REFLECTING DIELECTRIC ANTENNA SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20180159228A1
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• 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: Britz, David M., Johnson, Shikik, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad
• Granted Patent: US 10,305,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 15/14 Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures electromagnetic shields H01Q1/526
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/19 comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/247 by switching different parts of a primary active element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method includes receiving a first wireless signal via a feed point on an antenna body, wherein the antenna body includes a dielectric core having a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface that are spatially aligned in a reflecting telescope configuration; reflecting the first wireless signal via the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to an aperture of the antenna body; and radiating the first wireless signal from the aperture.

Claims

1. An antenna system, comprising:

an antenna body including a dielectric core, the dielectric core having a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface; and

a transmitting element that generates a wireless signal in response to a radio frequency (RF) signal;

wherein the antenna body radiates the wireless signal through an aperture in response to receiving the wireless signal via an opening in the first reflective surface, wherein the wireless signal traverses the dielectric core and is reflected by the second reflective surface through the dielectric core to the first reflective surface and is reflected by the first reflective surface through the dielectric core to the aperture.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the aperture corresponds to a non-reflective surface of the dielectric core.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are spatially aligned in a reflecting telescope configuration.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric core comprises a plastic.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface comprise a metallic coating on the dielectric core.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting element includes an antenna.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting element includes an antenna array that generates the wireless signal at a selected one of a plurality of first antenna beam orientations that controls a second antenna beam orientation of the wireless signal radiated via the aperture.

8. The antenna system of claim 7, wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas.

9. The antenna system of claim 8, wherein electromagnetic waves that are guided by differing ones of the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas generate the wireless signal in differing ones of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations.

10. The antenna system of claim 9, further comprising:

a core selector switch that operates in accordance with a control signal to couple the electromagnetic waves from a source to a selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas, wherein the selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas has the selected one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations.

11. The antenna system of claim 10, further comprising:

a controller, that determines the selected one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations and generates the control signal in response thereto.

12. The antenna system of claim 9, further comprising a frequency selective launcher that operates in accordance with a frequency of the electromagnetic waves to launch the electromagnetic waves from a selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas, wherein the selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas has the selected one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations.

13. The antenna system of claim 12, further comprising:

a controller, that determines the selected one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations and wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic waves is controlled in response to the selected one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving a first wireless signal via a feed point on an antenna body, wherein the antenna body includes a dielectric core, the dielectric core having a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface that are spatially aligned in a reflecting telescope configuration;

reflecting the first wireless signal via the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to an aperture of the antenna body; and

radiating the first wireless signal from the aperture.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second wireless signal via the aperture;

reflecting the second wireless signal via the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to the feed point; and

radiating the second wireless signal via the feed point to a receiving element.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of first antenna beam orientations for the first wireless signal, wherein the one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations controls a second antenna beam orientation of the first wireless signal radiated via the aperture.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

coupling electromagnetic waves from a source to a selected one of a plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas to generate the first wireless signal, wherein the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas each has differing ones of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating electromagnetic waves on a selected one of a plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas to generate the first wireless signal, wherein the plurality of conductorless dielectric core antennas each has differing ones of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations.

19. An antenna structure, comprising:

means for reflecting a wireless signal to an aperture of a dielectric antenna body, wherein the means for reflecting is in accordance with a reflecting telescope configuration; and

means for radiating the wireless signal via the aperture.

20. The antenna structure of claim 19, further comprising:

means for selecting one of a plurality of first antenna beam orientations for the wireless signal, wherein the one of the plurality of first antenna beam orientations controls a second antenna beam orientation of the wireless signal radiated via the aperture.