Millimeter-wave system with beam direction by switching sources

• US 9,413,078 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siklu Communication Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Siklu Communication Ltd.
• Inventors: Leiba, Yigal, Maysel, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US13/918,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,150 Days
• Field of Search: 342/81, 342/154, 342/367, 342/373, 342/374, 343/761, 343/779, 343/781.P
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/15 the primary radiating source being a line source, e.g. leaky waveguide antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/007 using two or more primary active elements in the focal region of a focusing device for operation on different wavebands H01Q5/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching

Abstract

Various embodiments of a millimeter-wave wireless point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication system which enables determining preferred directions of transmissions, and transmitting in such preferred directions without routing radio-frequency signals. The system comprises a millimeter-wave focusing element, multiple millimeter-wave antennas, and multiple radio-frequency-integrated circuits (“RFICs”). In various embodiments, preferred directions are determined, and millimeter-wave beams are transmitted in the preferred directions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a direction of a millimeter-wave beam in a point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system, comprising:

using a first millimeter-wave radiating source, located at a first location on a focal surface of a millimeter-wave focusing element, to transmit a millimeter-wave beam via said millimeter-wave focusing element, wherein said millimeter-wave beam having a first direction consequent upon the first location;

determining a desired direction for the millimeter-wave beam, wherein said desired direction is expected to improve performance of a point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system employing the millimeter-wave beam;

identifying, out of a plurality of millimeter-wave radiating sources, a second millimeter-wave radiating source located at a second location on the focal surface of the millimeter-wave focusing element, which when in use will result in a second direction for the millimeter-wave beam that is closest to the desired direction for the millimeter-wave beam; and

using the second millimeter-wave radiating source to transmit the millimeter-wave beam having the second direction consequent upon the second location, thereby improving performance of the point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system;

wherein each of said first and second millimeter-wave radiating sources comprises a radio-frequency-integrated-circuit which is mounted on a printed-circuit-board that is located substantially on said focal surface of said millimeter-wave focusing element or slightly behind said focal surface of said millimeter-wave focusing element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said each of said first and second millimeter-wave radiating sources further comprises a millimeter-wave antenna operative to radiate said millimeter-wave beam.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of said millimeter-wave antennas is printed on said printed-circuit-board, in proximity to one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits are mounted using flip-chip mounting technology, and each of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits is directly connected to one of said millimeter-wave antennas via a transmission line printed on said printed-circuit-board.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein each of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits is connected to one of said millimeter-wave antennas via a bonding wire.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein each of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits is operative to convert a base-band signal or an intermediate-frequency signal into a millimeter-wave signal, and said millimeter-wave signal is injected into one of said millimeter-wave antennas which is in proximity to said radio-frequency-integrated-circuit, thereby generating said millimeter-wave beam.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein each of said millimeter-wave antennas is located on top of one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits or on top of an enclosure of one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits, and each such millimeter-wave antenna is facing said millimeter-wave focusing element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of said millimeter-wave antennas is printed on one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second millimeter-wave radiating sources comprises an antenna printed on the printed-circuit-board.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(i) said millimeter-wave focusing element belongs to a first millimeter-wave transceiver of said point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system, and (ii) said millimeter-wave beam is used by the first millimeter-wave transceiver to communicate with a second millimeter-wave transceiver belonging to said point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said improving performance is required due do undesired movement of said millimeter-wave focusing element relative to the second millimeter-wave transceiver.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said undesired movement is caused by wind.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said improving performance is required in order to direct said beam toward said second millimeter-wave transceiver when first installing the first millimeter-wave transceiver.

9. A method for controlling a direction of a millimeter-wave beam in a point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system, comprising:

using a first millimeter-wave radiating source, located at a first location on a focal surface of a millimeter-wave focusing element, to transmit a millimeter-wave beam via said millimeter-wave focusing element, wherein said millimeter-wave beam having a first direction consequent upon the first location;

determining a desired direction for the millimeter-wave beam, wherein said desired direction is expected to improve performance of a point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system employing the millimeter-wave beam;

identifying, out of a plurality of millimeter-wave radiating sources, a second millimeter-wave radiating source located at a second location on the focal surface of the millimeter-wave focusing element, which when in use will result in a second direction for the millimeter-wave beam that is closest to the desired direction for the millimeter-wave beam; and

using the second millimeter-wave radiating source to transmit the millimeter-wave beam having the second direction consequent upon the second location, thereby improving performance of the point-to-point millimeter-wave communication system;

wherein each of said first and second millimeter-wave radiating sources comprises a radio-frequency-integrated-circuit operative to convert a base-band signal or an intermediate-frequency signal into a millimeter-wave signal operative to generate said millimeter-wave beam.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said base-band signal or intermediate-frequency signal is delivered to said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits, and selection of said first or second directions is done by commanding one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits associated with said first or second directions to start generating said millimeter-wave beam.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said base-band signal or intermediate-frequency signal is an analog signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said base-band signal is a digital signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said base-band signal or intermediate-frequency signal is delivered to one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits associated with said first direction, thereby facilitating selection of said first direction.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said base-band signal or intermediate-frequency signal is delivered to one of said radio-frequency-integrated-circuits associated with said second direction, thereby facilitating selection of said second direction.