ANTENNA SYSTEM WITH DIELECTRIC ARRAY AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20170018856A1
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• 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, TAYLOR, WILLIAM SCOTT, BENNETT, ROBERT, BARZEGAR, FARHAD, GERSZBERG, IRWIN, BARNICKEL, DONALD J., WILLIS, THOMAS M. III
• Granted Patent: US 10,090,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/16 for mode selection, e.g. mode suppression or mode promotion; for mode conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• 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 13/24 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 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2658 Phased-array fed focussing structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas
• 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, an antenna system that includes a plurality of dielectric members configured to propagate first guided electromagnetic waves. A dielectric antenna array is configured to receive the first guided electromagnetic waves and to transmit a controllable beam in response thereto. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a multi-core transmission medium configured to propagate electromagnetic waves guided via a plurality of dielectric cores; and

a dielectric antenna array, coupled to the plurality of dielectric cores, the dielectric antenna array comprising a plurality of dielectric antennas configured to wirelessly transmit, in response to the electromagnetic waves, a controllable beam having a controllable shape.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves include a plurality of signals that are conveyed to the plurality of dielectric antennas via the plurality of dielectric cores.

3. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of signals are generated in accordance with multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) transmission.

4. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of signals have a corresponding plurality of amplitudes and phases that control the shape of the controllable beam.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the shape of the controllable beam includes at least one selected lobe direction.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the shape of the controllable beam includes at least one selected null direction.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising:

a selector that launches the guided electromagnetic waves on a selected one of the plurality of dielectric cores coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas and wherein the controllable beam conforms with a beam pattern of the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising:

a dielectric lens coupled to the plurality of dielectric antennas; and

a selector that launches the guided electromagnetic waves on a selected one of the plurality of dielectric cores coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas and wherein the controllable beam conforms with a beam pattern of the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas as modified by the dielectric lens.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of dielectric antennas comprises an end of a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores.

10. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of dielectric antennas is attachably connected to an end of a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores.

11. A method comprising:

propagating guided electromagnetic waves via at least one of a plurality of dielectric cores of a transmission medium to at least one of a corresponding plurality of dielectric antennas; and

transmitting a controllable beam in response to the guided electromagnetic waves via the at least one of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves include a plurality of signals that are conveyed to the plurality of dielectric antennas via the plurality of dielectric cores.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating the plurality of signals in accordance with multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) transmission.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating the plurality of signals in accordance a corresponding plurality of amplitudes and phases to control a shape of the controllable beam.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the shape of the controllable beam includes at least one selected lobe direction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the shape of the controllable beam includes at least one selected null direction.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

launching the guided electromagnetic waves on a selected one of the plurality of dielectric cores coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas; and

wherein the controllable beam conforms with a beam pattern of the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

launching the guided electromagnetic waves on a selected one of the plurality of dielectric cores coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas; and

wherein the controllable beam conforms with a beam pattern of the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric antennas as modified by a dielectric lens.

19. An antenna system comprising:

a plurality of dielectric members configured to propagate first guided electromagnetic waves without an electrical return path at non-optical frequencies; and

a dielectric antenna array, configured to receive the first guided electromagnetic waves and to transmit a controllable beam in response thereto.

20. The antenna system of claim 19, wherein the dielectric antenna array is further configured to receive signals and to launch second guided electromagnetic waves via the plurality of dielectric members.