Abstract: Antennas with integrated varactor circuits are described. The antenna may comprise metasurface antennas. In some embodiments, an antenna comprises an array of antenna elements, wherein each antenna element comprises a iris and a varactor diode integrated on an integrated circuit (IC) chip coupled across a portion of the iris. The antenna can also comprise a plurality of transistors, each transistor coupled to a distinct one of the varactor diodes in the array of antenna elements to provide a tuning voltage to the one varactor diode.

Abstract: An antenna and method for using the same having a hybrid feed approach. In some embodiments, the metasurface antenna with dual beam capabilities is feed with feed waves from a center-fed waveguide structure and an edge-fed waveguide structure. In some embodiments, the antenna comprises an array of radio-frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements and operable to generate two beams simultaneously in response to interacting with two propagating waves at a same time; and a feed structure coupled to feed the two waves to the array of RF radiating antenna elements, the feed structure having a first waveguide beneath the RF radiating antenna elements in which the two waves propagate in opposite directions.

Abstract: Antennas having a multi-beam (e.g., dual beam, etc.) launcher and methods for using the same are described. In some embodiments, the antenna comprises: an array of antenna elements; two parallel plate waveguides coupled to the array of antenna elements, the two parallel plate waveguides sharing a common radial plane and arranged in a stacked configuration; and a dual feed launcher to launch first and second TEM waves into the two parallel plate waveguides, the first and second TEM waves being different and being simultaneously launched in the two parallel plate waveguides.

Abstract: An antenna transceiver architecture for a modular metasurface antenna and method for using the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the antenna architecture includes a plurality of metasurface antenna tiles, where each metasurface antenna tile of the plurality of metasurface antenna tiles having one or more feed ports individually fed when in operation to support one or more independent beams, and wherein the plurality of metasurface antenna tiles comprise a plurality of sub-arrays of metasurface antenna tiles.

Abstract: Routing and layout for an antenna are described. In one embodiment, the antenna comprises an aperture having a plurality of radio-frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements, wherein each antenna element of the plurality of RF radiating antenna elements comprises an iris slot opening and an electrode over the iris slot opening; a plurality of drive transistors coupled to the plurality of antenna elements; and a plurality of storage capacitors, each storage capacitor coupled to the electrode of one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements. The aperture also comprises at least one of: the drive transistor for the one antenna element is located under the electrode of the antenna element, the storage capacitor for the one antenna element is located under the electrode of the antenna element, and the metal routing to the one antenna element for a first voltage overlaps, in an overlap region, a common voltage routing that routes the common voltage to the one antenna element to form a storage capacitance.

Abstract: System and methods are disclosed for automatically provisioning and commissioning an electronic device (“device”), such as a satellite modem coupled to a reconfigurable satellite antenna. The device is provisioned at a first location, e.g., at a manufacturing facility, using first provisioning data and first commissioning data that is sufficient for the device to establish a communication link with a network and a server having an activated user account. The first provisioning data and first commissioning data is based at least in part upon machine learning over a plurality of devices of a similar type. The device is then set-up and powered-on at a second location, e.g., an end-use location. The device connects to the network, logs in to the user account, and provides a serial number and the second location to the server. The server downloads second provisioning data this based at least in part upon the second location to the device.

Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for antenna frequency matching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a calibration process for an antenna having radio-frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements comprises: determining resonance frequencies of RF radiating antenna elements in a group of RF radiating antenna elements; selecting voltages to apply to the RF radiating antenna elements to cause resonance frequencies to match between the RF radiating antenna elements in the group of RF radiating antenna elements when the voltages are applied; and storing, in memory of the antenna, voltage information indicative of the voltages for driving the RF radiating antenna elements in the group.

Abstract: Antennas having iris and/or cell rotation and/or with frequency compensation in solid state device (e.g., diode) designs and methods of using the same are described. In some embodiments, the antenna comprises: an antenna aperture having a plurality of RF radiating antenna elements that each include an iris and a solid state device coupled across the iris, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are located in rings with orientation of each of the irises of the antenna elements in at least a portion of each ring rotated with respect to adjacent irises in the portion of each ring while orientation of corresponding solid state devices is uniform; and a controller coupled to control the array of RF radiating antenna elements to tune RF radiating antenna elements to generate one or more beams using the plurality of RF radiating antenna elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using Euclidean modulation in an antenna are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for controlling an antenna comprises mapping a desired modulation to achievable modulation states, mapping modulation values associated with the achievable modulation states to one or more control parameters, and controlling radio frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements using the one or more control parameters to perform beam forming.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for communicating in a satellite communication framework with spatial diversity are described. In one embodiment, a method for controlling communication in a satellite communication network having multiple constellations and a satellite terminal with a single electronically steered flat-panel antenna capable of generating a plurality of beams for communication links with multiple satellites, comprises: determining, under network control, availability of a plurality of networks by which network traffic may be exchanged with the single electronically steered flat-panel antenna; and managing, under network control, two or more satellite links between the single electronically steered flat-panel antenna and two or more satellites of different networks to route the network traffic, including determining when to use each of the two or more satellite links, the two or more satellite links being generated using two or more beams from the single electronically steered flat-panel antenna.

Abstract: Antennas and methods for using the same are described. In one embodiment, the antenna comprises an aperture having a plurality of radio-frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements, the plurality of RF radiating antenna elements being grouped into three or more sets of RF radiating antenna elements, with each set being separately controlled to generate a beam at a frequency band in a first mode.

Abstract: A unit cell can be used for a metasurface, metamaterial, or beamforming antenna. The unit cell includes a metal layer attached to a substrate. The metal layer defines an iris opening for the unit cell. One or more tunable capacitance devices are positioned within or across the iris opening. Each tunable capacitance device is to tune resonance frequency of the unit cell. Mass transfer technologies or self-assembly processes may be used to position the tunable capacitance devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for performing optical inspection of varactor diodes in an antenna are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method of testing an antenna having varactor diodes comprises: selecting a plurality of varactor diodes to be placed in a light emitting state; forward biasing the selected varactor diodes to a magnitude at which the selected varactor diodes are to emit light; and detecting one or more faulty varactor diodes of the selected varactor diodes based on their emitted light intensity.

Abstract: Expansion compensation structures for an antenna are disclosed. In one embodiment, the antenna comprises: an array of antenna elements; and a structure coupled to the array of antenna elements, the structure having a plurality of components comprising materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs), wherein first and second components of the plurality of components are pin bonded with one or more pins, and one or more components of the plurality of components other than the first and second components are between the first and second components and have one or more slots through which the one or more pins traverse and have CTEs different than CTEs of the first and second components.

Abstract: A beam splitting hand off systems architecture and method for using the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises: generating a first beam with a single electronically steered flat-panel antenna to track a first satellite; generating a second beam with the single electronically steered flat-panel antenna to track a second satellite simultaneously while generating the first beam to track the first satellite; and handing off traffic from the first satellite to the second satellite.

Abstract: An antenna having a wedge plate-based waveguide with feed segmentation and a method for using the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the antenna comprises an aperture having an array of radio-frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements and a segmented wedge plate radial waveguide comprises a plurality of wedge plates that form a plurality of sub-apertures, wherein each sub-aperture includes one wedge plate and a distinct subset of RF radiating antenna elements in the array, wherein each wedge plate of the plurality of wedge plates has a feed point to provide a feed wave for propagation through said each wedge plate for interaction with its distinct subset of RF radiating antenna elements in the array.

Abstract: A scanning antenna includes a transmission and/or reception region including a plurality of antenna units and a non-transmission and/or reception region other than the transmission and/or reception region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for uplink power control based on power spectral density are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method for use by a terminal in a satellite communication system, the terminal having an antenna, a modem and a controller, the method comprising: determining the scan and skew of the antenna; obtaining, using the controller, a value representing a maximum allowed Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the determined scan and skew; determining, using the controller, a maximum allowable modem power based on the value representing a maximum allowed PSD, where the maximum allowable modem power is that which ensures that transmissions from the terminal do not exceed the maximum allowed PSD if the maximum allowable modem output power is not exceeded by the modem; sending, using the controller, an indication of the allowable modem output power to the modem; and performing one or more transmissions from the terminal based on modem outputs in accordance with the maximum allowable modem output power.

Abstract: Multiband guiding structures for antennas and methods for using the same are described. In one embodiment, an antenna comprises: an antenna aperture with radio-frequency (RF) radiating antenna elements; and a center-fed, multi-band wave guiding structure coupled to the antenna aperture to receive a feed wave in two different frequency bands and propagate the feed wave to the RF radiating antenna elements of the antenna aperture.

Abstract: A multi-wide area network (WAN) incorporating both satellite-based communication networks and cellular networks (e.g., an LTE network) is disclosed.