APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING A SURFACE OF AN ANTENNA

• US 20180123256A1
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2016
• 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, WILLIS, III, THOMAS M., BARZEGAR, FARHAD, BENNETT, ROBERT, GERSZBERG, IRWIN, BARNICKEL, DONALD J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,498,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an antenna structure having a feedline, and a dielectric antenna coupled to the feedline. A first structural feature of an aperture of the dielectric antenna and a second structural feature of a junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna can be configured to increase a front-to-back ratio of wireless signals received by the aperture of the dielectric antenna and received outside a reception area of the aperture of the dielectric antenna. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a dielectric antenna having an aperture for transmitting or receiving wireless signals;

a feedline coupled to the dielectric antenna, wherein a junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna is configured to reduce a reception of wireless signals at the junction;

a cable comprising a conductorless dielectric core coupled to the feedline; and

wherein a transmitter or a receiver, coupled to the cable, facilitates a transmission or reception, respectively, of electromagnetic waves guided by the conductorless dielectric core and the feedline coupled to the dielectric antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction is configured to have a structural shape that is devoid of an edge having a vertex to reduce the reception of wireless signals at the junction.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the dielectric antenna comprises a reception area for receiving wireless signals, and wherein the aperture is configured to have a structural shape to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the structural shape of the aperture is devoid of an edge having a vertex to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna is covered by a shield to reduce the reception of wireless signals at the junction.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the dielectric antenna comprises a reception area for receiving wireless signals, and wherein a structure of the aperture outside the reception area of the aperture that is covered by a shield to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material comprises a dielectric layer disposed on the conductorless dielectric core.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the conductorless dielectric core comprises a first dielectric constant, wherein the dielectric material comprises a second dielectric constant, and wherein the first dielectric constant exceeds the second dielectric constant to enable the electromagnetic waves to be bound to the conductorless dielectric core.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a slotted waveguide for inducing the electromagnetic waves guided by the conductorless dielectric core.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a microwave circuit coupled to a radiating element and a waveguide structure for inducing the electromagnetic waves guided by the conductorless dielectric core.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna has a flared structure devoid of an edge having a vertex.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric antenna has a pyramidal structure devoid of an edge having a vertex.

13. A device, comprising:

a dielectric antenna having an aperture for transmitting or receiving wireless signals;

a feedline coupled to the dielectric antenna, wherein the dielectric antenna and the feedline are configured to reduce a reception of wireless signals outside a reception area of the aperture of the dielectric antenna;

a dielectric core coupled to the feedline; and

wherein a transmitter or receiver, coupled to the dielectric core, facilitates a transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves guided by the dielectric core and the feedline coupled to the dielectric antenna.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein a junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna is configured to have a structural shape to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture of the dielectric antenna.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein a junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna is covered by a shield to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture of the dielectric antenna.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the aperture is configured to have a structural shape to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein a structural feature of the aperture is covered by a shield to reduce the reception of wireless signals outside the reception area of the aperture.

18. An antenna structure, comprising:

a feedline; and

a dielectric antenna coupled to the feedline, wherein a first structural feature of an aperture of the dielectric antenna and a second structural feature of a junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna are configured to increase a front-to-back ratio of wireless signals received by the aperture of the dielectric antenna and received outside a reception area of the aperture of the dielectric antenna.

19. The antenna structure of claim 18, wherein the first structural feature of the aperture is devoid of a first edge having a first vertex, and wherein second structure feature of the junction between the feedline and the dielectric antenna is devoid of a second edge having a second vertex.

20. The antenna structure of claim 18, wherein the first structural feature of the aperture is covered by a first shield, wherein the second structure feature of the junction is covered by a second shield, and wherein the first shield and the second shield reduce the reception of the wireless signals outside the reception area the aperture of the dielectric antenna.