CA-3178295-C - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HOUSING ANTENNAS

Abstract

A multiple radio and/or multi antenna chassis is described in some embodiments, along with methods of operation, and non-transitory computer readable media storing machine interpretable instructions to be executed on a processor to perform the methods of operation. Variants are described having regard to the use of one or more of the antennas for establishing bonded connections whereby one or more subsets of the antennas are coordinated to operate in concert to operate one or more connections for data packet transmission while reducing energy loss issues as between operating antennas. The approaches described herein can operate, for example, with a plurality of wideband antennas to provide a multi modem communications device that can be coupled to a master / primary data communications device.

Inventors

• Cameron Kenneth SMITH
• Anthony Todd Schneider
• Jonathon OBERHOLZER
• Andrew Barrow
• Alaa F. ELAGHA
• Thananjagen KUNARATNAM

Assignees

• DEJERO LABS INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20211108

Priority Date

20201106

Claims (20)

1. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A multi modem communications device providing electronic communication across a plurality of radios, the device comprising: a central housing chassis adapted to provide an electrical counterpoise for the electronic communication, the central housing chassis comprising material that provides radio frequency shielding; and a plurality of wide-band antennas, each coupled to the central housing chassis, each corresponding to a modem of a plurality of modems provided by the multi modem communications device, and each operating on similar frequency bands; wherein each of the wide-band antennas that correspond to a modem of the plurality of modems are positioned on the central housing chassis or configured on the central housing chassis to physically block, using a horizon established by a shape of the central housing chassis as a radio frequency shield, line of sight between other wide-band antennas of the plurality of wide-band antennas positioned in a near field region and coupled to the central housing chassis being used for the modem of the plurality of modems, reducing cross-coupling loading or energy loss as between the plurality of wide-band antennas.
2. 2. The multi modem communications device of claim 1, wherein each wide-band antenna of the plurality of wide-band antennas is a folded wide-band antenna having a folding orientation, and each adjacent wide-band antenna of the plurality of wide-band antennas relative to their coupling to the central housing chassis is folded in a different orientation relative to other adjacent wide-band antennas.
3. 3. The multi modem communications device of claim 2, wherein the folding in the different orientation includes adjacent wide-band antennas having mirror image folding relative to one another to reduce interference between the adjacent wide-band antennas.
4. 4. The multi modem communications device of claim 1, wherein each modem of the plurality of modems utilizes a first corresponding wide-band antenna and a second corresponding wide-band antenna of the plurality of wide-band antennas, and wherein the first corresponding wide-band antenna is coupled in a geometrically CA 3178295 opposite position on the central housing chassis relative to the second corresponding wide-band antenna, and wherein physical geometric features of the central housing chassis block line of sight between the first corresponding wide-band antenna and the second corresponding wide-band antenna.
5. 5. The multi modem communications device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modems include a first, a second, and a third modem, each having a pair of corresponding wide-band antennas, the corresponding pair for the first modem and second modem coupled diagonally across the central housing chassis, and the corresponding pair for the third modem coupled opposite one another across a center of the central housing chassis.
6. 6. The multi modem communications device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modems operate on frequency bands residing between about 600 MHz to about 6000 MHz, and each modem of the plurality of modems operates on a frequency band within the frequency bands.
7. 7. The multi modem communications device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modems each operate using a different frequency band, a different subscriber identity module (SIM), or connect to different carrier networks.
8. 8. The multi modem communications device of claim 6, wherein a communications controller submodule is configured to periodically or continuously measure one or more performance parameters of communications of each modem of the plurality of modems, and utilize the one or more performance parameters in controlling the electronic communication across one or more modems of the plurality of modems.
9. 9. The multi modem communications device of claim 8, wherein each connection provided by each modem of the plurality of modems is bonded to provide an aggregated data communication pipeline for data communications, and the one or more performance parameters utilized to determine assignments of the plurality of modems to specific carriers.
10. 10. The multi modem communications device of claim 8, wherein a highest performing carrier is selected based on the one or more performance parameters for assignment to each modem of the plurality of modems. CA 3178295
11. 11. The multi modem communications device of any one of claims 1-10, comprising a local area data connection to a master data communications device in a local area network, the master data communications device interoperating with the multi modem communications device to establish wide area data communications using the plurality of wide-band antennas and the plurality of modems to connect to cellular networks.
12. 12. The multi modem communications device of claim 11, wherein the wide area data connections are mapped as virtual modem connections available to the master data communications device and the master data communications device controls the multi modem communications device to use the wide area data connections.
13. 13. The multi modem communications device of claim 12, wherein the virtual modem connections available to the master data communications device replace existing modem connections of the master data communications device.
14. 14. The multi modem communications device of claim 12, wherein the virtual modem connections available to the master data communications device augment existing modem connections of the master data communications device such that a subset or all of the virtual modem connections and the existing modem connections are blended together to form aggregated or bonded network connections.
15. 15. The multi modem communications device of claim 14, wherein a first subset of the of the virtual modem connections and the existing modem connections is utilized to or assigned to communicate a first classification of data packets, the first subset having a lower latency relative to other connections of the virtual modem connections and the existing modem connections.
16. 16. The multi modem communications device of claim 15, wherein a remaining subset of the virtual modem connections and the existing modem connections is utilized to or assigned to handle bulk data communications.
17. 17. The multi modem communications device of claim 11, wherein the multi modem communications device is further configured to control blending of connections of the wide area data connections to communicate data packets to or from the master data communications device.
18. 18. The multi modem communications device of claim 14, wherein the virtual modem connections are assigned spillover connectivity in an event of a request for data communications resources exceeding the communications capabilities of the existing modem connections.
19. 19. The multi modem communications device of claim 12, wherein the virtual modem connections available to the master data communications device are periodically interrogated to assess communications characteristics of each of the virtual modem connections.
20. 20. The multi modem communications device of claim 19, wherein the assessed communications characteristics of each of the virtual modem connections include at least a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measure, and the virtual modem connections are ranked based on the RSSI measure such that only the virtual modem connections having an RSSI measure greater than a threshold RSSI value will be used for the wide area data communications.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HOUSING ANTENNAS RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a non-provisional of, and claims all benefit, including priority to, US Application No. 63/110772, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HOUSING ANTENNAS. [0002] This application is related to “A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSMISSION OF DATA FROM A WIRELESS MOBILE DEVICE OVER A MULTIPATH WIRELESS ROUTER” filed as United States Application No. 14/114984 on 16-Apr-2013; “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA SERVICES ON VEHICLES”, filed as United States Application No. 14/680476 on 07-Apr-2015 and “SYSTEM AND METHOD TO ADAPT COMMUNICATIONS RESPONSIVE TO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE”, filed as PCT Application No. PCT/CA2019/051039. [0003] This application is also related to US provisional applications US 63/139286 and US 63/183952, filed on 19-Jan-2021 and 04-May-2021, both entitled “Systems and Methods for Push-based Communications”. FIELD [0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of antennas, and more specifically, embodiments relate to devices, systems and methods for a multiantenna chassis. INTRODUCTION [0005] Antenna design and antenna chassis design is technically challenging. There are performance considerations which require careful balancing of technical requirements. Antennas may be mounted on moving objects, or have geo-spatial constraints. [0006] The specific frequency bands in which an antenna operates is another important design consideration as spectral characteristics change as wavelengths change. There may be different attenuation profiles associated with different wavelengths. The wave dispersal pattern can also be modified, for example, by selecting different antenna geometries. [0007] Furthermore, multiple antennas can be utilized together. The antennas can attempt to exploit multipath propagation, but a challenge lies in deleterious signal effects in situations where a multiple Tx/Rx radio problem exists when the radios are operating simultaneously, and each radio can have multiple antennas. The technical challenge can arise in respect of 5 (1) multiple co-located transmit antennas driven by different radios and (2) co-locating transmit and receive antennas can cause problems (interference and loading). SUMMARY [0008] A multiple radio / multiple-antenna (or multiple-radio, multiple-antenna chassis) chassis is described in some embodiments, along with methods of operation, and non- 10 transitory computer readable media storing machine interpretable instructions to be executed on a processor to perform the methods of operation (e.g., software for controlling the operation of the chassis or controlling how data packets are transmitted). [0009] Several variations of the multiple-antenna chassis are described in different embodiments. Additional variants are described having regard to the use of one or more of 15 the antennas for establishing bonded connections whereby one or more subsets of the antennas are coordinated to operate in concert to operate as a single bonded connection for data packet transmission. The approaches described herein can operate, for example, with a plurality of wideband or multi band antennas. [0010] The chassis is provided as a part of a multi modem communications device that is 20 configured for providing electronic communication across a plurality of radios. In particular, the multi modem communications device includes a central housing chassis (e.g., a metallic chassis) that is adapted to provide an electrical counterpoise for the electronic communication, the central housing chassis comprising material that provides radio frequency shielding. A number of variations are described herein in relation to different geometries for the central 25 housing chassis, including both static and dynamic geometries where the central housing chassis can be modified, or the antennas themselves have variable geometry that can be modified, etc., to reduce effects associated with line-of-sight wireless or RF transmission and reception between corresponding antennas between corresponding antennas. [0011] The device has a plurality of antennas, each coupled to the central housing chassis, 30 each corresponding to a modem of a plurality of modems provided by the multi modem communications device, and each operating on similar frequency bands, and each of the antennas that correspond to a modem of the plurality of modems are positioned or otherwise 2 disposed thereon (e.g., mounted, coupled or connected) on the central housing chassis or configured on the central housing chassis to minimize line of sight RF paths between other antennas being used for the modem of the plurality of modems. The antennas, for example, can be physically connected or coupled to their corresponding modem such that certain sets 5 of antennas work with certain modems. For example, antennas 1 and 6, opposite from one another and having opposite folding configurations, can be coupled to a network interface provi