Wireless access point

Abstract

An access point device and access point system support wireless and wired communications. The access point includes a front face and a rear housing sized to fit within a conventional wall box, e.g., a single gang box. The electrical components associated with the access point device include a plurality of printed circuit boards that are configured in an H-shaped or U-shaped manner, such that they fit within the rear housing. Interface members are provided to facilitate communications between and among the printed circuit boards. At least one jack is provided in the front face of the access device for wired communication, and a plug is outwardly directed from the rear housing to facilitate network connection. Power for the access point device is supplied over a cable or conduit that engages the outwardly directed plug using Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology. The printed circuit boards include circuitry for managing operation of the access device and, in exemplary embodiments, includes power control circuitry to moderate potential heat generation.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] The present disclosure is directed to access points for communication applications and, more particularly, to access points that include wireless functionality. The disclosed access points are generally sized for mounting in or with respect to a conventional wall box and, beyond the disclosed wireless functionality, additionally support one or more jack and / or connector based communication modalities. [0003] 2. Background Art [0004] In the field of communications, technological developments continue to drive the adoption of wireless technologies. For example, it has become commonplace for individuals to employ laptop computers with wireless communication capabilities to access and communicate across networks. Once wireless communication is established with a network, the laptop user can generally establish and / or engage in far reaching network-based communications, e.g., over local area networks, wide area networks, the Internet, etc. The ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] Thus, in a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an access point is provided that includes a plurality of printed circuit boards arranged in a substantially H-shaped or U-shaped configuration. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed access point, three (3) printed circuit boards are provided within the access point, such printed circuit boards being in electronic communication with each other so as to provide requisite control and operational processing capabilities. Communication interface members are typically provided to facilitate electrical communication between adjacent circuit boards. According to exemplary embodiments, a jack is positioned in close proximity to the circuit boards and is accessible from the front face of the access point. Thus, a user is able to insert a plug into the jack to facilitate network-based communications. One or more antennae are provided in the access point to support wireless functionality. In addition, a further connector is typically provided to facilitate to permit connection of the access point to associated wired infrastructure. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, an outwardly directed plug extends from the access point and facilitates communication with external sources, e.g., network-related communications and the like.

[0018] The circuit boards associated with the disclosed access points are adapted to support and manage the various functionalities of the access point, e.g., the receipt, processing and transmission of signals, power processing and management, and the generation of signals reflecting operative conditions and the like. The H-shaped or U-shaped configuration of the circuit boards disclosed herein permits advantageous space utilization and permits the disclosed access points to be utilized in conjunction with a conventional electrical box, e.g., a single gang wall box, while supporting a full range of access point functionalities, including the processing of both wireless and wired communications.

Problems solved by technology

Existing 802.11 access points suffer from various limitations and / or drawbacks.

For example, current Wi-Fi access points are generally bulky, need to be connected via a patch cord, and often require an external power cord.

Moreover, conventional Wi-Fi access ports are difficult to integrate into a desired environment, and frequently result in a non-desirable and / or unacceptable physical presence in the desired environment.

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