US 12,149,004 B2
Modular antenna systems and related methods of manufacture
Shouyuan Shi, Newark, DE (US); and Dennis Prather, Newark, DE (US)
Assigned to Phase Sensitive Innovations, Inc., Newark, DE (US)
Filed by Phase Sensitive Innovations, Inc., Newark, DE (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/224,354.
Application 18/224,354 is a continuation of application No. 17/324,582, filed on May 19, 2021, granted, now 11,749,887.
Application 17/324,582 is a continuation of application No. 16/198,670, filed on Nov. 21, 2018, granted, now 11,031,690, issued on Jun. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/590,066, filed on Nov. 22, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/589,534, filed on Nov. 21, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0030598 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01Q 3/26 (2006.01); H01Q 21/00 (2006.01); H04B 10/00 (2013.01); H04B 10/2575 (2013.01); H04B 10/40 (2013.01)
CPC H01Q 3/2676 (2013.01) [H01Q 21/0025 (2013.01); H04B 10/00 (2013.01); H04B 10/2575 (2013.01); H04B 10/40 (2013.01); H04B 2210/006 (2013.01)] 57 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A modular radio frequency (RF) transmitter comprising:
an optical processor including a plurality of electro-optical modulators to provide a plurality of combined modulated light beam pairs, each light beam pair being modulated in at least one of phase and amplitude;
an optical connector connected to the optical processor;
a plurality of first sets of RF connectors; and
a plurality of front end modules each detachably connected to the optical connector via a corresponding first set of RF connectors, each of the plurality of front end modules comprising plural component modules including
an opto-electrical downconversion module including a plurality of photodiodes, each photodiode being driven by a corresponding light beam pair to provide a corresponding RF electrical signal, and
an RF antenna array module comprising a plurality of antenna elements each in communication with a corresponding photodiode to receive the corresponding RF electrical signal provided by the photodiode via a corresponding one of the RF connectors to control the antenna element.
 
24. A modular radio frequency (RF) receiver comprising:
a plurality of a first sets of RF connectors;
an optical connector;
a plurality of front end modules each detachably connected to the optical connector via a corresponding first set of RF connectors, each of the plurality of front end modules comprising plural component modules including
an RF antenna array module including a plurality of antenna elements, and
an electro-optical upconversion module detachably connected to the optical connector via the corresponding first set of RF connectors, the electro-optical upconversion module comprising a plurality of electro-optic modulators, each configured to receive a corresponding RF electrical signal from a corresponding one of the antenna elements of the RF antenna array via a corresponding second set of RF connectors to provide a corresponding optical signal; and
an optical processor connected to the optical connector and configured to extract encoded data from the optical signals provided by the electro-optic modulators of the electro-optical upconversion module.
 
48. A modular radio frequency (RF) transmitter kit comprising:
an optical processor including a plurality of electro-optical modulators to provide a plurality of combined modulated light beam pairs, each light beam pair being modulated in at least one of phase and amplitude;
an optical connector being detachably connectable to the optical processor;
a plurality of first sets of RF connectors; and
a plurality of front end modules each being detachably connectable to the optical connector via a corresponding first set of RF connectors, each of the plurality of front end modules comprising plural component modules including
an opto-electrical downconversion module including a plurality of photodiodes, each photodiode being driven by a corresponding light beam pair to provide a corresponding RF electrical signal, and
an RF antenna array module comprising a plurality of antenna elements each in communication with a corresponding photodiode to receive the corresponding RF electrical signal provided by the photodiode via a corresponding one of the RF connectors to control the antenna element.
 
53. A modular radio frequency (RF) receiver kit comprising:
a plurality of a first sets of RF connectors;
an optical connector;
a plurality of front end modules each being detachably connected to the optical connector via a corresponding first set of RF connectors, each of the plurality of front end modules comprising plural component modules including
an RF antenna array module including a plurality of antenna elements, and
an electro-optical upconversion module detachably connected to the optical connector via the corresponding first set of RF connectors, the electro-optical upconversion module comprising a plurality of electro-optic modulators, each configured to receive a corresponding RF electrical signal from a corresponding one of the antenna elements of the RF antenna array via a corresponding second set of RF connectors to provide a corresponding optical signal; and
an optical processor being detachably connectable to the optical connector and configured to extract encoded data from the optical signals provided by the electro-optic modulators of the electro-optical upconversion module.