US 12,739,019 B2Granted

Reflective devices for conveying radio-frequency signals

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsStefan Meyer, Jan Ellenbeck, Bertram R Gunzelmann, Norman Goris

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Abstract

A wireless access point (AP) may communicate with a user equipment (UE) device via reflection off a reflective device having an array of fixed or adjustable reflectors in different orientations. The AP may illuminate different portions of an area by pointing a signal beam to different reflectors and/or by controlling the reflective device to electrically rotate the reflectors. The AP may calibrate the position of the reflective device and may establish wireless communications with the UE device by performing a sweep of signal beams over the reflectors and/or by controlling the reflective device to sweep over different reflector orientations. The AP may track movement of the UE device over time. The AP may sweep the AP beam over a subset of the reflectors around an active reflector to maintain communications with the UE device even as the UE device moves over time.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A reflective device comprising:

a support;
a first reflective panel having a first orientation relative to the support;
and
a second reflective panel having a second orientation relative to the support, wherein the second orientation is different from the first orientation, the first reflective panel and the second reflective panel being configured to reflect radio-frequency signals between a wireless access point and one or more user equipment (UE) devices;
one or more actuators coupled to the first reflective panel;
one or more processors configured to control the one or more actuators to rotate the first reflective panel to a third orientation different from the first orientation;
one or more additional actuators coupled to the second reflective panel, the one or more processors being configured to control the one or more additional actuators to rotate the second reflective panel to a fourth orientation different from the second orientation;
and
an antenna, wherein the antenna is configured to receive a control signal that instructs the one or more processors to rotate the first reflective panel.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.