Apple has been granted a patent for an electronic device with a photonics-based phased antenna array transmitting signals over 100 GHz. The device can encode information into reflected signals using phase shifts, offering potential advancements in wireless communication technology. GlobalData’s report on Apple gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Apple, Gesture-based recognition systems was a key innovation area identified from patents. Apple's grant share as of February 2024 was 66%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Phased antenna array for wireless signals at frequencies over 100 ghz
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11923904B2) discloses an electronic device with innovative features. The device includes an antenna radiating element, a photodiode, and an optical signal path. The photodiode can be switched between two modes - one where the input impedance is mismatched with the output impedance at a frequency of 100 GHz or more, and another where they match. In the second mode, the photodiode is illuminated by two optical local oscillator signals, allowing wireless signal transmission and modulation. The device also incorporates an optical modulator, such as a Mach-Zehnder modulator, for encoding wireless data onto the optical signals.
Furthermore, the electronic device includes processors for controlling a phased antenna array to manipulate wireless signals reflected by the antenna radiating element. The device can form signal beams, perform space-time coding, and apply phase shifts, frequency shifts, or polarization changes to the wireless signals. Additionally, the device features a terahertz lens overlapping the antenna radiating element for enhanced functionality. The method of operating the electronic device involves generating current on the antenna radiating elements using photodiodes to transmit wireless signals while controlling the output impedances of the photodiodes. This patent showcases advancements in electronic devices operating at frequencies of 100 GHz and above, offering a range of capabilities for wireless signal transmission and manipulation.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
