Patch antenna array for transmission of hermite-gaussian and laguerre gaussian beams

1. A multi-level antenna array, comprising:

a plurality of patch antennas;

a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the plurality of patch antennas;

a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors associated with one of the plurality of layers, for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer;

a feed network on each of the plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;

wherein each layer of the plurality of layers transmits a signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto that multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam; and

wherein the signals transmitted from each layer of the plurality of layers comprise an independent eigen channel.

2. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

3. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layers overlay each other to multiplex each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto the single transmission beam.

4. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of patch antennas on each of the plurality of layers are configured in at least one of a rectangular, circular or elliptical configuration.

5. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of patch antennas on the layer of the plurality of layers have a different phase applied thereto.

6. The multi-level antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the single transmission beam is transmitted on a single frequency.

7. A multi-level antenna array, comprising:

a plurality of patch antennas;

a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the plurality of patch antennas;

a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors associated with one of the plurality of layers, for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer;

a feed network on each of the plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;

wherein each of the plurality of patch antennas on the layer of the plurality of layers have a different phase applied thereto; and

wherein each layer of the plurality of layers transmits the signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto that multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam.

8. A system for transmitting a transmission beam comprising:

a transmitter including a first multi-level patch antenna array for modulating and transmitting the transmission beam, the first multi-level patch antenna array further comprising:

a first plurality of patch antennas;

a first plurality of layers, each of the first plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the first plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the first plurality of patch antennas;

a first plurality of connectors, each of the first plurality of connectors associated with one of the first plurality of layers, for supplying a signal for transmission by the associated layer;

a first feed network on each of the first plurality of layers for providing a connection between a first connector of the first plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the first plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;

wherein each layer of the first plurality of layers transmits a signal having a different orthogonal function applied thereto that multiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto onto a single transmission beam;

wherein the signals transmitted from each layer of the plurality of layers comprise an independent eigen channel;

a receiver including a second multi-level patch antenna array for receiving and demodulating the single transmission beam, the second multi-level patch antenna array further comprising:

a second plurality of patch antennas;

a second plurality of layers, each of the second plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the second plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the second plurality of patch antennas;

a second plurality of connectors, each of the second plurality of connectors associated with one of the second plurality of layers, for supplying a signal received by the associated layer;

a second feed network on each of the second plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the second plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the second plurality of patch antennas located on the layer; and

wherein each layer of the second plurality of layers receives the signal having the different orthogonal function applied thereto that demultiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied from the single transmission beam.

9. The multi-level antenna array of claim 8 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

10. A multi-level antenna array, comprising:

a plurality of patch antennas;

a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers separated from each other by a distance, each of the plurality of layers further supporting a portion of the plurality of patch antennas;

a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors associated with one of the plurality of layers, for outputting a signal received by the associated layer;

a feed network on each of the plurality of layers for providing a connection between a connector of the plurality of connectors associated with the layer and the portion of the plurality of patch antennas located on the layer;

wherein each layer of the plurality of layers receives a signal having the different orthogonal function applied thereto that demultiplexes each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied from the single transmission beam; and

wherein the signals received by each layer of the plurality of layers comprise an independent eigen channel.

11. The multi-level antenna array of claim 10 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

12. A method for transmitting a transmission beam from a multi-level antenna array, comprising:

supplying a signal for transmission to each of a plurality of overlapping layers of the multi-level antenna array;

supplying the signal for transmission to a plurality of patch antennas on each of the plurality of overlapping layers via a feed network on each of the plurality of overlapping layers of the multi-level antenna array;

combining each of the signals on each of the plurality of overlapping layers with a different orthogonal function;

multiplexing each of the signals having the different orthogonal function applied thereto from each of the plurality of overlapping layers onto a single transmission beam; and

transmitting the single transmission beam from the multi-level antenna array, wherein the signals transmitted from each layer of the plurality of layers comprises an independent eigen channel.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising configuring the plurality of patch antennas on each of the plurality of layers in at least one of a rectangular, circular or elliptical configuration.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying a different phase to each of the plurality of patch antennas on the layer of the plurality of layers.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the different orthogonal function comprises at least one of a Hermite-Gaussian function, a Laguerre-Gaussian function, an Ince-Gaussian function, a Legendre function, a Bessel function, a Jacobi polynomial function, Gegenbauer polynomial function, Legendre polynomial function, Chebyshev polynomial function and a prolate spheroidal function.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises transmitting the single transmission beam on a single frequency.