The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 15, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2011
Marcel Daniel Blech, Herrenberg, DE;
Marcel Daniel Blech, Herrenberg, DE;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An optically controlled microwave antenna that reduces optical power consumed by the antenna. The optically controlled microwave antenna includes an antenna array including plural antenna elements and a feed for illuminating the antenna array with and/or receiving microwave radiation of the operating frequency from the antenna array to transmit and/or receive microwave radiation. An antenna element includes a waveguide, an optically controllable semiconductor element arranged within the waveguide in front of a light transmissive portion of a second end portion, the semiconductor element changing its material properties under control of incident light, and a controllable light source arranged at or close to the light transmissive portion of the second end portion for projecting a controlled light beam onto the semiconductor element for controlling its material properties, in particular its reflectivity.