Abstract: Methods and apparatuses providing a visual metric of the efficiency of a network of devices communicating through a wireless access point (AP). These apparatuses and methods may also determine and display pseudo-dynamic error vector magnitude (EVM) information for a network of wireless stations, including displaying a pseudo-dynamic constellation diagrams using EVM information. These methods and apparatuses may transmit a plurality of sounding packets from each of one or more radio devices different modulation types (e.g., BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM and 1024QAM), and receiving at least some of the sounding packets at a second radio device (e.g., an access point) and determining EVM information from the received sounding packets, and displaying (or providing for display) a constellation diagram including pseudo-dynamic EVM information that is a constrained approximation of actual EVM information.

Abstract: Various embodiments of antenna assemblies are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the antenna assembly includes a reflector comprising a center opening, a feed-antenna subassembly situated in front of the reflector, a rear housing situated behind the reflector, and a pole-mounting bracket comprising a base plate situated between the reflector and the rear housing. The feed-antenna subassembly comprises a feed tube that houses at least one of: a transmitter circuit and a receiver circuit. The rear housing is coupled to a front side of the reflector via the center opening. The rear housing comprises a center cavity, and a back end of the feed tube is inserted in and coupled to the center cavity. The base plate is coupled to the reflector and the rear housing in such a way that decoupling between the base plate and the reflector requires a prior decoupling between the feed-antenna subassembly and the rear housing and a prior decoupling between the rear housing and the reflector.

Abstract: A communication system comprising one or more wireless stations programmed to await for an authorizing signal to initiate wireless communications with a network controller or access point. The network controller maintains identification information in different queues, and polls stations from those queues. The wireless station identification information may be moved between the different queues in response to wireless station activity. Between polling, each mobile station aggregates data for the next opportunity to transmit. Multi-polling may be employed such that more than a single station is polled at a time. Polling is accomplished by polling one of the more stations from each queue having the effect that stations in one queue are polled more often than those in another queue. If a lesser active station becomes active, it may be moved into the shorter queue and consequently will be polled more often.

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: Apparatuses and methods for simultaneously operating as a wireless radio and monitoring the local frequency spectrum. For example, described herein are wireless radio devices that use a secondary receiver to monitor frequencies within the operating band and prevent or avoid interferers, including in particular half-IF interferers. The systems, devices, and methods described herein may adjust the intermediate frequency in a superheterodyne receiver to select an intermediate frequency that minimizes interference. In particular, described herein are apparatuses and methods that use a second receiver which is independent of the first receiver and may be connected to the same receiving antenna to monitor the geographically local frequency spectrum and may detect spurious interferers, allowing the primary receiver to adjust the intermediate frequency and avoid spurious interferes.

Abstract: Generation and use of geographic databases of frequency spectral information within an operating frequency band. Described herein are methods of making databases of geospectral information and using these databases to optimize performance of wireless networks. For example, a network of wireless radio devices that monitor the frequency spectrum of the operating frequency band may provide this geographically marked information to a central database to create a database of geospectral frequency information. This geospectral frequency information may be used to characterize, optimize or modify a network of wireless radio device, or to modify an individual wireless radio device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses providing a visual metric of the efficiency of a network of devices communicating through a wireless access point (AP). These apparatuses and methods may also determine and display pseudo-dynamic error vector magnitude (EVM) information for a network of wireless stations, including displaying a pseudo-dynamic constellation diagrams using EVM information. These methods and apparatuses may transmit a plurality of sounding packets from each of one or more radio devices different modulation types (e.g., BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM and 1024QAM), and receiving at least some of the sounding packets at a second radio device (e.g., an access point) and determining EVM information from the received sounding packets, and displaying (or providing for display) a constellation diagram including pseudo-dynamic EVM information that is a constrained approximation of actual EVM information.

Abstract: Radio devices for wireless transmission including an integrated adjustable mount allowing mounting to a pole or stand and adjustment of the angle of the device (e.g., the altitude). The device may include a compact array antenna having a high gain configured to operate in, for example, the 5.15 to 5.85 GHz band and/or the 2.40-2.48 GHz band. The antenna emitters may be arranged in a separate plane from a plane containing the antenna feed connecting the emitting elements and also from a ground plane. The antenna array may be contained within a protective weatherproof housing along with the radio control circuitry.

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: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for configuring an access point in a wireless network. During operation, the access point discovers one or more existing access points associated with the wireless network. The access point then obtains a set of configuration information from one existing access point, and synchronizes a local timestamp counter to a selected existing access point, thereby allowing the access point to be configured without using a centralized management station.

Abstract: The present invention offers significant improvements in the performance of a radio receiver operating in an environment with high desired band interference. The present invention comprises a high selectivity RF circuit that is located between the antenna and the radio receiver, and utilizes superheterodyne technology to filter adjacent channel interference in the desired band frequency spectrum. This type of interference is problematic for IEEE 802.11 radio receivers that are implemented with the popular direct conversion radio receiver architectures.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses providing a visual metric of the efficiency of a network of devices communicating through a wireless access point (AP). These apparatuses and methods may also determine and display pseudo-dynamic error vector magnitude (EVM) information for a network of wireless stations, including displaying a pseudo-dynamic constellation diagrams using EVM information. These methods and apparatuses may transmit a plurality of sounding packets from each of one or more radio devices different modulation types (e.g., BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM and 1024QAM), and receiving at least some of the sounding packets at a second radio device (e.g., an access point) and determining EVM information from the received sounding packets, and displaying (or providing for display) a constellation diagram including pseudo-dynamic EVM information that is a constrained approximation of actual EVM information.

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: 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-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.

Abstract: Polarization-preserving microwave RF filters having multiple resonators that are each operable for different Q factors for setting overall bandwidth. A coaxial dual-polarized waveguide filter may include a cable having a hollow circular body with ends formed by copper plates that each includes at least one iris. The irises may control the energy transfer into and out of the cavity and therefore set the Q factor for the body. The shape of the internal diameter of the body and the irises may provide for reception and propagation of differently polarized signals. Multiple segments may be cascaded in series to effect higher order filtering. Also described are methods of transmitting signals using these filters.

Abstract: The present invention offers significant improvements in the performance of a radio receiver operating in an environment with high desired band interference. The present invention comprises a high selectivity RF circuit that is located between the antenna and the radio receiver, and utilizes superheterodyne technology to filter adjacent channel interference in the desired band frequency spectrum. This type of interference is problematic for IEEE 802.11 radio receivers that are implemented with the popular direct conversion radio receiver architectures.

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: 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.