Patent ID: 8502733

Claim:
An intelligent backhaul radio comprising: a plurality of receive RF chains; one or more transmit RF chains; an antenna array comprising a plurality of directive gain antenna elements, wherein each directive gain antenna element is couplable to at least one receive RF or transmit RF chain; and an interface bridge configured to couple the intelligent backhaul radio to a data network, the interface bridge comprising one or more Ethernet interfaces to couple the interface bridge to the data network, wherein the intelligent backhaul radio is configured to scan a plurality of radio frequency channels for the presence of radio signals transmitted from one or more unrelated point to point microwave systems to generate scan data, and wherein the intelligent backhaul radio comprises at least one adjustable network parameter that is adjustable based on a signal propagation analysis of the scan data and without using network message-based feedback originating from at least one of the one or more unrelated point to point microwave systems, wherein the at least one network parameter is adjusted to reduce a potential of interference of the intelligent backhaul radio with the one or more unrelated point to point microwave systems, wherein the intelligent backhaul radio is a first intelligent backhaul radio, and wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises one or more of: selecting a frequency channel utilized between the first intelligent backhaul radio and a second intelligent backhaul radio; adjusting the effective radiation pattern of the first intelligent backhaul radio; selecting one or more of the plurality of directive gain antenna elements; and adjusting the physical configuration or arrangement of the one or more of the plurality of directive gain antenna elements.