Repeater for customer premises
AssigneeAndrew Corporation
InventorsMano D. Judd, James L. Alford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A repeater for use in connection with enhancing reception of wireless communications in an architectural structure utilizes a housing that incorporates both a null antenna capable of being oriented to provide an antenna beam directed into an interior portion of the architectural structure, and a repeater circuit that is configured to provide bi-directional exchange of radio frequency signals between the null antenna and a donor antenna. The donor antenna may also be mounted to the housing, or alternatively may be coupled to the housing via a cable or other communications path. The repeater is suitable for installation in an attic, or alternatively, within a room or other inhabitable area of a structure.
Claims47
A repeater comprising:
- a housing configured for mounting within an architectural structure;
- a null antenna mounted on the housing and oriented to provide an antenna beam directed into an interior portion of the architectural structure when the housing is mounted to the architectural structure;
- a donor antenna;
- and
- a repeater circuit disposed in the housing and coupled to the null and donor antennas to provide bi-directional exchange of radio frequency signals therebetween.
A repeater comprising:
- a housing including a planar surface;
- a null antenna including at least one patch antenna element disposed on the surface of the housing;
- a donor antenna coupled to the housing via a cable;
- and
- a repeater circuit disposed in the housing and coupled to the null and donor antennas to provide bi-directional exchange of radio frequency signals therebetween.
A repeater comprising:
- a housing including a planar surface;
- a null antenna including at least one patch antenna element disposed on the surface of the housing;
- a donor antenna mounted to the housing opposite the surface;
- and
- a repeater circuit disposed in the housing and coupled to the null and donor antennas to provide bi-directional exchange of radio frequency signals therebetween.
A method of bi-directionally transmitting radio frequency signals in an architectural structure, the method comprising:
- receiving a first radio frequency signal from an interior portion of an architectural structure using a null antenna mounted to a housing that is mounted within the architectural structure so as to orient the null antenna toward the interior portion of the architectural structure;
- communicating the first radio frequency signal to a donor antenna with a repeater circuit disposed in the housing;
- receiving a second radio frequency signal using the donor antenna;
- and
- communicating the second radio signal to the null antenna using the repeater circuit.
A method of installing a repeater in an architectural structure, the method comprising:
- installing a donor antenna in an attic of an architectural structure;
- and
- installing a housing in the attic of the architectural structure to orient a null antenna mounted thereto toward a ceiling of a room over which the attic is disposed, wherein the housing further includes a repeater circuit disposed therein and coupled to the null and donor antennas to provide bi-directional exchange of radio frequency signals therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.