Patent Abstract:
An antenna assembly is disclosed for analyzing conditions of an antenna and its surroundings with video technology including an antenna housing wherein an antenna panel is disposed, and a camera that is in connection with the antenna panel and is coupled to a computer system for storing and transmitting data through a packet switching network to a user who may communicate using a user interface. In an exemplary embodiment, an antenna assembly may further comprise an adjustment system that is capable of controlling azimuth and downtilt movement and as well as the focus of the camera under direction of a control unit in a remote location.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This Application claims the benefit of the following U.S. Provisional Patent Applications: No. 60/990,553 entitled “Central Antenna Management System” filed on behalf of Hyun Jung on Nov. 27, 2007; No. 61/023,941 entitled “Central Antenna Management System” filed on behalf of Hyun Jung and Yeung Kim on Jan. 28, 2008; and No. 61/041,074 entitled “Cellular Antenna Assembly With Video Capability” filed on behalf of Hyun Jung on Mar. 31, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present technology relates generally to antenna assemblies for use in the transmission and reception of radio-frequency signals in a cellular telephone network. More particularly, the present technology relates to such an assembly having the capability to analyze conditions of the antenna and its surroundings using video technology. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    With the popularity of cellular wireless communications, advances have been made in the antenna systems used to transmit and receive radio-frequency signals between cells in a cellular network. Recently, the ability to remotely control the azimuth, downtilt, and beamwidth of the antenna to fine-tune its coverage within the cellular network has been the focus of much of the cellular antenna industry. Azimuth, downtilt, and beamwidth of an antenna typically are controlled both mechanically, by physically adjusting the antenna panel, and electromagnetically, by adjusting electrical characteristics such as the phase shift of the signal propagated by the antenna. Accordingly, the coverage of an antenna signal can be adjusted quite precisely to fit current needs. 
         [0006]    A variety of environmental factors, such as strong winds, can cause the azimuth or downtilt of the antenna to change such that the antenna no longer provides the desired coverage. In many cases the undesirable change can be detected and corrected remotely. In some cases, for example, wind damage to the antenna assembly can only be detected and corrected with the physical presence of a technician at the antenna site to observe the problem and correct it. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An exemplary embodiment provides an improved antenna assembly, including an antenna housing and an electro-magnetic antenna panel coupled to and disposed within the housing. The antenna panel may be controlled electro-magnetically and/or mechanically for conditions including downtilt, azimuth and beamwidth. A video system is associated with the antenna panel for visually detecting and transmitting video data for control of antenna conditions other than electro-magnetic antenna conditions. 
         [0008]    According to another exemplary embodiment of the present technology, the camera communicates with a computer or data-processing system that stores and serves live or historical video images for display at a user interface. The computer system may be remote from the antenna assembly. 
         [0009]    According to a further exemplary embodiment, the camera communicates with the computer or data-processing system through a wireless packet switching network. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of an antenna assembly according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a view of a lower portion of the antenna assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view of the camera module of the antenna assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a view of the camera module housing and the protective cover of the antenna assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an upper portion of the antenna assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a view of the camera module of the antenna assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram depicting components of the control and computer system for use in combination with the antenna assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a view of an exemplary embodiment of an antenna assembly system that includes a plurality of the antenna assemblies of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a simplified diagram depicting an example of an aggregation of multiple antenna assembly systems of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an antenna assembly  11 . The assembly includes an antenna panel  13  that is mounted inside a generally cylindrical or tubular housing  15 , which may be formed of electro-magnetically transmissive material. Housing  15  is generally stationary and typically is mounted on an antenna tower or the roof of a building in groups with other antenna assemblies with common control. 
         [0020]    Electrical power to the antenna system, including steering module  17 , as well as radio frequency and control signals, may be provided through electrical connections  19  to feeder lines. A video camera module generally designated at  21  is provided at the top of antenna housing  15  and receives power and control signals from feeder lines through electrical connections  19 . The video camera module  21  may be detachable from the top of antenna housing  15  if it is not needed or requires repair or maintenance. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  are views of portions of camera module  21 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a camera shroud  23  surrounds and encloses a video camera assembly  25  (depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 5 ). Camera shroud  23  may be generally cylindrical and includes a camera window or aperture  27  through which light is received by the lens of camera assembly  25  and video images are captured. Camera shroud  23  and camera assembly  25  are secured together by fasteners, such as cap screws or bolts. Thus, camera shroud  23  and camera assembly  25  move together. 
         [0022]    Camera assembly  25  and camera shroud  23  rotate together, in tandem with the antenna panel  13 , within a camera housing  26  ( FIG. 4 ). Camera housing  26  is secured to the antenna housing  15  and does not move with antenna panel  13 . A relatively large camera window  34 , traversing approximately 180 degrees of the circumference of camera housing  26 , is provided to permit the video camera to pan or be rotated through an arc of approximately that dimension while capturing video images. Protective cover  29  may be secured to camera housing  26  in inclement weather conditions. 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates how camera housing  26 , shroud  23  and camera assembly  25  are coupled to antenna housing  15  and antenna panel  13 . As shown, camera housing  26  is secured to antenna housing  15  by conventional fasteners, such as bolts or cap screws. Camera assembly  25  and camera shroud  23  are coupled or secured to antenna panel  13  by guide pins  31 , which are received in guide receptacles  33  that are coupled to the antenna panel  13  itself. Bearing  36  extends pivotally downward from the top of camera shroud  23 , through camera module  25  and into antenna panel  13  providing pivotal support to steering module  17 . Thus, movement of camera assembly  25  and camera shroud  23  is controlled by and moves with antenna panel  13 . An electrical connection  35 , such as a coaxial cable, may be provided between camera assembly  25  and the interior of housing  15  to provide electrical power and to communicate control signals and video signals to and from camera assembly  25 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  depicts camera assembly  25  in greater detail. Camera assembly  25  includes a CCD or CMOS video camera  41 . Camera  41  is pivotally mounted for both pan (left and right) and tilt (up and down) motion to upper and lower brackets  43 ,  45 , by drive mechanisms. Guide pins  31  extend from lower bracket  45 . Drive mechanisms include a tilt motor  47 , which is coupled by a tilt gear train  49  to camera  41 . Tilt motor  47  is an electronically controlled servo or stepper motor that turns gears in train  49  to achieve up and down or tilt motion of camera  41  relative to camera assembly  25  and camera shroud  23  to which it is coupled. A pan motor  48  and pan gear train  51  operate similarly to effect left and right or rotational motion of camera  41  relative to camera assembly  25  and shroud  23 . Camera assembly  25  also includes a control module  53  mounted to the lower bracket  45  to control camera  41  and its native focus and zoom functions. Motors  47 ,  48  can provide position data themselves, or separate sensors may be employed to detect the degree of pan and tilt of camera  41 . Pan of camera  41  is analogous to azimuth of antenna  13 , while tilt of camera  41  is analogous to downtilt of antenna  13 . Control of tilt and pan can be effected by the control of motors  47 ,  48 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram depicting the control and communication system employed in conjunction with the improved antenna assembly described herein. Block  101  represents the video camera and its control and communication system, which communicates image data and its position and orientation to a camera control unit that is also associated with an antenna control unit, depicted at block  103 . A camera  41  may communicate through any sort of conventional wired or wireless link or a wireless packet-switched network. The video from camera  41  may be streamed “live” to a user over a computer network such as the Internet, or to a video-on-demand (VOD) server, using International Telecommunication Union standard H.264 encoding. Audio from the camera  41  may be streamed live to a user or to a VOD server, using International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) encoding. The antenna and camera control unit communicates antenna (azimuth, downtilt, beamwidth) and camera (pan, tilt) condition and positioning data, and image data to a control center depicted at block  105 . At control center  105 , antenna and camera image data may be stored, reviewed, and analyzed to determine whether antenna assembly  11  is performing as intended. Image pattern-recognition software may be employed to analyze images from camera  41  to detect changes in the image (and changes to antenna positioning) without human intervention. 
         [0026]    Moreover, both antenna  13  and camera module  21  may be remotely controlled to adjust their various characteristics. In particular, video data can be analyzed remotely to determine if an antenna characteristic or malfunction is due to physical causes that are evident from video image data and less so from more conventional data regarding antenna position and function. Specifically, for example, if storm damage has misaligned the antenna assembly, causing inaccurate azimuth positioning that is not a result of intended antenna positioning (by steering assembly  17 ) or the like. 
         [0027]    Video image data from camera module  21  may be available for purposes unrelated to antenna function or operation. Video and audio from a VOD server may be served subsequently to a wide variety of devices including personal computers and mobile telephones through a computer network, including but not limited to a packet-switched network (“the Internet”); for example, for weather, crime, or fire detection purposes. Live or historical (recorded) video may be transmitted via packet-switching network (“the Internet”) to governmental or news agencies as appropriate and desirable, as depicted at block  107 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of an antenna assembly system. The system includes a plurality of antenna assemblies  11 , Bias-T  113  and a Front End Unit  115 . Each of the antenna assemblies  11  includes a camera module  21  and an antenna  117  that further includes a TMA  111  (tower mounted amplifier) and an antenna panel  17 . Camera module  21  may also utilize a plurality of modems (not shown), such as WiBro/Wi Max modems with USB interface and/or PLC modems with Ethernet interface, to communicate with the network. Within the antenna assembly  11 , TMA  111  functions as an intermediary that relays power and data to camera module  21  from Bias-T (not shown), which is coupled to the lower part of each of the antenna assemblies  11  and interfaces with feeder lines from Front End Unit  115  for control signal and power deliveries. A Front End Unit  115  is provided to control and power the plurality of antenna assemblies  11  by providing each of the antenna assemblies  11  with a corresponding sector  119 . Each corresponding sector  119  includes two ports  121 ,  123  configured such that while one of the ports  123  controls and powers the antenna of the antenna assembly, the other 121 controls and powers the camera module. Power may be delivered by each part of the antenna assembly  11  using Bias-T that combine RF power and DC signals, and control signals may be delivered using Frequency-Shift keying or On-Off keying modulation schemes. 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  shows an exemplary usage of multiple antenna assembly systems with the network. As shown, a plurality of antenna assembly systems may communicate through a plurality of Base Transceiver Stations  103  with a server  105  that further communicates with users or administrators through a computer network. Also as shown in the figure, each camera module  21  may also utilize a plurality of modems, such as WiBro/Wi Max modems with USB interface and/or PLC modems with Ethernet interface, to communicate with the network. 
         [0030]    Having thus described the present technology by reference to certain of its exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present technology may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7