Method and apparatus for coupling an antenna to a device

• US 10,382,072 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Barnickel, Donald J., Barzegar, Farhad, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US15/892,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20180175892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 455 7, 455 14, 455 16, 455402
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/16 for mode selection, e.g. mode suppression or mode promotion; for mode conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a feed point of a dielectric antenna, electromagnetic waves from a dielectric core coupled to the feed point without an electrical return path, where at least a portion of the dielectric antenna comprises a conductive surface, directing, by the feed point, the electromagnetic waves to a proximal portion of the dielectric antenna, and radiating, via an aperture of the dielectric antenna, a wireless signal responsive to the electromagnetic waves being received at the aperture. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a dielectric antenna including a dielectric body and a dielectric feedline, wherein the dielectric feedline extends from the dielectric body along an axis to a feed point at a first end of the dielectric feedline, wherein the dielectric feedline has a uniform cross-section along the axis between the dielectric body and the feed point at the first end of the dielectric feedline, and wherein the dielectric body has a non-uniform cross-section along the axis;

a metallic layer disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the dielectric antenna; and

a cable comprising a dielectric core covered by a cladding, wherein the dielectric core has a second end that is coupled to the feed point of the dielectric feedline at the first end of the dielectric feedline, and wherein the dielectric core facilitates guiding electromagnetic waves to the feed point of the dielectric feedline at the first end of the dielectric feedline.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves include a modulated signal in a frequency band of the electromagnetic waves.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein a transmitter, coupled to the cable, facilitates an up-conversion of the modulated signal in a cellular frequency band to the modulated signal in the frequency band of the electromagnetic waves for transport in the electromagnetic waves guided by the dielectric core and directed to the feed point of the dielectric feedline at the first end of the dielectric feedline.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates generation of a wireless signal based on the electromagnetic waves received from the dielectric core, the wireless signal being directed to at least one antenna system of a plurality of antenna systems of a distributed antenna system, the at least one antenna system facilitating down-converting of the modulated signal for wireless delivery to a mobile communication device.

5. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates reception of a wireless signal from at least one antenna system of a plurality of antenna systems of a distributed antenna system and a conversion of the wireless signal to other electromagnetic waves guided by the dielectric core for processing by a receiver.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the receiver facilitates reception of the other electromagnetic waves and a down-conversion for wireless delivery to a mobile communication device.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates generation of a first wireless signal directed to at least one antenna system of a plurality of antenna systems of a distributed antenna system, and wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates reception of a second wireless signal at an aperture of the dielectric antenna, the second wireless signal generated by the at least one antenna system of the plurality of antenna systems of the distributed antenna system.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the non-uniform cross-section along the axis comprises a conical geometry.

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

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate at least in part on an outer surface of the dielectric core without requiring an electrical return path.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the cladding comprises a dielectric layer disposed on the dielectric core without a conductive shield layer.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric core comprises a first dielectric constant, and wherein the cladding comprises a second dielectric constant.

13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the first dielectric constant exceeds the second dielectric constant to enable the electromagnetic waves to be bound to the dielectric core.

14. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the metallic layer extends to an outer surface of the feed point.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a dielectric antenna including a dielectric body and a dielectric feedline, electromagnetic waves, wherein the electromagnetic waves are received from a first end of a dielectric core coupled to a feed point at a second end of the dielectric feedline, wherein the electromagnetic waves are received from the first end of the dielectric core without requiring an electrical return path, wherein at least a portion of the dielectric antenna comprises a conductive surface, wherein the dielectric feedline extends from the dielectric body along an axis to the second end at which the feed point receives the electromagnetic waves from the first end of the dielectric core, wherein the dielectric feedline has a uniform cross-section along the axis between the dielectric body and the feed point at the second end of the dielectric feedline, and wherein the dielectric body has a non-uniform cross-section along the axis;

directing, by the dielectric feedline, the electromagnetic waves to a proximal portion of the dielectric antenna; and

radiating, via an aperture of the dielectric antenna, a first wireless signal responsive to the electromagnetic waves being received at the aperture.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, via the aperture of the dielectric antenna, a second wireless signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second wireless signal includes a modulated signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising down-converting the modulated signal for delivery to a communication device for processing.

19. An antenna structure, comprising:

a dielectric antenna comprising a dielectric body and a dielectric feedline, wherein the dielectric feedline extends from the dielectric body along an axis to a feed point at a first end of the dielectric feedline, wherein the dielectric feedline has a uniform cross-section along the axis between the dielectric body and the feed point at the first end of the dielectric feedline, wherein the dielectric body has a non-uniform cross-section along the axis, wherein a conductive material is disposed on at least a first portion of an external surface of the dielectric antenna excluding at least a second portion of an aperture of the dielectric antenna; and

a dielectric core having a second end that is coupled to the feed point of the dielectric feedline at the first end of the dielectric feedline to facilitate propagation of electromagnetic waves from the dielectric core to the feed point of the dielectric feedline without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates generation of a wireless signal from the aperture of the dielectric antenna responsive to the electromagnetic waves.

20. The antenna structure of claim 19, wherein the conductive material comprises a metallic layer.