# US 12,763,464 B2 · Glass assembly with radio-frequency lens

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- Number: US 12,763,464 B2
- Document ID: US12763464B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/470,648
- Filed: 2023-09-20
- Published: 2025-03-20
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-09-20
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Jorge Fabrega Sanchez; Allen Minh-Triet Tran
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12763464B2

## CPC

- H01Q 3/46: Active lenses or reflecting arrays
- B32B 17/10045: {with at least one intermediate layer consisting of a glass sheet}
- B32B 17/10201: {Dielectric coatings}
- B32B 17/1044: {Invariable transmission}
- B32B 17/10761: {containing vinyl acetal}
- B32B 2605/00: Vehicles
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

## Abstract

A window assembly includes a window and an array of lens elements disposed on or in the window. Each lens element of the array of lens elements is optically transparent and electrically conductive. The array of lens elements is configured to impart a plurality of phase shifts to an incident radio-frequency (RF) wave.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A window assembly comprising:
a window; and
an array of lens elements disposed on or in the window, wherein each lens element of the array of lens elements is optically transparent and electrically conductive, the array of lens elements being configured to impart a plurality of phase shifts to an incident radio-frequency (RF) wave received at the window,
wherein the array of lens elements comprises a first subset of lens elements configured to impart a plurality of first phase shifts to the incident radio-frequency (RF) wave to produce a first altered wavefront of the incident RF wave and a second subset of lens elements configured to impart a plurality of second phase shifts to the first altered wavefront of the incident RF wave to produce a second altered wavefront of the incident RF wave.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein respective phase shifts of the plurality of phase shifts correspond to respective sizes of lens elements components of the array of lens elements.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the window comprises a first layer and a second layer, and wherein the array of lens elements is disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The window assembly of claim 3, further comprising a middle layer between the first layer and the second layer, the array of lens elements being disposed between the first layer and the middle layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the middle layer comprises polyvinyl butyral (PVB).

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The window assembly of claim 4, further comprising a matching layer adjacent to the first layer and separated from the middle layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the array of lens elements is further configured to alter the incident RF wave from a spherical RF wave into a planar RF wave.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the array of lens elements is further configured to impart the plurality of phase shifts to a mmWave RF signal, and wherein the plurality of phase shifts spans a range of phase shifts of at least 90°.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the first subset of lens elements of the array of lens elements correspond to one phase shift of the plurality of phase shifts and are disposed concentrically with the second subset of lens elements of the array of lens elements corresponding to another respective phase shift of the plurality of phase shifts.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein lens elements of the array of lens elements comprise conductive patches of different sizes corresponding to the plurality of phase shifts.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The window assembly of claim 10, wherein the lens elements of the array of lens elements comprise rectangular conductive patches.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The window assembly of claim 10, wherein the lens elements of the array of lens elements further comprise conductive rings surrounding respective conductive patches of the array of lens elements.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The window assembly of claim 1, wherein a component of each lens element of the array of lens elements is electrically isolated from adjacent lens elements of the array of lens elements.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A vehicle communication system comprising:
the window assembly of claim 1, wherein the window is a window of a vehicle; and
an RF transfer device situated adjacent to the window assembly, the RF transfer device configured to produce the incident RF wave and to receive an outside RF wave originating outside the vehicle and having been focused by the window assembly.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The vehicle communication system of claim 14, wherein the RF transfer device comprises a plurality of RF transmitters, the vehicle communication system further comprising a scanning controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of RF transmitters and configured to activate the plurality of RF transmitters selectively to perform beam scanning.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The vehicle communication system of claim 14, wherein the RF transfer device is part of a user equipment (UE), the UE configured to report a strength of the outside RF wave, having been focused by the window assembly, as a function of position or orientation of the UE with respect to the window assembly.

### Claim 17

A method of altering a wavefront, the method comprising:
receiving an incident radio-frequency (RF) wave at a window;
imparting, on or in the window, a plurality of first phase shifts to respective spatial portions of the incident RF wave to produce a first altered wavefront of the incident RF wave; and
imparting, to the first altered wavefront of the incident RF wave, a plurality of second phase shifts to produce a second altered wavefront of the incident RF wave.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein imparting the plurality of phase shifts includes altering the incident RF wave from a spherical RF wave into a planar RF wave.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein imparting the plurality of phase shifts includes focusing the incident RF wave to produce a focused incident RF wave, the method further comprising receiving the focused incident RF wave.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
receiving the focused, incident RF wave at a user equipment (UE); and
reporting to a user a strength of the focused incident RF wave as a function of position or orientation of the UE with respect to the window.

### Claim 21

A window assembly comprising:
a window;
means for imparting, on or in the window, a plurality of first phase shifts to respective spatial portions of an incident radio-frequency (RF) wave received at the window to produce a first altered wavefront of the incident RF wave; and
means for imparting, to the first altered wavefront of the incident RF wave, a plurality of second phase shifts to produce a second altered wavefront of the incident RF wave.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The window assembly of claim 21, wherein the means for imparting the plurality of phase shifts include means for altering the incident RF wave from a spherical RF wave into a planar RF wave.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The window assembly of claim 21, wherein the means for imparting the plurality of phase shifts include means for focusing the incident RF wave to produce a focused incident RF wave, the window assembly further comprising means for receiving the focused incident RF wave.