Radio-over-fiber transponder with a dual-band patch antenna system
First Claim
1. A radio-over-fiber (RoF) transponder, comprising:
- a converter unit adapted to convert RF electrical signals into RF optical signals and vice versa;
an antenna system electrically coupled to the converter unit, the antenna system having an antenna substrate with a surface;
first and second patch antenna elements formed on the antenna substrate surface and adapted to respectively transmit and receive radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency fA over a first picocell; and
a third patch antenna element formed on the antenna substrate surface and adapted to transmit and receive RF electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency fB over a second picocell that at least substantially overlaps the first picocell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The radio-over-fiber (RoF) transponder includes a converter unit adapted to convert RF electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa, and an antenna system electrically coupled to the converter unit. The antenna system includes first and second Z-shaped patch antenna elements formed on an antenna substrate. These patches are adapted to respectively transmit and receive radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency fA (e.g., 2.4 GHz) over a first picocell. The antenna system also includes a square patch antenna element formed atop the antenna substrate surface between the first and second Z-shaped patch antenna elements. The square patch antenna is adapted to transmit and receive RF electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency fB (e.g., 5.2 GHz) over a second picocell substantially co-located with the first picocell. One or more spaced-apart transponders can be supported by one or more optical fibers to form an array of picocells.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A radio-over-fiber (RoF) transponder, comprising:
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a converter unit adapted to convert RF electrical signals into RF optical signals and vice versa; an antenna system electrically coupled to the converter unit, the antenna system having an antenna substrate with a surface; first and second patch antenna elements formed on the antenna substrate surface and adapted to respectively transmit and receive radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency fA over a first picocell; and a third patch antenna element formed on the antenna substrate surface and adapted to transmit and receive RF electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency fB over a second picocell that at least substantially overlaps the first picocell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A radio-over-fiber (RoF) picocellular wireless system, comprising:
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a head-end station adapted to provide first and second downlink RF optical signals having respective first and second frequencies fA and fB, and adapted to receive and process first and second uplink RF optical signals having respective first and second frequencies fA and fB; an optical fiber cable optically coupled to the head-end station, the optical fiber cable having one or more optical fiber communication links adapted to carry the first and second downlink RF optical signals and the first and second uplink optical signals; one or more transponders respectively optically coupled to the corresponding one or more optical fiber communication links, with at least one transponder having a converter unit adapted to convert RF optical signals to RF electrical signals and vice versa; and wherein at least one transponder includes a micro-strip antenna system with first and second patch antenna elements adapted to respectively transmit and receive RF electromagnetic radiation at the first frequency fA over a first picocell, and a third patch antenna element adapted to transmit and receive RF electromagnetic radiation at the second frequency fB over a second picocell substantially co-located with the first picocell, and wherein picocells of adjacent transponders do not substantially interfere. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of generating first and second substantially co-located first and second picocells at respective first and second frequencies, comprising:
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providing first and second downlink RF optical signals of respective first and second frequencies fA and fBto a radio-over-fiber (RoF) transponder; at the transponder, converting the first and second downlink RF optical signals to corresponding first and second electrical signals; feeding the first electrical downlink signals to first and second patch antenna elements adapted to transmit at the first frequency fA so as to form a first picocell; and feeding the second electrical downlink signals to a third patch antenna element adapted to transmit at the second frequency fB so as to form a second picocell substantially co-located with the first picocell. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification