A directional waveguide coupler (20) has four input ports and four output ports. Each input port is coupled to each of the output ports. The directional coupler (20) includes a first coupler having two waveguides (W1, W2) coupled to each other by a first slot array (S1), defined in a first wall (21) common to the two waveguides (W1, W2) of the first coupler. A second coupler has two waveguides (W3, W4), coupled to each other by a second slot array (S2), defined in a second wall (22) common to the two waveguides (W3, W4) of the second coupler. The first and second slot arrays (S1, S2) lie on a first common plane. The first and second couplers are coupled to each other by a third slot array (S3) and a fourth slot array (S4), which lie on a second common plane perpendicular to the first common plane.

In one embodiment, a sub-reflector assembly for a reflector antenna has (i) a waveguide transition at a waveguide end of the sub-reflector assembly and configured to fit within a waveguide, (ii) a dielectric radiator connected to the waveguide transition and extending both laterally and back towards the waveguide end of the sub-reflector assembly, and (iii) a sub-reflector connected to the dielectric radiator. By configuring the dielectric radiator to extend both laterally and back towards the dielectric end of the assembly, radiated energy from the waveguide is directed such that the sub-reflector assembly can be used with shallow reflector dishes (e.g., F/D ratio greater than 0.25) and still achieve sufficiently high directivity.

A reconfigurable holographic antenna and a method of shaping an antenna beam pattern of a reconfigurable holographic antenna is disclosed. A baseline holographic pattern is driven onto a reconfigurable layer of the reconfigurable holographic antenna while a feed wave excites the reconfigurable layer. An antenna pattern metric representative of a baseline antenna pattern is received. The baseline antenna pattern is generated by the reconfigurable holographic antenna while the baseline holographic pattern is driven onto the reconfigurable layer. A modified holographic pattern is generated in response to the antenna pattern metric. The modified holographic pattern is driven onto the reconfigurable layer of the reconfigurable holographic antenna to generate an improved antenna pattern.

The waveguide structure is for determining Direction-of-Arrival of a signal received by first and second antennas spaced-apart from one another. The waveguide structure has a first input port connectable to the first antenna and connected to a first splitter; a second input port connectable to the second antenna and connected to a second splitter, the second input port being located adjacent to the first input port; a third splitter; and a fourth splitter. The waveguide structure has branches that connect input ports, splitters and output ports such that each output port provides a superposition of the signal received via the first antenna and the signal received by the second antenna. The waveguide structure has a phase shifting system that imparts at least a relative phase shift between the corresponding branches leading away from each corresponding splitter and has at least one cross-over junction formed between two of the branches.

The waveguide structure is for determining Direction-of-Arrival of a signal received by first and second antennas spaced-apart from one another. The waveguide structure has a first input port connectable to the first antenna and connected to a first splitter; a second input port connectable to the second antenna and connected to a second splitter, the second input port being located adjacent to the first input port; a third splitter; and a fourth splitter. The waveguide structure has branches that connect input ports, splitters and output ports such that each output port provides a superposition of the signal received via the first antenna and the signal received by the second antenna. The waveguide structure has a phase shifting system that imparts at least a relative phase shift between the corresponding branches leading away from each corresponding splitter and has at least one cross-over junction formed between two of the branches.

A beam steering antenna is provided in a user terminal for satellite communications. The beam steering antenna includes an antenna feed structure having a plurality of feed elements configured to be switched on or off to form an initial beam, and a focus lens positioned adjacent to the antenna feed structure to form a focused beam. The antenna feed structure may include a plurality of active waveguide feed elements to generate a circularly polarized initial beam. The focus lens may be a spherical lens to form a circularly polarized focused beam.

A beam steering antenna is provided in a user terminal for satellite communications. The beam steering antenna includes an antenna feed structure having a plurality of feed elements configured to be switched on or off to form an initial beam, and a focus lens positioned adjacent to the antenna feed structure to form a focused beam. The antenna feed structure may include a plurality of active waveguide feed elements to generate a circularly polarized initial beam. The focus lens may be a spherical lens to form a circularly polarized focused beam.

A quasi-optical beamformer includes a power distributor composed of a succession of parallel-plate dividers extending in a YZ-plane from a first stage to a last stage, each parallel-plate divider comprising, in each of the stages of the corporate structure located under a higher stage, first and second parallel-plate waveguide branches leading to respective parallel-plate dividers of the following stage of the corporate structure, the beamformer furthermore including a plurality of lenses extending longitudinally along the X-axis in at least one stage of the power distributor, so as to apply a delay that is continuously variable along the X-axis, the lenses being placed in each of the branches of the dividers of at least one stage in the power distributor.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include a planar antenna configured to transmit first signals as a first guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the first guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the planar antenna includes an array of patch antennas that generates first near field signals in response to the first signals and a plurality of directors configured to guide a portion of the first near field signals from the array of patch antennas to the surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the portion of the first near field signals combines to induce the first guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to the surface of the transmission medium.

Generally discussed herein are systems, devices, and methods that include a communication cavity. According to an example a device can include substrate with a first cavity formed therein, first and second antennas exposed in and enclosed by the cavity, and an interconnect structure formed in the substrate, the interconnect structure including alternating conductive material layers and inter-layer dielectric layers.