Shared Optical Phase Shifters for 100 GHz Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices face challenges in supporting high data rates for wireless communications due to limitations in wireless circuitry, particularly at frequencies above 100 GHz, which require significant space and resources, and existing solutions struggle to efficiently manage both transmission and reception of high-frequency signals.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a phased antenna array with photodiodes and optical couplers, utilizing optical local oscillator signals and phase shifters to transmit and receive wireless signals at frequencies greater than 100 GHz, allowing for three-dimensional signal beam steering while minimizing the number of optical phase shifters required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wireless circuitry supports higher frequencies for higher data rates, then data rate is improved, but area and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines transmit and receive functions into a single antenna array, sharing optical phase shifters between both functions. This merging eliminates the need for separate transmit and receive circuits, reducing overall area while maintaining high data rate capabilities through frequency division multiplexing of the same hardware resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna array and optical phase shifters are designed to serve multiple functions - both transmission and reception of high-frequency signals. The same hardware infrastructure supports bidirectional communication, making the circuitry universal and reducing the total resource consumption compared to dedicated transmit and receive systems.
2Productivity
If wireless circuitry supports frequencies above 100 GHz, then data rate is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional electrical phase shifters with optical phase shifters that operate at optical frequencies to control millimeter-wave and sub-terahertz signals. This substitution simplifies the high-frequency circuit design by using optical domain components that are inherently more stable and easier to control at these extreme frequencies, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical signals as an intermediary between the control electronics and the high-frequency radio frequency signals. Optical local oscillator signals and optical phase shifters serve as mediators to precisely control the phase and frequency of >100 GHz signals without requiring complex electrical circuits to operate directly at these frequencies.
3Reliability
If separate transmit and receive circuitry is provided, then signal quality is improved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges transmit and receive circuitry into a single shared antenna array system. The same photodiodes, antenna elements, and optical phase shifters are used for both transmission and reception by switching between modes, reducing resource consumption while maintaining signal quality through dedicated transmission and reception time slots or frequency channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic switching between transmit and receive modes, or uses time-division and frequency-division multiplexing where the same resources are allocated alternately for transmission and reception. This periodic action allows single resources to serve dual purposes while maintaining the quality requirements for both functions through dedicated time or frequency allocation.
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 approach enables efficient transmission and reception of high-frequency signals within a compact form factor, supporting higher data rates and reducing resource consumption, while allowing for precise beam steering and orientation of wireless signals.
Implementation Method 1
Each antenna may include a photodiode, an antenna radiating element coupled to the photodiode, and an optical coupler coupled to the photodiode
Implementation Method 2
First optical phase shifters may be disposed on the first optical paths. Second optical phase shifters may be disposed on the second optical paths. The first optical phase shifters may apply respective phase shifts to the first optical LO signal to produce phase-shifted signals provided to each row of the array. The second optical phase shifters may apply respective phase shifts to the second optical LO signal to produce phase-shifted signals provided to each column of the array.
Implementation Method 3
The phase shifts provided across the rows and the phase shifts provided across the columns may control the array to convey the wireless signals within a signal beam oriented in a selected beam pointing direction
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include light sources that generate first and second optical signals. An array may include antennas arranged in rows and columns. First paths may be coupled to each row of the array and second paths may be coupled to each column of the array. First phase shifters may be disposed on the first paths and second phase shifters may be disposed on the second paths. The first phase shifters may apply respective phase shifts to the first optical signal to produce shifted signals for each row. The second phase shifters may apply respective phase shifts to the second optical signal to produce shifted signals for each column. Each antenna may convey wireless signals based on the shifted signals provided to its row and column. Sharing phase shifters in this way may allow the array to perform beam steering while minimizing the number of phase shifters.