Including A Steerable Array Patents (Class 342/368)
  • Patent number: 9035828
    Abstract: A method for calibrating (700) an antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements coupled to a plurality of respective receive paths in a wireless communication system. The method comprises, in receive mode, applying a test signal to an individual single receive path (715) of the plurality of receive paths; and feeding back the test signal via a switched coupler network. The method further comprises running a receive calibration measurement routine to determine at least one measurement value used to calibrate the individual signal receive path and waiting for at least one converged measurement value; and extracting (720) the converged measurement value for at least one individual receive path. The steps of applying, running, extracting for a next individual single receive path are repeated until the calibration routine has completed (725).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Socowave Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Conor O'Keeffe, Michael O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20150130661
    Abstract: A modal antenna is implemented to provide a variable radiation pattern for improved global positioning system (GPS) signal reception. A multitude of antenna radiation patterns generated from a modal antenna provide the capability to optimally acquire GPS signals across a wide range of angles of arrival. Minimum radiation pattern roll-off is observed from the composite pattern generated from the multiple patterns. An algorithm is described that reduces the acquisition time for a location fix for cold and hot start conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: ETHERTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Laurent Desclos, Sebastian Rowson, Jeffrey Shamblin
  • Publication number: 20150102962
    Abstract: An antenna including a dipole antenna element having central feeding points, a common mode rejection filter, a first length of a two-conductor transmission line, and a common mode rejection filter arranged and connected between a far end of the first length of the two-conductor transmission line and the feeding points of the dipole antenna element. The first length of the two-conductor transmission line is arranged to extend from a ground plane to a first height where the first length of the two-conductor transmission line is connected to the common mode rejection filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Anders Ellgardt
  • Publication number: 20150091756
    Abstract: A reconfigurable aperture includes a plurality of metallic particles confined to a volume extending across an aperture area. The metallic particles are repositioned within the volume to form opaque regions in the aperture area. The opaque regions, and transmissive regions between the opaque regions, can form a reconfigurable zone plate that can change the collimation of a microwave beam via diffraction therethrough. The zone plate can be located a fixed distance away from a microwave source and a detector in a housing, so that for any specified wavelength produced by the microwave source, the zone plate can reconfigure to have a focal length equal to the fixed distance. The reconfigurable zone plate can effectively collimate microwaves produced by the microwave source, can direct the collimated microwaves in a specified direction, can receive microwaves returning along the specified direction, and can focus the received microwaves onto the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Mark D. Casciato, Matthew John Rebholz, Justin Wales Swartz
  • Patent number: 8994588
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of generating two beams, having orthogonal polarizations, covering a selected area using an antenna (20) comprising multiple dual-polarized array elements (11). Each dual-polarized array element having a first phase center (18) associated with a first polarization and a second phase center (18) associated with a second polarization. The method comprises: designing a first weight matrix having a first non-zero weight vector for the first polarization and a second non-zero weight vector for the second polarization, calculating a second weight matrix based on the weight vectors of the first weight matrix, and applying the first and second weight matrix to the dual-polarized array elements to generate a second beam covering the selected area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Sven Oscar Petersson, Bjorn Gunnar Johannisson
  • Publication number: 20150084814
    Abstract: An antenna element having a vertically stacked structure and a phased array antenna that includes a plurality of antenna elements sharing a common conductive ground plane are described. The phased array antenna also includes a common conductive shell electrically coupled to the common conductive ground plane and extending away there from to encompass the antenna elements. The common conductive shell and the common conductive ground plane together define a common cavity having a common aperture. The phased array antenna also includes a common dielectric superstrate layer disposed over the common cavity at a predetermined distance from the antenna elements and a beam steering system coupled to the antenna elements and configured for steering an energy beam produced by the phased array antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Vladimir Rojanski, Aharon Starovolski
  • Patent number: 8988274
    Abstract: A radar data acquisition system including a polarimetric phased array antenna and a radar control and processing system. The polarimetric phased array antenna includes a support system, an array of panels and a switching network. One or more of the panels include a dual pole antenna for at least one of transmitting and receiving a dual polarization electromagnetic beam. The switching network communicates with the panels such that at least one of power, radar and control signals are sent to and received from one or more selected panels. The radar control and processing system communicates with the switching network for forming electromagnetic signals directed to one or more selected panels such that the selected panels form a dual polarization electromagnetic beam, and for reading signals sensed by one or more selected panels and for decoding the signals into an electronic radar output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
    Inventors: Guifu Zhang, Robert D. Palmer, Dusan S. Zmic, Richard J. Doviak
  • Patent number: 8988308
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a network node comprising an antenna arrangement with an antenna column. The antenna column comprises a first and second set of subarrays with at least two subarrays each. Each subarray comprises at least one antenna element. The first and second set of subarrays comprise antenna elements having a first polarization and antenna elements having a second polarization, orthogonal to the first polarization, respectively. Each set of subarrays is connected to a corresponding filter device via a corresponding phase altering device. Each filter device is arranged to separate signals at a first frequency band and signals at the second frequency band between respective combined ports and respective filter ports such that first filter ports are arranged for transmission and reception of signals at one frequency band, and second filter ports are arranged for reception of signals at the other frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Henrik Jidhage, Dag Johansson, Rolf Sihlbom
  • Patent number: 8981993
    Abstract: A method is provided for using an antenna array to create two beams (a first beam and a second beam). In one aspect, the method uses dual polarization beam forming, which allows for many degrees of freedom in designing a desired power pattern. The method is well suited for systems with multiple radio chains (e.g., systems with active antennas). The method is also well suited for multi-port systems such as TD-SCDMA. In some embodiments, the method produces two beams where (a) the shape of the power beam pattern for the first beam and the shape of the power beam pattern for the second beam are the same (or substantially the same) in a plurality of directions of interest and (b) the beams have orthogonal (or substantially orthogonal) polarizations in the coverage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Sven Petersson, Björn Johannisson
  • Patent number: 8981994
    Abstract: Mobile device, method and computer program product for processing signals at the mobile device. The signals are received at a plurality of signal sensors of the mobile device. Motion of the mobile device is sensed and the received signals are processed using beamforming means at the mobile device, in dependence upon their direction of arrival at the plurality of signal sensors and in dependence upon the sensed motion of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventor: Karsten Vandborg Sorenson
  • Publication number: 20150070215
    Abstract: A poly spiral antenna includes spiral antenna sections and interconnecting traces. A first spiral antenna section has a first interwoven spiral pattern and a first excitation configuration to provide a first radiation pattern component. A second spiral antenna section has a second interwoven spiral pattern and a second excitation configuration to provide a second radiation pattern component. A third spiral antenna section has a third interwoven spiral pattern and a third excitation configuration to provide a third radiation pattern component. The interconnecting traces couple the first, second, and third spiral antenna sections together such that the first, second, and third radiation pattern components form a radiation pattern of the poly spiral antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolaos Georgiou Alexopoulos, Seunghwan Yoon, Alfred Grau Besoli
  • Publication number: 20150070216
    Abstract: A reconfigurable antenna structure includes first and second reconfigurable antennas, a configuration module, and an antenna processing circuit. The first reconfigurable antenna is configured, in response to a first configuration signal, to have a first radiation pattern and to have a first frequency bandwidth and the second reconfigurable antenna is configured, in response to a second configuration signal, to have a second radiation pattern and to have a second frequency bandwidth. The configuration module is configured to generate the first and second configuration signals. The antenna processing circuit is configured to send one or more transmit signals to one or more of the first and second reconfigurable antennas for transmission via one or more of the channels of interest and receive one or more receive signals from the one or more of the first and second reconfigurable antennas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolaos Georgiou Alexopoulos, Seunghwan Yoon, Alfred Grau Besoli
  • Patent number: 8971178
    Abstract: A transmitter beamforming technique for use in a MIMO wireless communication system determines (i) a partial description of a reverse channel without determining a full dimensional description of the reverse channel and (ii) a partial description of a forward channel without determining a full dimensional description of the forward channel. A correction matrix is developed from the partial description of the reverse channel and a partial description of the forward channel. The correction matrix is used to process signals to be transmitted via the forward channel, and a steering matrix is used to perform beamforming in the forward channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Rohit U. Nabar, Hongyuan Zhang, Bo Wang
  • Patent number: 8964642
    Abstract: Provided is a communication apparatus including a first wireless communication part capable of performing wireless communication according to a first communication scheme and a second wireless communication part capable of performing wireless communication according to a second communication scheme that uses a higher frequency band than the first communication scheme, wherein the second wireless communication part determines a reception timing to receive a beacon transmitted according to the second communication scheme based on a time when a predetermined control signal has been received by the first wireless communication part, and forms, at the determined reception timing, a reception beam having a directionality learned in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Morioka
  • Patent number: 8958408
    Abstract: A particular method includes splitting a signal into multiple portions corresponding to elements of an array. The method also includes coding and phase adjusting the multiple portions of the signal to form phase adjusted, coded portions of the signal by coding each portion of the multiple portions with a different code and by applying phase adjustments associated with the corresponding elements of the array to the portions. The method also includes transmitting the phase adjusted, coded portions of the signal via the corresponding elements of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Atul Jain, David A. Whelan
  • Publication number: 20150042513
    Abstract: Broadband slot-coupled stacked patch antenna elements are capable of continuous broadband operation between 1.71 GHz and 2.69 GHz. The broadband slot-coupled stacked patch antenna element includes a mid-band radiating patch, a high-band radiating patch, and a low-band resonator with coupling slots capable of resonating at low, mid, and high band frequencies. Additionally, a low-profile probe-fed patch element is provided for pattern enhancement of antenna arrays at high-band frequencies. This low-profile patch element features fan-shaped probes that have three degrees of tune-ability, namely a length, a width, and a spreading angle. Further aspects include 3-column and 4-column offset arrays of the broadband patch radiators and an interleaved array of the low-profile high-band patch radiators and the broadband radiating elements. A new type of azimuth beam forming network (ABFN) is also introduced for the beam forming of the 3-column and 4-column dual-beam arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Senglee Foo
  • Publication number: 20150042514
    Abstract: A method of operating an antenna system for a wireless device is provided for controlling radiation characteristics of the antenna system. The antenna system includes first and second sets of feed points disposed so that first and second radiation pattern are generated by the antenna system when drive currents are provided at the first and second set of feed points, respectively. The second radiation pattern is different from the first radiation pattern. The first and second drive currents are supplied such that a predetermined overall radiation pattern is generated. The predetermined overall radiation pattern is at least in part a combination of the first radiation pattern and the second radiation pattern. The system and method may be directed toward SAR mitigation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Paul A. Nysen, Todd Van Cleave
  • Publication number: 20150029057
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an RCU (remote control unit), an antenna apparatus, an antenna electrical tilting method and an antenna system. The RCU includes a reading device and a driver. The reading device is configured to read, from a memory inside the antenna apparatus, when the antenna apparatus is communicatively connected with the RCU, antenna information of an antenna controlled by the antenna apparatus and configuration data corresponding to the antenna. The antenna information includes the antenna serial number and the antenna model of the antenna. The driver is configured to control the antenna apparatus to adjust an electrical down-tilt angle of the antenna in accordance with the configuration data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tingting ZHANG, Jisong WANG, Shoubo XIE, Shubao PEI
  • Patent number: 8941533
    Abstract: A device for detecting an azimuth has a transmission array antenna having plural transmission antenna elements arrayed along an array axis and a receiving array antenna having plural receiving antenna elements arrayed along the array axis. A reception signal is acquired for each of channels by transmitting and receiving a search wave through each of the channels. The channels are arbitrary combinations of each of the transmission antenna elements and each of the receiving antenna elements. A first spatial frequency analysis is performed along the array axis of either ones of the transmission antenna elements and the receiving antenna elements using the reception signal. A second spatial frequency analysis is then performed along the array axis of the other ones of the antenna elements using results of the first spatial frequency analysis. An azimuth of a target is determined based on analysis results from the second spatial frequency analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Mizutani, Kento Nakabayashi, Kazuma Natsume
  • Patent number: 8937574
    Abstract: A light-weight, air-cooled transmit/receive unit is provided, including a first external cover member, an opposed second external cover member, and a central housing unit, including thermal management means, interposed between the first and second external cover members. A transmit/receive circuit board, including components and an integrated and common radiating element for at least one channel, is interposed between a first surface of the central housing unit and the first external cover member, and a controller circuit board and a power converter circuit board are interposed between an opposed second surface of the central housing unit and the second external cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Saab Sensis Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Edward, Peter J. Ruzicka, Neil C. Smith, Carl E. DeWire
  • Publication number: 20150009069
    Abstract: Disclosed are a multi-beam antenna system and a method of controlling an output power thereof. An embodiment of the present invention includes a beam forming network configured to receive a plurality of signals to be a plurality of beams, to divide each of the plurality of signals to a plurality of divided signals, and to output a plurality of excited signals by adjusting and combining amplitude and phase of each of the plurality of divided signals, an MPA set having a plurality of MPAs configured to receive corresponding excited signals among the plurality of excited signals from the beam forming network and to control output powers of the received excited signals according to communication traffic, and a feed array having a plurality of feeds configured to form a multi-beam by being excited according to the amplitude and phase of the excited signals from the MPA set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: So-Hyeun YUN, Man-Seok UHM, Hong-Yeol LEE, Chang-Soo KWAK, In-Bok YOM
  • Publication number: 20150009068
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for electronically steering an antenna system. The apparatus comprises a dielectric substrate, a plurality of radiating spokes, and a number of surface wave feeds. The plurality of radiating spokes is arranged radially with respect to a center point of the dielectric substrate. Each radiating spoke in the plurality of radiating spokes forms a surface wave channel configured to constrain a path of a surface wave. Each of the number of surface wave feeds couples at least one corresponding radiating spoke in the plurality of radiating spokes to a transmission line that carries a radio frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel J. Gregoire, Amit M. Patel, Michael de La Chapelle
  • Patent number: 8929818
    Abstract: A user-controlled method for modifying the radiation of a wireless device (1) in one or more volumes used for in-house communications, comprising user-selecting this one or more volumes (10, 10?, 10?, 10??, 10IV) while holding the orientation of this wireless device (1) modifying the intensity of this radiation in one or more directions so as to control the radiation in this user-selected one or more volumes (10, 10?, 10?, 10??, 10IV). The invention allows the user to define volumes or regions where radiation should be modified, e.g. reduced, and one or more temporal intervals in which this radiation should be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Andreas Jarosch, Carolin Latze, Thomas Zasowski
  • Patent number: 8922421
    Abstract: An active electronically scanned array radar system and method uses a coherent, stable timing reference to transmit phase synchronized radar signals from a plurality of receiver/exciter elements. A global positioning system (GPS) carrier phase disciplined oscillator receives the GPS carrier signal at a GPS receiver. The GPS carrier contains phase and timing information to phase synchronize the local clock with the GPS carrier to produce a reference clock signal. The reference clock signal is used to synchronize a frequency synthesizer oscillator clock and generate a stable timing reference signal at a frequency significantly greater than the reference clock frequency. The stable timing reference is used to transmit radar signals in a receiver/exciter pair, the radar signals phase synchronized with the GPS carrier signal. Each receiver/exciter element generates its own stable timing reference based on a common GPS carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel J. Pomietlasz
  • Patent number: 8917208
    Abstract: A system and method of training antennas for two devices having heterogeneous antenna configurations in a wireless network is disclosed. The method includes communicating one or more estimation training sequences between two devices via a phased array antenna and a switched array antenna, wherein a beamforming vector of the phased array antenna is switched between phase vectors within a set of weight vectors while the switched array antenna is switched within a plurality of antenna sectors. The method further includes tuning at least one of the phase array and switched array antennas with an antenna parameter selected based at least in part on the one or more estimation training sequences. The method further includes communicating data messages via at least one of the phase array and switched array antennas so tuned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huaning Niu, Pengfei Xia, Chiu Ngo
  • Patent number: 8912957
    Abstract: A reconfigurable millimeter wave multibeam antenna array is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a first millimeter (MM) wave antenna, a second MM wave antenna, and a hybrid coupler coupled to the first and second MM wave antennas, the hybrid coupler configured to receive a MM wave transmit signal and a phase shifted version of the MM wave transmit signal, and to direct power to the first and second MM wave antennas based on a phase difference between the MM wave transmit signal and the phase shifted version of the MM wave transmit signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Saihua Lin
  • Patent number: 8907845
    Abstract: A method for compensating for the failure of an element in a phased array antenna assembly is provided. After failure of an element of the assembly, a composite pattern is generated from signals received by respective elements in the antenna assembly. This generated pattern is then compared to a standard composite pattern which was generated prior to the failure. Thus the necessity for remedial action can be assessed. If necessary, initial values for parameters associated with each element are assumed and an optimization is performed on the parameters. Consequently, a composite pattern can be generated which approximates the standard composite pattern. Once optimization has been achieved, the optimized parameters are applied to base settings for the assembly and operation of the phased array antenna assembly can be continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: BAE Systems PLC
    Inventor: David Kelvin Jones
  • Patent number: 8897712
    Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of wireless communication via multiple antenna assemblies. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to transmit and receive signals via one or more quasi-omnidirectional antenna assemblies, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit, via each quasi-omnidirectional antenna assembly, a plurality of first transmissions, to receive, in response to the first transmissions, a plurality of second transmissions from another device via one or more of the quasi-omnidirectional antenna assemblies, and, based on the second transmissions, to select at least one selected transmit antenna assembly for transmitting to the other device and a selected receive antenna assembly for receiving transmissions from the other device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Menashe Sofer, Assaf Kasher
  • Patent number: 8897403
    Abstract: A phased array antenna for providing a radiation pattern having at least one communication beam, includes a plurality of antenna elements, each with an antenna element signal having a phase relationship and an amplitude relationship to the other element signals; a digital signal processing arrangement providing a digital beamforming network; and an analog beamforming network arranged to reduce exposure of the digital signal processing arrangement to an interfering signal. Analog beamforming weights are selected to generate a null in the radiation pattern in a direction corresponding to the interfering signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Astrium Limited
    Inventor: Simon John Stirland
  • Patent number: 8892133
    Abstract: Apparatus comprising a first antenna configured to receive alignment signalling from a first transmitter over a first communication channel, the first communication channel having a first set of characteristics, and a second antenna configured to exchange data with a second transmitter over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics. The apparatus also comprising a processor configured to process the alignment signalling received from the first antenna and determine the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and generate control signalling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Timo Petteri Karttaavi, Likka Hemanni Hakala, Mauri Honkanen, Aarno Tapio Parssinen
  • Publication number: 20140333480
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a die with through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit capabilities and it is vertically integrated with a phased-array antenna substrate. The through-silicon via and a radio frequency integrated circuit is coupled to a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the phased-array antenna substrate where each of the plurality of antenna elements is coupled to the through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit through a plurality of through-silicon vias. A process of assembling the through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit to the phased-array antenna substrate includes testing the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Telesphor Kamgaing, Valluri R. Rao, Georgios Yorgos Palaskas
  • Publication number: 20140327578
    Abstract: A system and method for diversity implementation are provided, where diversity gains are obtained by using a hybrid of the switching technique and the combining technique in conjunction with the use of a modal antenna. The antenna system includes multiple antennas including at least one modal antenna that has multiple modes, and a processor for selecting one or more modes from the multiple modes associated with each of the at least one modal antenna, combining modes to form one or more combinations of modes, the modes in each of the one or more combinations including one of the one or more selected modes associated with each of the at least one modal antenna, and selecting one of the one or more combinations that optimizes correlation and/or a quality metric for diversity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: ETHERTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Rowson, Jeffrey Shamblin, Laurent Desclos, Abhishek Singh
  • Patent number: 8873339
    Abstract: Herein is presented, a low power on-die 60 GHz distribution network for a beamforming system that can be scaled as the number of transmitters increases. The transmission line based power splitters and quadrature hybrids whose size would be proportional to a quarter wavelength (˜600 ?m) if formed using transmission lines are instead constructed by inductors/capacitors and reduce the area by more than 80%. An input in-phase I clock and an input quadrature Q clock are combined into a single composite clock waveform locking the phase relation between the in-phase I clock and quadrature Q clock. The composite clock is transferred over a single transmission line formed using a Co-planar Waveguide (CPW) coupling the source and destination locations over the surface of a die. Once the individuals the in-phase I and quadrature Q clocks are required, they can be generated at the destination from the composite clock waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Tensorcom, Inc.
    Inventor: Jiashu Chen
  • Publication number: 20140313081
    Abstract: A method for selectively performing beam formation using a RF chip-based antenna array is described. The method includes determining whether to use a plurality of antenna arrays in one or more common carrier substrates in either a single group or a plurality of groups. The method also includes, in response to determining to use the plurality of antenna arrays in a single group, providing a single coupling factor to all antenna arrays in the plurality of antenna arrays and, in response to determining to use the plurality of antenna arrays in a plurality of groups, providing, for each group in the plurality of groups, a group-specific coupling factor to each antenna array in the group. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventor: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
  • Publication number: 20140313080
    Abstract: Multi-beam smart antenna for WLAN and cellular applications preferably has a steerable antenna system with a dipole antenna element located at the center of a ground plane. A first conductor is oriented parallel and collinear with a second conductor, and the ground plane is located therebetween. Each of first parasitic elements is positioned substantially parallel to the dipole element, and arranged on the upper-side of the ground plane in an array. Each of second parasitic elements is positioned parallel to the dipole element, and arranged on the underside of the ground plane in the same predetermined array. A plurality of switching elements connect parasitic elements and the ground plane to form reflective elements. Each parasitic element and corresponding parasitic element are oriented parallel and collinear with each other. A switching controller controls the switching elements to alter the antenna system's beam pattern by selectively activating or deactivating the reflective elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Roland A. Smith, Peter Frank, Stephen Rayment, Lot Shafai, Michael Skof, Jim Wight
  • Publication number: 20140313073
    Abstract: A mobile satellite radio equipped with a phased array antenna configures the phased array antenna in one or more non-directional operating modes in order to initially detect a signal from a communication satellite. Once a signal has been received from the satellite, frequency information determined in the course of operating in the one or more non-directional modes is used to configure the mobile satellite radio for operation in a subsequent stage when the phased array antenna is configured in a directional mode. In the subsequent stage the phased array antenna is used to scan a solid angle space to determine the direction of the satellite. Thereafter the antenna is used in the directional mode for satellite communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Carlo DiNallo, Nathan Cummings
  • Patent number: 8860552
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a strap device for a curtain or a flexible door, said straps having embedded RFID reader antenna modules and different MEMS and MOEMS sensors that make it possible to detect the direction of the objects passing through the gate and also detect the size of the objects so as to modulate the switching of the radiating elements of antennas on the basis of the position of the objects being read. The device also has embedded biosensors that measure in parallel the presence of toxic substances or materials. The device according to the invention has an LED or OLED and PHOLED display means embedded in the strap, more specifically, in a flexible material of the strap. The invention is particularly intended for the qualitative and quantitative traceability of materials passing through a logistical check gate. The device is intended for all places already having curtains with flexible straps, into which it is easily embedded. The device is suitable for all existing RFID readers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventor: Azdine Bahou
  • Patent number: 8861627
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a circuit comprises a first pair of elements, a second pair of elements, a combiner, and a signal output. Each element in the first and second pair of elements comprises an amplitude-control input for receiving an amplitude-control bit, a phase-control input for receiving a phase-control bit, a signal input for receiving an input signal, a modulator for producing an output signal based on the amplitude-control bit, the phase-control bit, and the input signal, and an signal output for transmitting the output signal to the combiner. The combiner combines the two output signals from the first and second pair of elements to produce an output signal for the circuit to be transmitted by the signal output of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Sorin P. Voinigescu, Alexander Tomkins, Magnus O. Wiklund, William Warren Walker
  • Publication number: 20140292578
    Abstract: The beam steering antenna method for unmanned vehicles includes circuits that automatically execute an algorithm in an unmanned vehicle (UV) that enhances the communication link by steering the beam of a patch antenna array to the direction of the maximum received signal strength (RSS) utilizing a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) module. The algorithm can be used on both unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The algorithm was tested through a simulation environment that integrates a virtual feasible aircraft trajectory and an antenna radiation pattern generator. The designed algorithm is simple and fast enough to be executed in real time using a very small hardware platform that can fit inside a small size, low payload vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicants: KING ABDULAZIZ CITY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: MOHAMED ADEL MAHMOUD MOHAMED IBRAHIM, MOHAMMAD SAID SHARAWI
  • Publication number: 20140285378
    Abstract: An antenna is provided. The antenna includes a first radiator, a second radiator, a current feeder configured to supply power to at least one of the first radiator and the second radiator, and an adjuster configured to adjust transceiving directions of electromagnetic waves transmitted and received to and from the first radiator and the second radiator to be perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Won-bin HONG, Kwang-hyun BAEK, Young-ju LEE
  • Publication number: 20140266891
    Abstract: A method includes injecting a reference input signal into each Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) of a number of VCOs forming a coupled VCO array to reduce a level of injection energy required therefor. The reference input signal is configured to control operating frequency of the coupled VCO array. The method also includes utilizing a phase shift circuit: between individual VCOs of the coupled VCO array and/or in a path of injection of the reference input signal into one or more VCO(s) of the individual VCOs, and mixing outputs of the number of VCOs with signals from antenna elements of an antenna array to introduce differential phase shifts in signal paths coupled to the antenna elements during performing beamforming with the antenna array. Further, the method includes reducing a phase-steering requirement of the coupled VCO array during the beamforming based on the utilization of the phase shift circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher T. Schiller, Jonathan Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20140266897
    Abstract: A two-dimensional (2-D) beam steerable phased array antenna is presented comprising a continuously electronically steerable material including a tunable material or a variable dielectric material, preferred a liquid crystal material. A compact antenna architecture including a patch antenna array, tunable phase shifters, a feed network and a bias network is proposed. Similar to the LC display, the proposed antenna is fabricated by using automated manufacturing techniques and therefore the fabrication costs are reduced considerably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: MERCK PATENT GMBH, TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADT
    Inventors: Rolf Jakoby, Onur Hamza Karabey, Felix Goelden, Atsutaka Manabe
  • Publication number: 20140266896
    Abstract: A beamforming control module including processing circuitry may be configured to receive fixed position information indicative of a fixed geographic location of a base station, receive dynamic position information indicative of a three dimensional position of at least one mobile communication station, determine an expected relative position of a first network node relative to a second network node based on the fixed position information and the dynamic position information, and provide instructions to direct formation of a steerable beam from an antenna array of the second network node based on the expected relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SMARTSKY NETWORKS LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Hyslop
  • Publication number: 20140266893
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a remote transmitter signal at an antenna array including a number of antenna elements, mixing the received signal with in-phase and quadrature-phase Local Oscillator (LO) signals from Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) of a coupled VCO array, and configuring each Phase Locked Loop (PLL) of a number of PLLs to receive an in-phase output of the mixing corresponding to a VCO and a quadrature-phase output of the mixing corresponding to another VCO adjacent to the VCO as inputs thereto. The method also includes feeding back an output of the each PLL to the VCO, driving the in-phase and the quadrature-phase outputs of the mixing from a transmit modulator, and transmitting, in a direction of the remote transmitter, an antenna array signal based on the driving. Further, the method includes sensing a servoed state related to LO phase relationships and holding thereof during the transmission of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Irshad Rasheed, Christopher T. Schiller
  • Publication number: 20140253381
    Abstract: An array of elements suitable for adaptive processing in an extreme jammed environment comprised of a plurality of smaller sub-arrays of element clusters that have natural orthogonal spatial modes of excitation, wherein the improvement comprises sub-arrays with spatial orthogonality of feed modes, cross-sub-array combination to maximize pre-processing sub-array spacing and diversity of relative configuration, a high-input analog nuller used on the pre-processing sub-array therein, a high-input analog nuller is used to null a dominant jamming signal, possibly exceeding normal communication signal levels, so that the sub-array processed signals could then be fed to an antenna processor with simultaneous beam steering and null steering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
  • Patent number: 8824330
    Abstract: A system and method for synchronized and coordinated beam switching and scheduling in a wireless communications system is provided. A method for controller operation includes determining a beam cycle pattern, sharing the beam cycle pattern with neighboring controllers, receiving beam information from a communications device, generating scheduling information from the beam cycle pattern and beam cycle patterns from other controllers, receiving a transmission intended for the communications device, and causing the transmission to be transmitted to the communications device. The beam cycle pattern includes a list of beam patterns transmitted by the controller, and the transmission is transmitted using the scheduling information and the received beam information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Furturewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cornelius van Rensburg, Patrick Ahamad Hosein, Anthony C. K. Soong
  • Patent number: 8816907
    Abstract: An antenna arrangement, a system, and method are provided for implementing a wireless communication module capable of performing adaptive beam forming, with a small antenna sail area. The antenna has a large horizontal to vertical aspect ratio. The antenna module is designed to include very few, or potentially a single radiating element in the vertical direction, and many elements in the horizontal direction, in order to create narrow beam in the azimuth plane, while maintaining a small sail area. The novel form factor advantageously provides for reduced wind loading, and for less conspicuous installations on buildings or towers, for example. The module is anticipated to find widespread applications in LOS and NLOS backhaul applications, and other wireless links between stationary nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Blinq Wireless Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Andre Beaudin
  • Patent number: 8816906
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a die with through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit capabilities and it is vertically integrated with a phased-array antenna substrate. The through-silicon via and a radio frequency integrated circuit is coupled to a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the phased-array antenna substrate where each of the plurality of antenna elements is coupled to the through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit through a plurality of through-silicon vias. A process of assembling the through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit to the phased-array antenna substrate includes testing the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Telesphor Kamgaing, Valluri R. Rao, Yorgos Palaskas
  • Patent number: 8818291
    Abstract: A method for antenna calibration is provided, which includes the following steps: obtaining an updated calibration period T_i after the last time of antenna calibration (S301), calculating a calibration sequence of each antenna channel in the calibration period T_i (S302); according to the calibration sequence of each antenna channel, calibrating each antenna based on the calibration period T_i, and calculating a calibration error parameter (S303); and according to the obtained calibration error parameter, updating the calibration period T_i, and using the updated calibration period T_i for the next time of antenna calibration (S304). The technical solutions provided in the present invention, can monitor difference variety of radio channels in real time by the calibration error parameter, and reflect the calibration precision in real time by the reported calibration error parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: China Academy of Telecommunications Technology
    Inventors: Chuanjun Li, Changguo Sun
  • Publication number: 20140232589
    Abstract: A receiver circuit, comprises an input balun circuit comprising a balanced balun output and being capable of receiving RF signals, an input amplification circuit comprising a balanced amplifier input and a balanced amplifier output, a single balanced in-phase mixing circuit comprising a first unbalanced RF mixer input and a balanced in-phase mixing frequency input, and a single balanced quadrature mixing circuit comprising a second unbalanced RF mixer input and a balanced quadrature mixing frequency input. The balanced amplifier input is connected to the balanced balun output, a first terminal of the balanced amplifier output is connected to provide an amplified RF signal to the first unbalanced RF mixer input and a second terminal of the balanced amplifier output is connected to provide a phase-shifted amplified RF signal to the second unbalanced RF mixer input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Saverio Trotta