APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20170229782A1
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Published: 08/10/2017
• 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: Willis, III, Thomas M., Britz, David M., Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Barnickel, Donald J., Adriazola, Aldo, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin
• Granted Patent: US 10,439,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1228 on a boom
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/28 comprising elements constituting electric discontinuities and spaced in direction of wave propagation, e.g. dielectric elements or conductive elements forming artificial dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/06 Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a communication device having a dielectric antenna, a radio housing, a hollow waveguide and an antenna stabilizer. The radio housing can enclose a transmitter that generates electromagnetic waves. The hollow waveguide can have a cavity therethrough to facilitate transmission of the electromagnetic waves to a feed point of the dielectric antenna for guidance of the electromagnetic waves without requiring an electrical return path, where the electromagnetic waves generate near-field wireless signals. The antenna stabilizer can facilitate coupling the hollow waveguide to the feed point of the dielectric antenna. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a dielectric antenna comprising a dielectric lens, a dielectric body, and a dielectric feedline having a feed point;

a transmitter that generates electromagnetic waves;

a hollow waveguide that facilitates transmission of the electromagnetic waves to the feed point for guidance of the electromagnetic waves along the dielectric feedline without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate through the dielectric body of the dielectric antenna to the dielectric lens of the dielectric antenna to generate near-field wireless signals; and

a collar that supports the dielectric antenna, wherein the collar facilitates coupling the hollow waveguide to the feed point of the dielectric feedline.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the hollow waveguide has a cylindrical cavity, and wherein the feed point of the dielectric feedline is positioned in the cylindrical cavity.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the feed point of the dielectric feedline has a tapered end.

4. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna stabilizer, wherein the dielectric antenna is physically connected to the antenna stabilizer, wherein the collar comprises an opening therethrough, wherein the antenna stabilizer is positioned partially in the opening, and wherein the hollow waveguide extends into the opening.

5. The communication device of claim 4, further comprising a radio housing that houses the transmitter, wherein the radio housing has a first radio housing surface, and wherein the antenna stabilizer is physically connected to the first radio housing surface.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the first radio housing surface is externally inaccessible when the communication device is assembled, wherein the radio housing has a second radio housing surface, wherein the second radio housing surface is externally accessible when the communication device is assembled, wherein the second radio housing surface supports at least one port that is coupled with radio equipment housed in the radio housing, and wherein the radio equipment includes the transmitter.

7. The communication device of claim 5, further comprising an antenna housing that is physically connected to at least one of the collar or the radio housing to enclose the dielectric antenna and the antenna stabilizer.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the collar has a side opening that enables visualization of the coupling of the hollow waveguide to the feed point of the dielectric feedline.

9. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna stabilizer, wherein the dielectric antenna is physically connected to the antenna stabilizer, wherein the antenna stabilizer has a cylindrical shape, wherein the antenna stabilizer is visually transparent, and wherein the antenna stabilizer is coaxially aligned with the collar.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric body of the dielectric antenna has a conical shape, and wherein the hollow waveguide has a cylindrical cavity.

11. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising another hollow waveguide connected to the transmitter and the hollow waveguide, wherein the another hollow waveguide has a rectangular cavity.

12. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna stabilizer, wherein RF transparent screws physically connect the dielectric antenna to the antenna stabilizer.

13. A communication device, comprising:

a dielectric antenna having a feed point;

a radio housing enclosing a transmitter that generates electromagnetic waves;

a hollow waveguide having a cylindrical cavity therethrough, wherein the hollow waveguide facilitates transmission of the electromagnetic waves to the feed point of the dielectric antenna for guidance of the electromagnetic waves without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves generate near-field wireless signals; and

an antenna stabilizer physically connected to the radio housing, wherein the dielectric antenna is physically connected to the antenna stabilizer, and wherein the antenna stabilizer facilitates coupling the hollow waveguide to the feed point of the dielectric antenna enabling the feed point to be positioned in the cylindrical cavity of the hollow waveguide.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the feed point of the dielectric antenna comprises a tapered end.

15. The communication device of claim 13, further comprising a collar having an opening therethrough, wherein the antenna stabilizer is positioned partially in the opening, and wherein the hollow waveguide extends into the opening.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the collar has a side opening that enables visualization of the feed point of the dielectric antenna being positioned in the cylindrical cavity of the hollow waveguide.

17. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the antenna stabilizer has a cylindrical shape, and wherein the antenna stabilizer is visually transparent.

18. A communication device, comprising:

a dielectric antenna having a feed point;

a radio housing enclosing a receiver;

a hollow waveguide having a cavity therethrough, wherein the hollow waveguide facilitates transmission of electromagnetic waves from the feed point of the dielectric antenna for guidance of the electromagnetic waves without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are generated from wireless signals received at the dielectric antenna; and

an antenna stabilizer that facilitates coupling the hollow waveguide to the feed point of the dielectric antenna by enabling the feed point to be positioned in the cavity, wherein the dielectric antenna is physically connected to the antenna stabilizer, and wherein the antenna stabilizer is transparent enabling visualization of the feed point of the dielectric antenna being positioned in the cavity of the hollow waveguide.

19. The communication device of claim 18, further comprising a collar having an opening therethrough, wherein the antenna stabilizer is positioned partially in the opening, wherein the hollow waveguide extends into the opening, and wherein the collar has a side opening enabling the visualization of the feed point of the dielectric antenna being positioned in the cavity of the hollow waveguide.

20. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the feed point of the dielectric antenna comprises a tapered end.