Wireless local area network antenna system and method of use therefore

Abstract

An apparatus, comprising an active receive aperture and a multiple scanning beamformer receiving signals from said active receive aperture via at least one low noise amplifier (LNA) stage and at least one beamformer, the at least one beamformer may employ at least one phase shifter. The phase shifters may comprise a voltage tunable dielectric material and the voltage tunable dielectric material may be Parascan® dielectric material.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 an active receive aperture; and    a multiple scanning beamformer receiving signals from said active receive aperture via at least one low noise amplifier (LNA) stage and at least one beamformer, said at least one beamformer employing at least one phase shifter.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said phase shifters comprise a voltage tunable dielectric material.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said voltage tunable dielectric material is Parascan® dielectric material.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a passive transmit aperture driven by a Butler matrix beamformer.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said multiple scanning beam former further comprises at least one receive port.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said an active receive aperture is includes 16 columns of elements.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a feedback loop.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein steerable beems enabled by said apparatus provide for tracking of users in communication with said apparatus.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a plurality of radiating columns;    a transmit switch matrix transmitting through said plurality of radiating columns via at least one diplexer associated with a Butler matrix further associated with at least one phase shifter; and    a receive switch matrix receiving information from said plurality of radiating columns via at least one diplexer associated with a Butler matrix further associated with at least one phase shifter.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising transmit ports associated with said transmit switch matrix and receive ports associated with said receive switch matrix.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said phase shifters comprise a voltage tunable dielectric material.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said voltage tunable dielectric material is Parascan® dielectric material.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a plurality of sub-arrays; and    at least one beamformer driving said plurality of sub-arrays, said at least one beamformer employing at least one phase shifter.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said phase shifters comprise a voltage tunable dielectric material.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said voltage tunable dielectric material is Parascan® dielectric material.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of sub-arrays is 3 subarrays, enabling scanning a 45 degree beam in azimuth through 360 degrees and handling up to 3 simultaneous beams.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said 3 subarrays each are capable of producing a 22.5 degree beamwidth in elevation and 45 degrees in azimuth and may be stacked to create a single form factor of not more than 18 inches high and 2.8 inches in diameter.