Tamper-resistant relay modules for communication within a mesh network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9496943-B2
Application number	US-201313840637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Apr 20, 2012
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for relaying data. An exemplary device includes a mast having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a cavity; an antenna disposed within the cavity; and a radio housing engageable with a utility structure by a mounting bracket fastened to the radio housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A relay module comprising:
a mast having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a cavity, the mast defining a utility structure marker;
an antenna disposed within the cavity;
a spring assembly comprising a spring, an upper spring insert attached to the mast, and a lower spring insert;
a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket defining a fastener hole, the fastener hole sized to accept a bolt of a utility structure; and
a radio housing engageable with the utility structure by the mounting bracket fastened to a top surface of the radio housing, the mounting bracket mounting the radio housing and the spring assembly exterior to the utility structure, the lower spring insert attached to the radio housing.

2. The relay module of claim 1 , wherein the mast is movable relative to the radio housing.

3. The relay module of claim 1 , wherein the spring assembly couples the radio housing to the mast.

4. The relay module of claim 3 , wherein the spring includes an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, the middle section having a diameter larger than the upper section, the upper section having a diameter equal to the lower section.

5. The relay module of claim 3 , further comprising an RF connector disposed within the spring and connected to the antenna.

6. The relay module of claim 1 , wherein the radio housing includes a front casing and a back casing, a back surface of the back casing being concavely shaped.

7. The relay module of claim 6 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a roll pin.

8. The relay module of claim 6 , wherein the radio housing includes at least one battery in the back casing.

9. The relay module of claim 1 , wherein the radio housing is positioned underneath at least a portion of the mounting bracket.

10. The relay module of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured as a printed circuit board with copper traces.

11. The relay module of claim 1 , wherein the utility structure is a fire hydrant, and the mast is a hydrant marker.

12. The relay module of claim 11 , wherein:
the fire hydrant includes a bonnet and a hydrant body, the bonnet coupled to the hydrant body by a plurality of fasteners; and
the bonnet overlaps the mounting bracket.

13. The relay module of claim 12 , wherein:
the plurality of fasteners includes nuts and bolts; and
the mounting bracket includes a fastener hole sized to accept a bolt of the plurality of fasteners, the fastener hole defined adjacent the radio housing.

14. A relay module system comprising:
a fire hydrant, the fire hydrant comprising a bonnet coupled to a hydrant body by a plurality of fasteners;
a mast having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a cavity, the mast defining a hydrant marker;
an RF circuit including an antenna, the antenna disposed within the cavity of the mast, the cavity and the antenna extending above the fire hydrant;
a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket coupled to the bonnet by a one of the plurality of fasteners, the bonnet overlapping the mounting bracket; and
a radio housing mounted exterior to the fire hydrant, the radio housing mounted to the fire hydrant by the mounting bracket, at least a portion of the fire hydrant overlapping at least a portion of the radio housing.

15. The relay module system of claim 14 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a roll pin.

16. The relay module system of claim 14 , wherein the radio housing includes a back surface conformed with an outer surface of the fire hydrant.

17. The relay module system of claim 14 , further comprising a spring assembly coupling the mast to the radio housing.

18. The relay module system of claim 17 , wherein the spring assembly comprises a spring, an upper spring insert attached to the mast, and a lower spring insert and wherein the mounting bracket is attached to the lower spring insert.

19. The relay module system of claim 17 , wherein the mast further defines a snow pole configured to extend above snow covering the fire hydrant to visually indicate a location of the fire hydrant.

20. The relay module system of claim 14 , wherein:
the RF circuit includes circuit board and at least one battery;
the radio housing includes a front casing and a back casing;
the front casing protruding from the back casing;
the front casing containing the circuit board of the RF circuit; and
the back casing containing the at least one battery of the RF circuit.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Parish Edward C
• Williams James Ola
• Splitz David Edwin

Classifications

• H04B7/14 Primary

  Relay systems · CPC title

• H04B7/155 Primary

  Ground-based stations (H04B7/204 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/36

  Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence) · CPC title

• G09F17/00

  Flags; Banners; Mountings therefor · CPC title

• G08B21/00

  Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for · CPC title