Method and apparatus for directing wireless signals

• US 10,051,483 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barzegar, Farhad, Henry, Paul Shala, Barnickel, Donald J, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Kafka, Henry, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivero, Alejandro
• Application Number:
  US14/885,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/16 for mode selection, e.g. mode suppression or mode promotion; for mode conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/08 for linking dissimilar lines or devices H01P1/16, H01P5/04 take precedence; linking lines of the same kind but with different dimensions H01P5/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving a request to steer wireless signals generated by a plurality of dielectric antennas, and adjusting, by the controller, a plurality of adjustable delays coupled to a transceiver to adjust an orientation of wireless signals received or generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas, each of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprising a feed point coupled to a different one of the plurality of adjustable delays, the transceiver facilitating reception or transmission of electromagnetic waves propagating via a different one of the feed points of the plurality of dielectric antennas along corresponding dielectric feedlines without an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a plurality of adjustable phase shifters;

a plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises a dielectric feed point that extends from each dielectric antenna, wherein each dielectric feed point of the plurality of dielectric antennas is coupled to a different one of the plurality of adjustable phase shifters, and wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas is substantially or entirely devoid of conductive materials;

a transmitter coupled to each phase shifter of the plurality of adjustable phase shifters, the transmitter facilitating transmission of electromagnetic waves by way of the plurality of adjustable phase shifters, and a different one of the electromagnetic waves generated by the plurality of adjustable phase shifters propagating to a different one of the dielectric feed points of the plurality of dielectric antennas without requiring an electrical return path; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of adjustable phase shifters to facilitate beam steering of wireless signals generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas by controlling the plurality of adjustable phase shifters.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller facilitates controlling the plurality of adjustable phase shifters to generate a pattern of phase-shifted electromagnetic waves that steer the wireless signals generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein each dielectric antenna comprises a dielectric lens that operates as an aperture of the dielectric antenna.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric lens comprises a structure that reduces phase differences in the wireless signals generated by each dielectric antenna.

5. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric lens comprises a dielectric material having a first dielectric constant that is at least approximately equal to a second dielectric constant of the dielectric antenna.

6. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric lens comprises a convex structure.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller facilitates steering the wireless signals towards a mobile communication device.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller facilitates steering the wireless signals towards a remote base station.

9. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cables, each cable coupling a corresponding one of the plurality of adjustable phase shifters to a corresponding dielectric feed point of the plurality of dielectric antennas, each cable comprising a dielectric core for propagating the electromagnetic waves without the electrical return path, and each phase shifter comprising a signal amplifier.

10. A communication device, comprising:

a plurality of adjustable delays;

a plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises a dielectric feed point that extends from each dielectric antenna, wherein each dielectric feed point of the plurality of dielectric antennas is coupled to a different one of the plurality of adjustable delays, and wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas is substantially or entirely devoid of conductive materials;

a receiver coupled to an output of each of the plurality of adjustable delays, the receiver facilitating reception of electromagnetic waves propagating from a different one of the dielectric feed points of the plurality of dielectric antennas without requiring an electrical return path; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of adjustable delays to facilitate steering of wireless signals received by the plurality of dielectric antennas by controlling the plurality of adjustable delays.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the controller facilitates controlling the plurality of adjustable delays to generate a pattern of delayed electromagnetic waves that steer the wireless signals received by the plurality of dielectric antennas.

12. The communication device of claim 10, wherein each dielectric antenna comprises a lens that operates as an aperture of the dielectric antenna.

13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the lens comprises a structure that reduces phase differences in the wireless signals generated by each dielectric antenna.

14. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the lens comprises a convex structure.

15. The communication device of claim 10, further comprising a transmitter coupled to an input of each of the plurality of adjustable delays, the transmitter facilitating beam steering of second wireless signals generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas.

16. The communication device of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of cables, each cable coupling a corresponding one of the plurality of adjustable delays to a corresponding dielectric feed point of the plurality of dielectric antennas, and each cable comprising a dielectric core for propagating the electromagnetic waves without the electrical return path.

17. The communication device of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of dielectric antennas has substantially or entirely no conductive external surfaces.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a controller, a request to steer wireless signals generated by a plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas is substantially or entirely devoid of conductive materials; and

adjusting, by the controller, a plurality of adjustable delays coupled to a transceiver to adjust an orientation of wireless signals received or generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises a dielectric feed point that extends from each corresponding dielectric antenna, wherein each dielectric feed point of the plurality of dielectric antennas is coupled to a different one of the plurality of adjustable delays and wherein the transceiver facilitates reception or transmission of electromagnetic waves propagating via a different one of the dielectric feed points of the plurality of dielectric antennas without requiring an electrical return path.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the adjusting the plurality of adjustable delays generates a pattern of delayed electromagnetic waves that steer the wireless signals generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the transceiver communicates with other devices utilizing multi-input multi-output (MIMO) transmission and reception techniques or diversity signal communication techniques.