RF communication system and method using ganged RF-communication units with RF lenses

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) communication system and method. An example system includes multiple RF-communication units adjacent to each other, each unit having a housing containing at least one millimeter-wave (mmWave) system-on-a-chip (SoC), each mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam. The housing of each unit further has an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF-communication unit passes from inside the RF- communication unit to outside the RF-communication unit, thus providing at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF-communication unit. With this arrangement, the focused RF antenna beams provided by the plurality of RF-communication units could thus cooperatively provide wireless coverage of the system.

Description

RF Communication System and Method Using Ganged RF-Communication Units with RF LensesREFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 624,391, filed January 24, 2024, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] A typical wireless communication system includes one or more access nodes (e.g., base stations, access points, or the like) configured to serve user equipment devices (UEs) such as cell phones, tracking devices, wirelessly equipped personal computers, gaming devices, Internet of Things (loT) devices, and other wirelessly-equipped devices, whether or not technically “user” operated.

[0003] Each such access node may include an antenna structure and associated circuitry to facilitate engaging in radio frequency (RF) communications in accordance with an applicable wireless technology. Example wireless technologies include, without limitation, cellular or other wireless wide area network (WWAN) technologies such as 4G, 5G, 6G, and beyond, as well as wireless local area network (WLAN) technologies such as Wi-Fi, and wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, and ultra- wideband.SUMMARY

[0004] With the ever-increasing demand for high-bandwidth communications, such as 16k or greater streaming video, augmented and virtual reality, edge computing, and artificial intelligence (Al) generated communications, among other examples, there will be an associated need for wireless communication systems configured to support such communications. As these bandwidth needs grow, wireless networks will transition to use ultra-high-spectrum bands, potentially supporting terabits per second. RF path loss at such high frequencies, however, creates a technical challenge.

[0005] The present disclosure provides wireless networking techniques that could be deployed at low cost and scale, to provide potentially tens of gigabits per second (Gbps) to one terabit per second (Tbps) of network capacity while covering potentially multiple square miles. While these techniques could be used in relatively low-spectrum bands of under 6 GHz, application of the techniques in millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum, with dramatically largerchannel sizes, may help to provide ultra-high-capacity low-cost wireless networks. Further, these higher frequencies allow for use of much smaller antennas, which in turn facilitates collocating a potentially greater number of antennas at a given location, such as on a tower, roof, or in or on another structure.

[0006] In accordance with the disclosure, an access node could be equipped with multiple RF-communication units adjacent to each other, possibly ganged (e.g., along an axis defined by an access node tower, among other possibilities), each configured to provide one or more highly focused RF antenna beams, so as to provide improved wireless coverage.

[0007] In particular, each RF-communication unit could have a housing containing at least one mmWave system-on-a-chip (SoC) operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam, with the housing having an outer wall that shields RF signaling and has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam can pass. The RF shielding of the outer wall of each of these RF-communication units facilitates minimizing or avoiding RF interference between the units when the units are ganged or otherwise in close physical proximity to each other. Further, passing the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC of each unit through the RF lens of the unit provides at least one focused RF antenna beam. Therefore, with the multiple units ganged together, the resulting RF communication system can provide multiple focused RF antenna beams, which could cooperatively provide a desired scope of wireless coverage.

[0008] Accordingly, in one respect, disclosed is an RF communication system. The system includes a plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other, each RF- communication unit having a housing containing at least one mmWave SoC, each of the at least one mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam. Further, the housing of each RF-communication unit has an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF- communication unit passes from inside the RF-communication unit to outside the RF- communication unit, with passing of the at least one steerable RF antenna beam through the RF lens providing at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF-communication unit. With this arrangement, the focused RF antenna beams provided by the plurality of RF- communication units could thus cooperatively provide wireless coverage of the RF communication system.

[0009] Further, in another respect, disclosed is a method for providing wireless coverage. The method includes operating at an access node a plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other, each RF-communication unit having a housing containing at least one millimeter-wave (mmWave) system-on-a-chip (SoC), with each of the at least one mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam. Further, the housing of each RF-communication unit has an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF-communication unit is configured to pass from inside the RF-communication unit to outside the RF-communication unit, with passing of the at least one steerable RF antenna beam through the RF lens provides at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF-communication unit. Through this method, the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units could thus cooperatively provide wireless coverage.

[0010] In yet another respect, disclosed is an access node including such an RF communication system, for providing wireless coverage of the access node.

[0011] These, as well as other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and alternatives, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that the disclosure provided in this summary and elsewhere in this document is provided by way of example only and that numerous variations and other examples may be possible as well.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 illustrates a digital board with multiple mmWave SoCs.

[0013] Figure 2 illustrates an array of ten RF-communication units each including a mmWave SoC, an RF lens, and a RF-shielding box.

[0014] Figure 3 illustrates an arrangement with multiple mmWave SoCs sharing a common RF len.

[0015] Figure 4, parts a, b, and c, illustrates example of multiple RF-communication units being ganged and radially offset from each other to cooperatively a desired scope of wireless coverage.

[0016] Figure 5, parts a, b, and c, illustrates how multiple mmWave SoCs could share a common RF lens and RF-shielding box.

[0017] Figure 6 illustrates an example arrangement where multiple RF- communication units could be stacked vertically to cooperatively provide a range of wireless coverage.

[0018] Figure 7 illustrates how the arrangement of Figure 6 could be covered with an RF transparent cover such as a radome.

[0019] Figure 8 illustrates an example RF-communication unit having an RF lens at one side of its housing.

[0020] Figure 9 illustrates how a radome or other cover could be provided around a plurality of RF-communications such as those shown in Figure 8.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] mmWave Radio SoCs (System on Chip) that contain baseband, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and antenna array all in one package are widely available. The SoCs are mostly phased array and typically have between 8 and 32 radio chains per baseband that are used to create narrow steerable beams. The more radio chains that are used in a phased array, the more precise the beam and overall antenna pattern possibilities are. However, this comes at substantially increased cost and power consumption.

[0022] An RF Lens when paired with array of antennas (at the lens’ focal point) can give additional control over beam size, side lobe levels, and scan angle, while also increasing gain in a far more cost-effective manner than adding additional radio chains. These benefits sometimes come at the cost of a decreased scan angle and smaller overall coverage pattern.

[0023] By building large scale arrays of these SoCs (each capable of operating at multiple gigabits per second), it is possible to achieve single site wireless data bandwidth / capacity of tens of gigabits per second to over one terabit per second.

[0024] However, when locating potentially hundreds or more of these SoCs near each other, the primary challenge is achieving sufficient signal isolation between the competing mmWave radio SoCs in the array.

[0025] Figure 1 depicts a printed circuit board (PCB) or other digital board 101 with a central processing unit (CPU) 102 that is connected to multiple mmWave SoCs 103. Figure 1 shows five such SoCs 103 ganged together on the same digital board 101. It will be understood, however, that any number (two or more) of the mmWave SoCs 103 could be ganged together and mounted on the digital board 101. Each mmWave SoC could include any number of RF-chain components to facilitate wireless transmission and reception. For instance,each mmWave SoC could include a mmWave antenna array, each mmWave SoC could additionally include an associated RFIC, and each mmWave SoC could additionally include an associated baseband processor.

[0026] Figure 1 also depicts five individual RF lenses 104, namely, namely, one RF lens 104 respectively for each mmWave SoCs 103. In an example arrangement, the RF lens 104 makes up one side of a box 105, and the other five sides of the box are made of one or more RF-shielding materials, such as a suitable metal, that will block or attenuate RF signals. Box 805 thus creates a cavity in which the mmWave SoC 103 is disposed. This arrangement usefully provides a high level of RF isolation between the mmWave SoC in each box 105 and the mmWave SoC in each other box that is in close proximity.

[0027] Due to the physics of lenses, the combination of the mmWave SoC 103, the RF lens 104, and the box that provides RF shielding can create an RF antenna beam (i.e., RF antenna pattern) 106 with very high gain main beam and very low-level side lobes, while still maintaining some ability of steer its main beam in azimuth and elevation. Various parameters of the mmWave SoC 103, the RF lens 104, and the overall box 105, including but not limited to the physical size and location of the lens, 2D vs 3D lensing, number of RF chains, number of SoC antenna elements and their spacing, can all be adjusted as individual levers to produce a variety of main-beam sizes (in degrees), degrees of main-beam steerability to create a coverage pattern, side lobe characteristics, and other performance criteria to optimize for a particular levels of radio SoC density, and ratios relative to coverage patterns and / or other outcomes.

[0028] Further, an RF-communication unit that includes the mmWave SoC 103, the RF lens 104, and the overall box with RF shielding, can create sufficient levels of RF isolation and shielding to allow multiple instances of the unit to be ganged or otherwise deployed in dense collocated arrays in the tens to hundreds or more (per 360 degrees of azimuth coverage). Moreover, the various components of the solution including the digital board 101, the mmWave SoC 102, the RF lens 103, and the overall box 804 can be used in a modular fashion at varying ratios to each other to build several configurations optimized for a dynamic deployment scenario.

[0029] Figure 2 depicts one such possible configuration. As shown in Figure 2, an array of ten of these RF-communication units in combination could be used to create 10- independent-beam, 45-degree-azimuth coverage for an access point or other access node, combining multiple CPUs 102 matched to provide sufficient processing power to fully driveten mmWave SoCs 103 each contained within the cavity created by the RF lens 104 and overall box 105, with the mmWave SoC 103 (e.g., its mmWave antenna array) being located at a suitable distance from the RF lens 104. Each of the resulting ten beams in this arrangement can act as an access point and create point-to-multipoint (PtMP) connections for dozens or more clients within their individual radial degrees of coverage, with minimal to no need for steering to cover their assigned quadrant.

[0030] In an example implementation, multiple instances of these RF- communication units each including a respective mmWave SoC 103, a lens 104, and the overall box 104 with shielding can be ganged along an axis, with the RF lens 104 of each unit being rotated at a different angle about the axis than each other unit.

[0031] For instance, the arrangement illustrated in Figure 2 is dimensioned to create a 5-degree main beam that can be steered + / - 3 degrees in azimuth and elevation. Further, each of the ten combinations are radially offset spatially and mechanically from each other perpendicular their lens face at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 degrees (or at different intervals depending on desired radio density) respectively so that each main beam is only able to cover its quadrant + / - its ability steer in degrees azimuth / elevation. The degrees each box / lens is physically offset to its neighbor can vary (e.g. 0,45,20,35,5,25,10,35,15,40) to allow for radio isolation and / or other optimizations.

[0032] With this example arrangement of Figure 2, there is a sufficient level of RF isolation between the ten RF beams to allow for a separate multi gigabit data stream on each of the ten 10 beams while all are simultaneously using the same channel simply by alternating polarity (e.g. vertical / horizontal) beam to beam.

[0033] In a case where it is desirable to have double or triple capacity (e.g., 2-3 beams) in a single of the radial quadrants created by the ten instances of such an RF- communication unit, a single beam in the middle can have its two adjacent beams each perform beam-steering to overlap into its coverage. In Figure 2, for instance, the 5-degree beam and the 15-degree beam could be steered to partially or fully overlap with coverage of the 10-degree beam. Thus, the active coverage footprint of the 10-degree beam could also be occupied by coverage of the 5-degree beam and coverage of the 15-degree beam, thus allowing all three beams to transmit and receive their combined data in the one 10-degree quadrant.

[0034] However, to accomplish this, the 5-degree beam and 15-degree beam may need to dynamically change their channel to gain enough isolation to maintain their full dataand modulation rates. Alternatively, they could forgo changing their channels and could simply fall back to a lower-order modulation rate if the radios’ performance allowed for it.

[0035] Disclosure herein of a beam performing beam steering or changing of channels could mean that the mmWave SoC providing that beam performs the beam steering (e.g., by adjusting phase on respective antenna elements of the mmWave array) or channel changing. For instance, the baseband processor of each RF-communication unit could control these and other operational parameters of the unit.

[0036] This decision to change channel or to lower modulation rate to accommodate new lower isolation levels can be done on a dynamic basis. For example, if the 15-degree beam had active clients at its 15 degree bearing but had excess (unused) capacity, while the 10-degree beam had a highly utilized or over utilized load with its clients, the 15-degree beam dynamically perform beam steering and change its channel (or allow of lower modulation) on a client by client basis (or in batches of clients or data) to take over data requests for the beam 10-degree beam. It could also permanently change its base load clients at 15 degrees to the same channel (or lower modulation / modulation-and-coding-scheme (MCS) level) that allow it to coexist with the new connections it is picking up in the quadrant assigned to the beam at 10 degrees. This could allow the 15-degree beam to serve both its own clients and number of clients / data requests that previously were served by the 10-degree beam, without having to dynamically change channel and / or modulation / MCS rate.

[0037] Any individual one beam can change its channel independent and dynamically based on co-channel 3rd party interference (change in RSSI, SNR or other radio stat metric) it or its clients may be experiencing. This same beam can also coordinate with other beams in proximity to it to as it makes these changes. Additionally, any one client of any one beam, can initiate and / or make these same changes (referenced above), in addition to changing which beam or which access node the client is connected to.

[0038] Another tool that can be implement at the media-access-control (MAC) layer is for adjacent beams to have coordinated scheduling of which loads they serve when, such that the individual data loads each of the beams serves at any given time slot (or resource block) are matched together in a way that maximizes RF isolation between the beams.

[0039] In addition to the more traditional practices of channel and polarity diversity (e.g. A-B-A-B; A-B-C-A-B-C for channels, and / or horizontal-vertical-horizontal-vertical for polarity) Another method that can be implemented to coordinate multiple separate beams and facilitate the highest amount of channel re-use is to “null lock” one or more beams to the nullof one or more other beams. This can be done by physically adjusting the lenses and / or mmWave SOC antennas with respect to one another, or by coordinating beam book changes between the each of the various beams separate antennas as they dynamically beam-steer through their quadrant to sever the various data loads at multiple locations.

[0040] Figure 3 depicts an example alternative configuration in which multiple mmWave SoCs (such as, but not limited to, five) are sharing the same lens. This can give additional flexibility in allowing a higher number of separate beams to simultaneously occupy the same radial quadrant, in addition to simplifying mechanical design. However, this approach will also reduce the isolation between the mmWave SoCs sharing the same lens.

[0041] All the approaches listed previously can be utilized to allow for separate data streams on each of these five example SoCs. This can include using alternating polarity, channel diversity, and null lock, either through coordinated beam book scheduling among the various SoCs and / or physically positioning the SoCs at different locations and / or pointing the SoCs at different radial quadrants within the same lens. Further, variations of lens design (e.g. 2D vs. 3D lens) and physically orientation (Horizontal / Vertical) can be utilized.

[0042] Figure 4 illustrates how multiple assemblies of these RF-communication units could be provided on an access-node tower (e.g., base station tower) to provide one or more wireless coverage areas.

[0043] Figures 5 (a,b,c), 6 (a,b,c) and 7 (a,b) show some example variations in how the modules and lenses can be configured.

[0044] Figure 5 (a,b,c) shows various viewpoints of a configuration in which every beam has its own lens 104 and overall box 105, with 4x4 array of RF-communication units each having a mmWave SoC 103, an RF lens 104, and a box 105 with shielding, where each unit is radially offset into 5.625-degree quadrants such that collectively all 16 radio combos create a coverage footprint of 90 degrees.

[0045] Figure 6 (a,b,c) shows various viewpoints of a configuration in which four mmWave SoCs 103 share the same RF lens 104 and overall box 105 with shielding, and with four such lens / box configurations being stacked one of top of the other to build a sector with 90 degrees azimuth coverage.

[0046] Figure 7a shows a view point of a configuration in which sixteen RF- communication units each having a mmWave SoC 103, an RF lens 104, and the overall box with shielding 105 stacked single file vertically on top of each other, radially in 5.625-degree increments such that the 16 combos create a 90-degree sector.

[0047] Figure 7b shows and example of how the arrangement of Figure 7a could be covered in an RF transparent cover for aesthetics and perhaps to protect the assembly from damage. Such a radome could also be coated with an anti -reflective material to help prevent internal reflections that could pose issues. The arrangements of Figures 5 and 6, as well as other example arrangements, could have similar covers as well.

[0048] As noted above, Figure 8 illustrates an example RF-communication unit having an RF lens at one side of its housing. In an example implementation, the unit of Figure 8 could be 6” W x 6” H x 5” D; however, other sizes are possible as well, depending on desired scope of coverage, gain, and other operational parameters.

[0049] Further, Figure 9 illustrates an assembly where multiple such RF- communication units are stacked and covered by an RF -transparent radome material. With four such units stacked vertically, the overall assembly could thus be 6” W x 24” H x 5” D, or could similarly vary, including based on the individual units possibly being rotated along their shared vertical axis, among other possibilities. Further, note that various other combinations of these units could be provided. For instance, aside from 1x4, another arrangement could be 1x8 or 1x16, or perhaps 2x4 or another array of the units.

[0050] Accordingly, an RF-communication system could include a plurality of RF- communication units adjacent to each other, each RF-communication unit having a housing containing at least one mmWave SoC, each of the at least one mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam, the housing of each RF-communication unit having an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF-communication unit passes from inside the RF- communication unit to outside the RF-communication unit, wherein passing the at least one steerable RF antenna beam through the RF lens provides at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF-communication unit. With this arrangement, the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units could cooperatively provide wireless coverage of the RF communication system.

[0051] By way of example, each RF-communication unit in this system could defines a box, with the RF lens being disposed at one side of the box. Alternatively, each RF- communication unit could take a form other than a box shape.

[0052] Further by way of example, each RF-communication unit could contain just one mmWave SoC or could contain more than one mmWave SoC. For instance, each RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units could contain multiple mmWave SoCs cooperatively operable to provide multiple steerable RF antenna beams. Further, the plurality of RF-communication units could be mounted on a common circuit board, such as a printed circuit board. Still further, the plurality of RF-communication units could be ganged.

[0053] Still further by way of example, the plurality of RF-communication units could be ganged along an axis and could each be rotated at a different angle than each other about the axis, so that each of the at least one focused RF antenna beam of each RF- communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units has a respective beam axis different than each of the at least one focused RF antenna beam of each other RF- communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units. For instance, the plurality of RF-communication units could be ganged along a gang axis, wherein the RF lens of each RF- communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units has a principal axis that is rotated at a different angle about the gang axis than the principal axis of the RF lens of each other RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units.

[0054] Yet further by way of example, the plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other could include at least first and second RF-communication units adjacent to each other. In that case, a polarity of the at least one steerable RF beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the first RF-communication unit is orthogonal to a polarity of the at least one steerable RF beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the second RF- communication unit. Further, the at least one focused RF antenna beam of the first RF- communication unit could overlap partially or fully with the at least one focused RF antenna beam of the second RF-communication unit.

[0055] Still further by way of example, the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units in this arrangement could cooperatively define a common wireless coverage area of an access node.

[0056] As noted above, the present disclosure also contemplates a method for providing wireless coverage. This method could include providing and / or operating at an access node a plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other, each RF- communication unit having a housing containing at least one mmWave SoC, each of the at least one mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam, the housing of each RF-communication unit having an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerableRF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF-communication unit is configured to pass from inside the RF-communication unit to outside the RF-communication unit, and passing the at least one steerable RF antenna beam through the RF lens provides at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF-communication unit. With this method, the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units cooperatively provide wireless coverage.

[0057] Various features discussed above can be implemented in this context as well, and vice versa. Without limitation, for example, the method could include ganging the plurality of RF-communication units, possibly along an axis and with rotations and principle axes as discussed above. Further, the method could include mounting the plurality of RF- communication units adjacent to one another a common circuit board.

[0058] Example embodiments have been described above. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that changes and modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A radio-frequency (RF) communication system comprising: a plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other, each RF -communi cation unit having a housing containing at least one millimeter-wave (mmWave) system-on-a-chip (SoC), each of the at least one mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam, the housing of each RF- communication unit having an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF-communication unit passes from inside the RF-communication unit to outside the RF-communication unit, wherein passing the at least one steerable RF antenna beam through the RF lens provides at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF- communication unit, whereby the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units cooperatively provide wireless coverage of the RF communication system.

2. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein each RF-communication unit defines a box, wherein the RF lens is disposed at one side of the box.

3. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein each RF-communication unit contains just one mmWave SoC.

4. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF- communication units are mounted on a common circuit board.

5. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF- communication units are ganged.

6. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF- communication units are ganged along an axis and are each rotated at a different angle than each other about the axis, so that each of the at least one focused RF antenna beam of each REcommunication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units has a respective beam axis different than each of the at least one focused RF antenna beam of each other RF- communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units.

7. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF- communication units are ganged along a gang axis, wherein the RF lens of each RF- communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units has a principal axis that is rotated at a different angle about the gang axis than the principal axis of the RF lens of each other RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units.

8. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF- communication units adjacent to each other includes at least first and second RF- communication units adjacent to each other, and wherein a polarity of the at least one steerable RF beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the first RF-communication unit is orthogonal to a polarity of the at least one steerable RF beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the second RF-communication unit.

9. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF- communication units adjacent to each other includes at least first and second RF- communication units adjacent to each other, and wherein the at least one focused RF antenna beam of the first RF-communication unit overlaps partially with the at least one focused RF antenna beam of the second RF-communication unit.

10. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein each RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units contains multiple mmWave SoCs cooperatively operable to provide multiple steerable RF antenna beams.

11. The RF communication system of claim 1, wherein the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units cooperatively define a common wireless coverage area of an access node.

12. A method for providing wireless coverage, the method comprising: operating at an access node a plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other, each RF-communication unit having a housing containing at least one millimeter- wave (mmWave) system-on-a-chip (SoC), each of the at least one mmWave SoC having at least one mmWave antenna array operable to provide at least one steerable RF antenna beam, the housing of each RF-communication unit having an outer wall that shields RF signaling and that has an RF lens through which the at least one steerable RF antenna beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the RF-communication unit is configured to pass from inside the RF-communication unit to outside the RF-communication unit, wherein passing the at least one steerable RF antenna beam through the RF lens provides at least one respective focused RF antenna beam of the RF-communication unit, whereby the focused RF antenna beams of the plurality of RF-communication units cooperatively provide wireless coverage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each RF-communication unit defines a box, wherein the RF lens is disposed at one side of the box.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein each RF-communication unit contains just one mmWave SoC.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising ganging the plurality of RF- communication units.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising mounting the plurality of RF- communication units adjacent to one another a common circuit board.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising ganging the plurality of RF- communication units along an axis, with each RF-communication unit being rotated at a different angle than each other about the axis, so that the respective antenna pattern of each RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units has a respective beam axis different than the respective antenna pattern of each other RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising ganging the plurality of RF- communication units along an axis, with the RF lens of each RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units having a principal axis that is rotated at a different angle about the gang axis than the principal axis of the RF lens of each other RF-communication unit of the plurality of RF-communication units.

19. The method system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other includes at least first and second RF-communication units adjacent to each other, and wherein a polarity of the at least one steerable RF beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the first RF-communication unit is orthogonal to a polarity of the at least one steerable RF beam provided by the at least one mmWave SoC in the second RF- communication unit.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of RF-communication units adjacent to each other includes at least first and second RF-communication units adjacent to each other, and wherein the at least one focused RF antenna beam of the first RF- communication unit overlaps partially with the at least one focused RF antenna beam of the second RF-communication unit.

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