Verizon Communications Inc.
Optically controlled meta-material phased array antenna system

Abstract:

A system includes a base station. The base station includes: a laser assembly that transmits an optical control beam to a phased array antenna external to and remote from the base station; and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver that transmits a radio signal to the phased array antenna. The phased array antenna deflects the radio signal arriving at the phased array antenna in a particular direction indicated by the optical control beam. The particular direction of the deflected radio signal is toward a particular user device.