PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11923901-B2
Application Number: US-202217834695-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with high frequency wireless communication capabilities

Abstract:
An electronic device may include an antenna that conveys wireless signals at frequencies greater than 100 GHz. The antenna may include a radiating element coupled to a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD). An optical path may illuminate the UTC PD using a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal. An optical phase shift may be applied to the first optical LO signal. A Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) may be interposed on the optical path. During signal transmission, the MZM may modulate wireless data onto the second optical LO signal while control circuitry applies a first bias voltage to the UTC PD. During signal reception, the control circuitry may apply a second bias voltage to the UTC PD that configures the UTC PD to convert received wireless signals into intermediate frequency signals and/or optical signals.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a photodiode; 
 an optical signal path configured to illuminate the photodiode using a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal; 
 an optical modulator disposed along the optical signal path and configured to modulate wireless data onto the second optical LO signal; 
 an antenna radiating element coupled to the photodiode, wherein the photodiode is configured to generate, based on the first optical LO signal, the second optical LO signal, and a bias voltage applied to the photodiode, a current at a frequency greater than or equal to 100 GHz on the antenna radiating element, the current on the antenna radiating element being configured to radiate wireless signals that include the wireless data; and 
 a receive path that couples the photodiode to the optical modulator. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna radiating element is configured to receive additional wireless signals at a frequency greater than or equal to 100 GHz and the photodiode is configured to generate radio-frequency signals on the receive path at a frequency less than 100 GHz based on the additional wireless signals, the first optical LO signal, the second optical LO signal, and the bias voltage applied to the photodiode. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 control circuitry configured to supply the bias voltage to the photodiode at a first magnitude when the photodiode generates the current on the antenna radiating element and configured to supply the bias voltage to the photodiode at a second magnitude that is different from the first magnitude when the photodiode generates the radio-frequency signals. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the receive path is configured to pass the radio-frequency signals to the optical modulator and the optical modulator is configured to convert additional wireless data in the radio-frequency signals to an optical domain. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the optical signal path comprises:
 an optical splitter; 
 an optical combiner; 
 a first optical fiber coupled between the optical splitter and the optical combiner; and 
 a second optical fiber coupled between the optical splitter and the optical combiner in parallel with the first optical fiber, wherein the optical modulator is interposed along the second optical fiber. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a phased antenna array that includes the antenna radiating element, the phased antenna array being configured to form a signal beam at the frequency. 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an optical phase shifter interposed along the first optical fiber and configured to apply an optical phase shift to the first optical LO signal; and 
 control circuitry configured to adjust a direction of the signal beam by adjusting the optical phase shift applied by the optical phase shifter. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 control circuitry, wherein the optical modulator is configured to apply an optical phase shift to the second optical LO signal and the control circuitry is configured to adjust a direction of the signal beam by adjusting the optical phase shift applied by the optical modulator to the second optical LO signal. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that outputs the wireless data; and 
 a transmit path that couples the DAC to the optical modulator and that conveys the wireless data from the DAC to the optical modulator. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the photodiode comprises a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD). 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the optical modulator comprises a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM). 
     
     
       12. An electronic device comprising:
 a photodiode; 
 an optical signal path configured to illuminate the photodiode using a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal; 
 an optical modulator disposed along the optical signal path; 
 a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to output wireless data; 
 a transmit path that couples the DAC to the optical modulator and that is configured to convey the wireless data from the DAC to the optical modulator, the optical modulator being configured to modulate the wireless data onto the second optical LO signal; 
 an antenna radiating element coupled to the photodiode, wherein the photodiode is configured to generate, based on the first optical LO signal, the second optical LO signal, and a bias voltage applied to the photodiode, a current at a frequency greater than or equal to 100 GHz on the antenna radiating element, the current on the antenna radiating element being configured to transmit wireless signals that include the wireless data; 
 an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and 
 a receive path that couples the photodiode to the ADC. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the antenna radiating element is configured to receive additional wireless signals at a frequency greater than or equal to 100 GHz and the photodiode is configured to generate radio-frequency signals on the receive path at a frequency less than 100 GHz based on the additional wireless signals, the first optical LO signal, the second optical LO signal, and the bias voltage applied to the photodiode, the ADC being configured to convert the radio-frequency signals to a digital domain, and the electronic device further comprising:
 control circuitry configured to supply the bias voltage to the photodiode at a first magnitude when the photodiode generates the current on the antenna radiating element and configured to supply the bias voltage to the photodiode at a second magnitude that is different from the first magnitude when the photodiode generates the radio-frequency signals. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the photodiode comprises a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD). 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the optical modulator comprises a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM). 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a phased antenna array that includes the antenna radiating element, the phased antenna array being configured to form a signal beam at the frequency; 
 an optical phase shifter interposed along the optical signal path and configured to apply an optical phase shift to the first optical LO signal; and 
 control circuitry configured to adjust a direction of the signal beam by adjusting the optical phase shift applied by the optical phase shifter. 
 
     
     
       17. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:
 with optical components, generating a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal; 
 with a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM), modulating wireless data onto the second optical LO signal; 
 with a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD), converting the first optical LO signal and the second optical LO signal into a current at a frequency greater than 100 GHz on an antenna radiating element while the UTC PD is biased using a first bias voltage; 
 with the antenna radiating element, transmitting first wireless signals associated with the current, wherein the first wireless signals include the wireless data; and 
 with the UTC PD, receiving second wireless signals at a frequency greater than 100 GHz using the antenna radiating element while the UTC PD is biased using a second bias voltage that is different from the first bias voltage. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 with the UTC PD, converting the second wireless signals into radio-frequency signals at a frequency less than 100 GHz while the UTC PD is biased using the second bias voltage; and 
 with the MZM, converting the radio-frequency signals into an optical domain. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 with the UTC PD, converting the second wireless signals into radio-frequency signals at a frequency less than 100 GHz while the UTC PD is biased using the second bias voltage; and 
 with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), converting the radio-frequency signals into a digital domain. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 with the UTC PD, directly sampling the second wireless signals into an optical domain while the UTC PD is biased using the second bias voltage.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/235,423, filed Aug. 20, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with wireless circuitry. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices are often provided with wireless capabilities. An electronic device with wireless capabilities has wireless circuitry that includes one or more antennas. The wireless circuitry is used to perform communications using radio-frequency signals conveyed by the antennas. 
     As software applications on electronic devices become more data-intensive over time, demand has grown for electronic devices that support wireless communications at higher data rates. However, the maximum data rate supported by electronic devices is limited by the frequency of the radio-frequency signals. In addition, it can be difficult to implement wireless circuitry for handling high data rates in a resource-efficient and space-efficient manner. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may include wireless circuitry controlled by one or more processors. The wireless circuitry may include transceiver circuitry, one or more antennas, and one or more optical signal paths that couple the transceiver circuitry to each of the antennas. To support extremely high data rates, the antennas may convey wireless signals at frequencies greater than or equal to about 100 GHz. Each antenna may both transmit and receive the wireless signals using a time division duplexing scheme. 
     The antenna may include an antenna radiating element coupled to a programmable photodiode such as a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD). The optical signal path may illuminate the UTC PD using a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal. If desired, an optical phase shift may be applied to the first optical LO signal. This may allow for signal beam forming in implementations where the antenna is formed in a phased antenna array. 
     An optical modulator such as a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) may be interposed on the optical path. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may be coupled to the MZM over a transmit path. During signal transmission, the DAC may output wireless data onto the transmit path. The MZM may modulate the wireless data onto the second optical LO signal. Control circuitry may apply a first bias voltage to the UTC PD that configures the UTC PD to convert the first optical LO signal and the modulated second optical LO signal into currents on the antenna radiating element at a frequency given by the difference in frequency between the first and second optical LO signals. The currents may be at frequencies greater than 100 GHz. The UTC PD may preserve the modulation in the second optical LO signal such that the currents on the antenna radiating element radiate wireless signals that include the wireless data output by the DAC. 
     During signal reception, the antenna radiating element receives wireless signals at frequencies greater than 100 GHz. The control circuitry may apply a second bias voltage to the UTC PD that configures the UTC PD to use the first and second optical LO signals to convert the wireless signals into intermediate frequency signals at lower frequencies than the wireless signals (e.g., at millimeter wave frequencies). A receive path may pass the intermediate frequency signals to the MZM for conversion to the optical domain or may pass the intermediate frequency signals to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). In other implementations, the second bias voltage may configure the UTC PD to use the first and second optical LO signals to directly sample the received wireless signals into the optical domain. The control circuitry may recover wireless data from the intermediate frequency signals or the signals in the optical domain. In this way, the same antenna and optical signal path may be used to both transmit and receive signals at extremely high frequencies for supporting extremely high data rates while also supporting beam when implemented in a phased antenna array, thereby minimizing space and resource consumption within the device. 
     An aspect of the disclosure provides an electronic device. The electronic device can include a photodiode. The electronic device can include an optical signal path configured to illuminate the photodiode using a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal. The electronic device can include an optical modulator disposed along the optical signal path and configured to modulate wireless data onto the second optical LO signal. The electronic device can include an antenna radiating element coupled to the photodiode. The photodiode can be configured to generate, based on the first optical LO signal, the second optical LO signal, and a bias voltage applied to the photodiode, a current at a frequency greater than or equal to 100 GHz on the antenna radiating element, the current on the antenna radiating element being configured to radiate wireless signals that include the wireless data. The electronic device can include a receive path that couples the photodiode to the optical modulator. 
     An aspect of the disclosure provides an electronic device. The electronic device can include a photodiode. The electronic device can include an optical signal path configured to illuminate the photodiode using a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal. The electronic device can include an optical modulator disposed along the optical signal path. The electronic device can include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to output wireless data. The electronic device can include a transmit path that couples the DAC to the optical modulator and that is configured to convey the wireless data from the DAC to the optical modulator, the optical modulator being configured to modulate the wireless data onto the second optical LO signal. The electronic device can include an antenna radiating element coupled to the photodiode. The photodiode can be configured to generate, based on the first optical LO signal, the second optical LO signal, and a bias voltage applied to the photodiode, a current at a frequency greater than or equal to 100 GHz on the antenna radiating element, the current on the antenna radiating element being configured to transmit wireless signals that include the wireless data. The electronic device can include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The electronic device can include a receive path that couples the photodiode to the ADC. 
     An aspect of the disclosure provides a method of operating an electronic device. The method can include, with optical components, generating a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal and a second optical LO signal that is offset in wavelength with respect to the first optical LO signal. The method can include, with a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM), modulating wireless data onto the second optical LO signal. The method can include, with a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD), converting the first optical LO signal and the second optical LO signal into a current at a frequency greater than 100 GHz on an antenna radiating element while the UTC PD is biased using a first bias voltage. The method can include, with the antenna radiating element, transmitting first wireless signals associated with the current, wherein the first wireless signals include the wireless data. The method can include, with the UTC PD, receiving second wireless signals at a frequency greater than 100 GHz using the antenna radiating element while the UTC PD is biased using a second bias voltage that is different from the first bias voltage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of an illustrative electronic device having wireless circuitry with at least one antenna that both transmits and receives wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    is a top view of an illustrative antenna that transmits wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz based on optical local oscillator (LO) signals in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  3    is a top view showing how an illustrative antenna of the type shown in  FIG.  2    may convert received wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz into intermediate frequency signals based on optical LO signals in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  4    is a top view showing how multiple antennas of the type shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3    may be stacked to cover multiple polarizations in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    is a top view showing how stacked antennas of the type shown in  FIG.  4    may be integrated into a phased antenna array for conveying wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz within a corresponding signal beam. 
         FIG.  6    is a circuit diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry having an antenna that transmits wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz and that receives wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz for conversion to intermediate frequencies and then to the optical domain in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  7    is a circuit diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry having an antenna that transmits wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz and that receives wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz for conversion to intermediate frequencies in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  8    is a circuit diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry having an antenna that transmits wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz and that receives wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz for direct sampling to the optical domain in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  9    is a circuit diagram of an illustrative phased antenna array that conveys wireless signals at frequencies greater than about 100 GHz within a corresponding signal beam in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  10    is a flow chart of illustrative operations that may be performed by wireless circuitry to use the same antenna to both transmit and receive wireless signals at frequencies greater than 100 GHz in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic device  10  of  FIG.  1    (sometimes referred to herein as electro-optical device  10 ) may be a computing device such as a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses, goggles, or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, a wireless internet-connected voice-controlled speaker, a home entertainment device, a remote control device, a gaming controller, a peripheral user input device, a wireless base station or access point, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in the functional block diagram of  FIG.  1   , device  10  may include components located on or within an electronic device housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, metal alloys, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts or all of housing  12  may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, etc.). In other situations, housing  12  or at least some of the structures that make up housing  12  may be formed from metal elements. 
     Device  10  may include control circuitry  14 . Control circuitry  14  may include storage such as storage circuitry  16 . Storage circuitry  16  may include hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Storage circuitry  16  may include storage that is integrated within device  10  and/or removable storage media. 
     Control circuitry  14  may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry  18 . Processing circuitry  18  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . Processing circuitry  18  may include on one or more processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), etc. Control circuitry  14  may be configured to perform operations in device  10  using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performing operations in device  10  may be stored on storage circuitry  16  (e.g., storage circuitry  16  may include non-transitory (tangible) computer readable storage media that stores the software code). The software code may sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. Software code stored on storage circuitry  16  may be executed by processing circuitry  18 . 
     Control circuitry  14  may be used to run software on device  10  such as satellite navigation applications, internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, control circuitry  14  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using control circuitry  14  include internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephone protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 3GPP Fifth Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) protocols, Sixth Generation (6G) protocols, sub-THz protocols, THz protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) protocols, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols, optical communications protocols, or any other desired communications protocols. Each communications protocol may be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection methodology used in implementing the protocol. 
     Device  10  may include input-output circuitry  20 . Input-output circuitry  20  may include input-output devices  22 . Input-output devices  22  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  22  may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices  22  may include touch sensors, displays (e.g., touch-sensitive and/or force-sensitive displays), light-emitting components such as displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons (mechanical, capacitive, optical, etc.), scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses that detect motion), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to a display to detect pressure applied to the display), temperature sensors, etc. In some configurations, keyboards, headphones, displays, pointing devices such as trackpads, mice, and joysticks, and other input-output devices may be coupled to device  10  using wired or wireless connections (e.g., some of input-output devices  22  may be peripherals that are coupled to a main processing unit or other portion of device  10  via a wired or wireless link). 
     Input-output circuitry  20  may include wireless circuitry  24  to support wireless communications. Wireless circuitry  24  (sometimes referred to herein as wireless communications circuitry  24 ) may include one or more antennas  30 . 
     Wireless circuitry  24  may also include transceiver circuitry  26 . Transceiver circuitry  26  may include transmitter circuitry, receiver circuitry, modulator circuitry, demodulator circuitry (e.g., one or more modems), radio-frequency circuitry, one or more radios, intermediate frequency circuitry, optical transmitter circuitry, optical receiver circuitry, optical light sources, other optical components, baseband circuitry (e.g., one or more baseband processors), amplifier circuitry, clocking circuitry such as one or more local oscillators and/or phase-locked loops, memory, one or more registers, filter circuitry, switching circuitry, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, radio-frequency transmission lines, optical fibers, and/or any other circuitry for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using antennas  30 . The components of transceiver circuitry  26  may be implemented on one integrated circuit, chip, system-on-chip (SOC), die, printed circuit board, substrate, or package, or the components of transceiver circuitry  26  may be distributed across two or more integrated circuits, chips, SOCs, printed circuit boards, substrates, and/or packages. 
     The example of  FIG.  1    is merely illustrative. While control circuitry  14  is shown separately from wireless circuitry  24  in the example of  FIG.  1    for the sake of clarity, wireless circuitry  24  may include processing circuitry (e.g., one or more processors) that forms a part of processing circuitry  18  and/or storage circuitry that forms a part of storage circuitry  16  of control circuitry  14  (e.g., portions of control circuitry  14  may be implemented on wireless circuitry  24 ). As an example, control circuitry  14  may include baseband circuitry (e.g., one or more baseband processors), digital control circuitry, analog control circuitry, and/or other control circuitry that forms part of wireless circuitry  24 . The baseband circuitry may, for example, access a communication protocol stack on control circuitry  14  (e.g., storage circuitry  20 ) to: perform user plane functions at a PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, SDAP layer, and/or PDU layer, and/or to perform control plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, RRC, layer, and/or non-access stratum layer. 
     Transceiver circuitry  26  may be coupled to each antenna  30  in wireless circuitry  24  over a respective signal path  28 . Each signal path  28  may include one or more radio-frequency transmission lines, waveguides, optical fibers, and/or any other desired lines/paths for conveying wireless signals between transceiver circuitry  26  and antenna  30 . Antennas  30  may be formed using any desired antenna structures for conveying wireless signals. For example, antennas  30  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from dipole antenna structures, planar dipole antenna structures (e.g., bowtie antenna structures), slot antenna structures, loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, monopole antennas, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, etc. Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and/or other antenna tuning components may be adjusted to adjust the frequency response and wireless performance of antennas  30  over time. 
     If desired, two or more of antennas  30  may be integrated into a phased antenna array (sometimes referred to herein as a phased array antenna) in which each of the antennas conveys wireless signals with a respective phase and magnitude that is adjusted over time so the wireless signals constructively and destructively interfere to produce (form) a signal beam in a given pointing direction. The term “convey wireless signals” as used herein means the transmission and/or reception of the wireless signals (e.g., for performing unidirectional and/or bidirectional wireless communications with external wireless communications equipment). Antennas  30  may transmit the wireless signals by radiating the signals into free space (or to free space through intervening device structures such as a dielectric cover layer). Antennas  30  may additionally or alternatively receive the wireless signals from free space (e.g., through intervening devices structures such as a dielectric cover layer). The transmission and reception of wireless signals by antennas  30  each involve the excitation or resonance of antenna currents on an antenna resonating (radiating) element in the antenna by the wireless signals within the frequency band(s) of operation of the antenna. 
     Transceiver circuitry  26  may use antenna(s)  30  to transmit and/or receive wireless signals that convey wireless communications data between device  10  and external wireless communications equipment (e.g., one or more other devices such as device  10 , a wireless access point or base station, etc.). The wireless communications data may be conveyed bidirectionally or unidirectionally. The wireless communications data may, for example, include data that has been encoded into corresponding data packets such as wireless data associated with a telephone call, streaming media content, internet browsing, wireless data associated with software applications running on device  10 , email messages, etc. 
     Additionally or alternatively, wireless circuitry  24  may use antenna(s)  30  to perform wireless sensing operations. The sensing operations may allow device  10  to detect (e.g., sense or identify) the presence, location, orientation, and/or velocity (motion) of objects external to device  10 . Control circuitry  14  may use the detected presence, location, orientation, and/or velocity of the external objects to perform any desired device operations. As examples, control circuitry  14  may use the detected presence, location, orientation, and/or velocity of the external objects to identify a corresponding user input for one or more software applications running on device  10  such as a gesture input performed by the user&#39;s hand(s) or other body parts or performed by an external stylus, gaming controller, head-mounted device, or other peripheral devices or accessories, to determine when one or more antennas  30  needs to be disabled or provided with a reduced maximum transmit power level (e.g., for satisfying regulatory limits on radio-frequency exposure), to determine how to steer (form) a radio-frequency signal beam produced by antennas  30  for wireless circuitry  24  (e.g., in scenarios where antennas  30  include a phased array of antennas  30 ), to map or model the environment around device  10  (e.g., to produce a software model of the room where device  10  is located for use by an augmented reality application, gaming application, map application, home design application, engineering application, etc.), to detect the presence of obstacles in the vicinity of (e.g., around) device  10  or in the direction of motion of the user of device  10 , etc. 
     Wireless circuitry  24  may transmit and/or receive wireless signals within corresponding frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum (sometimes referred to herein as communications bands or simply as “bands”). The frequency bands handled by communications circuitry  26  may include wireless local area network (WLAN) frequency bands (e.g., Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) or other WLAN communications bands) such as a 2.4 GHz WLAN band (e.g., from 2400 to 2480 MHz), a 5 GHz WLAN band (e.g., from 5180 to 5825 MHz), a Wi-Fi® 6E band (e.g., from 5925-7125 MHz), and/or other Wi-Fi® bands (e.g., from 1875-5160 MHz), wireless personal area network (WPAN) frequency bands such as the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® band or other WPAN communications bands, cellular telephone frequency bands (e.g., bands from about 600 MHz to about 5 GHz, 3G bands, 4G LTE bands, 5G New Radio Frequency Range  1  (FR1) bands below 10 GHz, 5G New Radio Frequency Range  2  (FR2) bands between 20 and 60 GHz, etc.), other centimeter or millimeter wave frequency bands between 10-100 GHz, near-field communications frequency bands (e.g., at 13.56 MHz), satellite navigation frequency bands (e.g., a GPS band from 1565 to 1610 MHz, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) band, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) band, etc.), ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency bands that operate under the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other ultra-wideband communications protocols, communications bands under the family of 3GPP wireless communications standards, communications bands under the IEEE 802.XX family of standards, and/or any other desired frequency bands of interest. 
     Over time, software applications on electronic devices such as device  10  have become more and more data intensive. Wireless circuitry on the electronic devices therefore needs to support data transfer at higher and higher data rates. In general, the data rates supported by the wireless circuitry are proportional to the frequency of the wireless signals conveyed by the wireless circuitry (e.g., higher frequencies can support higher data rates than lower frequencies). Wireless circuitry  24  may convey centimeter and millimeter wave signals to support relatively high data rates (e.g., because centimeter and millimeter wave signals are at relatively high frequencies between around 10 GHz and 100 GHz). However, the data rates supported by centimeter and millimeter wave signals may still be insufficient to meet all the data transfer needs of device  10 . To support even higher data rates such as data rates up to 5-10 Gbps or higher, wireless circuitry  24  may convey wireless signals at frequencies greater than 100 GHz. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , wireless circuitry  24  may transmit wireless signals  32  and may receive wireless signals  34  at frequencies greater than around 100 GHz. Wireless signals  32  and  34  may sometimes be referred to herein as tremendously high frequency (THF) signals  32  and  34 , sub-THz signals  32  and  34 , THz signals  32  and  34 , or sub-millimeter wave signals  32  and  34 . THF signals  32  and  34  may be at sub-THz or THz frequencies such as frequencies between 100 GHz and 1 THz, between 100 GHz and 10 THz, between 100 GHz and 2 THz, between 200 GHz and 1 THz, between 300 GHz and 1 THz, between 300 GHz and 2 THz, between 300 GHz and 10 THz, between 100 GHz and 800 GHz, between 200 GHz and 1.5 THz, etc. (e.g., within a sub-THz, THz, THF, or sub-millimeter frequency band such as a 6G frequency band). The high data rates supported by these frequencies may be leveraged by device  10  to perform cellular telephone voice and/or data communications (e.g., while supporting spatial multiplexing to provide further data bandwidth), to perform spatial ranging operations such as radar operations to detect the presence, location, and/or velocity of objects external to device  10 , to perform automotive sensing (e.g., with enhanced security), to perform health/body monitoring on a user of device  10  or another person, to perform gas or chemical detection, to form a high data rate wireless connection between device  10  and another device or peripheral device (e.g., to form a high data rate connection between a display driver on device  10  and a display that displays ultra-high resolution video), to form a remote radio head (e.g., a flexible high data rate connection), to form a THF chip-to-chip connection within device  10  that supports high data rates (e.g., where one antenna  30  on a first chip in device  10  transmits THF signals  32  to another antenna  30  on a second chip in device  10 ), and/or to perform any other desired high data rate operations. 
     Space is at a premium within electronic devices such as device  10 . In some scenarios, different antennas  30  are used to transmit THF signals  32  than are used to receive THF signals  34 . However, handling transmission of THF signals  32  and reception of THF signals  34  using different antennas  30  can consume an excessive amount of space and other resources within device  10  because two antennas  30  and signal paths  28  would be required to handle both transmission and reception. To minimize space and resource consumption within device  10 , the same antenna  30  and signal path  28  may be used to both transmit THF signals  32  and to receive THF signals  34 . If desired, multiple antennas  30  in wireless circuitry  24  may transmit THF signals  32  and may receive THF signals  34 . The antennas may be integrated into a phased antenna array that transmits THF signals  32  and that receives THF signals  34  within a corresponding signal beam oriented in a selected beam pointing direction. 
     It can be challenging to incorporate components into wireless circuitry  24  that support wireless communications at these high frequencies. If desired, transceiver circuitry  26  and signal paths  28  may include optical components that convey optical signals to support the transmission of THF signals  32  and the reception of THF signals  34  in a space and resource-efficient manner. The optical signals may be used in transmitting THF signals  32  at THF frequencies and in receiving THF signals  34  at THF frequencies. 
       FIG.  2    is a diagram of an illustrative antenna  30  that may be used to both transmit THF signals  32  and to receive THF signals  34  using optical signals. Antenna  30  may include one or more antenna radiating (resonating) elements such as radiating (resonating) element arms  36 . In the example of  FIG.  2   , antenna  30  is a planar dipole antenna (sometimes referred to as a “bowtie” antenna) having two opposing radiating element arms  36  (e.g., bowtie arms or dipole arms). This is merely illustrative and, in general, antenna  30  may be any type of antenna having any desired antenna radiating element architecture. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , antenna  30  includes a photodiode (PD)  42  coupled between radiating element arms  36 . Electronic devices that include antennas  30  with photodiodes  42  such as device  10  may sometimes also be referred to as electro-optical devices (e.g., electro-optical device  10 ). Photodiode  42  may be a programmable photodiode. An example in which photodiode  42  is a programmable uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC PD) is described herein as an example. Photodiode  42  may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as UTC PD  42  or programmable UTC PD  42 . This is merely illustrative and, in general, photodiode  42  may include any desired type of adjustable/programmable photodiode or component that converts electromagnetic energy at optical frequencies to current at THF frequencies on radiating element arms  36  and/or vice versa. Each radiating element arm  36  may, for example, have a first edge at UTC PD  42  and a second edge opposite the first edge that is wider than the first edge (e.g., in implementations where antenna  30  is a bowtie antenna). Other radiating elements may be used if desired. 
     UTC PD  42  may have a bias terminal  38  that receives one or more bias voltages V BIAS  (sometimes referred to herein as bias signals V BIAS ) Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may provide (e.g., apply, supply, assert, etc.) bias voltage V BIAS  with different magnitudes to dynamically control (e.g., program or adjust) the operation of UTC PD  42  over time. For example, bias voltage V BIAS  may be used to control whether antenna  30  transmits THF signals  32  or receives THF signals  34 . When bias voltage V BIAS  is provided with (applied at) a first setting (e.g., a first magnitude or value), antenna  30  may be configured to transmit THF signals  32 . When bias voltage V BIAS  is provided with a second setting (e.g., a second magnitude or value), antenna  30  may be configured to receive THF signals  34 . In the example of  FIG.  2   , bias voltage V BIAS  is provided with the first setting to configure antenna  30  to transmit THF signals  32 . If desired, bias voltage V BIAS  may also be adjusted to control the waveform of the THF signals (e.g., as a squaring function that preserves the modulation of incident optical signals, a linear function, etc.) and/or to perform gain control on the signals conveyed by antenna  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , UTC PD  42  may be optically coupled to optical path  40 . Optical path  40  may include one or more optical fibers or waveguides. UTC PD  42  may receive optical signals from transceiver circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ) over optical path  40 . The optical signals may include a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal LO 1  and a second optical local oscillator signal LO 2 . Optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  may be generated by light sources in transceiver circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ). Optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  may be at optical wavelengths (e.g., between 400 nm and 700 nm), ultra-violet wavelengths (e.g., near-ultra-violet or extreme ultraviolet wavelengths), and/or infrared wavelengths (e.g., near-infrared wavelengths, mid-infrared wavelengths, or far-infrared wavelengths). Optical local oscillator signal LO 2  may be offset in wavelength from optical local oscillator signal LO 1  by a wavelength offset X. Wavelength offset X may be equal to the wavelength of the THF signals conveyed by antenna  30  (e.g., between 100 GHz and 1 THz (1000 GHz), between 100 GHz and 2 THz, between 300 GHz and 800 GHz, between 300 GHz and 1 THz, between 300 and 400 GHz, etc.). 
     During signal transmission, wireless data (e.g., wireless data packets, symbols, frames, etc.) may be modulated onto optical local oscillator signal LO 2  to produce modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′. If desired, optical local oscillator signal LO 1  may be provided with an optical phase shift S. Optical path  40  may illuminate UTC PD  42  with optical local oscillator signal LO 1  (plus the optical phase shift S when applied) and modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′. If desired, lenses or other optical components may be interposed between optical path  40  and UTC PD  42  to help focus the optical local oscillator signals onto UTC PD  42 . 
     UTC PD  42  may convert optical local oscillator signal LO 1  and modulated local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ (e.g., beats between the two optical local oscillator signals) into antenna currents that run along the perimeter of radiating element arms  36 . The frequency of the antenna currents is equal to the frequency difference between local oscillator signal LO 1  and modulated local oscillator signal LO 2 ′. The antenna currents may radiate (transmit) THF signals  32  into free space. Bias voltage V BIAS  may control UTC PD  42  to convert the optical local oscillator signals into antenna currents on radiating element arms  36  while preserving the modulation and thus the wireless data on modulated local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ (e.g., by applying a squaring function to the signals). THF signals  32  will thereby carry the modulated wireless data for reception and demodulation by external wireless communications equipment. 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram showing how antenna  30  may receive THF signals  34  (e.g., after changing the setting of bias voltage V BIAS  into a reception state from the transmission state of  FIG.  2   ). As shown in  FIG.  3   , THF signals  34  may be incident upon antenna radiating element arms  36 . The incident THF signals  34  may produce antenna currents that flow around the perimeter of radiating element arms  36 . UTC PD  42  may use optical local oscillator signal LO 1  (plus the optical phase shift S when applied), optical local oscillator signal LO 2  (e.g., without modulation), and bias voltage V BIAS  to convert the received THF signals  34  into intermediate frequency signals SIGIF that are output onto intermediate frequency signal path  44 . 
     The frequency of intermediate frequency signals SIGIF may be equal to the frequency of THF signals  34  minus the difference between the frequency of optical local oscillator signal LO 1  and the frequency of optical local oscillator signal LO 2 . As an example, intermediate frequency signals SIGIF may be at lower frequencies than THF signals  32  and  34  such as centimeter or millimeter wave frequencies between 10 GHz and 100 GHz, between 30 GHz and 80 GHz, around 60 GHz, etc. If desired, transceiver circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ) may change the frequency of optical local oscillator signal LO 1  and/or optical local oscillator signal LO 2  when switching from transmission to reception or vice versa. UTC PD  42  may preserve the data modulation of THF signals  34  in intermediate signals SIGIF. A receiver in transceiver circuitry  26  ( FIG.  1   ) may demodulate intermediate frequency signals SIGIF (e.g., after further downconversion) to recover the wireless data from THF signals  34 . In another example, wireless circuitry  24  may convert intermediate frequency signals SIGIF to the optical domain before recovering the wireless data. In yet another example, intermediate frequency signal path  44  may be omitted and UTC PD  42  may convert THF signals  34  into the optical domain for subsequent demodulation and data recovery (e.g., in a sideband of the optical signal). 
     The antenna  30  of  FIGS.  2  and  3    may support transmission of THF signals  32  and reception of THF signals  34  with a given polarization (e.g., a linear polarization such as a vertical polarization). If desired, wireless circuitry  24  ( FIG.  1   ) may include multiple antennas  30  for covering different polarizations.  FIG.  4    is a diagram showing one example of how wireless circuitry  24  may include multiple antennas  30  for covering different polarizations. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the wireless circuitry may include a first antenna  30  such as antenna  30 V for covering a first polarization (e.g., a first linear polarization such as a vertical polarization) and may include a second antenna  30  such as antenna  30 H for covering a second polarization different from or orthogonal to the first polarization (e.g., a second linear polarization such as a horizontal polarization). Antenna  30 V may have a UTC PD  42  such as UTC PD  42 V coupled between a corresponding pair of radiating element arms  36 . Antenna  30 H may have a UTC PD  42  such as UTC PD  42 H coupled between a corresponding pair of radiating element arms  36  oriented non-parallel (e.g., orthogonal) to the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 V. This may allow antennas  30 V and  30 H to transmit THF signals  32  with respective (orthogonal) polarizations and may allow antennas  30 V and  30 H to receive THF signals  32  with respective (orthogonal) polarizations. 
     To minimize space within device  10 , antenna  30 V may be vertically stacked over or under antenna  30 H (e.g., where UTC PD  42 V partially or completely overlaps UTC PD  42 H). In this example, antennas  30 V and  30 H may both be formed on the same substrate such as a rigid or flexible printed circuit board. The substrate may include multiple stacked dielectric layers (e.g., layers of ceramic, epoxy, flexible printed circuit board material, rigid printed circuit board material, etc.). The radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 V may be formed on a separate layer of the substrate than the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 H or the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 V may be formed on the same layer of the substrate as the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 H. UTC PD  42 V may be formed on the same layer of the substrate as UTC PD  42 H or UTC PD  42 V may be formed on a separate layer of the substrate than UTC PD  42 H. UTC PD  42 V may be formed on the same layer of the substrate as the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 V or may be formed on a separate layer of the substrate as the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 V. UTC PD  42 H may be formed on the same layer of the substrate as the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 H or may be formed on a separate layer of the substrate as the radiating element arms  36  in antenna  30 H. 
     If desired, antennas  30  or antennas  30 H and  30 V of  FIG.  4    may be integrated within a phased antenna array.  FIG.  5    is a diagram showing one example of how antennas  30 H and  30 V may be integrated within a phased antenna array. As shown in  FIG.  5   , device  10  may include a phased antenna array  46  of stacked antennas  30 H and  30 V arranged in a rectangular grid of rows and columns. Each of the antennas in phased antenna array  46  may be formed on the same substrate. This is merely illustrative. In general, phased antenna array  46  (sometimes referred to as a phased array antenna) may include any desired number of antennas  30 V and  30 H (or non-stacked antennas  30 ) arranged in any desired pattern. Each of the antennas in phased antenna array  46  may be provided with a respective optical phase shift S ( FIGS.  2  and  3   ) that configures the antennas to collectively transmit THF signals  32  and/or receive THF signals  34  that sum to form a signal beam of THF signals in a desired beam pointing direction. The beam pointing direction may be selected to point the signal beam towards external communications equipment, towards a desired external object, away from an external object, etc. 
     Phased antenna array  46  may occupy relatively little space within device  10 . For example, each antenna  30 V/ 30 H may have a length  48  (e.g., as measured from the end of one radiating element arm to the opposing end of the opposite radiating element arm). Length  48  may be approximately equal to one-half the wavelength of THF signals  32  and  34 . For example, length  48  may be as small as 0.5 mm or less. Each UTC-PD  42  in phased antenna array  46  may occupy a lateral area of 100 square microns or less. This may allow phased antenna array  46  to occupy very little area within device  10 , thereby allowing the phased antenna array to be integrated within different portions of device  10  while still allowing other space for device components. The examples of  FIGS.  2 - 5    are merely illustrative and, in general, each antenna may have any desired antenna radiating element architecture. 
       FIG.  6    is a circuit diagram showing how a given antenna  30  and signal path  28  ( FIG.  1   ) may be used to both transmit THF signals  32  and receive THF signals  34  based on optical local oscillator signals. In the example of  FIG.  6   , UTC PD  42  converts received THF signals  34  into intermediate frequency signals SIGIF that are then converted to the optical domain for recovering the wireless data from the received THF signals. 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , wireless circuitry  24  may include transceiver circuitry  26  coupled to antenna  30  over signal path  28  (e.g., an optical signal path sometimes referred to herein as optical signal path  28 ). UTC PD  42  may be coupled between the radiating element arm(s)  36  of antenna  30  and signal path  28 . Transceiver circuitry  26  may include optical components  68 , amplifier circuitry such as power amplifier  76 , and digital-to-analog converter (DAC)  74 . Optical components  68  may include an optical receiver such as optical receiver  72  and optical local oscillator (LO) light sources (emitters)  70 . LO light sources  70  may include two or more light sources such as laser light sources, laser diodes, optical phase locked loops, or other optical emitters that emit light (e.g., optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2 ) at respective wavelengths. If desired, LO light sources  70  may include a single light source and may include optical components for splitting the light emitted by the light source into different wavelengths. Signal path  28  may be coupled to optical components  68  over optical path  66 . Optical path  66  may include one or more optical fibers and/or waveguides. 
     Signal path  28  may include an optical splitter such as optical splitter (OS)  54 , optical paths such as optical path  64  and optical path  62 , an optical combiner such as optical combiner (OC)  52 , and optical path  40 . Optical path  62  may be an optical fiber or waveguide. Optical path  64  may be an optical fiber or waveguide. Optical splitter  54  may have a first (e.g., input) port coupled to optical path  66 , a second (e.g., output) port coupled to optical path  62 , and a third (e.g., output) port coupled to optical path  64 . Optical path  64  may couple optical splitter  54  to a first (e.g., input) port of optical combiner  52 . Optical path  62  may couple optical splitter  54  to a second (e.g., input) port of optical combiner  52 . Optical combiner  52  may have a third (e.g., output) port coupled to optical path  40 . 
     An optical phase shifter such as optical phase shifter  80  may be (optically) interposed on or along optical path  64 . An optical modulator such as optical modulator  56  may be (optically) interposed on or along optical path  62 . Optical modulator  56  may be, for example, a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) and may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as MZM  56 . MZM  56  includes a first optical arm (branch)  60  and a second optical arm (branch)  58  interposed in parallel along optical path  62 . Propagating optical local oscillator signal LO 2  along arms  60  and  58  of MZM  56  may, in the presence of a voltage signal applied to one or both arms, allow different optical phase shifts to be imparted on each arm before recombining the signal at the output of the MZM (e.g., where optical phase modulations produced on the arms are converted to intensity modulations at the output of MZM  56 ). When the voltage applied to MZM  56  includes wireless data, MZM  56  may modulate the wireless data onto optical local oscillator signal LO 2 . If desired, the phase shifting performed at MZM  56  may be used to perform beam forming/steering in addition to or instead of optical phase shifter  80 . MZM  56  may receive one or more bias voltages W BIAS  (sometimes referred to herein as bias signals W BIAS ) applied to one or both of arms  58  and  60 . Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may provide bias voltage W BIAS  with different magnitudes to place MZM  56  into different operating modes (e.g., operating modes that suppress optical carrier signals, operating modes that do not suppress optical carrier signals, etc.). 
     Intermediate frequency signal path  44  may couple UTC PD  42  to MZM  56  (e.g., arm  60 ). An amplifier such as low noise amplifier  82  may be interposed on intermediate frequency signal path  44 . Intermediate frequency signal path  44  may be used to pass intermediate frequency signals SIGIF from UTC PD  42  to MZM  56 . DAC  74  may have an input coupled to up-conversion circuitry, modulator circuitry, and/or baseband circuitry in a transmitter of transceiver circuitry  26 . DAC  74  may receive digital data to transmit over antenna  30  and may convert the digital data to the analog domain (e.g., as data DAT). DAC  74  may have an output coupled to transmit data path  78 . Transmit data path  78  may couple DAC  74  to MZM  56  (e.g., arm  60 ). Each of the components along signal path  28  may allow the same antenna  30  to both transmit THF signals  32  and receive THF signals  34  (e.g., using the same components along signal path  28 ), thereby minimizing space and resource consumption within device  10 . 
     LO light sources  70  may produce (emit) optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  (e.g., at different wavelengths that are separated by the wavelength of THF signals  32 / 34 ). Optical components  68  may include lenses, waveguides, optical couplers, optical fibers, and/or other optical components that direct the emitted optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  towards optical splitter  54  via optical path  66 . Optical splitter  54  may split the optical signals on optical path  66  (e.g., by wavelength) to output optical local oscillator signal LO 1  onto optical path  64  while outputting optical local oscillator signal LO 2  onto optical path  62 . 
     Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may provide phase control signals CTRL to optical phase shifter  80 . Phase control signals CTRL may control optical phase shifter  80  to apply optical phase shift S to the optical local oscillator signal LO 1  on optical path  64 . Phase shift S may be selected to steer a signal beam of THF signals  32 / 34  in a desired pointing direction. Optical phase shifter  80  may pass the phase-shifted optical local oscillator signal LO 1  (denoted as LO 1 +S) to optical combiner  52 . Signal beam steering is performed in the optical domain (e.g., using optical phase shifter  80 ) rather than in the THF domain because there are no satisfactory phase shifting circuit components that operate at frequencies as high as the frequencies of THF signals  32  and  34 . Optical combiner  52  may receive optical local oscillator signal LO 2  over optical path  62 . Optical combiner  52  may combine optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  onto optical path  40 , which directs the optical local oscillator signals onto UTC PD  42  for use during signal transmission or reception. 
     During transmission of THF signals  32 , DAC  74  may receive digital wireless data (e.g., data packets, frames, symbols, etc.) for transmission over THF signals  32 . DAC  74  may convert the digital wireless data to the analog domain and may output (transmit) the data onto transmit data path  78  as data DAT (e.g., for transmission via antenna  30 ). Power amplifier  76  may amplify data DAT. Transmit data path  78  may pass data DAT to MZM  56  (e.g., arm  60 ). MZM  56  may modulate data DAT onto optical local oscillator signal LO 2  to produce modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ (e.g., an optical local oscillator signal at the frequency/wavelength of optical local oscillator signal LO 2  but that is modulated to include the data identified by data DAT). Optical combiner  52  may combine optical local oscillator signal LO 1  with modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ at optical path  40 . 
     Optical path  40  may illuminate UTC PD  42  with (using) optical local oscillator signal LO 1  (e.g., with the phase shift S applied by optical phase shifter  80 ) and modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′. Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may apply a bias voltage V BIAS  to UTC PD  42  that configures antenna  30  for the transmission of THF signals  32 . UTC PD  42  may convert optical local oscillator signal LO 1  and modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ into antenna currents on radiating element arm(s)  36  at the frequency of THF signals  32  (e.g., while programmed for transmission using bias voltage V BIAs ) The antenna currents on radiating element arm(s)  36  may radiate THF signals  32 . The frequency of THF signals  32  is given by the difference in frequency between optical local oscillator signal LO 1  and modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′. Bias voltage V BIAS  may control UTC PD  42  to preserve the modulation from modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ in the radiated THF signals  32 . External equipment that receives THF signals  32  will thereby be able to extract data DAT from the THF signals  32  transmitted by antenna  30 . 
     During reception of THF signals  34 , MZM  56  does not modulate any data onto optical local oscillator signal LO 2 . Optical path  40  therefore illuminates UTC PD  42  with optical local oscillator signal LO 1  (e.g., with phase shift S) and optical local oscillator signal LO 2 . Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may apply a bias voltage V BIAS  to UTC PD  42  that configures antenna  30  for the receipt of THF signals  32 . UTC PD  42  may use optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  to convert the received THF signals  34  into intermediate frequency signals SIGIF output onto intermediate frequency signal path  44  (e.g., while programmed for reception using bias voltage V BIAs ) Intermediate frequency signals SIGIF may include the modulated data from the received THF signals  34 . Low noise amplifier  82  may amplify intermediate frequency signals SIGIF, which are then provided to MZM  56  (e.g., arm  60 ). MZM  56  may convert intermediate frequency signals SIGIF to the optical domain as optical signals LOrx (e.g., by modulating the data in intermediate frequency signals SIGIF onto one of the optical local oscillator signals) and may pass the corresponding optical signals to optical receiver  72  in optical components  68 , as shown by arrow  63  (e.g., via optical paths  62  and  66  or other optical paths). Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may use optical receiver  72  to convert optical signals LOrx to other formats and to recover (demodulate) the data carried by THF signals  34  from the optical signals. In this way, the same antenna  30  and signal path  28  may be used for both the transmission and reception of THF signals while also performing beam steering operations. 
     The example of  FIG.  6    in which intermediate frequency signals SIGIF are converted to the optical domain is merely illustrative. If desired, transceiver  26  may receive and demodulate intermediate frequency signals SIGIF without first passing the signals to the optical domain.  FIG.  7    is a circuit diagram showing how transceiver  26  may receive and demodulate intermediate frequency signals SIGIF without first passing the signals to the optical domain. Transmission of THF signals  32  is the same in the implementation of  FIG.  7    as in the implementation of  FIG.  6   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , transceiver circuitry  26  may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC)  84 . Intermediate frequency signal path  44  may be coupled to the input of ADC  84  (rather than to MZM  56  as in the example of  FIG.  6   ). The output of ADC  84  may be coupled to down-conversion circuitry, demodulator circuitry, and/or baseband circuitry in a receiver of transceiver circuitry  26 . During signal reception, UTC PD  42  may pass the intermediate frequency signals SIGIF generated from THF signals  34  to ADC  84  via intermediate frequency signal path  44 . ADC  84  may convert intermediate frequency signals SIGIF to the digital domain. Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may process the digital signals to recover (demodulate) the data carried by THF signals  34 . This may, for example, allow optical components  68  to be formed without optical receiver  72  of  FIG.  6   . Intermediate frequency signal path  44  may sometimes also be referred to herein as receiver path  44 , receive path  44 , or receiver signal path  44 , and may include radio-frequency transmission line structures (e.g., microstrips, strip lines, coaxial cables, waveguides, coplanar waveguides, grounded coplanar waveguides, etc.) that convey radio-frequency signals at millimeter/centimeter wave frequencies. 
     In yet another example, wireless circuitry  24  may directly sample the received THF signals  34  to the optical domain (e.g., without producing intermediate frequency signals SIGIF of  FIGS.  6  and  7   ).  FIG.  8    is a circuit diagram showing how wireless circuitry  24  may directly sample the received THF signals  34  to the optical domain. Transmission of THF signals  32  is the same in the implementation of  FIG.  8    as in the implementations of  FIGS.  6  and  7   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , intermediate frequency signal path  44  of  FIGS.  6  and  7    may be omitted. Bias control voltage V BIAS  may control UTC PD  42  to directly sample THF signals  34  with optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  to the optical domain. As an example, UTC PD  42  may use the received THF signals  34  and bias voltage V BIAS  to produce an optical signal on optical path  40 . The optical signal may have an optical carrier with sidebands that are separated from the optical carrier by a fixed frequency offset (e.g., 30-100 GHz, 60 GHz, 50-70 GHz, 10-100 GHz, etc.). The sidebands may be used to carry the modulated data from the received THF signals  34 . Signal path  28  may direct (propagate) the optical signal produced by UTC PD  42  to optical receiver  72  in optical components  68  (e.g., via optical paths  40 ,  64 ,  62 ,  66 , and/or other optical paths). Control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may use optical receiver  72  to convert the optical signal to other formats and to recover (demodulate) the data carried by THF signals  34  from the optical signal (e.g., from the sidebands of the optical signal). 
       FIG.  9    is a circuit diagram showing one example of how multiple antennas  30  may be integrated into a phased antenna array  46  that receives THF signals  34  over a corresponding signal beam. In the example of  FIG.  9   , phased antenna array  46  includes four antennas  30  such as antennas  30 - 1 ,  30 - 2 ,  30 - 3 , and  30 - 4 . This is merely illustrative and, in general, phased antenna array  46  may include any desired number of antennas. Each antenna is coupled to optical components  68  via a respective signal path  28  (e.g., antenna  30 - 1  is coupled to optical components  68  via signal path  28 - 1 , antenna  30 - 2  is coupled to optical components  68  via signal path  28 - 2 , antenna  30 - 3  is coupled to optical components  68  via signal path  28 - 3 , etc.). 
       FIG.  9    only illustrates the components and operations of phased antenna array  46  involved in receiving THF signals  34 . In general, phased antenna array  46  also includes data paths  78  and DACs  74  ( FIGS.  6 - 8   ) for use by each antenna  30  in transmitting THF signals  32 , but these elements have been omitted from  FIG.  9    for the sake of clarity. Further,  FIG.  9    illustrates one example where the UTC PD  42  for each antenna  30  converts received THF signals  32  to intermediate frequencies and then to the optical domain (e.g., as shown in  FIG.  6   ). This is merely illustrative and, if desired, the UTC PDs  42  for each antenna  30  may convert received THF signals  32  to intermediate frequencies without converting to the optical domain (e.g., as shown in  FIG.  7   ) or to the optical domain without converting to intermediate frequencies (e.g., as shown in  FIG.  8   ). 
     As shown in  FIG.  9   , each signal path  28  receives optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2  from optical components  68 . Each signal path  28  includes a respective optical phase shifter  80  interposed on the corresponding optical path  64  between the corresponding optical combiner  52  and the corresponding optical splitter  54  (e.g., signal path  28 - 1  may include optical phase shifter  80 - 1 , signal path  28 - 2  may include optical phase shifter  80 - 2 , signal path  28 - 3  may include optical phase shifter  80 - 3 , etc.). Each optical phase shifter  80  may receive a control signal CTRL that controls the phase S provided to optical local oscillator signal LO 1  by that optical phase shifter. By adjusting the phase S imparted by each optical phase shifter  80 , control circuitry  14  ( FIG.  1   ) may control each of the antennas  30  in phased antenna array  46  to receive THF signals  34  within a formed signal beam  90 . Signal beam  90  may be oriented in a particular beam pointing direction (angle)  92  (e.g., the direction of peak gain of signal beam  90 ). The incoming THF signals  34  may have wavefronts  88  that are orthogonal to beam pointing direction  92 . Control circuitry  14  may adjust beam pointing direction  92  over time to point towards external communications equipment or an external object or to point away from external objects, as examples. In this way, beam steering operations may be integrated into signal paths  28 , each of which is used for both transmission and reception of THF signals that support extremely high data rates. 
       FIG.  10    is a flow chart of operations that may be performed by wireless circuitry  24  in using one or more antennas  30  to both transmit and receive THF signals. At operation  94 , LO light sources  70  may begin to generate optical local oscillator signals LO 1  and LO 2 . Signal path(s)  28  may pass the optical local oscillator signals to UTC PD(s)  42 . 
     When control circuitry  14  has wireless data to transmit to external communications equipment (e.g., at the high data rates supported by THF signals), processing may proceed to operation  96 . At operation  96 , DAC  74  may generate wireless data DAT for transmission. 
     At optional operation  98 , control circuitry  14  may control optical phase shifter(s)  80  to apply a phase shift S onto optical local oscillator signal LO 1 . Phase shift S may be selected so that multiple antennas  30  produce a signal beam  90  oriented in a corresponding beam pointing direction  92  ( FIG.  9   ). Operation  98  may be omitted if desired (e.g., in examples where only a single antenna  30  is transmitting signals or when beam steering is not performed). 
     At operation  100 , control circuitry  14  may apply a first bias voltage V BIAS  to UTC PD(s)  42 . This configures the UTC PDs to transmit THF signals while preserving modulation from the modulated local oscillator. 
     At operation  102 , MZM(s)  56  may modulate optical local oscillator signal LOC 2  using wireless data DAT to generate (produce) modulated optical local oscillator signal LOC 2 ′. Optical path(s)  40  may illuminate UTC PD(s)  42  using optical local oscillator signal LOC 1  (e.g., as phase-shifted at operation  98 ) and modulated optical local oscillator signal LOC 2 ′. 
     At operation  104 , UTC PD(s)  42  may convert modulated optical local oscillator signal LO 2 ′ and optical local oscillator signal LO 1  into THF signals  32  radiated into free space by radiating element arm(s)  36 . For example, UTC PD(s)  42  may use the first bias voltage V BIAS  to convert the difference between modulated optical local oscillator signal LOC 2 ′ and optical local oscillator signal LOC 1  into antenna currents on radiating element arm(s)  36 , which are radiated into free space as THF signals  32 . The antenna currents and thus THF signals  32  may be at a frequency given by the difference in frequency between modulated optical local oscillator signal LOC 2 ′ and optical local oscillator signal LOC 1 . UTC-PD(s)  42  may preserve the modulation of modulated optical local oscillator signal LOC 2  in the radiated THF signals  32 , thereby allowing receipt and recovery of wireless data DAT at external communications equipment. 
     When UHF signals  34  carrying wireless data are incident upon antenna(s)  30 , processing may proceed to operation  106 . At operation  106 , control circuitry  14  may apply a second bias voltage V BIAS  to UTC PD(s)  42 . This configures the UTC PDs to receive THF signals while preserving modulation from the THF signals. 
     At operation  108 , the THF signals may produce antenna currents on radiating element arm(s)  36 . UTC PD(s)  42  may use optical local oscillator signal LO 1 , (unmodulated) optical local oscillator signal LO 2 , and bias voltage V BIAS  to convert the antenna currents into intermediate frequency signals SIGIF (e.g., in  FIGS.  6  and  7   ) or to directly sample the antenna currents into the optical domain (e.g., in  FIG.  8   ). The phase S of the first optical local oscillator signal LO 1  may configure the antennas  30  in phased antenna array  46  to receive THF signals  34  within signal beam  90  oriented in a selected pointing direction  92 . 
     At operation  110 , a receiver in transceiver circuitry  26  may process the intermediate frequency signals SIGIF or the optical domain signals to demodulate and recover the wireless data in the received THF signals  34 . Control circuitry  14  may pass the recovered wireless data up a protocol stack for further processing if desired. When control circuitry  14  has wireless data to transmit to external communications equipment, processing may loop back to operation  96  as shown by path  112 . In this way, each antenna  30  in wireless circuitry  24  may both transmit THF signals  32  and may receive THF signals  34  in a time division duplexing arrangement, thereby minimizing resource and space consumption within device  10  relative to scenarios where separate antennas and signal paths are used for signal transmission and reception, while also allowing for precise beam forming and steering techniques to be implemented despite the high frequency of the THF signals. 
     The example of  FIG.  10    is merely illustrative. Operations  96 ,  98 ,  100 ,  102 , and/or  104  may be performed concurrently. Operations  106 ,  108 , and/or  110  may be performed concurrently. Operations  106 - 110  may be performed prior to operations  96  and  100 - 102  if desired. Operation  98  may be performed whenever the signal beam is to be formed (steered) in a different beam pointing direction. 
     Device  10  may gather and/or use personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users. The optical components described herein (e.g., MZM modulator(s), waveguide(s), phase shifter(s), UTC PD(s), etc.) may be implemented in plasmonics technology if desired. 
     The methods and operations described above in connection with  FIGS.  1 - 10    (e.g., the operations of  FIG.  10   ) may be performed by the components of device  10  using software, firmware, and/or hardware (e.g., dedicated circuitry or hardware). Software code for performing these operations may be stored on non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., tangible computer readable storage media) stored on one or more of the components of device  10  (e.g., storage circuitry  16  of  FIG.  1   ). The software code may sometimes be referred to as software, data, instructions, program instructions, or code. The non-transitory computer readable storage media may include drives, non-volatile memory such as non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM), removable flash drives or other removable media, other types of random-access memory, etc. Software stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media may be executed by processing circuitry on one or more of the components of device  10  (e.g., processing circuitry  18  of  FIG.  1   , etc.). The processing circuitry may include microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits with processing circuitry, or other processing circuitry. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20220607
Publication Date: 20240305
Grant Date: 20240305
Priority Date: 20210820
Inventors: BOOS, ZDRAVKO
GUNZELMANN, Bertram R
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04B10/112", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/501", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/541", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/43", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/112", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/505", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/2575", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/212", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/292", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q3/2676", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/26", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q21/062", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/0617", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/501", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B10/541", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 82403973