A group of Purdue University professors has launched a start-up to create an auto-aiming wireless antenna system that reliably links users on vehicles and boats to the Internet.
The start-up, called Broadband Antenna Tracking Solutions (BATS), uses proprietary software and off-the-shelf electronic components that let one antenna find, lock onto and track another, even when one of them is in motion.
The system lets a seeker antenna find a target one quickly, and then constantly adjusts the seeker’s position to optimize signal strength and throughput. Because BATS uses directional antennas, which focus a radio signal into a narrow beam, the connection can be maintained over longer distances and is less vulnerable to interference. Tests with the current BATS prototypes have reached nearly 12 miles over water and nearly 9 miles over land.
The system is designed for 802.11 (Wi-Fi) and fixed wireless broadband radios, such as Motorola’s Canopy product. In the future, WiMAX will be supported, says Lonnie Bentley, vice president with the company.
