Antenna systems for controlled coverage in buildings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12087997-B2
Application number	US-202017609671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2020
Priority date	May 9, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

Antenna systems for controlled coverage in buildings are disclosed where a data communications network in a building includes one or more external antennas. At least one of the external antennas is disposed on a roof or exterior of the building disposed in or associated with a window, a sky sensor or a digital architectural element. The one or more external antennas are coupled to a network infrastructure of the building via one or more data carrying lines and/or wireless links and are configured for communication with an external wireless network. The network infrastructure includes one or more data carrying lines, one or more network switches, and at least one control panel. In some embodiments, at least one of the external antennas is configured for communication with an external wireless network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data communications network in a building comprising one or more external antennas, wherein:
at least one of the external antennas is associated with a window, a sky sensor or a digital architectural element and is disposed on a roof or exterior wall of the building;
the one or more external antennas are coupled to a network infrastructure of the building via one or more data carrying lines and/or wireless links; and
the network infrastructure comprises the one or more data carrying lines, one or more network switches, and at least one control panel, the at least one control panel being coupled to one or more window controllers configured to control one or more electrically switchable windows.

2. The data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the external antennas is configured for communication with an external wireless network.

3. The data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein the network infrastructure comprises one or more building network antennas and associated radios installed in and/or on the building and configured to provide wireless data connection in an interior of the building and/or adjacent to the building.

4. The data communications network according to claim 3 , wherein the radios are configured to provide Wi-Fi, CBRS or cellular wireless data connection in the interior of the building and/or adjacent to the building.

5. The data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more external antennas comprise one or more donor antennas configured for communication with an external cellular network.

6. The data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one control panel is configured to connect to an external cellular network via a backhaul comprising a high speed cable.

7. The data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more data carrying lines of the network infrastructure support data communication at 1 Gb/second or faster.

8. The data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the external antennas includes a radiating element disposed exterior to the building coupled with an electrical connector disposed in an interior of the building by way of a pass-through arrangement.

9. The data communications network according to claim 8 , wherein the pass-through arrangement is configured to provide a weather tight seal between the building interior and the building exterior.

10. The data communications network according to claim 8 , wherein the pass-through arrangement includes an electrical coupling between the electrical connector and the radiating element.

11. The data communications network according to claim 10 , wherein the electrical connector is configured to connect with the network infrastructure of the building.

12. The data communications network of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of antennas and/or radios distributed in a building; and
at least one logic device;
wherein the at least one logic device comprises logic for configuring the plurality of antennas and/or radios by:
supplying power to the antennas and/or radios;
varying an operational parameter of at least one of the antennas and/or radios while measuring a signal strength at the other antennas and/or radios as a function of the varied operational parameter; and
selecting a value of the operational parameter for operation of the at least one of the antennas and/or radios based on the measured signal strength.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the logic for configuring the plurality of antennas and/or radios further includes: determining the location of each of the antennas in the building.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the operational parameter is an antenna and/or radio protocol, frequency or power.

15. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the logic for configuring the plurality of antennas and/or radios includes: assigning antenna and/or radio protocols to the antennas and/or radios prior to varying the operational parameter; and wherein the operational parameter is a frequency or power.

16. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the logic further includes:
sequentially varying an operational parameter of each of the antennas and/or radios while measuring a signal strength at the other antennas and/or radios as a function of the varied parameter; and
selecting a value of the operational parameter for each of the antennas and/or radios based on the measured signal strength.

17. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one logic device is a local logic device or a remote logic device.

18. A method of providing connection to an external wireless network, the method comprising:
communicating with the external wireless network using one or more external antennas, at least one of the external antennas being associated with a sky sensor or a digital architectural element including a sensor assembly and disposed on a roof or exterior wall of a building; and
transmitting data between the one or more external antennas and a network infrastructure of the building using one or more data carrying lines and/or wireless links, wherein
the network infrastructure comprises the one or more data carrying lines, one or more network switches, and at least one control panel, the at least one control panel being coupled to one or more window controllers configured to control one or more electrically switchable windows.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the network infrastructure comprises one or more building network antennas and associated radios installed in and/or on the building and the method comprises the one or more building network antennas providing wireless data connection in an interior of the building and/or adjacent to the building.

20. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising the at least one control panel communicating with an external cellular network via a backhaul comprising a high speed cable.

21. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising the at least one control panel communicating with one or more window controllers to control one or more IGUs.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising configuring the one or more building network antennas and associated radios by:
supplying power to the antennas and/or radios;
varying an operational parameter of at least one of the antennas and/or radios while measuring a signal strength at the other antennas and/or radios as a function of the varied operational parameter; and
selecting a value of the operational parameter for operation of the at least one of the antennas and/or radios based on the measured signal strength.

23. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising determining the location of each of the antennas in the building.

24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the operational parameter is an antenna and/or radio protocol, frequency or power.

25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the method comprises assigning antenna and/or radio protocols to the antennas and/or radios prior to varying the operational parameter, and wherein the operational parameter is a frequency or power.

26. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising:
sequentially varying an operational parameter of each of the antennas and/or radios while measuring a signal strength at the

Assignees

• View Inc

Inventors

• Brown Stephen Clark
• Sanford John
• Klawuhn Erich R
• Shrivastava Dhairya
• Rozbicki Robert T
• Purdy Daniel Loy
• Antes Todd Daniel
• Gray Todd

Classifications

• H01Q1/22

  by structural association with other equipment or articles · CPC title

• H04B7/15528

  Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium · CPC title

• H04W84/047

  using dedicated repeater stations · CPC title

• H04B7/15507 Primary

  Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, (network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04) · CPC title

• H01Q1/007

  specially adapted for indoor communication · CPC title