# US 2016/0261044 A1 · Phased array feeder (paf) for point to point links > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0261044 A1 - Document ID: US20160261044A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/155,572 - Filed: 2016-05-16 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-30 - Assignees: Broadcom Corporation - Applicants: Broadcom Corporation - Inventors: Eran RIDEL; Igal Kushnir - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160261044A1 ## CPC - H01Q 3/26: varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) - H01Q 3/005: {using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning} - H01Q 19/17: the primary radiating source comprising two or more radiating elements (H01Q19/15, H01Q25/00 take precedence) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract A point-to-point (PtP) communication system includes a near end antenna device configured to transmit a narrow antenna beam over a wireless link, and includes a far end antenna device configured receive the narrow antenna beam over the wireless link. The near end antenna device including a directive element configured to focus an electrical field into the narrow antenna beam, and including a beam steering element (e.g., a phased array feeder (PAF) assembly) configured to generate the electrical field and to track the far end antenna, and further including a communication interface unit (e.g., an outdoor unit) configured to perform operations on a transmitted signal and a received signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna device comprising: a directive element configured to focus an electrical field into a narrow antenna beam; a beam steering element configured to steer the narrow antenna beam; and a communication interface unit configured to perform operations on a transmitted signal and a received signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the beam steering element comprises a phased array antenna. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the beam steering element is configured to perform an electrical beam steering to steer the directionality of the narrow antenna beam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the beam steering element is configured to perform an electrical polarization steering to steer the directionality of the narrow antenna beam. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the beam steering element is configured to increase a gain of the antenna device while maintaining a constant number of phased array elements included within the beam steering element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the beam steering element includes an RF chip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the antenna device is configured to be implemented in millimeter-wave point-to-point communication links having frequencies in the range of approximately 60 GHz to approximately 90 GHz. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the antenna device is configured to be implemented in the point-to-point communication links having frequencies in the range of approximately 7 GHz to approximately 42 GHz. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The antenna device of claim 1, wherein the communication interface unit is configured to receive a signal over a cable, and wherein the communication interface unit is configured to perform an intermediate frequency conversion of the digital/analog signal, and wherein the communication interface unit is configured to offload a radio frequency conversion of the digital signal to the beam steering element. ### Claim 10 A point-to-point communication system, comprising: a near end antenna device configured to transmit a narrow antenna beam over a wireless link; and a far end antenna device configured receive the narrow antenna beam over the wireless link, wherein the near end antenna device comprises: a directive element configured to focus an electrical field into the narrow antenna beam; a beam steering element configured to steer the narrow antenna beam; and a communication interface unit configured to perform operations on a transmitted signal and a received signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the beam steering element comprises a phased array antenna. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the beam steering element is configured to perform an electrical beam steering to steer the narrow antenna beam. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the beam steering element is configured to perform an electrical polarization steering to steer the directionality of the narrow antenna beam. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the beam steering element is configured to increase a gain of the near end antenna device while maintaining a constant number of phased array elements included within the beam steering element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the beam steering element is configured to track the far end antenna device such that wireless link between the far end antenna device and the near end antenna device is properly maintained, and wherein the wireless link is subject to interruption due to one or more external factors, one or more internal factors, or one or more errors during installation of either the near end antenna device or the far end antenna device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the beam steering element includes an RF chip. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The point-to-point communication system of claim 10, wherein the near end antenna device is configured to receive the narrow antenna beam over the wireless link, wherein the far end antenna device is configured to transmit the narrow antenna beam over the wireless link, and wherein the far end antenna device includes a second beam steering element. ### Claim 18 A method for maintaining a point-to-point communication link, comprising: verifying whether a signal transmitted from a near end antenna device to a far end antenna device was properly transmitted; determining a misalignment characteristic when the transmitted signal was improperly transmitted; and electrically altering, from a remote location, a beam steering element included within the near end antenna device to correct the misalignment characteristic. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the electrically altering the beam steering element comprises performing an electrical beam steering to manipulate a directionality of the signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the electrically altering the beam steering element comprises performing an electrical polarization steering of the transmitted signal.