Apparatus and methods for communicating utilizing an antenna array

• US 10,148,016 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• 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: Johnson, Shikik, Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M., Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US15/372,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20170085003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/2138 using hollow waveguide filters H01P1/2131 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/18 consisting of two coupled guides, e.g. directional couplers
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/188 the guides being dielectric waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/067 using endfire radiating aerial units transverse to the plane of the array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system having a polyrod antenna array. Beam steering can be performed according to a first subset of elements of the polyrod antenna array generating first electromagnetic waves with a first phase that is different from a second phase of the first electromagnetic waves being generated by a second subset of elements of the polyrod antenna array. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an antenna array including a group of elements, wherein each element of the group of elements comprises;

a generator that facilitates generation of a first electromagnetic wave;

a polyrod antenna; and

a waveguide that facilitates guiding the first electromagnetic wave towards the polyrod antenna,

wherein the first electromagnetic wave induces a second electromagnetic wave at an interface of a first region of the polyrod antenna,

wherein the waveguide is configured to confine the second electromagnetic wave at least in part within the polyrod antenna in the first region,

wherein a distal end of the polyrod antenna outside of the waveguide is tapered and facilitates transmitting a wireless signal based on the second electromagnetic wave, and

wherein beam steering is performed according to a first subset of elements of the group of elements generating the first electromagnetic wave with a first phase that is different from a second phase of the first electromagnetic wave being generated by a second subset of elements of the group of elements.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a second region of the polyrod antenna is tapered and is configured to reduce a radiation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the second region.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide along a second region of the polyrod antenna is tapered and is configured to reduce a radiation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the second region.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator is coupled to a radiating element in a dielectric material of the first region of the polyrod antenna.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a third region of the polyrod antenna is non-tapered and is configured to reduce a propagation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the third region.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the interface of the first region of the polyrod antenna is tapered in an opposite direction to tapering of the distal end of the polyrod antenna.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator is coupled with a dielectric cable, wherein the waveguide includes an opening for insertion of the dielectric cable, and wherein the first electromagnetic wave is guided by the dielectric cable towards the interface of the first region of the polyrod antenna.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the dielectric cable includes a tapered end, and wherein the interface of the first region of the polyrod antenna is tapered in an opposite direction to tapering of the tapered end of the dielectric cable.

9. A method, comprising:

generating, by a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of electromagnetic waves, wherein a select one of the plurality of electromagnetic waves propagates and is guided by a select one of a plurality of dielectric cores without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves conveys at least one communication signal; and

transmitting, via an array of polyrod antennas, a plurality of wireless signals based on the plurality of electromagnetic waves, wherein each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores, and wherein each polyrod antenna converts a corresponding one of the plurality of electromagnetic waves supplied by the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores into a corresponding one of the plurality of wireless signals,

wherein each transmitter of the plurality of transmitters is coupled to a corresponding polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas via the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores,

wherein the plurality of wireless signals conveys the at least one communication signal, and

wherein the plurality of transmitters is configurable to perform beam steering of the plurality of wireless signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the beam steering is based on providing a phase adjustment to at least one wireless signal of the plurality of wireless signals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one wireless signal having the phase adjustment is a group of the wireless signals that is transmitted by adjacent polyrod antennas in the array of polyrod antennas.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas is connected with a corresponding waveguide, and further comprising confining the plurality of electromagnetic waves at least in part within each polyrod antenna in a first region of the polyrod antenna utilizing the corresponding waveguide.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising reducing a radiation loss of the plurality of electromagnetic waves utilizing a tapered portion of each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas as the plurality of electromagnetic waves propagates along each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas is connected with a corresponding waveguide, and further comprising reducing a radiation loss of the plurality of electromagnetic waves utilizing a tapered portion of the corresponding waveguide as the plurality of electromagnetic waves propagates along each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas.

15. A polyrod antenna, comprising:

a core having a first region, a second region, a third region, and a fourth region,

wherein the core comprises an interface in the first region,

wherein a first electromagnetic wave induces a second electromagnetic wave at the interface of the first region,

wherein the core is connected with a waveguide that is configured to confine the second electromagnetic wave at least in part within the core in the first region,

wherein the second region of the core is configured to reduce a radiation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the second region,

wherein the third region of the core is configured to reduce a propagation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the third region, and

wherein the fourth region of the core is outside of the waveguide and is tapered to facilitate transmitting a wireless signal based on the second electromagnetic wave.

16. The polyrod antenna of claim 15, wherein the second region of the core is tapered in a same direction as a tapering of the fourth region.

17. The polyrod antenna of claim 15, wherein the waveguide is tapered along the second region of the core.

18. The polyrod antenna of claim 15, wherein the third region of the core is non-tapered.

19. The polyrod antenna of claim 15, wherein the interface of the first region of the core is tapered in an opposite direction to a tapering of the fourth region of the core.

20. The polyrod antenna of claim 15, wherein the interface of the first region of the core is coupled with a dielectric cable by the waveguide, wherein the waveguide includes an opening for insertion of the dielectric cable, and wherein the first electromagnetic wave is guided by the dielectric cable towards the interface of the first region of the core.