Hybrid MIMO architecture using lens arrays

1. A hybrid antenna system, comprising:

a plurality of lens antenna subarrays (LAS), each of the LAS comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements configured to selectively receive a radio frequency (RF) transmission signal from RF processing circuitry, the RF transmission signal provided to a selected antenna of the plurality of antenna elements via a switching network and a common phase shifter; and

a lens extending across the plurality of antenna elements, the lens configured to steer a RF transmission generated by the selected antenna of the plurality of antenna elements in a defined direction, the selected antenna determined by the switching network,

wherein the plurality of antenna elements consists of M antenna elements and the switching network switches between the M antenna elements to direct the RF transmission signal to the selected antenna for transmission through the lens.

2. The hybrid antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the RF transmission signal is provided to the selected antenna via the common phase shifter and an amplification and switch (A&S) stage.

3. The hybrid antenna system of claim 2 , wherein the A&S stage is a common A&S staged electrically coupled between the phase shifter and the switching network.

4. The hybrid antenna system of claim 2 , wherein the A&S stage is electrically coupled between the switching network and the selected antenna.

5. The hybrid antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the switching network comprises a single-pole M-throw (SP(M)T) switch.

6. The hybrid antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the lens is a dielectric slab waveguide (DSW) lens.

7. The hybrid antenna system of claim 6 , wherein the DSW lens is an extended hem i-cylindrical DSW lens.

8. The hybrid antenna system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements are uniformly distributed across a side of the DSW lens.

9. The hybrid antenna system of claim 6 , wherein the DSW lenses of the plurality of LAS are aligned in a row, each of the DSW lenses adjacent to at least one other DSW lens.

10. The hybrid antenna system of claim 9 , wherein adjacent DSW lenses are separated by a conductive wall disposed on at least one of the adjacent DSW lenses.

11. The hybrid antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the RF processing circuitry comprises a RF chain that provides the RF transmission signal to the common phase shifter for transmission by the selected antenna.

12. The hybrid antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the RF transmission signal is a first RF transmission signal, the switching network is a first switching network, and the common phase shifter is a first common phase shifter, wherein the RF processing circuitry comprises:

a first RF chain that is connected to each of the plurality of antenna elements through the first common phase shifter and the first switching network, wherein one of the plurality of antenna elements is selected for transmission of the first RF transmission signal by the first switching network; and

a second RF chain that is connected to each of the plurality of antenna elements through a second common phase shifter and a second switching network, wherein one of the plurality of antenna elements is selected for transmission of a second RF transmission signal by the second switching network.

13. The hybrid antenna system of claim 12 , wherein the amplification and switch (A&S) stage is a first amplification and switch (A&S) stage, wherein the first RF transmission signal is provided to the selected antenna element selected by the first switching network via the first common phase shifter and the first amplification and switch (A&S) stage; and

the second RF transmission signal is provided to the selected antenna element selected by the second switching network via the second common phase shifter and a second amplification and switch (A&S) stage.

14. The hybrid antenna system of claim 13 , wherein the first A&S stage is a first common A&S staged electrically coupled between the first common phase shifter and the first switching network, and the second A&S stage is a second common A&S staged electrically coupled between the second common phase shifter and the second switching network.

15. The hybrid antenna system of claim 12 , wherein the defined direction is a first defined direction, wherein the lens steers the first RF transmission signal generated by the selected antenna element selected by the first switching network in the first defined direction, and steers a second RF transmission signal generated by the selected antenna element selected by the second switching network in a second defined direction.

16. The hybrid antenna system of claim 12 , wherein a first plurality of switching networks and a first plurality of common phase shifters are configured to connect the first RF chain to each antenna element in each of the plurality of lens antenna subarrays, wherein a second plurality of switching networks and a second plurality of common phase shifters are configured to connect the second RF chain to each antenna element in each of the plurality of lens antenna subarrays, wherein the first plurality of switching networks include the first switching network, the first plurality of common phase shifters include the first common phase shifter, the second plurality of switching networks include the second switching network, and the second plurality of common phase shifters include the second common phase shifter.

17. The hybrid antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements are mm-wave band antenna elements.