Patents by Inventor Karl F. Warnick

Karl F. Warnick has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9997843
    Abstract: For phased array aperture shading for sidelobe reduction in satellite communication transceivers, apparatus and systems are disclosed. One apparatus includes a planar array antenna tile having a plurality of patch antenna elements. The apparatus also includes a transmit feed point that drives the planar array antenna tile. The apparatus further includes a feed network element that distributes power unequally among two or more of the patch antenna elements, wherein the feed network element connects the two or more patch antenna elements to the transmit feed point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Karl F. Warnick
  • Publication number: 20160226155
    Abstract: For phased array aperture shading for sidelobe reduction in satellite communication transceivers, apparatus and systems are disclosed. One apparatus includes a planar array antenna tile having a plurality of patch antenna elements. The apparatus also includes a transmit feed point that drives the planar array antenna tile. The apparatus further includes a feed network element that distributes power unequally among two or more of the patch antenna elements, wherein the feed network element connects the two or more patch antenna elements to the transmit feed point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventor: KARL F. WARNICK
  • Patent number: 9112270
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for wireless communications. A planar antenna element is disposed on a surface of a substrate. The planar antenna element comprises an electrically conductive material. The substrate comprises a dielectric material. The planar antenna element may be arranged in a planar antenna array as a feed for a reflector antenna or as an aperture array. The planar antenna element may comprise a slot patch antenna element with a slot in the electrically conductive material of the planar antenna element circumscribing the planar antenna element. The slot exposes the dielectric material of the substrate. A ground plane may be disposed on the surface of the substrate. The ground plane comprises an electrically conductive material. The slot may be disposed between the ground plane and the patch antenna element. The substrate may include electronic components for beam steering, upconversion, downconversion, amplification, or other functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Brigham Young Univeristy
    Inventors: Karl F. Warnick, Zhenchao Yang
  • Patent number: 9112262
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for wireless communications. A planar antenna element is disposed on a surface of a substrate. The planar antenna element comprises an electrically conductive material and has a circular polarization. The substrate comprises a dielectric material. The planar antenna element may be arranged in a planar antenna array as a feed for a reflector antenna or as an aperture array. The planar antenna element may comprise a slot patch antenna element with a slot in the electrically conductive material of the planar antenna element circumscribing the planar antenna element. The slot exposes the dielectric material of the substrate. A ground plane may be disposed on the surface of the substrate. The ground plane comprises an electrically conductive material. The slot may be disposed between the ground plane and the patch antenna element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Karl F Warnick, Zhenchao Yang
  • Patent number: 8872719
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for phased array antenna communications. A phased array antenna tile includes a plurality of antenna elements. A beamformer module is integrated into the phased array antenna tile. The beamformer module is electrically coupled to each antenna element to process directional signals for the plurality of antenna elements. A plurality of cascadable connection points are disposed along a perimeter of the phased array antenna tile for connecting the phased array antenna tile to one or more additional phased array antenna tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Linear Signal, Inc.
    Inventor: Karl F. Warnick
  • Publication number: 20120306698
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for wireless communications. A planar antenna element is disposed on a surface of a substrate. The planar antenna element comprises an electrically conductive material. The substrate comprises a dielectric material. The planar antenna element may be arranged in a planar antenna array as a feed for a reflector antenna or as an aperture array. The planar antenna element may comprise a slot patch antenna element with a slot in the electrically conductive material of the planar antenna element circumscribing the planar antenna element. The slot exposes the dielectric material of the substrate. A ground plane may be disposed on the surface of the substrate. The ground plane comprises an electrically conductive material. The slot may be disposed between the ground plane and the patch antenna element. The substrate may include electronic components for beam steering, upconversion, downconversion, amplification, or other functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Karl F. Warnick, Zhenchao Yang
  • Patent number: 8195118
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for phase shifting and amplitude control. A two-phase local oscillator generates an in-phase sinusoidal signal of a fixed frequency and a quadrature sinusoidal signal of the fixed frequency having a ninety degree phase shift from the in-phase sinusoidal signal. A signal generator receives the in-phase sinusoidal signal and the quadrature sinusoidal signal and generates a controllable sinusoidal signal of the fixed frequency. The controllable sinusoidal signal has a variable amplitude and a shiftable phase. A mixer varies the amplitude and shifts the phase of an input signal by mixing the input signal with the controllable sinusoidal signal to generate an output signal. The input signal and the output signal carry phase and amplitude information required for phased array signal processing. Either a receiver or a transmitter may be implemented using the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Linear Signal, Inc.
    Inventor: Karl F. Warnick
  • Publication number: 20110109507
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for phased array antenna communications. A phased array antenna tile includes a plurality of antenna elements. A beamformer module is integrated into the phased array antenna tile. The beamformer module is electrically coupled to each antenna element to process directional signals for the plurality of antenna elements. A plurality of cascadable connection points are disposed along a perimeter of the phased array antenna tile for connecting the phased array antenna tile to one or more additional phased array antenna tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: LINEAR SIGNAL, INC.
    Inventor: Karl F. Warnick
  • Publication number: 20100013527
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for phase shifting and amplitude control. A two-phase local oscillator generates an in-phase sinusoidal signal of a fixed frequency and a quadrature sinusoidal signal of the fixed frequency having a ninety degree phase shift from the in-phase sinusoidal signal. A signal generator receives the in-phase sinusoidal signal and the quadrature sinusoidal signal and generates a controllable sinusoidal signal of the fixed frequency. The controllable sinusoidal signal has a variable amplitude and a shiftable phase. A mixer varies the amplitude and shifts the phase of an input signal by mixing the input signal with the controllable sinusoidal signal to generate an output signal. The input signal and the output signal carry phase and amplitude information required for phased array signal processing. Either a receiver or a transmitter may be implemented using the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: Karl F. Warnick