Window antennas
In one aspect, an apparatus is described that includes a transparent pane having a first surface and a second surface. An electrochromic device (ECD) is arranged over the second surface that includes a first conductive layer adjacent the second surface, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first and the second conductive layers. The apparatus further includes at least one conductive antenna structure arranged over the second surface.
1. A building, comprising:
a plurality of windows each having two or more lites, each of the two or more lites having regions that are at least partially transparent to optical wavelengths, wherein a first lite and a second lite of each window are spaced apart from one another by a spacer to form a sealed interior volume; and
an antenna structure disposed on a component of each of the plurality of windows, wherein the antenna structure is configured to receive and transmit cellular communications signals, and wherein the antenna structure is disposed in or on one of: the spacer, a surface of the first lite, a surface of the second lite, or an internal component disposed within the sealed interior volume of a given window.
2. The building of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of windows comprise electrochromic devices.
3. The building of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of windows comprises an electrically conductive layer configured to block the cellular communications signals from or to one or more regions internal to the building.
4. The building of claim 3 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is transparent to optical wavelengths.
5. The building of claim 3 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
6. The building of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure disposed on the component of each of the plurality of windows is configured to receive or transmit the cellular communications signals from or to one or more regions external to the building.
7. The building of claim 6 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
8. The building of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure disposed on the component of each of the plurality of windows is configured to receive or transmit the cellular communications signals from or to one or more regions internal to the building.
9. The building of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure disposed on the component of each of the plurality of windows is configured to provide cellular coverage at an edge of a cellular service.
10. The building of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure is coupled to a cellular base station.
11. The building of claim 10 , wherein the cellular base station is a 5G cellular base station.
12. The building of claim 1 , wherein the antenna structure is coupled to a cellular repeater.
13. The building of claim 12 , wherein the cellular repeater is a 5G cellular repeater.
14. The building of claim 12 , wherein the cellular repeater is configured to filter out at least some noise present in a received cellular signal.
15. The building of claim 12 , wherein the cellular repeater is configured to repeat signals having a cellular protocol, a wireless wide area network (WWAN) protocol, or a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.
16. The building of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of windows is formed from an insulated glass unit (IGU) having at least two lites.
17. The building of claim 1 , further comprising at least one other antenna structure disposed on the component or another component on each of the plurality of the windows, and wherein a transmit pattern of each of the antenna structures disposed on the component or the another component of each of the plurality of windows is combinable to form a steerable main beam.
18. The building of claim 17 , wherein the transmit pattern of each of the antenna structures is controlled by modifying phase and/or amplitude of control signals from an antenna controller.
19. The building of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver electrically coupled to the antenna structure and configured to receive and/or transmit the cellular communications signals.
20. The building of claim 19 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
21. The building of claim 1 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 4G and/or 5G cellular communications signals.
22. The building of claim 1 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
23. A system comprising
a window comprising two or more lites, each of the two or more lites having regions that are at least partially transparent to optical wavelengths, wherein a first lite and a second lite of each window are spaced apart from one another by a spacer to form a sealed interior volume;
an antenna structure disposed on a component of the window, wherein the antenna structure is disposed in or on one of: the spacer, a surface of the first lite, a surface of the second lite, or an internal component disposed within the sealed interior volume of a given window; and
a transceiver electrically coupled to the antenna structure and configured to interact with the antenna structure to receive and/or transmit cellular communications signals.
24. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a plurality of additional windows, each additional window having an additional antenna structure.
25. The system of claim 23 , further comprising an electrically conductive layer electrically coupled to the transceiver and configured to block the cellular communications signals in a particular direction.
26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is transparent to optical wavelengths.
27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 4G and/or 5G cellular communications signals.
28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the window comprises an electrochromic device.
30. The system of claim 23 , wherein the antenna structure and/or the transceiver are configured to receive or transmit the cellular communications signals from or to one or more regions external to a building.
31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
32. The system of claim 23 , wherein the antenna structure and/or the transceiver are configured to receive or transmit the cellular communications signals from or to one or more regions internal to a building.
33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the cellular communications signals are 5G cellular communications signals.
34. The system of claim 23 , wherein the antenna structure and/or the transceiver are configured to provide cellular coverage at an edge of a cellular service.
35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the cellular coverage is 5G cellular coverage.
36. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a cellular base station configured to couple with the antenna structure and/or the transceiver.
37. The system of claim 36 , wherein the cellular base station is a 5G cellular base station.
38. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a cellular repeater configured to couple with the antenna structure and/or the transceiver.
39. The system of claim 38 , wherein the cellular repeater is a 5G cellular repeater.
40. The system of claim 38 , wherein the cellular repeater is configured to filter out at least some noise present in a received cellular signal.
41. The system of claim 38 , wherein the cellular repeater is configured to repeat signals having a cellular protocol, a wireless wide area network (WWAN) protocol, or a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.
42. The system of claim 23 , wherein the antenna structure and/or the transceiver are configured to form a steerable main beam.