RADIAL ANTENNA AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20170033464A1
• Filed: 07/31/2015
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• 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, Gerszberg, Irwin, Bennett, Robert, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, Thomas M. III
• Granted Patent: US 10,020,587 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: H01P 5/087 Transitions to a dielectric waveguide
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/20 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, antenna that includes a first plurality of antenna elements radially arranged in a first plane to wirelessly transmit first channel signals received from a guided wave communication system to a plurality of client devices via a first plurality of beams at a corresponding first plurality of angles. A second plurality of antenna elements are radially arranged in a second plane that is displaced a first distance from the first plane to wirelessly transmit second channel signals received from the guided wave communication system to the plurality of client devices via a second plurality of beams at a corresponding second plurality of angles that are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a coupler configured to receive first channel signals based on first guided electromagnetic waves bound to a physical structure of a transmission medium of a guided wave communication system;

processing circuitry configured to select and amplify one or more of the first channel signals to generate one or more amplified first channel signals;

an antenna configured to wirelessly transmit the one or more amplified first channel signals to at least one device, the antenna comprising;

a first plurality of antenna elements radially arranged at a corresponding first plurality of angles in a first plane; and

a second plurality of antenna elements, radially arranged at a corresponding second plurality of angles in a second plane that are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles, wherein the second plane is vertically displaced a first distance from the first plane.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves are guided by an outer surface of the physical structure and propagate longitudinally along the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements are radially arranged about a central axis and wherein the second plurality of antenna elements are radially arranged about the central axis.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein second plane is displaced the first distance from the first plane along the central axis.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements includes n first antenna elements, the second plurality of antenna elements includes n second antenna elements and wherein the second plurality of angles are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles by an angle Δ

θ

, that substantially equals π

/n.

6. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

a third plurality of antenna elements, radially arranged in a third plane at a corresponding third plurality of angles that are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles and the second plurality of angles, wherein the third plane is displaced a second distance from the first plane.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements includes n first antenna elements, the second plurality of antenna elements includes n second antenna elements, the third plurality of antenna elements includes n third antenna elements, and wherein the second plurality of angles are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles by an angle Δ

θ

₁, that substantially equals 2π

/3n.

8. The antenna of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements includes n first antenna elements, the second plurality of antenna elements includes n second antenna elements, the third plurality of antenna elements includes n third antenna elements, and wherein the second plurality of angles are angularly displaced from the third plurality of angles by an angle Δ

θ

₂, that substantially equals 2π

/3n.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements includes n horn antennas and the second plurality of antenna elements includes n horn antennas.

10. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements wirelessly receive second channel signals from the at least one device and the second plurality of antenna elements wirelessly receive third channel signals from the at least one device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, via a waveguide system of a guided wave communication system, first channel signals based on first guided electromagnetic waves bound to a physical structure of a transmission medium of the guided wave communication system;

amplifying the first channel signals to generate amplified first channel signals; and

wirelessly transmitting one or more of the amplified first channel signals to at least one device via a first plurality of antenna elements radially arranged in a first plane at a corresponding first plurality of angles, and via a second plurality of antenna elements, radially arranged at a corresponding second plurality of angles that are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles in a second plane that is vertically displaced a first distance from the first plane.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the transmission medium includes a wire and the first guided electromagnetic waves are guided by an outer surface of the wire.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements includes n first antenna elements, the second plurality of antenna elements includes n second antenna elements and wherein the second plurality of angles are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles by an angle Δ

θ

, that substantially equals π

/n.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving second channel signals from the at least one device via the first plurality of antenna elements and via the second plurality of antenna elements;

amplifying the second channel signals to generate amplified second channel signals; and

guiding the amplified channel signals to the transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to propagate as second guided electromagnetic waves.

15. An antenna comprising:

a first plurality of antenna elements radially arranged in a first plane to wirelessly transmit first channel signal signals to a plurality of client devices of a guided wave communication system via a first plurality of beams at a corresponding first plurality of angles, the first channel signals received from a physical transmission medium of the guided wave communication system; and

a second plurality of antenna elements, radially arranged in a second plane that is vertically displaced a first distance from the first plane to wirelessly transmit second channel signals to the plurality of client devices via a second plurality of beams at a corresponding second plurality of angles that are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles, the second channel signals received from the physical transmission medium of the guided wave communication system.

16. The antenna of claim 15, wherein the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane.

17. The antenna of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements are radially arranged about a central axis and wherein the second plurality of antenna elements are radially arranged about the central axis.

18. The antenna of claim 17, wherein second plane is vertically displaced the first distance from the first plane along the central axis.

19. The antenna of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements includes n first antenna elements, the second plurality of antenna elements includes n second antenna elements and wherein the second plurality of angles are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles by an angle Δ

θ

, that substantially equals π

/n.

20. The antenna of claim 15, further comprising:

a third plurality of antenna elements, radially arranged in a third plane that is displaced a second distance from the first plane to wirelessly transmit third downstream channel signals received from the physical transmission medium of the guided wave communication system to the plurality of client devices via a third plurality of beams at a corresponding third plurality of angles that are angularly displaced from the first plurality of angles and the second plurality of angles.