Methods for maintaining line-of-sight communications

A wireless electronic device configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device, the wireless electronic device comprising:

• antennas configured to transmit and receive millimeter wave signals;
• a mechanical positioner coupled to the antennas;
• control circuitry coupled to the mechanical positioner, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
• gather error rate values from the received millimeter wave signals,
• determine whether the gathered error rate values are within a predetermined range of error rate values, the predetermined range of error rate values being associated with a satisfactory wireless link quality, and
• in response to determining that the gathered error rate values are outside of the predetermined range of error rate values, control the mechanical positioner to adjust a mechanical orientation of the antennas, wherein the antennas are arranged in a phased antenna array;
• and
• beam steering circuitry coupled to the phased antenna array, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, in response to determining that the gathered error rate values are within the predetermined range of error rate values, control the beam steering circuitry to steer the millimeter wave signals towards the external device.

A wireless electronic device configured to wirelessly communicate with first, second, and third external devices, the wireless electronic device comprising:

• a phased antenna array configured to perform millimeter wave communications with the first external device over a first millimeter wave link;
• and
• control circuitry coupled to the phased antenna array, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
• determine whether the first millimeter wave link satisfies a wireless performance criterion, and
• in response to determining that the first millimeter wave link fails to satisfy the wireless performance criterion, performing millimeter wave communications with the second external device over a second millimeter wave link and instructing the third external device to perform millimeter wave communications with the first external device over a third millimeter wave link.