The Invention Science Fund I LLC

Echodyne Corp.

Elwha LLC

Searete LLC

Milton Perque, Jr

Tom Driscoll

John Desmond Hunt

Nathan Ingle Landy

David R Smith

Yaroslav Aleksandrovich Urzhumov

Siamak Ebadi

Melroy Machado

Pai-Yen Chen

Robert Tilman Worl

Charles A Renneberg

Ioannis Tzanidis

Adam Bily

Benjamin Sikes

Christopher L Lambrecht

Muhammad Rameez Chatni

Nicholas K Brune

Jonathan R Hull

Tarron Teeslink

Jay Howard McCandless

Eric James Black

Alexander Remley Katko

Brian Mark Deutsch

Felix D Yuen

In an embodiment, an antenna subsystem includes a sparse receive antenna and an electronically steerable transmit antenna. The sparse receive antenna includes an array of electronically steerable receive elements each configured to receive a respective signal having a wavelength and each spaced apart from each adjacent one of the receive elements by a respective first distance that is more than one half of the wavelength, has an aperture, and is configured to generate a receive beam pattern. And the electronically steerable transmit antenna includes an array of transmit elements each configured to radiate a respective signal having the wavelength and each spaced apart from each adjacent one of the transmit elements by a respective second distance that is less than one half of the wavelength, has an aperture that is significantly smaller than the aperture of the sparse receive antenna, and is configured to filter, spatially, the receive beam pattern.

Antenna subsystem with analog beam-steering transmit array and sparse hybrid analog and digital beam-steering receive array

In an embodiment, an antenna subsystem includes a sparse receive antenna and an electronically steerable transmit antenna. The sparse receive antenna includes an array of electronically steerable receive elements each configured to receive a respective signal having a wavelength and each spaced apart from each adjacent one of the receive elements by a respective first distance that is more than one half of the wavelength. And the electronically steerable transmit antenna includes an array of transmit elements each configured to radiate a respective signal having the wavelength and each spaced apart from each adjacent one of the transmit elements by a respective second distance that is less than one half of the wavelength. To reduce aliasing, such an antenna subsystem can be operated to filter, spatially, a receive beam pattern generated by the receive antenna with a transmit beam pattern generated by the transmit antenna.

Modulation patterns for surface scattering antennas provide desired antenna pattern attributes such as reduced side lobes and reduced grating lobes.

Modulation patterns for surface scattering antennas

Surface scattering antennas with lumped elements provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure. In some approaches, the surface scattering antenna is a multi-layer printed circuit board assembly, and the lumped elements are surface-mount components placed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board assembly. In some approaches, the scattering elements are adjusted by adjusting bias voltages for the lumped elements. In some approaches, the lumped elements include diodes or transistors.

Surface scattering antennas with lumped elements

In an embodiment, an antenna subsystem includes a sparse receive antenna and an electronically steerable transmit antenna. The sparse receive antenna includes an array of receive elements each configured to receive a respective signal having a wavelength and each spaced apart from each adjacent one of the receive elements by a respective first distance that is more than one half of the wavelength. And the electronically steerable transmit antenna includes an array of transmit elements each configured to radiate a respective signal having the wavelength and each spaced apart from each adjacent one of the transmit elements by a respective second distance that is less than one half of the wavelength. To reduce aliasing, such an antenna subsystem can be operated to filter, spatially, a receive beam pattern generated by the receive antenna with a transmit beam pattern generated by the transmit antenna.

Antenna subsystem with analog beam-steering transmit array and digital beam-forming receive array

Surface scattering antennas on curved manifolds provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure.

Curved surface scattering antennas

An embodiment of an antenna includes first and second transmission lines, first antenna elements, and second antenna elements. The first transmission line is configured to guide a first signal such that the first signal has a characteristic of a first value, and the second transmission line is configured to guide a second signal such that the second signal has the same characteristic but of a second value that is different than the first value. The first antenna elements are each disposed adjacent to the first transmission line and are each configured to radiate the first signal in response to a respective first control signal, and the second antenna elements are each disposed adjacent to the second transmission line and are each configured to radiate the second signal in response to a respective second control signal. Such an antenna can have better main-beam and side-lobe characteristics, and a better SIR, than prior antennas.

Antenna having increased side-lobe suppression and improved side-lobe level

Described embodiments include an antenna and a method. In an embodiment, the antenna includes a holographic aperture having a surface including a plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements distributed thereon with a periodic inter-element spacing equal to or less than one-half of a free space wavelength of an operating frequency of the antenna. The aperture is configured to define at least two selectable complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2&#x3c0; over the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2&#x3c0;/a). In an embodiment, the holographic aperture includes an amplitude and phase modulation holographic aperture. In an embodiment, each electromagnetic wave scattering element has a respective electronically controllable electromagnetic response to an incident radiofrequency electromagnetic wave, and the plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements are electronically controllable in combination to define the at least two selectable complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the surface.

Holographic aperture antenna configured to define selectable, arbitrary complex electromagnetic fields

Described embodiments include a system, method, and apparatus. A system includes an antenna comprising a sub-Nyquist holographic aperture configured to define selectable arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on a surface of the antenna. A path analysis engine tests power transmission pathways from the antenna to a target device located in an environment within a space radiateable by the antenna. The environment includes a human being. An optimization circuit selects responsive to the tested power transmission pathways a power transmission regime. The regime includes an electromagnetic radiation pattern shaped to transfer radiofrequency electromagnetic power from the antenna to the target device without exceeding a radiation exposure limit for humans. A gain definition circuit selects a complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field implementing the selected power transmission regime from the at least two selectable, complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. An antenna controller defines the selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field in the sub-Nyquist holographic aperture.

System wirelessly transferring power to a target device over a tested transmission pathway

Described embodiments include a system, method, and apparatus. The system includes an antenna comprising a sub-Nyquist holographic aperture configured to define selectable arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on a surface of the antenna. A mapping engine models an environment within a space radiateable by the antenna. The environment includes a target device and a human being. An optimization circuit selects responsive to the model of the environment a power transmission regime. The power transmission regime includes radiation pattern shaped to wirelessly transfer electromagnetic power from the antenna to the target device without exceeding a radiation exposure limit for humans. A gain definition circuit selects a complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field implementing the selected power transmission regime from the at least two selectable arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. An antenna controller defines the selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field in the sub-Nyquist holographic aperture.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Milton Perque, Jr