Antenna system having shielded structural configurations for assembly

• US 10,340,603 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, Willis, III, Thomas M., Barzegar, Farhad, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magallanes, Ricardo I
• Application Number:
  US15/360,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20180145411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• 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 21/22 Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an antenna array having a plurality of dielectric antennas and a plurality of dielectric cores. At least one surface, excluding an aperture, of each dielectric antenna can be configured to reduce a transfer of signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas. Each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas can further have a structural configuration that enables flat surfaces of the plurality of dielectric antennas to be adjacent to each other. Each dielectric core of the plurality of dielectric cores can be coupled to a select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas to facilitate guiding a select one of a plurality of electromagnetic waves to the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises an aperture for radiating a wireless signal in response to an electromagnetic wave received by each dielectric antenna, wherein at least one surface of each dielectric antenna is configured to reduce a transfer of signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas, and wherein a structural section of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas is configured to enable a first flat surface of at least a first dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas to be adjacent to a second flat surface of at least a second dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas; and

a plurality of dielectric cores, wherein each dielectric core of the plurality of dielectric cores is coupled to a select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas, and wherein each dielectric core facilitates guiding a select one of a plurality of electromagnetic waves to a dielectric feedline of the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the dielectric feedline of the select one of the plurality dielectric antennas is an integral part of the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one surface is configured with a shield that reduces the transfer of the signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the shield comprises a material that absorbs the signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the material comprises a carbon material.

5. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the shield comprises a material that reduces radiation of the signals from the at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the material comprises a metallic material.

7. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the material comprises a carbon material.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first flat surface and the second flat surface touch.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first flat surface and the second flat surface are configured to reduce the transfer of the signals between the first dielectric antenna and the second dielectric antenna.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the structural section of the first dielectric antenna comprises a plurality of flat surfaces including the first flat surface, and wherein the plurality of flat surfaces enables the first dielectric antenna to be placed adjacent to at least one more dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas other than the second dielectric antenna.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the structural section of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises a plurality of flat surfaces, and wherein the communication device further comprises a mechanism that is coupled to at least one flat surface of at least two different dielectric antennas of the plurality of dielectric antennas to position the plurality of dielectric antennas in an array configuration.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas has substantially or entirely no conductive external surfaces, and wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas has a composition that is substantially or entirely devoid of conductive materials.

13. The communication device of claim 1, wherein each dielectric core of the plurality of dielectric cores is resistant to propagation of electromagnetic waves having an optical operating frequency.

14. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the aperture of each of the plurality of dielectric antennas has a circular shape, a pyramidal shape, a polygonal shape or a hexagon shape.

15. An antenna system, comprising:

a plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises an aperture, wherein at least one surface, excluding the aperture, of each dielectric antenna is configured to lessen a transfer of signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas, and wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises a structural section having a flat surface to enable a first dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas to be adjacent to a second dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas; and

a plurality of dielectric cores, wherein each dielectric core of the plurality of dielectric cores is coupled to a select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas, and wherein each dielectric core facilitates guiding a select one of a plurality of electromagnetic waves from a dielectric feedline to the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the dielectric feedline of the select one of the plurality dielectric antennas is an integral part of the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

16. The antenna system of claim 15, wherein the at least one surface is configured with a shield that lessens the transfer of the signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas.

17. The antenna system of claim 16, wherein the shield comprises a first material that absorbs the signals emitted between the at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas, or a second material that lessens radiation of signals from the at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

18. An antenna array, comprising:

a plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas, excluding an aperture, is configured to prevent a transfer of signals between the plurality of dielectric antennas, wherein each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas has a structural configuration that enables flat surfaces of the plurality of dielectric antennas to be adjacent to each other; and

a plurality of dielectric cores, wherein each dielectric core of the plurality of dielectric cores is coupled to a select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas, and wherein each dielectric core facilitates guiding a select one of a plurality of electromagnetic waves from a dielectric feedline to the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the dielectric feedline of the select one of the plurality dielectric antennas is an integral part of the select one of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

19. The antenna array of claim 18, wherein the at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas is configured to absorb signals emitted between the at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas, or to diminish radiation of the signals from the at least one surface of each dielectric antenna of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

20. The antenna array of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of transmitters coupled to the plurality of dielectric cores, wherein the plurality of transmitters facilitates adaptive generation of the plurality of electromagnetic waves to perform beam steering of wireless signals generated by the plurality of dielectric antennas.