meets the base station discovery criteria.

[0054] Alternatively, the processor 107 can collect candidate base station data by processing the radio signals received by all antennas 101-104 antenna by antenna. Next, the processor 107 can select or specify a base station to communicate with based on the candidate base station data, and can designate an antenna that has received one or more radio signals from the selected base station as a donor antenna. The processor 107 can also designate the remaining antennas as service antennas, although not all of the service antennas are to be used. The designation or selection of donor antennas may also be based on whether the candidate base station data meets the base station discovery criteria. After the donor and service antennas have been designated, the processor can transmit beam control signals to antennas 101-104 to form a desired beam pattern (for the donor antenna) in the direction of the selected base station, or (for the service antenna) a desired beam pattern directed towards one or more service areas.

[0055] Referring to Figures 4–7, alternative wireless communication nodes 400 are shown in block diagrams and other forms according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The alternative exemplary wireless communication node 400 includes a set or group of two or more antennas 401–404 (four are shown for illustrative purposes only) oriented in different directions, one or more processors 407 (one is shown for illustrative purposes only), an actuator 408, and a memory 409. The actuator 418 may be a servo, stepper, induction, or other type of motor capable of providing sufficient torque to rotate the antennas 401–404 as a group by a selected angular displacement (e.g., to rotate a support structure to which the antennas 401–404 are coupled). The wireless communication node 400 may be a repeater, relay node, or small cell node in a wireless access network (e.g., a time-division duplex (TDD) or frequency-division duplex (FDD) 5G network), or an IAB node in an IAB network.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 7, antennas 401 to 404 are rotatable as a group around a central axis 606 by an actuator 408. If the set of antennas includes four antennas 401 to 404, each antenna 401 to 404 may be configured substantially orthogonal to adjacent antennas 401 to 404, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Positioning each antenna 401 to 404 substantially orthogonal to each adjacent antenna 401 to 404 helps provide isolation and reduces crosstalk between antennas 401 to 404 during operation.

[0057] The antennas 401–404 of the exemplary wireless communication node 400 are shown as being substantially coplanar. However, in alternative embodiments, the antennas 401–404 may be positioned in different planes relative to each other (e.g., different parallel planes), such as in a stacked arrangement, an offset stacked arrangement, or other multiplanar configuration.

[0058] Memory 409 stores instructions that can be executed by the processor 407 during the operation of the wireless communication node 400. Instructions may be implemented as any set of firmware, software, or data that can be executed by the processor 407 to cause the processor 407 to perform various routines, algorithms, processes, or methods. Memory 409 may also be used for other purposes, including storing data reported from sensors in or attached to the wireless communication node 400, and storing additional instructions to cause the processor 407 to perform artificial intelligence or other functions. The processor 407 may be any known one or more processors, and in some embodiments may be field-programmable. If the processor 407 is field-programmable, the processor 407 may be implemented as or include a field-programmable gate array.

[0059] As very schematically shown in Figure 4 and described in more detail below, processor 407 interfaces with donor and service antennas 401-404 to receive and process radio signals received by antennas 401-404, and provides beam control signals to antennas 401-404 when they are constructed to receive and respond to beam control signals. Antennas 401-404 may be controllable by processor 407 if they are constructed to facilitate electron beamforming (e.g., beamforming, beam steering, or spatial filtering), such as when antennas 401-404 are electronically controllable phased array antennas.

[0060] Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the block diagram in Figure 4 does not depict various components that may be included in a particular wireless communication node 400, including, but not limited to, a power supply, one or more wireless transceivers, filters, a high-precision clock, and various other components and modules conventional to 5G wireless communication equipment. Such components have been omitted from the drawings to minimize complexity and facilitate a better understanding of the subject matter of this disclosure.

[0061] To protect antennas 401-404 from weather and other environmental influences, antennas 401-404 may form part of an antenna module 405 which may include a housing 616 and / or a support structure. If included, the support structure may be or include a platform 428, a post 418, a combination thereof, or any other element or component that supports the antennas 401-404 and facilitates their rotation as a group. For example, the support structure may be or include a post 418 or one or more structures to which antennas 401-404 can be coupled to facilitate their rotation as a group by an actuator 408. The antenna module 405 or its support structure or part thereof (e.g., post 418) may define the central axis 606 of the antenna module 405, around which the donor antennas and service antennas 401-404 are arranged in a predetermined configuration (e.g., orthogonal to their adjacent antennas when a total of four antennas 401-404 are used).

[0062] If the wireless communication node 400 also performs functions based on the amount of ambient light detected, for example, if it provides control of a street light fixture 206 or other aerial lighting equipment configured to be mounted, attached to, or controlled by the wireless communication node 400, the wireless communication node 400 may include a light sensor 430. In some embodiments, the light sensor 430 may be located within an antenna module 405, or another electronic device or module 440 of the wireless communication node 400 to which the antenna module 405 is mounted. The electronic module 440 may be a small cell node or multifunction device, for example, including small cell functions, light control functions, power measurement, tilt and / or vibration sensing, image capture functions, and / or general Internet of Things (IoT) functions. If the wireless communication node 400 includes an antenna module 405 and / or an electronic module 440 to which the antenna module 405 is mounted, the wireless communication node 400 or its antenna module 405 may further include a light pipe 420 for directing ambient light towards the light sensor 430 of the wireless communication node. If the light sensor 430 is contained within an electronic module 440 to which the antenna module 405 is mounted, and the electronic module 440 and its light sensor 430 are positioned below (or above, depending on the installation configuration) the antenna module 405, the light pipe 420 may be routed through the antenna module housing 616, or through an antenna module support structure such as a post 418 configured between the antenna module housing 616 and an opening in the electronic module 440 aligned with the light sensor 430.

[0063] As shown in Figure 6, the wireless communication node 400 may be mounted on a streetlamp or other equipment exposed to ambient light. When the wireless communication node 400 is mounted on a streetlamp, the wireless communication node's light sensor 430 may be used as part of a system for controlling the operation of the streetlamp. In Figures 4 and 5, the light pipe 420 and the light sensor 430 are shown arranged linearly along the central vertical axis of the antenna module 105, such as along an axis defined by the post 418 of the support structure. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the light pipe 420 may be wired in any way to direct ambient light to the light sensor 430 positioned below or elsewhere in the antenna module 405. In further embodiments, the light sensor 420 may be contained within the antenna module 405 rather than within the electronic module 440 to which the antenna module 405 is mounted.

[0064] As shown in Figure 6, the wireless communication node 400 may be mounted on a streetlamp by using an electrical socket incorporated into the top of the streetlamp lighting fixture 206. To secure the wireless communication node 400 to the streetlamp with sufficient strength to withstand wind loads and various other environmental conditions, the wireless communication node 400 or a part of it (e.g., an electronic module 440) may be fixed to the streetlamp pole 208 by using a mounting bracket 204.

[0065] Figure 7 shows exemplary antenna mounting and beam patterning embodiments for various antennas 401-404 of the wireless communication node 400 of Figure 4, according to further exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The antenna mounting and beam patterning embodiments shown in Figure 7 may also be used to mount and form beam patterns for antennas 101-104 of the wireless communication node 200 described with respect to Figures 1 and 2.

[0066] In some embodiments, one or more of the donor antennas and service antennas 101-104, 401-404 may be implemented, or a phased antenna array 611 may be included that houses an array of antenna elements 612. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the phased antenna array module 611 may include an array of antenna elements 612 configured on a substrate, which may be part of the donor antenna 401 or any other antennas 101-104, 402-404. The antenna elements 612 of the phased antenna array 611 can be coupled to a local controller board 620 which can form one of the processors 407, enabling the controller board 620 to form and reshape (e.g., steer) a beam pattern 601 for applicable antennas 101-104, 401-404 (e.g., the donor antenna 401 in this example). According to some embodiments, the donor antenna 401 has a higher gain and narrower beamwidth than the service antennas 402-404. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 7, the donor antenna 401 has a high-gain, narrow-bandwidth (e.g., a 5-20 degree conical field of view) beam pattern directed towards the discovered base station 610. During the beamforming process performed when the base station is discovered, one or more of the processors 407 (e.g., the local controller 620) provide beam control signals to the antennas 401-404 to form beam patterns for the antennas 401-404 (e.g., pattern 601 for the donor antenna 401, pattern 602 for one service antenna 402, and pattern 604 for another service antenna 404). Note that, as shown in Figure 7, one or more of the service antennas 402-404 may not be used after the base station 610 is discovered because service coverage may not be required within one or more coverage areas of such one or more antennas.Instructions stored in the memory 409 of the wireless communication node can cause the processor 407 to use only a portion of the service antennas 402-404 after the base station 610 is discovered, depending on the location of the service area to be supported by the service antennas 402-404.

[0067] Figure 8 shows a logic flow diagram 800 of steps performed to configure donor antennas and service antennas 401-404 of an alternative exemplary wireless communication node 400 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The logic flow steps in Figure 8 may be performed by one or more processors 407 of the wireless communication node 400 through the execution of instructions stored in the node's memory 409.

[0068] According to the logic flow in Figure 8, the processor 407 processes at least one radio signal received by the donor antenna 401 (801) and determines whether the radio signal received by the donor antenna 401 satisfies the base station discovery criteria (803). As described above, such criteria may include, among other things, whether the signal contains an identifier for a base station (e.g., a gNB identifier), whether the signal strength or other signal quality metrics for the received signal meet the desired strength or quality level, whether the channel load for the base station is determined to be below a maximum threshold based on the data or information in the signal, and / or whether the frequency and bandwidth supported by the base station are within a desired frequency range having a minimum bandwidth threshold.

[0069] When the processed signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria, the processor 407 rotates the donor antenna and service antennas 401-404 as a group around the central axis 606 by an angular displacement (805). The angular displacement may be any desired displacement. In one exemplary embodiment, the angular displacement is in the range of 5-15 degrees in a particular direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise). The processor 407 can perform the rotation by providing one or more control signals to an actuator 408 configured to rotate a support structure to which the antennas 401-404 are coupled.

[0070] After antennas 401-404 have been rotated by angular displacement, the processor processes another signal received by donor antenna 401 while it is being oriented in its new direction (801) and determines whether the received signal meets the base station discovery criteria (803). If this received signal does not meet the base station discovery criteria, the rotation and processing routine continues until the radio signal received by donor antenna 401 meets the base station discovery criteria. The angular displacement during each rotation phase of the antenna configuration process may be the same as or different from the previous angular displacement, depending on the algorithm or method selected for base station discovery. For example, if a coarse / fine tuning discovery method is implemented, the angular displacement of the group of antennas 401-404 may be larger earlier in the process and then progressively smaller.

[0071] When a radio signal received by the donor antenna 401 satisfies the base station discovery criteria, the processor forms a beam pattern for the donor antenna 401 in the direction from which the radio signal satisfying the base station discovery criteria was received (for example, in the direction of the discovered base station 610 that transmitted the radio signal) (807). The processor 407 can form the beam pattern of the donor antenna by providing one or more beam control signals to the donor antenna 401 (for example, to the antenna element 612 of the donor antenna) to cause the donor antenna 401 to form a beam pattern that achieves a signal intensity above a threshold for subsequent signals received from the discovered base station 610.

[0072] The processor 407 also forms beam patterns for the service antennas 402-404 (809) to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas. The beam patterns for the service antennas 402-404 may have substantially lower gain and wider cone fields than those of the donor antenna 401. The processor 407 can form the beam patterns for each service antenna by providing one or more beam control signals to each service antenna 402-404 (e.g., to the antenna elements 612 of the service antennas) to cause the service antennas 402-404 to form beam patterns having desired gain and cone fields.

[0073] Figure 9 shows an alternative logic flow diagram 900 of the steps performed to configure the donor antennas and service antennas 401-404 of the wireless communication node 400 in Figure 4, according to an additional exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The logic flow steps in Figure 9 may be performed by one or more processors 407 of the wireless communication node 400 through the execution of instructions stored in the node's memory 409.

[0074] According to the logic flow in Figure 9, the processor 407 processes at least one radio signal received by the donor antenna 401 (901) and collects candidate base station data from that signal (903). The candidate base station data may be (a) the direction in which the radio signal was received by the donor antenna 401 relative to the starting position of the group of antennas 401-404, and (b) any data necessary to determine whether the radio signal meets the base station discovery criteria.

[0075] Next, the processor 407 determines whether the group of antennas 401-404 has completed a predetermined rotation or angular displacement (905). If the group of antennas 401-404 has not completed a predetermined angular displacement, the processor 407 rotates the antennas 401-404 as a group by an angular displacement that can be determined based on various factors including the installation location of the wireless communication node 400, the use case, and the number and location of possible signal obstructions (907). In an exemplary embodiment, the angular displacement increment is in the range of 5 to 15 degrees in a particular direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise). The processor 407 can perform the rotation by providing one or more control signals to an actuator 408 configured to rotate a support structure to which the antennas 401-404 are coupled.

[0076] After antennas 401-404 have been rotated incrementally as a group by an angular displacement, processor 407 processes the radio signal received by donor antenna 401, if any (901), and collects additional candidate base station data from the signal, if any (903). Next, processor 407 determines whether the group of antennas 401-404 has completed a predetermined rotation. If not, the rotation, processing, and collection functions of logic flow blocks 907, 901, and 903 continue until antennas 401-404 have been rotated as a group by a predetermined angular displacement (e.g., 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, 360 degrees, or some other selected displacement). If a predetermined angular displacement is greater than 180 degrees, the processor 407 may send a control signal to the actuator 408 to rotate the donor antennas and service antennas 401-404 as a group by 180 degrees or less in either direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) from their starting position, in order to mitigate any twisting of the antennas 401-404, the antenna module 405 including the antennas 401-404, or the cables that may be connected to the support structure to which the antennas 401-404 are coupled.

[0077] After antennas 401-404 are rotated as a group by a predetermined angular displacement, processor 407 selects a base station based on the collected candidate base station data (909) and forms a beam pattern for donor antenna 401 in the direction of the selected base station (for example, in the direction in which radio signals from the selected base station were received during the candidate base station data collection process) (911). Processor 407 can form the beam pattern of the donor antenna by providing one or more beam control signals to donor antenna 401 (for example, to antenna element 612 of the donor antenna) to cause donor antenna 401 to form a beam pattern that achieves a signal intensity above a threshold for subsequent signals received from the selected base station.

[0078] The processor 407 also forms beam patterns for the service antennas 402-404 (913) to provide radio coverage to one or more service areas. The beam patterns for the service antennas 402-404 may have substantially lower gain and wider cone fields than those of the donor antenna 401. The processor 407 can form the beam patterns for each service antenna by providing one or more beam control signals to each service antenna 402-404 (e.g., to the antenna elements 612 of the service antennas) to cause the service antennas 402-404 to form beam patterns having desired gain and cone fields.

[0079] In some embodiments, the wireless communication nodes 200, 400 may further include at least one or more processors (not shown) mounted on a board, which may further include communication modules or transceivers that enable wireless communication of data and control signals over one or any number of known wireless protocols (such as LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi, etc.).

[0080] The wireless communication nodes 200, 400 can provide wireless communication capabilities to any one or more devices having corresponding wireless transceivers. In some cases, for example, using the functions provided by the wireless communication nodes 200, 400, electronic components embedded in the wireless communication nodes 200, 400 can be configured to operate as Wi-Fi access points. In this way, the electronic components enable one or more mobile devices to access the internet. Local governments or other organizations can make internet services available across a determined geographical area (e.g., neighborhood, city, stadium, construction site, campus, etc.) to remote mobile devices located near any one of the multiple wireless communication nodes 200, 400. For example, if many streetlights in a neighborhood or city are equipped with wireless communication devices such as wireless communication nodes 200, 400, Wi-Fi services can be provided to a large number of users. Furthermore, based on seamless communication between embodiments of multiple wireless communication devices, the Wi-Fi service can be configured as a mesh, enabling users to perceive a certain level of internet connectivity even when mobile devices are on the move.

[0081] In some embodiments, wireless communication nodes 200, 400 can monitor one or more sensors or conditions related to the corresponding street lighting equipment for events. Examples of events include, but are not limited to, light source failure (e.g., burnt-out bulb), pole tilt, external vibration, light source temperature, external temperature, power consumption, image capture, motion detection, recording, vehicle or pedestrian traffic, ambient light level, or other information that may be acquired or recorded by wireless communication nodes 200, 400.

[0082] Wireless communication nodes 200 and 400 may be part of a system or network, such as streetlights, streetlight fixtures, and streetlight sources, in a system-level deployment controlled by a local government or other government agency. In other cases, the system may be controlled by a private entity (e.g., a private property owner, a third-party service provider, etc.). In yet other cases, multiple entities may share control of the system, such as streetlights, streetlight fixtures, and streetlight sources.

[0083] In other embodiments, each wireless communication node 200, 400 may be equipped with communication capabilities, enabling monitoring or remote control of light sources in street lighting systems or other utility devices. Thus, each light source within each street lighting system, or in a broader context, each device within any system, can be remotely monitored and controlled independently or in combination. In the case of street lighting systems, each street lighting system can be monitored and / or controlled as an independent light source or in combination with other light sources, and electronic devices can play a role in providing wireless (or wired) communication of optical control signals and any other information (e.g., packetized data) between wireless communication devices.

[0084] As one non-exclusive and non-exclusive example, each radio communication node 200, 400 can operate as a small cell node, relay node, or repeater to provide radio cellular-based network communication services. Mobile devices prepared by a mobile network operator or carrier can communicate with radio communication nodes 200, 400 in the same or similar manner as mobile devices communicate with macrocell towers. In at least some cases, an active communication session formed between radio communication nodes 200, 400 and a mobile device may be handed off to another radio communication node 200, 400 when the mobile device moves into or out of the active range of a radio communication node 200, 400. For example, a user with an active communication session enabled by a radio communication node 200, 400 may be in transit, and when the mobile device is in transit, the active communication session may, in some cases, be automatically and seamlessly handed off and continue via another radio communication node 200, 400 or via a macrocell tower.

[0085] The wireless communication nodes 200, 400 can be integrated with lighting fixtures or utility poles and can be formed from any number of materials. While the wireless communication nodes 200, 400 can be configured as network devices, in other embodiments the wireless communication device is a smart sensor device, a combination device, some other wireless network device, or some other control device. In some embodiments, the lighting fixture may include a light source that is an incandescent light source, a light-emitting diode (LED) light source, a high-pressure sodium lamp, or any other type of light source.

[0086] In this case as well, the wireless communication nodes 200, 400 are not limited to being mounted on streetlights, but can be mounted on any number of objects including, but not limited to, utility poles, LED boards, brackets, road signs, highway signs, bus stops, ATMs, telephone booths, buildings, HVAC units, mailboxes, billboards, lighting, parking signs, stop lights, speed limit signs, solar panels, pedestrian crossing signs, tunnels, utility boxes, water towers, cranes, wireless antenna towers, shops, tents, roofs, or parking toll booths. In some embodiments, each of these items is identified in a map service map so that appropriate modifications can be made using base station selection and beamforming of donor and service antennas.

[0087] References to “substrate” or “board” in this specification may refer to a circuit board, which may include, but not be limited to, single-sided PCBs, double-sided PCBs, multilayer PCBs, rigid PCBs, flex PCBs, or hybrid rigid-flex PCBs ("PCB"), or a portion of a housing that functions as a board. To be understood, any of the above circuit boards may include various electronic components coupled to or supported by the circuit board, such as integrated circuits, integrated circuit chips or dies (including, but not limited to, semiconductor chips or dies), wires, transistors, lead frames or pads, antennas, receivers, transmitters, transceivers, or other components. Furthermore, each of the above electronic components may communicate electronically with one or more of the other electronic components, either via wired or wireless means (for example, to transmit power or signals, among other functions). Furthermore, it should be understood that any of the above may be coupled to one or more of the other electronic components of the wireless communication nodes 200, 400 via one or more known coupling techniques or materials.

[0088] Furthermore, in some cases, one or more internal or external antennas may be electrically and communicatively coupled to the wireless communication nodes 200, 400 and incorporated into or mounted on various features of external equipment such as utility poles. In some examples, one or more wires may extend through the utility pole to communicatively and electrically couple the wireless communication device with one or more antennas.

[0089] Furthermore, this disclosure includes methods for forming a wireless communication node, which should be understood to include providing electronic components within a housing enclosure suitable for mounting on any of the objects described herein and other similar objects, installing a wireless communication device, and connecting the wireless communication device to a power source or other utility line for transmitting power and data via one or more wires or cables or via a wireless communication channel.

[0090] Unless otherwise specified in relation to any explicit use in a particular context, when the terms “substantial” or “about” in any grammatical form are used as modifiers in the claims of this disclosure and any appendices (for example, to modify structure, dimensions, measurements, or any other characteristic), it is understood that the characteristic may vary by up to 30 percent. For example, a wireless communication network device may be described as being mounted “substantial vertically.” In these cases, a precisely vertically mounted device is mounted along the “X” axis, which is perpendicular (i.e., 90 degrees or right) to the plane or line formed by the “Y” axis and the “Z” axis. Unlike the precise accuracy of the term “vertical,” using “substantial” or “about” to modify a characteristic allows for a variation of up to 30 percent in that particular characteristic.

[0091] The term “include” and its variations should be interpreted in all their syntactic contexts as having an open, inclusive meaning without limitation (e.g., “including, but not limited to”). The term “or” is inclusive and means and / or. The phrases “related to” and “related to it,” as well as their derivatives, can be understood as meaning to include, be contained within, interconnect with, accommodate, be contained within, connect to, or connect with, join, or combine with, be able to communicate with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be close to, be associated with, or be associated with, have, possess, etc.

[0092] Unless the context requires a different interpretation, the word “comprise,” and its variations such as “comprises” and “comprising,” should be interpreted in an open, comprehensive sense (e.g., “including but not limited to”) throughout this specification and the subsequent claims.

[0093] Throughout this specification, references to “one embodiment,” “a certain embodiment,” or “several embodiments” and their variations mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, occurrences of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in a certain embodiment” in various parts of this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic can be combined in any suitable way in one or more embodiments.

[0094] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to multiple subjects unless otherwise indicated by the content and context. Furthermore, the conjunctions “and” and “or” are generally used in their broadest sense to include “and / or” unless the content and context explicitly indicate inclusiveness or exclusivity, as may be the case. In addition, whenever “and / or” is used herein, the “and” and “or” configuration is intended to encompass embodiments that include all of the relevant items or ideas, and one or more other alternative embodiments that include fewer of the relevant items or ideas.

[0095] In this disclosure, a conjunctive list utilizes a comma that may be known as an Oxford comma, a Harvard comma, a serial comma, or another similar term. Such a list is intended to connect words, clauses, or sentences such that what follows the comma is also included in the list.

[0096] In this disclosure, unless context indicates otherwise, singular means plural and vice versa. All pronouns mean, and include, the people, groups, companies, or entities to which they relate.

[0097] When configured as described herein, each computing device can be transformed from a general-purpose, non-specific computing device to a combination device comprising hardware and software configured for a specific purpose. When arranged as described herein, the ordered combinations of elements and limitations are explicitly presented to provide the necessary inventive concepts by translating the abstract idea into a tangible and concrete practical application of that abstract idea, to the extent that any of the inventive concepts described herein is found to be encompassed by a qualified adjudication body.

[0098] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. The aspects of the embodiments can be modified as needed to adopt concepts from various patents, applications, and publications to provide further embodiments.

Claims

1. A wireless communication node, Multiple antennas that are fixed and positioned in a predetermined configuration and are immovable individually or as a group, One or more processors capable of processing wireless signals received by the plurality of antennas and communicating one or more control signals to the plurality of antennas, Memory that stores processor-executable instructions, Equipped with, When the processor-executable instruction is executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors The process of at least one radio signal received by the first antenna among the plurality of antennas is used to generate at least one processed first antenna signal. Determine whether the at least one processed first antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria. When the at least one processed first antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criterion, the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna, wherein the donor antenna is capable of operating to communicate subsequent radio signals with the base station. When the first antenna is designated as the donor antenna, one or more of the remaining antennas among the plurality of antennas are designated as one or more service antennas, where the remaining antennas include the second antenna among the plurality of antennas. The system processes at least one radio signal received by the second antenna, and if the at least one processed first antenna signal does not satisfy the base station discovery criteria, it generates at least one processed second antenna signal. When at least one processed second antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria, the second antenna is designated as the donor antenna. Wireless communication node.

2. When the aforementioned processor-executable instruction is executed, the one or more processors further: One or more beam control signals are provided to the donor antenna to cause the donor antenna to form a beam pattern in the direction of the base station. The wireless communication node according to claim 1.

3. The donor antenna includes an array of antenna elements configured as a phased antenna array, and when the processor executable instruction is executed, one or more processors further The one or more beam control signals are provided to the phased antenna array to cause the phased antenna array to form a desired beam pattern in the direction of the base station. The wireless communication node according to claim 2.

4. When the aforementioned processor-executable instruction is executed, the one or more processors further: One or more beam control signals are provided to the donor antenna to cause the donor antenna to form a beam pattern that achieves a signal intensity exceeding a threshold for subsequent signals received from the base station. The wireless communication node according to claim 1.

5. When the aforementioned processor-executable instruction is executed, the one or more processors further: One or more beam control signals are provided to each of the one or more service antennas, causing the service antennas to form their respective beam patterns, thereby providing wireless coverage to one or more service areas. The wireless communication node according to claim 1.

6. Each of the one or more service antennas includes an array of antenna elements configured as a phased antenna array, and when the processor executable instruction is executed, the one or more processors further The one or more beam control signals are provided to the phased antenna array of each service antenna to cause the phased antenna array to form a desired beam pattern directed towards the service area. The wireless communication node according to claim 5.

7. The wireless communication node according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas includes a total of four antennas, and each of the four antennas is configured substantially orthogonal to an adjacent antenna among the four antennas.

8. The wireless communication node according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are housed in an antenna module, and the antenna module includes a light pipe that directs ambient light towards a light sensor.

9. When the aforementioned processor-executable instruction is executed, the one or more processors further: When the second antenna is designated as the donor antenna, one or more of the remaining antennas from the plurality of antennas are designated as the one or more service antennas, where the remaining antennas include the first antenna. The wireless communication node according to claim 1.

10. A method for configuring a plurality of antennas of a radio communication node for operation in a radio communication system including at least one base station and a radio communication node, wherein the plurality of antennas are fixed and positioned in a predetermined arrangement and are immovable individually or as a group. The steps include: processing at least one radio signal received by a first antenna among the plurality of antennas to generate at least one processed first antenna signal; The steps include determining whether the at least one processed first antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria, Steps include: designating the first antenna as a donor antenna when at least one processed first antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria, wherein the donor antenna is operable to communicate subsequent radio signals with the base station; When the first antenna is designated as the donor antenna, the step of designating one or more of the remaining antennas from the plurality of antennas as one or more service antennas, wherein the remaining antennas include a second antenna from the plurality of antennas; The steps include processing at least one radio signal received by the second antenna and generating at least one processed second antenna signal when the at least one processed first antenna signal does not satisfy the base station discovery criteria, The steps include designating the second antenna as the donor antenna when at least one processed second antenna signal satisfies the base station discovery criteria, Methods that include...

11. The steps include providing one or more first beam control signals to the donor antenna to cause the donor antenna to form a first beam pattern in the direction of the base station, The steps include providing one or more second beam control signals to each of the one or more service antennas to cause the service antennas to form a second beam pattern, thereby providing wireless coverage to each of the one or more service areas, The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

12. A wireless communication node, Multiple antennas that are fixed and positioned in a predetermined configuration and are immovable individually or as a group, One or more processors capable of processing wireless signals received by the plurality of antennas and communicating one or more control signals to the plurality of antennas, Memory that stores processor-executable instructions, Equipped with, When the processor-executable instruction is executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors The system processes at least one radio signal received by the first antenna among the plurality of antennas to collect first candidate base station data. The system processes at least one radio signal received by the second antenna among the plurality of antennas to collect second candidate base station data. Based on the first candidate base station data and the second candidate base station data, select the base station to communicate with. When the base station is selected from the first candidate base station data, the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna, and the donor antenna is capable of operating to communicate subsequent radio signals with the base station. When the first antenna is designated as the donor antenna, one or more of the remaining antennas from the plurality of antennas are designated as one or more service antennas, where the remaining antennas include the second antenna. When the base station is selected from the second candidate base station data, the second antenna is designated as the donor antenna. Wireless communication node.

13. The wireless communication node according to claim 12, wherein the first antenna is designated as the donor antenna when the first candidate base station data satisfies the base station discovery criteria.

14. When the aforementioned processor-executable instruction is executed, the one or more processors further: A first beam control signal is provided to the donor antenna to cause the donor antenna to form a first beam pattern in the direction of the base station. A second beam control signal is provided to each of the one or more service antennas to cause the service antennas to form a second beam pattern directed towards each of the one or more service areas. The wireless communication node according to claim 12.

15. A method for configuring a plurality of antennas of a radio communication node for operation in a radio communication system including at least one base station and a radio communication node, wherein the plurality of antennas are fixed and positioned in a predetermined arrangement and are immovable individually or as a group. The steps include: processing at least one radio signal received by a first antenna among the plurality of antennas to collect first candidate base station data; The steps include: processing at least one radio signal received by a second antenna among the plurality of antennas to collect data for a second candidate base station; The steps include selecting a base station to communicate with based on the first candidate base station data and the second candidate base station data, When the base station is selected based on the first candidate base station data, the first antenna is designated as a donor antenna, wherein the donor antenna is operable to communicate subsequent radio signals with the base station. When the first antenna is designated as the donor antenna, the step of designating one or more of the remaining antennas from the plurality of antennas as one or more service antennas, wherein the remaining antennas include the second antenna, When the base station is selected based on the second candidate base station data, the step of designating the second antenna as the donor antenna, Methods that include...

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