Spatial redistributors and methods of redistributing mm-wave signals

A spatial redistributor, comprising:

• an array of channels, where each of a plurality of independently operating channels in the array comprises:
• at least one antenna element configured to wirelessly receive a signal;
• a reference oscillator, wherein a reference oscillator signal from the reference oscillator is used to demodulate the signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal;
• an RF chain configured to apply at least a time delay and a phase shift to the IF, wherein the reference oscillator signal is further used to upconvert the time delayed and phase shifted signal into an upconverted signal;
• control circuitry configured to control the time delay and the phase shift applied to the received signal by the RF chain;
• and
• wherein the at least one antenna element is further configured to wirelessly retransmit the upconverted signal;
• wherein the array of channels is configured to redirect a signal received from a first set of directions for retransmission in a second set of directions;
• wherein the control circuitry of the channels in the array of channels coordinates the time delays and phase shifts applied to the received signal across the array of channels to control the wave front of the retransmitted signal to perform receive and transmit beamforming;
• and
• wherein at least a plurality of the channels in the array of channels do not share a common reference oscillator signal.

A method of redistributing signals, comprising:

• receiving a signal from a first set of directions at an array of channels, where each of a plurality of independently operating channels in the array comprises:
• a receiving antenna configured to wirelessly receive a signal;
• at least one antenna element configured to wirelessly receive a signal;
• an RF chain configured to apply at least a time delay to the received signal prior to retransmission;
• control circuitry configured to control the time delay applied to the received signal by the RF chain;
• a reference oscillator;
• and
• wherein the at least one antenna element is further configured to wirelessly retransmit the time delayed signal;
• and
• retransmitting the received signal in a second set of directions by coordinating the time delays applied to the received signal across the array of channels to control the wave front of the retransmitted signal.