Lens-enhanced communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12368244-B2
Application number	US-202318321160-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2023
Priority date	Dec 26, 2018
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A method in a communication device that includes a system board having a plurality of chips is described. The method includes receiving a lens-guided beam of input radio frequency (RF) signals through a lens, where each chip of the plurality of chip comprises a plurality of antennas, the lens covers a chip of the plurality of chips, adjusting a proximal distance between the lens and the chip such that the proximal distance is less than a focal length of the lens, and substantially equalizing a distribution of a gain from the received lens-guided beam of the input RF signals from a radiation surplus region to a radiation deficient region based on a defined shape of the lens and the proximal distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
in a communication device that comprises a system board including a plurality of chips, and a system board cover that covers the system board, wherein the system board cover comprises a height adjuster:
receiving a lens-guided beam of input radio frequency (RF) signals through a lens, wherein
each chip of the plurality of chips comprises a plurality of antenna elements, and
the lens covers a chip of the plurality of chips;

adjusting, by the height adjuster of the system board cover, a proximal distance between the lens and the system board such that the proximal distance is less than a focal length of the lens; and
substantially equalizing a distribution of a gain from the received lens-guided beam of the input RF signals from a radiation surplus region to a radiation deficient region based on a defined shape of the lens and the proximal distance.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising equalizing the distribution of the gain across the plurality of antenna elements based on adjustments in a phase of the plurality of antenna elements.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising equalizing the distribution of the gain from the radiation surplus region to the radiation deficient region of a feeder array in the chip, based on a distribution of a dielectric constant of the lens.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens comprises a base, a first tubular membrane coupled to the base, and a second membrane coupled to the first tubular membrane, and
first tubular membrane and the second membrane, in conjunction, cause the lens to have a bell shape.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein
a distance from the base to the second membrane defines a length of the first tubular membrane, and
the first tubular membrane has a varying cross-section along the length of the first tubular membrane.

6. The method according to claim 4 , 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 a feeder array in the chip such that the plurality of antenna elements is excitable with a plurality of lens-guided beams of the input RF signals at different scanning angles with substantially equal gain, and
the plurality of lens-guided beams the input RF signals includes the lens-guided beam of the input RF signals.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises at least one of a defined geometry profile, a defined dielectric profile, a defined refractive index profile, or a defined radiation profile.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the defined geometry profile 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 lens.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:
the defined dielectric profile corresponds to a distribution of a dielectric constant within the 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 lens.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the defined refractive index profile corresponds to a distribution of refractive index along a radial, a principal, or a defined plane of the lens.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the defined radiation profile corresponds to a transformation of a radiation pattern or a beam shape over at least one aperture of the lens.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the chip comprises a feeder array,
the feeder array is in a plane, and
an axis of the lens is orthogonal to the plane of the feeder array.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein
the lens is positioned such that a plurality of beams of the input RF signals that passes through the lens are guided as corresponding plurality of lens-guided beams of the input RF signals across the feeder array, and
the corresponding plurality of lens-guided beams of the input RF signals includes the lens-guided beam of the input RF signals.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising scanning continuously for the lens-guided beam of the input RF signals across the feeder array.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising receiving gain-equalized output signals from antenna elements of the feeder array.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising combining the received gain-equalized output signals to generate a power-combined output signal.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lens is a dielectric lens with an inhomogeneous distribution of a dielectric constant along at least a second membrane of the lens.

Assignees

• Movandi Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H01Q15/02

  Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism · CPC title

• H01Q21/0006

  Particular feeding systems · CPC title

• G02B27/0955

  Lenses (lenses per se G02B3/00) · 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