System and method of optical antenna tuning
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorRobert R. Miller, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes determining an operating frequency of an antenna at a component of the antenna. The method includes determining, at the component of the antenna, a filter node of a plurality of filter nodes to activate to tune the antenna to the operating frequency. The method includes transmitting power to the filter node, wherein the power is transmitted via a first optical fiber. The method also includes sending a signal from the component to a light source. The activation of the light source sends an optical signal to the filter node. The filter node adjusts a characteristic of a radiating element coupled to the filter node using the power responsive to the optical signal. Adjustment of the characteristic facilitates tuning the antenna to the operating frequency.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by a power laser component of an antenna, power to an amplifier within a filter node of a plurality of filter nodes of the antenna, wherein the power is transmitted via a first optical fiber, wherein the filter node is electrically coupled between two radiating elements of a plurality of radiating elements of the antenna, and wherein the amplifier implements a filter function between the two radiating elements of the antenna;
- receiving, by a controller component of the antenna, frequency of operation data corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna;
- activating, by the controller component of the antenna, a light source component of the antenna of a plurality of light source components of the antenna based on the frequency of operation data;
- transmitting, by the light source component of the antenna, an optical signal from the light source component to the filter node of the antenna, and wherein the optical signal is transmitted via a second optical fiber distinct from the first optical fiber;
- and
- in response to receiving the optical signal and the power at the filter node, adjusting, by the amplifier, the filter function to activate or deactivate one of the two radiating elements at the operating frequency of the antenna.
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by a power laser component of an antenna, power to an amplifier within a filter node of a plurality of filter nodes of the antenna, wherein the power is transmitted via a first optical fiber, wherein the filter node is electrically coupled between two radiating elements of a plurality of radiating elements of the antenna, and wherein the amplifier implements a filter function between the two radiating elements of the antenna;
- receiving, by a controller component of the antenna, frequency of operation data corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna;
- activating, by the controller component of the antenna, a light source component of the antenna of a plurality of light source components of the antenna based on the frequency of operation data;
- transmitting, by the light source component of the antenna, an optical signal from the light source component to the filter node of the antenna;
- and
- in response to receiving the optical signal and the power at the filter node, adjusting, by the amplifier, the filter function to activate or deactivate one of the two radiating elements at the operating frequency of the antenna.
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by a power laser component of an antenna, power to an amplifier within a filter node of a plurality of filter nodes of the antenna;
- activating, by a component of the antenna, a light source of a plurality of light sources based on a target configuration of the antenna, wherein the filter node is electrically coupled between two radiating elements of a plurality of radiating elements of the antenna, and wherein the amplifier implements a filter function between the two radiating elements of the antenna;
- transmitting, by a light source component of the antenna, an optical signal from the light source component to the filter node of the antenna, wherein the optical signal is determined from frequency of operation data that maps a frequency of operation to specific radiating elements of the plurality of radiating elements to be deactivated;
- and
- in response to receiving the optical signal and the power at the filter node, adjusting, by the amplifier, the filter function to deactivate one of the two radiating elements at an operating frequency of the antenna.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.