Mm-wave phased array antenna with beam tilting radiation pattern

• US 9,742,077 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2011
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Pan, Helen K.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US13/994,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20140145879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,152 Days
• Field of Search: 342371
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/001 Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/20 Resilient mountings
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• 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 13/085 Slot-line radiating ends
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/16 Folded slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/067 using endfire radiating aerial units transverse to the plane of the array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A system according to one embodiment includes a phased array antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements configured in a planar array, wherein each of the plurality of antenna elements generates a beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of the planar array; and driver circuitry coupled to each of the plurality of antenna elements, wherein the driver circuitry comprises a plurality of transceivers, the plurality of transceivers configured to provide independently adjustable phase delay to each of the plurality of antenna elements.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a phased array antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements, said plurality of antenna elements configured in a planar array, wherein each of said plurality of antenna elements generates a beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of said planar array; and

driver circuitry coupled to each of said plurality of antenna elements, wherein said driver circuitry comprises a plurality of transceivers, said plurality of transceivers configured to provide independently adjustable phase delay to each of said plurality of antenna elements;

wherein;

said system is configured to operate in a millimeter wave frequency range;

each of said plurality of antenna elements is a rectangular slot loop antenna that includes a ground plane and comprises a front edge element, a rear edge element and a signal delay element coupled between said front edge element and said rear edge element; and

said signal delay element is configured to cause a respective one of said plurality of antenna elements to generate said beam pattern directed angle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said beam pattern directed angle of each of said plurality of antenna elements is approximately 45 degrees.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said ground plane is parallel to said plane of said planar array.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of transceivers implement phased array beam scanning by controlling said adjustable phase delay to each of said plurality of antennas.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of said planar array extends a directionality of Radio Frequency (RF) spatial coverage.

6. A method, comprising:

configuring a plurality of antenna elements in a planar array, wherein said planar array is a phased array antenna and each of said plurality of antenna elements is a rectangular slot loop antenna that includes a ground plane and comprises a front edge element, a rear edge element and a signal delay element coupled between said front edge element and said rear edge element, said signal delay element configured to cause a respective one of said plurality of antenna elements to generate a beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of said planar array;

coupling driver circuitry to each of said plurality of antenna elements, wherein said driver circuitry comprises a plurality of transceivers; and

configuring said plurality of transceivers to provide independently adjustable phase delay to each of said plurality of antenna elements, wherein said system is configured to operate in a millimeter wave frequency range.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said beam pattern directed angle of each of said plurality of antenna elements is approximately 45 degrees.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said ground plane is parallel to said plane of said planar array.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising implementing phased array beam scanning by controlling said adjustable phase delay to each of said plurality of antennas.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of said planar array extends a directionality of Radio Frequency (RF) spatial coverage.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a phased array antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements, said plurality of antenna elements configured in a planar array, wherein each of said plurality of antenna elements is a rectangular slot loop antenna that includes a ground plane and comprises a front edge element, a rear edge element and a signal delay element coupled between said front edge element and said rear edge element, said signal delay element configured to cause a respective one of said plurality of antenna elements to generate a beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of said planar array; and

driver circuitry coupled to each of said plurality of antenna elements, wherein said driver circuitry comprises a plurality of transceivers, said plurality of transceivers configured to provide independently adjustable phase delay to each of said plurality of antenna elements, wherein said system is configured to operate in a millimeter wave frequency range.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said beam pattern directed angle of each of said plurality of antenna elements is approximately 45 degrees.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said ground plane is parallel to said plane of said planar array.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said plurality of transceivers implement phased array beam scanning by controlling said adjustable phase delay to each of said plurality of antennas.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said beam pattern directed at an angle out of the plane of said planar array extends a directionality of Radio Frequency (RF) spatial coverage.