Multi-antenna system and methods for use therewith

• US 10,340,601 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2016
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Barnickel, Donald J., Barzegar, Farhad, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magallanes, Ricardo I
• Application Number:
  US15/360,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20180145412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/06 Waveguide mouths horns H01Q13/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/08 formed of solid dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an antenna structure that includes first and second dielectric antennas that each redirect a beam pattern generated by the first and second dielectric antennas away from a center axis of the of the first and second dielectric antennas. Each of the first and second dielectric antennas can be coupled to at least one dielectric core via a feed point of each dielectric antenna. The at least one dielectric core can be configured to supply electromagnetic waves that are converted by the first and second dielectric antennas to first and second beam patterns redirected away from the center axis. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system, comprising:

a dielectric antenna, wherein the dielectric antenna includes a first feed point that extends from a body of the dielectric antenna and a second feed point that extends from the body of the dielectric antenna, wherein the dielectric antenna further includes a first antenna lens that forms a first aperture and a second antenna lens that forms a second aperture, wherein the first antenna lens comprises a first structure, wherein the second antenna lens comprises a second structure, wherein the first structure is configured to tilt a first beam pattern generated by the first aperture of the dielectric antenna from a first center axis of the first feed point, and wherein the second structure is configured to tilt a second beam pattern generated by the second aperture of the dielectric antenna from a second center axis of the second feed point;

a first dielectric core coupled to the first feed point of the dielectric antenna, wherein the first dielectric core is configured to supply through the first feed point first electromagnetic waves that are converted by the dielectric antenna to the first beam pattern tilted from the first center axis; and

a second dielectric core coupled to the second feed point of the dielectric antenna, wherein the second dielectric core is configured to supply through the second feed point second electromagnetic waves that are converted by the dielectric antenna to the second beam pattern tilted from the second center axis.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter, coupled to the first dielectric core and the second dielectric core, wherein the transmitter facilitates a first transmission of the first electromagnetic waves guided by the first dielectric core to the first feed point of the dielectric antenna, and wherein the transmitter facilitates a second transmission of the second electromagnetic waves guided by the second dielectric core to the second feed point of the dielectric antenna.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna comprises a first dielectric antenna and a second dielectric antenna, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate through the first dielectric antenna to the first aperture, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves propagate through the second dielectric antenna to the second aperture.

4. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein the first dielectric antenna is separated from the second dielectric antenna by a shield, wherein the shield prevents the first electromagnetic waves from transitioning to the second dielectric antenna, and wherein the shield prevents the second electromagnetic waves from transitioning to the first dielectric antenna.

5. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein a first posterior portion of the first dielectric antenna has a first flared structure, and wherein a second posterior portion of the second dielectric antenna has a second flared structure.

6. The antenna system of claim 5, wherein the first flared structure and the second flared structure separate the first posterior portion of the first dielectric antenna from the second posterior portion of the second dielectric antenna.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first beam pattern differs from the second beam pattern.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first structure of the first antenna lens is tilted in a first direction opposite to a first tilt of the first beam pattern generated by the dielectric antenna, and wherein the second structure of the second antenna lens is tilted in a second direction opposite to a second tilt of the second beam pattern generated by the dielectric antenna.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna lens and the second antenna lens each comprises a plurality of ridges.

10. The antenna system of claim 9, wherein each ridge of the plurality of ridges has a depth representative of a wavelength factor.

11. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the wavelength factor reduces reflections of the first electromagnetic waves at the first aperture and reflections of the second electromagnetic waves at the second aperture.

12. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the wavelength factor is one-quarter of a wavelength of the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves.

13. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first structure of the first antenna lens has a first curved surface that causes the first beam pattern generated by the dielectric antenna to have substantially similar phases at a first phase plane of the dielectric antenna, and wherein the second structure of the second antenna lens has a second curved surface that causes the second beam pattern generated by the dielectric antenna to have substantially similar phases at a second phase plane of the dielectric antenna.

14. The antenna system of claim 13, wherein the first phase plane and the second phase plane are a single phase plane, wherein the first beam pattern tilts upon exiting the first aperture, and wherein the second beam pattern tilts upon exiting the second aperture.

15. A method, comprising:

coupling first electromagnetic waves from a first launcher to a first input of a first dielectric core, wherein a first output of the first dielectric core is coupled to a first feed point extending from a first subsection of a dielectric antenna, wherein the first subsection of the dielectric antenna includes a first antenna lens that forms a first aperture, wherein the first antenna lens comprises a first structure configured to redirect a first beam pattern generated by the first aperture of the dielectric antenna from a first center axis of the first feed point;

coupling second electromagnetic waves from a second launcher to a second input of a second dielectric core, wherein a second output of the second dielectric core is coupled to a second feed point extending from a second subsection of the dielectric antenna, wherein the second subsection of the dielectric antenna includes a second antenna lens that forms a second aperture, wherein the second antenna lens comprises a second structure configured to redirect a second beam pattern generated by the second aperture of the dielectric antenna from a second center axis of the second feed point;

radiating, via the first aperture of the dielectric antenna, the first beam pattern responsive to the first electromagnetic waves propagating to the first aperture; and

radiating, via the second aperture of the dielectric antenna, the second beam pattern responsive to the second electromagnetic waves propagating to the second aperture.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first structure of the first antenna lens is tilted in a first direction opposite to a first tilt of the first beam pattern generated by the dielectric antenna, and wherein the second structure of the second antenna lens is tilted in a second direction opposite to a second tilt of the second beam pattern generated by the dielectric antenna.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first antenna lens and the second antenna lens each comprises a plurality of ridges.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of ridges reduces reflections of the first electromagnetic waves at the first aperture and reflections of the second electromagnetic waves at the second aperture.

19. An antenna structure, comprising:

a first dielectric antenna, wherein the first dielectric antenna includes a first feed point, wherein the first dielectric antenna further includes a first antenna lens that forms a first aperture, wherein the first antenna lens comprises a first structure configured to direct a first beam pattern generated by the first aperture of the first dielectric antenna away from a first center axis of the first dielectric antenna;

a second dielectric antenna adjacent to the first dielectric antenna, wherein the second dielectric antenna includes a second feed point, wherein the second dielectric antenna further includes a second antenna lens that forms a second aperture, wherein the second antenna lens comprises a second structure configured to direct a second beam pattern generated by the second aperture of the second dielectric antenna away from a second center axis of the second dielectric antenna;

a first dielectric core of a first cable, wherein the first dielectric core is coupled to the first feed point of the first dielectric antenna, wherein the first dielectric core is configured to supply first electromagnetic waves that are converted by the first dielectric antenna to the first beam pattern directed away from the first center axis; and

a second dielectric core of a second cable, wherein the second dielectric core is coupled to the second feed point of the second dielectric antenna, wherein the second dielectric core is configured to supply second electromagnetic waves that are converted by the second dielectric antenna to the second beam pattern directed away from the second center axis.

20. The antenna structure of claim 19, wherein the first structure of the first antenna lens has a first curved surface that causes the first beam pattern generated by the first dielectric antenna to have substantially similar phases at a first phase plane of the first dielectric antenna, and wherein the second structure of the second antenna lens has a second curved surface that causes the second beam pattern generated by the second dielectric antenna to have substantially similar phases at a second phase plane of the second dielectric antenna.