High dielectric antenna array

• US 9,685,711 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2014
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Inventors: Zeine, Hatem
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US14/461,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 343753, 343909
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/09 wherein the primary active element is coated with or embedded in a dielectric or magnetic material protective material H01Q1/40, varying the electric or magnetic characteristics of refracting or diffracting devices H01Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/22 Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly transmitting signals via antenna phased array. In order to decrease the distance between individual antennae in the array, the antennae are submersed in a high dielectric material in addition to being arranged at right angles to one another, both features precluding one or more antennae from coupling. Furthermore, wires are covered in high dielectric material in order to refract RF signals around them, allowing antennae towards the center of the array to successfully transmit signals past other layers.

Claims

1. A compact antenna array configured to transmit a wireless power signal, the antenna array comprising:

multiple antennae elements disposed on multiple antennae layers to form a phased array antenna, the antennae elements arranged in a right-angle configuration relative to each other; and

one or more high permittivity dielectric insulators configured to immerse the multiple antennae elements,

wherein the one or more dielectric insulators facilitate decreased spacing between each of the multiple antennae elements and cause at least a subset of the multiple antennae elements to refract RF signals around other of the antennae elements thereby enhancing signal transfer and allowing a subset of the multiple antennae elements disposed on an inner layer of the multiple antennae layers of the phased array antenna to transmit signals through other of the multiple antennae layers of the antennae elements.

2. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiple high permittivity dielectric insulators has a permittivity coefficient that is larger than three.

3. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antennae elements are coupled by conductive wires coated in a dielectric material of high permittivity.

4. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antennae elements are comprised of traces within a circuit board, and wherein some of the traces are surrounded by gaps of air or some other lower-permittivity dielectric material.

5. The antenna array of claim 3, wherein the dielectric material of high permittivity is placed in proximity to areas of lower permittivity material for enhancing signal transfer.

6. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antennae elements are etched into interstitial layers of a circuit board.

7. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein a pattern of the antennae elements is quasi-crystalline.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the phased array of antennae elements are etched into interstitial layers of a circuit board.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern of the phased array of antenna elements is quasi-crystalline.

8. A method of transmitting wireless power, the method comprising:

emitting radio frequency (RF) signals from a phased array of antennae elements disposed on multiple antennae layers, wherein the antennae elements are immersed by one or more high permittivity dielectric insulators and arranged at right angles to reduce signal interference between the antennae elements; and

refracting the RF signals around wires coupling the phased array of antennae elements thereby enhancing signal transfer and allowing a subset of the array of antenna elements disposed on an inner layer of the multiple antennae layers to transmit signals through other of the multiple layers of the antennae elements.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the dielectric insulators has a permittivity coefficient that is larger than three.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the phased array antennae elements are coupled by conductive wires coated in a dielectric material of high permittivity.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the phased array of antennae elements are comprised of traces within a circuit board, and wherein at least a portion of the traces are surrounded by gaps of air or some other lower-permittivity dielectric material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the dielectric material of high permittivity is in proximity to areas of lower permittivity material for enhancing signal transfer.

15. A wireless power transmission system comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transparent enclosure;

a phased antenna array situated within the RF transparent enclosure, the phased antenna array comprising;

multiple antennae layers each having multiple antennae elements arranged in a right-angle configuration relative to each other disposed thereon; and

one or more high permittivity dielectric insulators that immerse the multiple antennae elements,

wherein the one or more dielectric insulators are configured to cause at least a subset of the multiple antennae elements to refract RF signals around other of the antennae elements enhancing signal transfer and allowing a subset of the multiple antennae elements disposed on an inner layer of the multiple antennae layers of the phased array antenna to transmit signals through other of the multiple antennae layers of the antennae elements.

16. The wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the one or more dielectric insulators are configured to facilitate decreased spacing between each of the multiple antennae elements.

17. The wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more dielectric insulators has a permittivity coefficient that is larger than three.

18. The wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the antennae elements are coupled by conductive wires coated in a dielectric material of high permittivity, and wherein the dielectric material of high permittivity is in proximity to areas of lower permittivity material for enhancing signal transfer.

19. The wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the antennae elements are comprised of traces within a circuit board, and wherein at least a portion of the traces are surrounded by gaps of air or some other lower-permittivity dielectric material.

20. The wireless power transmission system of claim 15, wherein the phased array of antennae elements are etched into interstitial layers of a circuit board.