Lens-enhanced communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11205855-B2
Application number	US-201916398156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2018
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

A communication device includes a first lens and a feeder array. The first lens has a defined shape, a base, a first tubular membrane connected to the base, and a second membrane arranged as a cap on the first tubular membrane. The feeder array includes a plurality of antenna elements that are positioned in a specified proximal distance from the base of the first lens to receive a first lens-guided beam of input radio frequency (RF) signals through the second membrane of the first lens. The first lens of the defined shape covers the feeder array as a radome enclosure. A distribution of a gain from the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals is substantially equalized across the feeder array to increase at least a reception sensitivity of the plurality of antenna elements of the feeder array.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication device, comprising:
a first lens of a defined shape having
a base in a first shape,
a first tubular membrane connected to the base, and
a second membrane in a second shape arranged as a cap on the first tubular membrane, wherein the first shape is different from the second shape;

a feeder array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are positioned in a specified proximal distance from the base of the first lens to receive a first lens-guided beam of input radio frequency (RF) signals through the second membrane of the first lens,
wherein the first lens of the defined shape covers the feeder array as a radome enclosure, and
wherein a distribution of a gain from the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals is substantially equalized across the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements based on the defined shape of the first lens and the specified proximal distance of the feeder array to the base of the first lens;
a system board that comprises the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements;
a system board cover that comprises the first lens and a height adjuster to control the specified proximal distance between the base of the first lens and the system board; and
a system board base enclosure that is detachably attached to the system board cover to enclose the system board.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry configured to continuously scan for the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals across the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry configured to equalize the distribution of the gain based on adjustments in a phase and an amplitude of the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein a first shape of the base is complementary to a shape of the feeder array to fit on the feeder array as the radome enclosure.

5. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance from the base to the second membrane defines a length of the first tubular membrane, wherein the first tubular membrane has a same cross-section along the length of the first tubular membrane.

6. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance from the base to the second membrane defines a length of the first tubular membrane, wherein the first tubular membrane has a varying cross-section along the length of the first tubular membrane.

7. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the first shape is a square shape and the second shape is a semi-circular shape.

8. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the second membrane is at least one of a semi-circular, a pentagonal pyramid, a parabola, a square-shaped pyramid, a frustum, or an arbitrary shape configured to substantially equalize the distribution of the gain across the feeder array such that the plurality of antenna elements are excitable with a plurality of lens-guided beams of input RF signals at different scanning angles with substantially equal gain.

9. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the distribution of a radiation pattern of the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals is equalized from a radiation surplus region to a radiation deficient region of the feeder array for the substantially equalized distribution of the gain from the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals across the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements,
wherein the substantially equalized distribution of the gain across the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements causes one or more of:
minimizes, at the communication device, a consumption of direct current (DC) power that is less than a threshold power and provides an equal or a higher amount of a gain as compared to a phased array antenna in a communication device devoid of the first lens; and
causes noise reduction and a signal to noise ratio improvements (SNR) as compared to the communication device that is devoid of the first lens.

10. The communication device according to claim 1 , the first lens further includes at least one of a defined geometry profile, a defined dielectric profile, a defined refractive index profile, and a defined radiation profile.

11. The communication device according to claim 10 , wherein the defined geometry profile of the first lens corresponds to a physical configuration based on a thickness, a length, a beam diameter, a radius of curvature, and an arrangement of at least one aperture of the first lens.

12. The communication device according to claim 10 , wherein:
the defined dielectric profile of the first lens corresponds to a distribution of a dielectric constant within the first lens, and
the defined dielectric profile is based on at least the dielectric constant, a permittivity, and a variation in concentration of at least one dielectric material in at least one component of the first lens.

13. The communication device according to claim 10 , wherein the defined refractive index profile of the first lens corresponds to a distribution of refractive index along a radial, a principal, or a defined plane of the first lens.

14. The communication device according to claim 10 , wherein the defined radiation profile of the first lens corresponds to a transformation of a radiation pattern or a beam shape over at least one aperture of the first lens.

15. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the specified proximal distance is less than a focal length of the first lens, and wherein the feeder array is positioned in a plane such that an axis of the first lens is orthogonal to the plane of the feeder array.

16. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens is a dielectric lens with an inhomogeneous distribution of the dielectric constant, that varies along the second membrane, of at least one dielectric material.

17. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens is positioned such that a plurality of beams of input RF signals that passes through the first lens are guided as corresponding plurality of first lens-guided beams of input RF signals across the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements.

18. A communication device, comprising:
a first lens of a defined shape having
a base in a first shape,
a first tubular membrane connected to the base, and
a second membrane in a second shape arranged as a cap on the first tubular membrane, wherein the first shape is different from the second shape;
a feeder array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are positioned in a specified proximal distance from the base of the first lens to receive a first lens-guided beam of input radio frequency (RF) signals through the second membrane of the first lens,
wherein the first lens of the defined shape covers the feeder array as a radome enclosure, and
wherein a distribution of a gain from the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals is substantially equalized across the feeder array of the plurality of antenna elements based on the defined shape of the first lens and the specified proximal distance of the feeder array to the base of the first lens,
wherein the distribution of a radiation pattern of the received first lens-guided beam of input RF signals is equalized from a radiation surplus region to a radiation deficient region of the feeder array for the substantially equ

Assignees

• Movandi Corp
• Silicon Valley Bank

Inventors

• Rofougaran Ahmadreza
• Besoli Alfred Grau
• Yoon Seunghwan
• Shirinfar Farid
• Gharavi Sam
• Boers Michael
• Rofougaran Maryam
• Adas Enver
• Sridharan Kartik

Classifications

• H01Q19/062 Primary

  for focusing · CPC title

• G02B27/0955

  Lenses (lenses per se G02B3/00) · CPC title

• H01Q15/08 Primary

  formed of solid dielectric material · CPC title

• H01Q21/065

  Patch antenna array · CPC title

• H01Q3/26

  varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) · CPC title