Radio-Frequency Lens With Tapered Base and Lattice Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lens structures in wireless communication systems, particularly in satellite communications, face challenges in maintaining satisfactory wireless link quality over long distances due to signal attenuation and require excessive resources, with limited gain at high angles off boresight.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a communication terminal with an array of antenna modules, each equipped with a radio-frequency lens having a tapered base and a curved hemispherical portion, allowing for enhanced signal focusing and support of concurrent wireless links over a wider field of view, using a lattice structure of dielectric segments to reduce weight and improve off-boresight performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional lens structures are used to focus radio-frequency signals, then signal focusing capability is achieved, but gain at high angles off boresight is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a curved surface lens design where the lens surface follows a spherical or aspherical curvature rather than a flat plane. This curvature enables the lens to maintain effective signal focusing and gain performance at high elevation angles off boresight, resolving the limitation of conventional flat or simple shaped lenses that lose effectiveness at angular deviations from the central axis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements different regions of the lens with varying properties - the central region handles boresight signals while the peripheral regions at higher radii handle off-boresight signals at elevated angles. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific angular range, maintaining reliable wireless links across the entire field of view including high-angle scenarios.
2Length of stationary object
If wireless components support long-range communication, then communication distance is extended, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple radiators into a single antenna module that shares common transceiver chains. By merging the functionality of multiple independent transmitter-receiver pairs into one integrated unit with shared resources, the system achieves extended long-range communication capability through coordinated radiation patterns while reducing overall power consumption compared to having separate full transceiver chains for each radiator.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple concurrent wireless links are maintained, then communication capability is enhanced, but resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the antenna module with universal transceiver chains that can serve multiple radiators simultaneously. The shared transceiver infrastructure provides multi-functional capability to establish and maintain multiple concurrent wireless links with different terminals at various angles, eliminating the need for dedicated transceiver resources for each individual link and thereby reducing overall resource consumption.
4Reliability
If lens structures are used to focus signals, then directional communication is achieved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a lattice structure for the lens where solid dielectric material is arranged in an open framework with periodic voids or pores throughout. This porous lattice configuration maintains the necessary dielectric properties for signal focusing and directional communication while significantly reducing the overall weight compared to a solid lens of equivalent dimensions, making it suitable for mobile and satellite applications where weight is critical.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables the communication terminal to maintain multiple concurrent wireless links with satisfactory quality over a wide field of view, reducing resource consumption and meeting industry standards for side lobe generation, while supporting greater data throughput and reducing space, power, and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
Lens structures can be used to help focus radio-frequency signals in a particular direction. Each of the active radiators may transmit and receive the radio-frequency signals over signal beams oriented in different directions by the radio-frequency lens
Implementation Method 2
If desired, the lens may be formed from lattice structure having interleaved layers of dielectric segments separated by gaps to reduce the overall weight of the module
Data Source
AI summary
A communication terminal may include an array of antenna modules. Each module may include an array of radiators on a substrate and a radio-frequency lens overlapping the array. The lens may include a tapered base on the substrate and a curved portion on the tapered base. The tapered base and curved portions may be rotationally symmetric about a central axis of the lens. The curved portion may be hemispherical. The tapered base portion may be conical and may have a first radius at the hemispherical portion and a second radius that is less than the first radius at the substrate. At least one radiator in the array may be located beyond the first radius and within the second radius from the central axis. The lens may be formed from lattice having interleaved layers of dielectric segments separated by gaps to reduce the overall weight of the module.