Abstract: A novel implicit transmission with bit flipping (ITBF) technique is introduced to transmit a coded stream implicitly while transmitting a coded stream explicitly over a channel. ITBF flips a set of chosen parity bits of the explicitly transmitted stream according to an implicit stream. Numerical results show that the ITBF can transmit an implicit stream at the rate from about 5% to 13% of the explicit stream without sacrificing performance, increasing the decoding complexity or the decoding delay. The ITBF is combined with CPCD to form ITCD schemes that can further increase the rate of transmission on the implicit stream. It is demonstrated with the LDPC code in the WiFi standard that ITCD technique is capable of transmitting an implicit stream up to 25% of the rate of the explicit stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wireless mesh network comprised of ultra-high-capacity nodes that are capable of establishing ultra-high-capacity links (e.g., point-to-point or point-to-multipoint bi-directional communication links) using a millimeter wave spectrum, including but not limited to 28 Ghz, 39 Ghz, 37/42 Ghz, 60 Ghz (including V band), or E-band frequencies, as examples. The higher capacity and/or extended range of these ultra-high-capacity nodes/links may be achieved via various advanced signal processing techniques. Further, these ultra-high-capacity nodes/links may be used in conjunction with other types of point-to-point and/or point-to-multipoint links to build a multi-layer wireless mesh network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a first wireless communication node comprising a first communication module that includes a first baseband unit configured to handle baseband processing for the first communication module, a first RF unit configured to define a frequency range of radio signals for the first communication module, and a first antenna unit configured to generate a first extremely-narrow beam that facilitates exchange of radio signals with at least one other wireless communication node. The first wireless communication node may also comprise a second communication module that includes a second baseband unit configured to handle baseband processing for the second communication module, a second RF unit configured to define a frequency range of radio signals for the second communication module, and a second antenna unit configured to generate a second extremely-narrow beam that facilitates exchange of radio signals with at least one other wireless communication node.

Abstract: A computing platform is configured to: based on fiber access data associated with a coverage area and a first set of line-of-sight (LOS) data associated with the coverage area, identify a plurality of locations for first-tier nodes; and for each respective first-tier node: (i) determine a plurality of geographic areas relative to the respective first-tier node for deploying spine nodes, wherein each determined geographic area is associated with a respective spine extending from the respective first-tier node; (ii) based on a second set of LOS data associated with the coverage area, identify a set of candidate spine node infrastructure sites for spine nodes extending from the respective first-tier node; and (iii) allocate the identified set of candidate spine node infrastructure sites into one or more subsets of infrastructure sites, wherein each subset of infrastructure sites corresponds to a given one of the determined geographic areas.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, apparatus and systems for improving a systems-level data rate on a communications link such as the orthogonal frequency division multiplexed multiple access (OFDMA) downlink used in WiFi and LTE cellular/wireless mobile data applications. The present invention preferably uses a form of multilevel coding and decoding known as tiled-building-block encoding/decoding. With the present invention, different receivers coupled to different parallel downlink channels with different channel qualities decode different received signal constellations at different levels of resolution. This allows the downlink of the OFDMA system to operate with a significantly higher data rate, thus eliminating existing inefficiencies in the downlink and significantly increasing system level bandwidth efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods relating to wireless communication mesh networks. In one aspect, the disclosed systems and methods may involve (1) a preexisting fiber network associated with a geographical area that includes buildings, where the preexisting fiber network comprises preexisting fiber links, (2) a first fiber link that is spliced into a given one of the preexisting fiber links coupled to the preexisting fiber network at a given location that was identified as being convenient for extending the preexisting fiber network, (3) a second fiber link that is deployed between the given location and a given building that is closest to the given location, where the given building is configured to serve as a seed node of a wireless communication mesh network that has backhaul connectivity through the preexisting fiber network, and (4) one or more point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication links that originate from the seed node.

Abstract: A radio module for a wireless communication node comprises (i) a phased antenna array comprising a first set of antenna elements having a first polarization and a second set of antenna elements having a second polarization, (ii) a radio frequency (RF) module comprising a plurality of RF chains that are configured to feed the first and second sets of antenna elements in the phased antenna array, and (iii) a control unit that is configured to control an activation state of each antenna element in the phased antenna array. The radio module further comprises at least one beam narrowing module that is configured to (i) receive signals emitted by any active antenna element in the phased antenna array and (ii) consolidate the received signals into a respective narrow beam composite signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods related to wireless communication mesh network design, installation, and deployment. In one aspect, a wireless communication node may be located at a building to include one or more antenna mounts, one or more wireless communication radios mounted on the one or more antenna mounts, and a portable power supply coupled to each of the one or more wireless communication radios via a respective cable, where the portable power supply is configured to provide power to each of the one or more wireless communication radios.

Abstract: A computing platform is configured to: (i) receive input data identifying (a) planned infrastructure sites at which to install wireless communication nodes for a wireless mesh network, wherein each planned infrastructure site is associated with a respective wireless communication node to be installed at the planned infrastructure site and (b) planned interconnections between the planned infrastructure sites that specify a manner in which the wireless communication nodes of the planned infrastructure sites are to be interconnected together via wireless links; (ii) receive template data for defining a deployment plan for wireless communication nodes and wireless communication links; and (iii) based at least on the input data and the template data, generate a deployment plan for the planned infrastructure sites that comprises, for each planned infrastructure site, a respective set of configuration data for the respective wireless communication node to be installed at the planned infrastructure site.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wireless mesh network comprised of ultra-high-capacity nodes that are capable of establishing ultra-high-capacity links (e.g., point-to-point or point-to-multipoint bi-directional communication links) using a millimeter wave spectrum, including but not limited to 28 Ghz, 39 Ghz, 37/42 Ghz, 60 Ghz (including V band), or E-band frequencies, as examples. The higher capacity and/or extended range of these ultra-high-capacity nodes/links may be achieved via various advanced signal processing techniques. Further, these ultra-high-capacity nodes/links may be used in conjunction with other types of point-to-point and/or point-to-multipoint links to build a multi-layer wireless mesh network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an architecture for an edge computing platform based on an underlying wireless mesh network. The architecture includes nodes installed with equipment for operating as part of a wireless mesh network, including (1) a first tier of one or more Point of Presence (PoP) node, (2) a second tier of one or more seed nodes that are each directly connected to at least one PoP node via a PoP-to-seed wireless link, and (3) a third tier of one or more anchor nodes that are each connected to at least one seed node either (i) directly via a seed-to-anchor wireless link or (ii) indirectly via one or more intermediate anchor nodes, one or more anchor-to-anchor wireless links, and one seed-to-anchor wireless link, where at least one node in each of these tiers is further installed with equipment for operating as part of an edge computing platform.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system comprising a set of wireless communication nodes that are configured to operate as part of a wireless mesh network. Each respective wireless communication node may be directly coupled to at least one other wireless communication node via a respective short-hop wireless link, and at least a first pair of wireless nodes may be both (a) indirectly coupled to one another via a first communication path that comprises one or more intermediary wireless communication nodes and two or more short-hop wireless links and (b) directly coupled to one another via a first long-hop wireless link that provides a second communication path between the first pair of wireless communication nodes having a lesser number of hops than the first communication path. A fiber access point may be directly coupled to a first wireless communication node of the set of wireless communication nodes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods related to wireless communication mesh network design, installation, and deployment. In one aspect, a wireless communication node may be located at a building to include one or more antenna mounts, one or more wireless communication radios mounted on the one or more antenna mounts, and a portable power supply coupled to each of the one or more wireless communication radios via a respective cable, where the portable power supply is configured to provide power to each of the one or more wireless communication radios. In another aspect, a wireless communication node located at a building may include a coaxial interface coupled to a power supply installed at the building via a pre-existing cable for a satellite dish, where the coaxial interface may receive power from the power supply via the pre-existing cable and supply the received power to one or more wireless communication radios.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a first wireless communication node comprising a first communication module that includes a first baseband unit configured to handle baseband processing for the first communication module, a first RF unit configured to define a frequency range of radio signals for the first communication module, and a first antenna unit configured to generate a first extremely-narrow beam that facilitates exchange of radio signals with at least one other wireless communication node. The first wireless communication node may also comprise a second communication module that includes a second baseband unit configured to handle baseband processing for the second communication module, a second RF unit configured to define a frequency range of radio signals for the second communication module, and a second antenna unit configured to generate a second extremely-narrow beam that facilitates exchange of radio signals with at least one other wireless communication node.

Abstract: A wireless communication node within a mesh-based communication system includes wireless mesh equipment that is configured to establish and communicate over one or more bidirectional wireless links with one or more other wireless communication nodes of the mesh-based communication system. The wireless communication node further includes a multi-tier storage architecture that is configured to store data at the wireless communication node. The multi-tier storage architecture includes at least (i) a first tier of one or more storage units that is designated for storage of a first class of data, and (ii) a second tier of one or more storage units that is designated for storage of a second class of data that differs from the first class of data.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, apparatus and systems for improving a systems-level data rate on a communications link such as the orthogonal frequency division multiplexed multiple access (OFDMA) downlink used in WiFi and LTE cellular/wireless mobile data applications. The present invention preferably uses a form of multilevel coding and decoding known as tiled-building-block encoding/decoding. With the present invention, different receivers coupled to different parallel downlink channels with different channel qualities decode different received signal constellations at different levels of resolution. This allows the downlink of the OFDMA system to operate with a significantly higher data rate, thus eliminating existing inefficiencies in the downlink and significantly increasing system level bandwidth efficiency.

Abstract: A radio module for a wireless communication node in a wireless mesh network includes a reflectarray antenna having a plurality of antenna elements. Each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements is configured to receive an incident signal, apply one of two phase shifts to the incident signal, and radiate the phase-shifted signal. The radio module further includes a radio frequency (RF) module comprising a single RF chain configured to feed the incident signal to the plurality of antenna elements in the reflectarray antenna, as well as a control unit that is configured to control which of the two phase shifts is applied by each antenna element in the reflectarray antenna.

Abstract: Methods for simultaneous packet transmission (SPT) may be used to transmit packets simultaneously on a communications link such the orthogonal frequency division multiplexed multiple access (OFDMA) downlink used in used in WiFi and LTE cellular/wireless mobile data applications. A first SPT method may employ multiple data streams and selects a subset of streams to form symbols during every intervals. This allows the use of variable code rates on different streams thereby increasing the overall throughput. A second SPT method may transmit a second data stream implicitly while transmitting a data stream explicitly on a communication channel. These SPT methods may be used either individually or jointly, and may be implemented via software changes at the transmitter and the receiver. Additionally, methods for applying constrained interleaved coded modulation (CICM) to low-density parity check (LDPC) codes and decoding LDPC codes with CICM are presented.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an architecture for an edge computing platform based on an underlying wireless mesh network. The architecture includes nodes installed with equipment for operating as part of a wireless mesh network, including (1) a first tier of one or more Point of Presence (PoP) node, (2) a second tier of one or more seed nodes that are each directly connected to at least one PoP node via a PoP-to-seed wireless link, and (3) a third tier of one or more anchor nodes that are each connected to at least one seed node either (i) directly via a seed-to-anchor wireless link or (ii) indirectly via one or more intermediate anchor nodes, one or more anchor-to-anchor wireless links, and one seed-to-anchor wireless link, where at least one node in each of these tiers is further installed with equipment for operating as part of an edge computing platform.

Abstract: A given wireless communication node of a wireless mesh network may include at least one processing unit and a plurality of radio modules, where at least one given radio module of the plurality of radio modules is capable of operating in a temporary network-sensing mode in which the given radio module gathers information about any other wireless communication node of the wireless mesh network that is sensed within the given wireless communication node's surrounding area by scanning for radio-frequency signals being emitted by any other radio module within at least a portion of the given wireless communication node's surrounding area while an antenna azimuth of the given radio module is being rotated.