Beam adaptive multi-feed dielectric antenna system and methods for use therewith

• US 10,644,406 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2016
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Barnickel, Donald J., Barzegar, Farhad, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US16/266,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20190173185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 343785
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/025 Multimode horn antennas; Horns using higher mode of propagation H01Q13/0241 takes precedence; multiple beam H01Q25/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/24 Polarising devices; Polarisation filters H01Q15/12, H01Q15/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/04 Multimode antennas corrugated horns H01Q13/0208
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/22 varying the orientation in accordance with variation of frequency of radiated wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, an antenna system includes a dielectric antenna having a feed-point, wherein the dielectric antenna is a single antenna having a plurality of antenna beam patterns. At least one cable having a plurality of conductorless dielectric cores is coupled to the feed-point of the dielectric antenna, each of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores corresponding to one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns. A controller, selects one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns and generates a control signal in response thereto. A core selector, responsive to the control signal, couples electromagnetic waves from a source to a selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores, the selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns.

Claims

1. An antenna system, comprising:

a dielectric antenna including a feed-point, wherein the dielectric antenna is a single antenna having a plurality of antenna beam patterns;

at least one cable comprising a plurality of conductorless dielectric cores directly connected to the feed-point of the dielectric antenna, each of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores, when selected, is configured to supply electromagnetic waves to the feed-point of the dielectric antenna, and the electromagnetic waves are emitted by the dielectric antenna as a selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns;

a controller, that selects the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns and generates a control signal in response thereto, wherein the controller evaluates the plurality of antenna beam patterns based on a feedback received from a remote device in wireless communication with the antenna system, and determines the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns in response to the evaluation; and

a core selector, responsive to the control signal, configured to couple the electromagnetic waves to a selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores to generate the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna operates to generate a wireless signal, having the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns, resulting from propagation of the electromagnetic waves through the dielectric antenna.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the at least one cable includes a dielectric cladding that supports the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores and an outer jacket.

4. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein the at least one cable lacks a conductive shield layer.

5. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores has a first dielectric constant, wherein the dielectric cladding has a second dielectric constant, and wherein the first dielectric constant exceeds the second dielectric constant.

6. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein the dielectric cladding comprises a low density dielectric material.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores is coupled to differing spatial locations at the feed-point of the dielectric antenna.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the controller evaluates the plurality of antenna beam patterns and determines the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns by:

iteratively transmitting wireless signals via the dielectric antenna with each of the plurality of antenna beam patterns;

receiving the feedback from the remote device that indicates received signal strengths of the wireless signals; and

determining the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns as one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns corresponding to a highest of the received signal strengths.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein a launcher is configured to generate the electromagnetic waves on a corresponding one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores.

10. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores is constructed integrally with the feed-point of the dielectric antenna.

11. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna has a flared structure.

12. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna has a pyramidal structure.

13. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna is conductorless.

14. A method, comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of antenna beam patterns by;

evaluating the plurality of antenna beam patterns based on a feedback received from a remote device; and

determining the one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns based on the evaluating; and

directly connecting, based on the one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns, first electromagnetic waves from a launcher to a selected one of a plurality of conductorless dielectric cores of a single dielectric antenna; and

radiating, via an aperture of the single dielectric antenna, a first wireless signal responsive the first electromagnetic waves at the aperture, the first wireless signal having the one of a plurality of antenna beam patterns corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the evaluating the plurality of antenna beam patterns includes iteratively transmitting via the single dielectric antenna with each of the plurality of antenna beam patterns, and receiving the feedback from the remote device that indicates received signal strengths in response to the transmitting via the single dielectric antenna with each of the plurality of antenna beam patterns;

and

wherein the determining the one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns includes determining one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns corresponding to a highest of the received signal strengths.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein electromagnetic waves that are guided by differing ones of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores to the single dielectric antenna result in differing ones of the plurality of antenna beam patterns.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, by the single dielectric antenna, a second wireless signal; and

coupling second electromagnetic waves, generated by the single dielectric antenna in response to the second wireless signal, to the launcher via the selected one of the plurality of conductorless dielectric cores.

18. An antenna structure, comprising:

a dielectric horn antenna comprising a dielectric material;

control means for selecting a selected one of a plurality of antenna beam patterns by;

evaluating the plurality of antenna beam patterns based on a feedback received from a remote device; and

determining the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns based on the evaluating; and

means for directly connecting, based on the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns, electromagnetic waves to the dielectric horn antenna via a selected one of a plurality of dielectric cores, wherein the electromagnetic waves guided by the selected one of the plurality of dielectric cores result in the selected one of the plurality of antenna beam patterns.