Method and apparatus for adjusting wireless communications

• US 10,665,942 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Barnickel, Donald J, Barzegar, Farhad, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Kafka, Henry, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US14/885,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20170110795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 455 69
• 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 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• 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 25/002 providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for adjusting an operational parameter of electromagnetic waves supplied to a feed point of a dielectric antenna to modify a beamwidth of far-field wireless signals generated by the dielectric antenna, the electromagnetic waves propagating along the feed point without an electrical return path, detecting that the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals needs to be adjusted to improve a reception of the far-field wireless signals by a remote system, and adjusting the operational parameter of the electromagnetic waves to adjust the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

adjusting, by a waveguide system, an operational parameter of electromagnetic waves supplied to a single dielectric feedline of a dielectric antenna to modify a beamwidth of far-field wireless signals generated from an aperture of the dielectric antenna that radiates wireless signals responsive to the electromagnetic waves,

wherein the single dielectric feedline comprises a solid dielectric material integral with and substantially coaxial with the aperture of the dielectric antenna and does not include an interior conductor extending along the single dielectric feedline,

wherein the dielectric antenna is substantially devoid of an internal conductive material and has substantially or entirely no conductive external surfaces, and

wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate along the single dielectric feedline without requiring an electrical return path;

detecting, by the waveguide system, that the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals can be adjusted to improve a reception of the far-field wireless signals by a remote system; and

readjusting, by the waveguide system responsive to the detecting, the operational parameter of the electromagnetic waves to readjust the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter comprises an operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves, and wherein the operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves is adjusted to modify the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals while being supplied to the single dielectric feedline.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein decreasing the operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves increases the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter comprises an adjustable orientation of electric fields of the electromagnetic waves.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna comprises an absorbing material located at outer edges of the aperture of the dielectric antenna, and wherein a clearance region of the aperture excludes the absorbing material.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting the operational parameter comprises adjusting a polarity of electric fields of the electromagnetic waves so that the electric fields become more parallel to the absorbing material.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting the operational parameter comprises adjusting a polarity of electric fields of the electromagnetic waves so that the electric fields become less parallel to the absorbing material.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises receiving an instruction from the remote system to adjust the beamwidth of the far-field wireless signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting, from wireless signals provided by the remote system, that the far-field wireless signals can be adjusted to improve the reception of the far-field wireless signals by the remote system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna is coupled to a gimbal to facilitate adjusting an orientation of the dielectric antenna.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna comprises a lens that serves as the aperture of the dielectric antenna.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the lens comprises a convex structure that reduces phase differences between near-field wireless signals generated by the dielectric antenna.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the single dielectric feedline is coupled to a dielectric core of a cable.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a transmitter, coupled to the cable, supplies the electromagnetic waves to the single dielectric feedline of the dielectric antenna without requiring the electrical return path.

15. A method, comprising:

adjusting, by a system, an operational parameter of electromagnetic waves supplied to a single dielectric feedline of a dielectric antenna to modify a radiation pattern of far-field wireless signals generated from an aperture of the dielectric antenna that radiates wireless signals responsive to the electromagnetic waves, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate along the single dielectric feedline without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the single dielectric feedline comprises a solid dielectric material that is integral with and substantially coaxial with the aperture of the dielectric antenna, is resistive to propagation of light waves, and does not include an interior conductor extending along the single dielectric feedline, wherein the dielectric antenna is substantially devoid of an internal conductive material and has substantially or entirely no conductive external surfaces;

detecting, by the system, that the radiation pattern of the far-field wireless signals can be adjusted to improve a reception of the far-field wireless signals by a remote system; and

readjusting, by the system, the operational parameter of the electromagnetic waves to adjust the radiation pattern of the far-field wireless signals.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the operational parameter comprises an adjustable operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves or an adjustable orientation of electric fields of the electromagnetic waves.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the dielectric antenna comprises an absorbing material for adjusting the radiation pattern of the far-field wireless signals.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a first region of the aperture of the dielectric antenna includes the absorbing material, and wherein a second region of the aperture of the dielectric antenna excludes the absorbing material.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the absorbing material comprises a carbon material or a conductive material.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting the operational parameter comprises adjusting an orientation of electric fields of the electromagnetic waves so that the electric fields become less or more parallel to the absorbing material.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the dielectric antenna comprises a lens for reducing phase differences in near-field wireless signals generated by the dielectric antenna.

22. A system, comprising:

a dielectric antenna;

a transmitter that facilitates transmission of electromagnetic waves, the electromagnetic waves supplied to a single dielectric feedline of the dielectric antenna, the electromagnetic waves propagating along the single dielectric feedline without requiring an electrical return path, the single dielectric feedline comprising a solid dielectric material that is integral with and substantially coaxial with an aperture of the dielectric antenna and is resistive to propagation of light waves, the single dielectric feedline not including an interior conductor extending along the single dielectric feedline, the dielectric antenna being substantially devoid of an internal conductive material and having substantially or entirely no conductive external surfaces;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations including adjusting an operational parameter of the electromagnetic waves supplied to the single dielectric feedline to modify far-field wireless signals generated from the aperture of the dielectric antenna.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the operational parameter comprises an adjustable operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves or an adjustable orientation of electric fields of the electromagnetic waves, and wherein the dielectric antenna comprises an absorbing material for adjusting an intensity of the far-field wireless signals.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein a first region of the aperture of the dielectric antenna includes the absorbing material, and wherein a second region of the aperture of the dielectric antenna excludes the absorbing material.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the adjusting the operational parameter is performed responsive to detecting, from wireless signals provided by a remote system, that the far-field wireless signals can be adjusted to improve a reception of the far-field wireless signals by the remote system.