Systems and methods for beam direction by switching sources

• US 10,270,164 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siklu Communication Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Siklu Communication Ltd.
• Inventors: Leiba, Yigal, Maysel, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Harry K
• Application Number:
  US15/194,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 342374
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/15 the primary radiating source being a line source, e.g. leaky waveguide antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/007 using two or more primary active elements in the focal region of a focusing device for operation on different wavebands H01Q5/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching

Abstract

Various embodiments of a millimeter-wave wireless point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication system which enables determining preferred directions of transmissions, and transmitting in such preferred directions without routing radio-frequency signals. The system comprises a millimeter-wave focusing element, multiple millimeter-wave antennas, and multiple radio-frequency-integrated circuits (“RFICs”). In various embodiments, preferred directions are determined, and millimeter-wave beams are transmitted in the preferred directions.

Claims

1. A method for directing millimeter-wave beams, comprising:

determining a direction via which a millimeter-wave beam is to be transmitted;

identifying, out of a plurality of millimeter-wave antennas placed at different locations on a focal surface of a millimeter-wave focusing element, a first millimeter-wave antenna which is placed at a specific one of the locations from which the millimeter-wave beam would be focused by the focusing element toward said direction determined; and

generating, by a first radio-frequency-integrated-circuit located in close proximity to said first millimeter-wave antenna, a millimeter-wave signal which is delivered to said first millimeter-wave antenna, thereby transmitting said millimeter-wave beam toward said direction, in which said close proximity is a distance of under 5 wavelengths of the millimeter-wave signal;

wherein said first radio-frequency-integrated-circuit is associated with said first millimeter-wave antenna and with a second millimeter-wave antenna, and said first and second millimeter-wave antennas are located in close proximity to said first radio-frequency-integrated-circuit, and the method further comprising;

determining a second direction via which a millimeter-wave beam is to be transmitted;

identifying, out of the plurality of millimeter-wave antennas placed at different locations on the focal surface of the millimeter-wave focusing element, said second millimeter-wave antenna which is placed at another specific one of the locations from which the millimeter-wave beam would be focused by the focusing element toward said second direction; and

generating, by said first radio-frequency-integrated-circuit located in close proximity to said second millimeter-wave antenna, a millimeter-wave signal which is delivered to said second millimeter-wave antenna, thereby transmitting said millimeter-wave beam toward said second direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of millimeter-wave antennas is uniquely associated with a radio-frequency-integrated-circuit.

3. A method for directing millimeter-wave beams, comprising:

determining a direction via which a millimeter-wave beam is to be transmitted;

identifying, out of a plurality of millimeter-wave antennas placed at different locations on a focal surface of a millimeter-wave focusing element, a first millimeter-wave antenna which is placed at a specific one of the locations from which the millimeter-wave beam would be focused by the focusing element toward said direction determined;

generating, by a first radio-frequency-integrated-circuit located in close proximity to said first millimeter-wave antenna, a millimeter-wave signal which is delivered to said first millimeter-wave antenna, thereby transmitting said millimeter-wave beam toward said direction, in which said close proximity is a distance of under 5 wavelengths of the millimeter-wave signal;

determining a second direction via which a millimeter-wave beam is to be transmitted;

identifying, out of the plurality of millimeter-wave antennas placed at different locations on the focal surface of a millimeter-wave focusing element, a second millimeter-wave antenna which is placed at another specific one of the locations from which the millimeter-wave beam would be focused by the focusing element toward said second direction; and

generating, by a second radio-frequency-integrated-circuit located in close proximity to said second millimeter-wave antenna, a millimeter-wave signal which is delivered to said second millimeter-wave antenna, thereby transmitting said millimeter-wave beam toward said second direction.

4. A millimeter-wave communication system operative to direct millimeter-wave beams, comprising:

a millimeter-wave focusing element, operative to focus millimeter-wave beams;

a plurality of millimeter-wave antennas, placed at different locations on a focal surface of said millimeter-wave focusing element; and

at least one radio-frequency-integrated-circuits, placed in association with said plurality of millimeter-wave antennas, such that;

(i) each of said plurality of millimeter-wave antennas has at least one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits located in close proximity, and (ii) each of said plurality of millimeter-wave antennas is operative to receive a millimeter-wave signal from said at least one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits located in close proximity;

wherein the millimeter-wave communication system is operative to;

(i) select which of said plurality of millimeter-wave antennas is to transmit the millimeter-wave beam, and then (ii) direct to the selected millimeter-wave antenna said millimeter-wave signal from one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits which is located in close proximity to the selected millimeter-wave antenna, thereby generating a millimeter-wave beam at a direction which is consequent upon said selection.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the close proximity is a distance of under 5 wavelengths of the millimeter wave signal, thereby reducing attenuation of the millimeter-wave signal and associated millimeter-wave beam.