Antenna installation apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10181635-B2
Application number	US-201414459102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2010
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling installation of antennas in a cost effective and efficient manner. The methods and systems disclosed herein provide a hollow pole and an elevating mechanism, wherein the elevating mechanism can be used to position antenna equipment located in one or more capsules attached to the elevating mechanism. The antenna equipment may be attached to a removable power source located in the capsule or to a non-removable power source located at the base of the hollow pole. Additionally, the antenna equipment may also be attached to communications equipment adapted to communicate with one or more communications networks. In an embodiment disclosed herein, the capsules may be adapted to rotate around a one or more axis in response to received commands and/or in accordance with instructions stored on a memory module attached to the capsules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for enabling installation of antenna equipment, the apparatus comprising:
a pole having a base end and a top end, the base end and the top end being opposite each other;
an elevating mechanism operatively associated with the pole;
a radome attached at the top end of the pole;
a capsule for holding an antenna equipment, the capsule being removably attachable to the elevating mechanism; wherein,
the elevating mechanism is designed to elevate the capsule from near the base end to near the top end of the pole; and

an elevation control mechanism in communication with the elevating mechanism, the elevation control mechanism configured to control the elevating mechanism based on elevational information, wherein the elevational information includes an elevational position, and to cause the elevating mechanism to move the capsule to the elevational position automatically, based on the elevational information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elevating mechanism is located on an outside surface of the pole.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the elevating mechanism comprises a track and a ring mechanism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a hollow lengthwise passage within the pole extending from the base end of the pole to the top end of the pole;
an aperture through the pole to the hollow passage, wherein the capsule is insertable through the aperture into the hollow passage.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the elevating mechanism comprises a pulley mechanism.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the capsule is further configured to rotate around a central axis in response to rotation commands.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the capsule further comprises:
a removable power source; and
a signaling mechanism that measures the power level of the removable power source and transmits a signal including information about the power level measurement.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the capsule further comprises:
a memory module for storing information about an axial position of the capsule; and
an axial rotation module configured to rotate the capsule around an axis based on the information about axial position of the capsule.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the memory module is further configured to store information about elevation position of the capsule and to transmit the information about elevation position to the elevating mechanism.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the capsule further comprises a communication device configured to allow a user to send signals to the capsule and receive signals from the capsule.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the communication device comprises an input/output module configured to access a passive optical network.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a support base for the pole, the support base being attachable to the base end of the pole, wherein the support base hosts at least one of: (1) a power source; and (2) a transceiver equipment.

13. A method of installing an antenna, the method comprising:
providing a pole having a base end and a top end, the base end and the top end being opposite each other;
providing an elevating mechanism associated with the pole;
providing a capsule for holding an antenna equipment, the capsule being removably attachable to the elevating mechanism;
providing a radome attached at the top end of the pole;
inserting an antenna in the capsule;
attaching the capsule to the elevating mechanism;
providing an elevation control mechanism in communication with the elevating mechanism;
conveying elevational information from the elevation control mechanism to the elevating mechanism; and
elevating the capsule with the elevating mechanism from near the base end of the pole to a selected elevation near the top end of the pole in response to the elevational information.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing a hollow lengthwise passage within the pole extending from the base end of the pole to the top end of the pole; and
providing an aperture through the pole to the hollow passage, wherein the capsule for holding an antenna equipment is insertable through the aperture into the hollow passage.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting rotation commands to the capsule; and
rotating the capsule around an axis in response to the rotation commands received by the capsule.

16. The method if claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a request for information about the capsule's axial position; and in response to the request, transmitting information about the capsule's axial position.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing a memory module attached to the capsule;
providing an axial rotation module attached to the capsule;
storing axial position instructions on the memory module;
transmitting the axial position instructions to the axial rotation module; and
rotating the capsule around an axis in response to the axial position instructions.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:
storing elevation position instructions on the memory module;
transmitting the elevation position instructions to the elevating mechanism; and
changing the elevation of the capsule in response to the elevation position instructions.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
attaching a removable power source to the capsule;
generating a signal regarding the power level of the removable power source; and
transmitting the signal regarding the power level.

Assignees

• Centurylink Ip Llc

Inventors

• Cook Charles I

Classifications

• Y10T29/49016

  Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• H01Q1/1235 Primary

  Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna · CPC title

• Y10T29/5313

  Means to assemble electrical device · CPC title

• H01Q1/1228

  on a boom · CPC title