US 11,721,896 B2
Beam steering antenna transmitter, multi-user antenna MIMO transmitter and related methods of communication
Shouyuan Shi, Newark, DE (US); Dennis Prather, Newark, DE (US); Janusz Murakowski, Bear, DE (US); and Matthew Konkol, Newark, DE (US)
Assigned to Phase Sensitive Innovations, Inc., Newark, DE (US)
Filed by Phase Sensitive Innovations, Inc., Newark, DE (US)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/495,634.
Application 17/495,634 is a continuation of application No. 16/386,196, filed on Apr. 16, 2019, granted, now 11,152,700.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/658,245, filed on Apr. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0029287 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. H01Q 3/26 (2006.01); H01Q 5/22 (2015.01); H01Q 21/24 (2006.01); H01Q 21/22 (2006.01)
CPC H01Q 3/2676 (2013.01) [H01Q 5/22 (2015.01); H01Q 21/22 (2013.01); H01Q 21/24 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
21. An antenna transmitter comprising:
a phase-locked optical source configured to generate a first optical beam and a reference optical beam, the first optical beam and the reference optical beam having different frequencies;
a first modulator configured to modulate the first optical beam;
a first optical waveguide including a first end configured to receive the modulated first optical beam and a second end configured to transmit the modulated first optical beam;
a lens positioned to receive at least the modulated first optical beam from the second end of the first optical waveguide;
a plurality of optical pickups arranged at a focal surface of the lens, each optical pickup positioned to capture a corresponding portion of the first optical beam;
a second optical waveguide including a first end configured to receive the reference optical beam and a second end configured to transmit the reference optical beam to mix with the first optical beam; and
an array of photodetectors, each in optical communication with a corresponding optical pickup to receive the corresponding portion of the first optical beam and the corresponding portion of the reference optical beam and generate a corresponding first radio frequency (RF) electrical signal in response thereto,
wherein the first RF electrical signals have a frequency that is a function of a difference between the frequency of the modulated first optical beam and the frequency of the reference optical beam, and
wherein the position of the first optical waveguide relative to the lens determines respective phase offsets of the first RF electrical signals to steer an RF sector beam generated by an antenna array when coupled to receive the first RF electrical signals.