METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COUPLING AN ANTENNA TO A DEVICE

• US 20170019131A1
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Published: 01/19/2017
• 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, Thomas M. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,929,755 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 3/16 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 feed point, the dielectric antenna facilitating an exchange of wireless signals with at least one of a plurality of antenna systems of a distributed antenna system that enable communications with communication devices;

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

a cable comprising a conductorless dielectric core covered by a shell, the conductorless dielectric core coupled to the feed point of the dielectric antenna; and

wherein a transmitter, coupled to the cable, facilitates a transmission of, or a receiver, coupled to the cable, facilitates a reception of electromagnetic waves guided by the conductorless dielectric core and the feed point of the dielectric antenna.

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 the transmitter 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 conductorless dielectric core and directed to the feed point of the dielectric antenna.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates generation of a wireless signal of the wireless signals based on the electromagnetic waves received from the conductorless dielectric core, the wireless signal being directed to the at least one antenna system of the plurality of antenna systems of the distributed antenna system, the antenna system facilitating down-converting of the modulated signal in the frequency band to the modulated signal in the cellular frequency band 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 of the wireless signals from the at least one antenna system of the plurality of antenna systems of the distributed antenna system and a conversion of the wireless signal to the electromagnetic waves guided by the conductorless dielectric core and directed to the receiver.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the receiver facilitates reception of the electromagnetic waves and a down-conversion of the modulated signal in the frequency band to the modulated signal in a cellular frequency band 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 of the wireless signals directed to the at least one antenna system of the plurality of antenna systems of the distributed antenna system, and wherein the dielectric antenna facilitates reception of a second wireless signal of the wireless signals 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 feed point comprises a dielectric feed point.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the conductorless 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 conductorless dielectric core without utilizing an electrical return path.

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

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the conductorless dielectric core comprises a first dielectric constant, and wherein the shell 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 conductorless 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 feed point of a dielectric antenna, electromagnetic waves from a dielectric core coupled to the feed point without an electrical return path, wherein 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 first wireless signal responsive to the electromagnetic waves being received at the aperture, the first wireless signal being directed to an antenna system of a plurality of antenna systems of a distributed antenna system, the antenna system facilitating down-converting of a first modulated signal in a first frequency band of the first wireless signal to the first modulated signal in a first cellular frequency band for wireless delivery to a mobile communication device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the first modulated signal in the first cellular frequency band; and

up-converting the first modulated signal in the first cellular frequency band to the first modulated signal in the first frequency band for transport in the electromagnetic waves.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, via the aperture of the dielectric antenna, a second wireless signal from the antenna system of the plurality of antenna systems of the distributed antenna system, the second wireless signal including a second modulated signal at a second frequency band of the second wireless signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising down-converting the second modulated signal in the second frequency band to the second modulated signal in a second cellular frequency band for delivery to a base station for processing, the second modulated signal in the second cellular frequency band generated by the mobile communication device.

19. An antenna structure, comprising:

a dielectric antenna comprising a feed point and a conductive material to facilitate propagation of electromagnetic waves to the dielectric antenna, the conductive material disposed on at least a portion of an external surface of the dielectric antenna excluding at least a portion of an aperture of the dielectric antenna; and

a dielectric core coupled to the feed point of the dielectric antenna without an electrical return path to facilitate propagation of the electromagnetic waves from the dielectric core to the feed point of the dielectric antenna and to generate a wireless signal from the aperture of the dielectric antenna, the wireless signal directed to an antenna system of a plurality of antenna systems of a distributed antenna system.

20. The antenna structure of claim 19, wherein the antenna system facilitates down-converting of a modulated signal in a frequency band of the wireless signal to the modulated signal in a cellular frequency band for wireless delivery to a mobile communication device.