Abstract: Multi-directional antenna apparatuses, which may include phased array antennas and/or arrays of multiple antennas, and methods for operating these directional antennas. In particular, described herein are apparatuses configured to operate as an access point (AP) for communicating with one or more station devices by assigning a particular directional beam to each access point, and communicating with each station device using the assigned directional beam at least part of the time. Methods and apparatuses configured to optimize the assignment of one or more directional beam and for communicating between different station devices using assigned directional beams are described. Also described are methods of connecting a radio device to an antenna by connecting a USB connector on the radio device to a USB connector on an antenna and identifying the antenna based on a voltage of the ground pin on the antenna's USB connector.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented that offer significant improvements in the performance of time division duplex (TDD) systems by utilizing an adaptive synchronous protocol. Conventional TDD systems are limited because data is transmitted during discreet and limited intervals of time, and because TDD transceivers may not simultaneously transmit and receive for reasons of insufficiently separated frequencies and limited receiver selectivity. Typically, TDD systems have significant latency due to the time to change from transmission to reception and the propagation delay time. By synchronizing the master nodes and the one or more remotes and by scheduling the traffic loads between these nodes, remote nodes may begin transmitting before the master node is finished with its transmission, and vice versa. This method reduces latency and improves the frame efficiency. Further, the frame efficiency may improve as the distance from the master node to the remote node increases.

Abstract: A tower-mounted networking device facilitates deploying a remote station without having to build a custom station aside a radio tower. The networking device's chassis comprises a mounting bracket, which includes a curved contour for mounting the networking device on the radio tower. Also, the chassis can be resistant to weather intrusion, by not including a vent, to allow the networking device to be installed outdoors. The networking device can include a first power port coupled to an external connection line from a source external to the tower, such that the external connection line provides at least power to the networking device. The networking device can use the power to power a set of antenna mounted on the radio tower. The networking device can also relay a network connection between a pair of antennas, and/or between an antenna and a network connection to an Internet service provider.

Abstract: A device comprising a plurality of metallic conical radiators, said conical radiators substantially hollow having a vertex end and a base end, a first cylindrical portion disposed annularly about the base end of the conical portion, a metallic second cylindrical portion coupled to the vertex of the conical portion, said cylindrical portion having a threaded aperture, and an antenna feed coupled to the threaded aperture. The device may have patches disposed on a substrate as a one or multi-dimensional array. An RF feed may be coupled to the radiators.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for resource allocation in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of wireless communication comprises obtaining data to be transmitted in a wireless communication environment, determining channel conditions associated with a plurality of sub-channels which includes determining one or more sub-channels to transmit silent symbols according to the channel conditions associated with the plurality of sub-channels, scheduling the data to be transmitted according to the channel conditions associated with the plurality of sub-channels to form scheduled data for transmission, and transmitting the scheduled data to one or more receivers via the plurality of sub-channels. The method of determining channel conditions associated with the plurality of sub-channels comprises determining interference observed at each sub-channel in the plurality of sub-channels.

Abstract: A microwave system comprising a center fed parabolic reflector; a radio transceiver, said transceiver disposed on a circuit board and coupled to a radiator, said radiator disposed on the circuit board and extending orthogonally from a surface of the circuit board. Embodiments also include directors on the circuit board and a sub-reflector comprising a thin plate disposed on a weather proof cover and said sub-reflector having a substantially concave surface with a focus directed towards the radiator. The circuit board may be physically integrated within the feed mechanism of the center fed parabolic reflector and the radio transceiver is configured to provide OSI layer support.

Abstract: Multi-directional antenna assemblies including a plurality of individual antenna sections arranged in-line with a long axis, forming a linear assembly. An antenna assembly may include a radome over the linear assembly. A linear assembly may include three or more antenna sections, each with a trough-like reflector formed by two parallel walls, and may have corrugations at the outer edges to reduce noise. An array of radiators may be positioned at the base of each antenna section. The antenna sections may share a common vertical axis and each may have a beam axes that is offset by an angle. Adjacent antenna sections may be separated by an isolation plate with a corrugated outer edge. Each antenna section may radiate greater power in a specific direction as compared to the other antenna sections.

Abstract: Phone systems, phone devices (including hardware, software and firmware), and methods of operating a phone. Described herein are dissociated phone systems including one or a plurality of local client phones with basic call handling capability that communicate though a remote phone server but are locally controlled by a controller gateway that manages the local network including the local client phones.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented that offer significant improvements in the performance of time division duplex (TDD) systems by utilizing an adaptive synchronous protocol. Conventional TDD systems are limited because data is transmitted during discreet and limited intervals of time, and because TDD transceivers may not simultaneously transmit and receive for reasons of insufficiently separated frequencies and limited receiver selectivity. Typically, TDD systems have significant latency due to the time to change from transmission to reception and the propagation delay time. By synchronizing the master nodes and the one or more remotes and by scheduling the traffic loads between these nodes, remote nodes may begin transmitting before the master node is finished with its transmission, and vice versa. This method reduces latency and improves the frame efficiency. Further, the frame efficiency may improve as the distance from the master node to the remote node increases.

Abstract: A microwave system and method comprising a center fed parabolic reflector; a radio transceiver, said transceiver disposed on a circuit board and coupled to a radiator, said radiator disposed on the circuit board and extending orthogonally from a surface of the circuit board. Embodiments also include directors on the circuit board and a sub-reflector comprising a thin plate disposed on a weather proof cover and said sub-reflector having a substantially concave surface with a focus directed towards the radiator. The circuit board may be physically integrated within the feed mechanism of the center fed parabolic reflector and the radio transceiver is configured to provide OSI layer support.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices, and in particular, methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices that are communicating with and may be monitored and/or controlled by a remote (e.g., cloud) server.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless system. During operation, the system can determine a set of contiguous virtual sequence numbers and a virtual traffic category indicator for a set of packets belonging to different traffic categories associated with a network protocol stack. Each packet includes an original sequence number and an original traffic category indicator. The system then generates an aggregate frame comprising modified packets of the set of the packets. The system modifies a respective packet by modifying a payload of the packet to include the original sequence number and the original traffic category indicator of the packet and modifying a header of the packet to include a virtual sequence number of the set of contiguous virtual sequence numbers and the virtual traffic category indicator. The system determines that a wireless medium for a wireless transceiver is available for transmitting the aggregate frame.

Abstract: Devices and systems, and methods of using them, for point-to-point transmission/communication of high bandwidth signals. Radio devices and systems may include a pair of reflectors (e.g., parabolic reflectors) that are adjacent to each other and configured so that one of the reflectors is dedicated for sending/transmitting information, and the adjacent reflector is dedicated for receiving information. Both reflectors may be in a fixed configuration relative to each other so that they are aligned to send/receive in parallel. In many variations the two reflectors are formed of a single housing, so that the parallel alignment is fixed, and reflectors cannot lose alignment. The device/systems may be configured to allow switching between duplexing modes. These devices/systems may be configured as wide bandwidth zero intermediate frequency radios including alignment modules for automatic alignment of in-phase and quadrature components of transmitted signals.

Abstract: Wireless radio device alignment tools and methods. Described herein are methods for point-to-point alignment of wireless radio devices and alignment tools to assist in aligning wireless radio devices. These alignment tools may automatically or manually receive location information and may use a local compass function to determine a rough or initial alignment and additional tools to provide further (fine) alignment based on calculated and actual signal strength between the two devices being aligned.

Abstract: Multi-directional antenna assemblies including a plurality of individual antenna sections arranged in-line with a long axis, forming a linear assembly. An antenna assembly may include a radome over the linear assembly. A linear assembly may include three or more antenna sections, each with a trough-like reflector formed by two parallel walls, and may have corrugations at the outer edges to reduce noise. An array of radiators may be positioned at the base of each antenna section. The antenna sections may share a common vertical axis and each may have a beam axes that is offset by an angle. Adjacent antenna sections may be separated by an isolation plate with a corrugated outer edge. Each antenna section may radiate greater power in a specific direction as compared to the other antenna sections.

Abstract: Apparatuses that operate as both a public address speaker and a wireless access point (AP) for mounting to a ceiling or wall. The compact public address access points described herein may include an AP housing, enclosing a radio (e.g., a 3×3 MIMO radio) and antenna, that is coupled to a speaker assembly including a speaker, a conical acoustic reflector positioned between a front of the speaker and the housing of the AP, and an annular region comprising a concave inner wall facing the conical acoustic reflector. Although the AP is nested atop the front of the speaker, the speaker may produce high-quality sound with accurate voice reproduction without interfering with the operation of the wireless transmission of the AP. Methods of operating and installing these apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: Shroud isolation, including choke shroud isolation, apparatuses for wireless antennas for point-to-point or point-to-multipoint transmission/communication of high bandwidth signals, and integrated reflectors including a shroud or choke shroud. A choke shroud systems may include a cylindrical body with an isolation choke boundary at the distal opening to attenuate electromagnetic signals to, from, or within the antenna. The isolation choke boundary region may have ridges that may be tuned to a band of interest. The isolation choke boundary may provide RF isolation when used near other antennas.

Abstract: Radio apparatuses and methods for MIMO matrix phasing that may be used to toggle and/or weight the amount of MIMO processing based on the detected level of isolation between different polarizations of the system. Also described herein are apparatuses including auto-range and/or auto-scaling of a signal strength indicator to aid in precise alignment of the apparatus. Any of these apparatuses and methods may also include dynamic power boosting that adjusts the power (e.g., power amplifier) for an RF apparatus based on the data rate. These apparatuses may include a housing enclosing the radio device that includes a plurality of pin elements that may act as heat transfer pins and a ground pin for making a ground connection to the post or pole to which the devices is mounted.

Abstract: Multi-radio antenna apparatuses and stations for wireless networks including multiple radios coupled to a single transmit/receive antenna, in which the antenna is highly synchronized by an external (e.g., GPS) signal. These multi-radio antenna systems may provide highly resilient links. Synchronization may allow these apparatuses to organically scale the transmission throughput while preventing data loss. The single transmit/receive antenna may have a single dish or a compound (e.g., a single pair of separate transmitting and receiving dishes) and connections for two or more radios.