Systems and methods for focusing beams with mode division multiplexing

• US 9,413,448 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nxgen Partners Ip, LLC (NxGen Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nxgen Partners Ip, LLC (NxGen Partners LLC)
• Inventors: Ashrafi, Solyman, Linquist, Roger, Ashrafi, Nima
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Li
• Application Number:
  US14/731,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160043794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/112 Line-of-sight transmission over an extended range
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2507 for the reduction or elimination of distortion or dispersion
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25752 Optical arrangements for wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2581 Multimode transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/508 Pulse generation, e.g. generation of solitons
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/516 Details of coding or modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0671 using different delays between antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/04 Mode multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/07 Orbital angular momentum [OAM] multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2017 in which the phase changes are non-linear, e.g. generalized and Gaussian minimum shift keying, tamed frequency modulation H04L27/201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

A system for focusing a multiplexed beam includes OAM signal processing circuitry for generating a multiplexed OAM multiplexed signal. A plurality of antennas comprises an antenna array. An antenna array control circuit controls transmission of the multiplexed OAM signal from each of the plurality of antennas in the antenna array. The antenna array control circuit generates control signals to cause the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array toward a focus point as a transmission beam and controls a timing of the transmissions of the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array to cause the transmitted OAM multiplexed signals to arrive at the focus point at substantially a same time.

Claims

1. A method for focusing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexed beam, comprising:

receiving an OAM multiplexed signal from a data processing source, the OAM multiplexed signal including a plurality of data streams each having a unique orbital angular momentum applied thereto and multiplexed together within the OAM multiplexed signal, each unique orbital angular momentum having a beam helicity value greater than l=2;

splitting the OAM multiplexed signal into a plurality of OAM multiplexed signals, each of the OAM multiplexed signals including the plurality of data streams, each having the unique orbital angular momentum applied thereto and multiplexed together in each of the OAM multiplexed signals;

providing each of the plurality of OAM multiplexed signals to a transmitting antenna of an antenna array;

transmitting each of the plurality of OAM multiplexed signals from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a focus point at a receiver aperture of a receiver as a transmission beam; and

controlling a timing of the transmissions of each of the plurality of OAM multiplexed signals from the associated transmitting antenna to cause the transmitted OAM multiplexed signals to converge at the focus point at the receiver aperture at substantially a same time to overcome a divergence of the transmitted plurality of OAM multiplexed signals caused by the beam helicity value of greater than l=2 for each of the unique orbital angular momentum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission beam comprises an RF transmission beam.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission beam comprises an optical transmission beam.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises transmitting a pulse of a fixed width having at least a portion of the OAM multiplexed signal therein.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises delaying transmission of a first pulse from a second pulse by a predetermined amount to cause the first pulse and the second pulse to arrive at the focus point at substantially the same time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises transmitting each of the plurality of OAM multiplexed signals from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a plurality of focus points as a plurality of transmission beams.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises transmitting each of the plurality of OAM multiplexed signals from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a focus point located below the ground as a transmission beam.

8. The method of claim 1 further including:

receiving a plurality of data streams;

modulating each of the plurality of data streams;

applying an orbital angular momentum twist to each of the plurality of modulated data streams; and

multiplexing each of the twisted, modulated data streams into the OAM multiplexed signal.

9. A system for focusing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexed beam, comprising:

OAM signal processing circuitry for generating a multiplexed OAM multiplexed signal;

a plurality of antennas comprising an antenna array;

an antenna array control circuit for controlling transmission of the multiplexed OAM signal from each of the plurality of antennas in the antenna array, the OAM multiplexed signal including a plurality of data streams each having a unique orbital angular momentum applied thereto and multiplexed together within the OAM multiplexed signal, each unique orbital angular momentum comprising a beam helicity value greater than l=2, the antenna array control circuit generating control signals to cause the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array toward a focus point at a receiver aperture of a receiver as a transmission beam and control a timing of the transmissions of the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array to cause the transmitted OAM multiplexed signals to converge at the focus point at substantially a same time to overcome a divergence of the transmitted plurality of OAM multiplexed signals caused by the beam helicity value of greater than l=2 for each of the unique orbital angular momentum.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transmission beam comprises and RF transmission beam.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the transmission beam comprises an optical transmission beam.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna array control circuit further transmits at least one pulse of a fixed width having at least a portion of the OAM multiplexed signal therein.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the antenna array control circuit further delays transmission of a first pulse from a second pulse by a predetermined amount to cause the first pulse and the second pulse to arrive at the focus point at substantially the same time.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna array control circuit further controls the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a plurality of focus points as a plurality of transmission beams.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the antenna array control circuit further controls the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a focus point located below the ground as a transmission beam.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the OAM processing circuitry further receives a plurality of data streams, modulates each of the plurality of data streams, applies an orbital angular momentum twist to each of the plurality of modulated data streams and multiplexes each of the twisted, modulated data streams into the OAM multiplexed signal.

17. A system for focusing an orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexed beam, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a transmitted OAM multiplexed signal, the receiver including a receiver aperture having a first predetermined size;

a transmitter for generating and transmitting the OAM multiplexed signal toward the receiver, the orthogonal multiplexed signal including a plurality of data streams each having a unique orbital angular momentum applied thereto and multiplexed together within the OAM multiplexed signal, each unique orbital angular momentum having a beam helicity value greater than l=2, the transmitter further comprising;

OAM signal processing circuitry for generating an OAM multiplexed signal;

a plurality of antennas comprising an antenna array;

an antenna array control circuit for controlling transmission of the multiplexed orthogonal signal from each of the plurality of antennas in the antenna array, the OAM multiplexed signal including the plurality of data streams each having the unique orbital angular momentum applied thereto and multiplexed together within the OAM multiplexed signal, the antenna array control circuit generating control signals to cause the antenna to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal within at least one pulse of a predetermined width from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array toward a focus point located at the receiver aperture of the receiver as a transmission beam and control a timing of the transmissions of the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array to cause the transmitted at least one pulse to converge at the focus point at substantially a same time by delaying corresponding pulses from different antennas of the plurality of antennas by a predetermined amount to overcome a divergence of the transmitted plurality of OAM multiplexed signals caused by the beam helicity value of greater than l=2 for each of the unique orbital angular momentum, the control signals further limiting divergence of the OAM multiplexed signal and causing the plurality of antennas to focus the OAM multiplexed signal within the predetermined size of the receiver aperture.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the transmission beam comprises and RF transmission beam.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the transmission beam comprises an optical transmission beam.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the antenna array control circuit further controls the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a plurality of focus points as a plurality of transmission beams.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the antenna array control circuit further controls the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a focus point located below the ground as a transmission beam.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the OAM processing circuitry further receives a plurality of data streams, modulates each of the plurality of data streams, applies an orbital angular momentum twist to each of the plurality of modulated data streams and multiplexes each of the twisted, modulated data streams into the OAM multiplexed signal.

23. A controller for an antenna array, comprising:

an interface for interconnecting the controller with an antenna array comprising a plurality of transmitting antennas; and

a processor for generating control signals for controlling transmissions of an orbital angular momentum multiplexed signal from the antenna array, the OAM multiplexed signal including a plurality of data streams each having a unique orbital angular momentum applied thereto and multiplexed together within the OAM multiplexed signal, each unique orbital angular momentum having a beam helicity value greater than l=2, the processor configured to generate control signals to cause the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array toward a focus point at receiver aperture of a receiver as a transmission beam and control a timing of the transmissions of the OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas of the antenna array to cause the transmitted OAM multiplexed signal from each of the plurality of antennas to converge at the focus point at the receiver aperture at substantially a same time to overcome a divergence of the transmitted plurality of OAM multiplexed signals caused by the beam helicity value of greater than l=2 for each of the unique orbital angular momentum.

24. The controller of claim 23, wherein the transmission beam comprises and RF transmission beam.

25. The controller of claim 23, wherein the transmission beam comprises an optical transmission beam.

26. The controller of claim 23, wherein the antenna array control circuit further transmits at least one pulse of a fixed width having at least a portion of the OAM multiplexed signal therein.

27. The controller of claim 26, wherein the antenna array control circuit further delays transmission of a first pulse from a second pulse by a predetermined amount to cause the first pulse and the second pulse to arrive at the focus point at substantially the same time.

28. The controller of claim 23, wherein the antenna array control circuit further controls the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a plurality of focus points as a plurality of transmission beams.

29. The controller of claim 23, wherein the antenna array control circuit further controls the antenna array to transmit the OAM multiplexed signal from an associated transmitting antenna of the antenna array toward a focus point located below the ground as a transmission beam.