Patch antenna array for transmission of hermite-gaussian and laguerre gaussian beams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10027434-B2
Application number	US-201715636142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A multi-level antenna array includes a plurality of patch antennas. Each layer of a plurality of layers is separated from other layers by a distance and support a portion of the plurality of patch antennas. Each of a plurality of connectors is associated with one of the plurality of layers for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer. A feed network on each of the plurality of layers provides a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer. Each layer of the plurality of layers transmits the signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto and multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-level antenna array, comprising:
a plurality of patch antennas;
a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the plurality of patch antennas;
a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors associated with one of the plurality of layers, for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer;
a feed network on each of the plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;
wherein each layer of the plurality of layers transmits a signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto that multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam; and
wherein the signals transmitted from each layer of the plurality of layers comprise an independent eigen channel.

2. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

3. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layers overlay each other to multiplex each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto the single transmission beam.

4. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of patch antennas on each of the plurality of layers are configured in at least one of a rectangular, circular or elliptical configuration.

5. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of patch antennas on the layer of the plurality of layers have a different phase applied thereto.

6. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the single transmission beam is transmitted on a single frequency.

7. A multi-level antenna array, comprising:
a plurality of patch antennas;
a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the plurality of patch antennas;
a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors associated with one of the plurality of layers, for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer;
a feed network on each of the plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;
wherein each of the plurality of patch antennas on the layer of the plurality of layers have a different phase applied thereto; and
wherein each layer of the plurality of layers transmits the signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto that multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam.

8. A system for transmitting a transmission beam comprising:
a transmitter including a first multi-level patch antenna array for modulating and transmitting the transmission beam, the first multi-level patch antenna array further comprising:
a first plurality of patch antennas;
a first plurality of layers, each of the first plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the first plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the first plurality of patch antennas;
a first plurality of connectors, each of the first plurality of connectors associated with one of the first plurality of layers, for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer;
a first feed network on each of the first plurality of layers for providing a connection between a first connector of the first plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the first plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;
wherein each layer of the first plurality of layers transmits a signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto that multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam;
wherein the signals transmitted from each layer of the plurality of layers comprise an independent eigen channel;

a receiver including a second multi-level patch antenna array for receiving and demodulating the single transmission beam, the second multi-level patch antenna array further comprising:
a second plurality of patch antennas;
a second plurality of layers, each of the second plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the second plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the second plurality of patch antennas;
a second plurality of connectors, each of the second plurality of connectors associated with one of the second plurality of layers, for supplying a signal received by the associated layer;
a second feed network on each of the second plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the second plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the second plurality of patch antennas located on the layer; and
wherein each layer of the second plurality of layers receives the signal having the different orthogonal function applied thereto that demultiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied from the single transmission beam.

9. The multi-level antenna array of claim 8 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

10. A multi-level antenna array, comprising:
a plurality of patch antennas;
a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the plurality of patch antennas;
a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors associated with one of the plurality of layers, for outputting a signal received by the associated layer;
a feed network on each of the plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;
wherein each layer of the plurality of layers receives a signal having the different orthogonal function applied thereto that demultiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied from the single transmission beam; and
wherein the signals received by each layer of the plurality of layers comprise an independent eigen channel.

11. The multi-level antenna array of claim 10 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

12. A method for transmitting a transmission beam from a multi-level antenna array, comprising:
supplying a signal for transmission to each of a plurality of overlapping layers of th

Assignees

• Nxgen Partners Ip Llc

Inventors

• Ashrafi Solyman
• Linquist Roger D

Classifications

• H01Q9/0414

  in a stacked or folded configuration · CPC title

• H01Q15/0033

  used for beam splitting or combining, e.g. acting as a quasi-optical multiplexer (H01Q19/191 and H01Q19/195 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q25/002

  providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas · CPC title

• H04L27/34 Primary

  Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems · CPC title

• H01Q19/19

  comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface · CPC title