New Hampshire Patent of the Month – February 2021

We use cell towers and radio towers for a lot of different services. For one, there’s radio, of course, then there’s cell service, and GPS services. They have become smaller and more efficient over the years, with modern devices featuring antenna-integrated radios. In these devices, antennas (which receive signals) are combined with remote radio heads (which translate the signals and send them to a separate unit). Sometimes, cell sites are powered by solar panels. However, most cell sites have more than one radio on them, so they need to be connected to a power grid since solar panels don’t provide consistent power. But this could change – Parallel Wireless, Inc. has developed a method for effective cell site management using solar panels. 

Parallel Wireless’ novel method consists of solar panels, an electric supply source, a wireless access point linked to a radio mast and a remote baseband unit. Power amplifiers are placed in each antenna as well as a baseband board. Loss of radio frequency (RF) signals and power consumption is reduced by installing low-bandwidth digital signals into the antennas. By matching with other radio transmitters (other base stations), resource blocks can be scheduled at adjoining times with as much break as possible between the times. This means they can stop the 500 MHz frequency band to save energy by powering down power amplifiers, but still by linking to other base stations, so there are no negative effects. With reduced energy needs, solar panels can be efficient enough to power the cell sites and also reduce the size and need for backup batteries. 

 Are you adapting existing technology for a new application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

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