A method of operating slot machines permits a machine to be identified as available for team play. Upon being identified for team play, the machine is grouped with other slot machines and subject to bonus conditions dependent on the team play. Bonus conditions typically including selected bonus outcomes and a bonus time period, during which bonus time period all outcomes of the grouped machines are monitored to determine the total bonus outcomes. If the total bonus outcomes of the team meet the bonus conditions within the bonus time period, then a bonus payout is awarded to all of the players. Players are thus encouraged to participate in a social, team environment with others of the team to win the group bonus. The invention is applicable to all slot machines, including video poker machines wherein the bonus outcomes include selected video poker hand ranks, and reeled slot machines wherein the bonus outcomes include selected reel outcomes.

Method and apparatus for team play of slot machines

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a feed point of a dielectric antenna, electromagnetic waves from a dielectric core coupled to the feed point without an electrical return path, where at least a portion of the dielectric antenna comprises a conductive surface, directing, by the feed point, the electromagnetic waves to a proximal portion of the dielectric antenna, and radiating, via an aperture of the dielectric antenna, a wireless signal responsive to the electromagnetic waves being received at the aperture. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Method and apparatus for coupling an antenna to a device

Surface scattering antennas provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure. In some approaches, the scattering elements are patch elements. In some approaches, the scattering elements are made adjustable by disposing an electrically adjustable material, such as a liquid crystal, in proximity to the scattering elements. Methods and systems provide control and adjustment of surface scattering antennas for various applications.

Surface scattering antenna improvements

A distributed antenna and backhaul system provide network connectivity for a small cell deployment. Rather than building new structures, and installing additional fiber and cable, embodiments described herein disclose using high-bandwidth, millimeter-wave communications and existing power line infrastructure. Above ground backhaul connections via power lines and line-of-sight millimeter-wave band signals as well as underground backhaul connections via buried electrical conduits can provide connectivity to the distributed base stations. An overhead millimeter-wave system can also be used to provide backhaul connectivity. Modules can be placed onto existing infrastructure, such as streetlights and utility poles, and the modules can contain base stations and antennas to transmit the millimeter-waves to and from other modules.

Backhaul link for distributed antenna system

A distributed antenna system is provided that frequency shifts the output of one or more microcells to a 60 GHz or higher frequency range for transmission to a set of distributed antennas. The cellular band outputs of these microcell base station devices are used to modulate a 60 GHz (or higher) carrier wave, yielding a group of subcarriers on the 60 GHz carrier wave. This group will then be transmitted in the air via analog microwave RF unit, after which it can be repeated or radiated to the surrounding area. The repeaters amplify the signal and resend it on the air again toward the next repeater. In places where a microcell is required, the 60 GHz signal is shifted in frequency back to its original frequency (e.g., the 1.9 GHz cellular band) and radiated locally to nearby mobile devices.

Remote distributed antenna system

A one-dimensional electromagnetic band gap (EBG) waveguide phase shifter electronically scanned array (ESA) horn antenna utilizes a linear array of EBG waveguide phase shifters for scanning and radiating a beam. A linear array feed feeds the linear array of EBG waveguide phase shifters. A horn directs radiation from the linear array of EBG waveguide phase shifters. Each of the EBG waveguide phase shifters is a waveguide with vertical and horizontal sidewalls. EBG devices are located on the vertical waveguide walls to shift phase to scan the beam.

Low-cost one-dimensional electromagnetic band gap waveguide phase shifter based ESA horn antenna

A multiband waveguide reflector antenna feed comprises waveguide feeds in a concentric architecture. A waveguide feed is located in the center and coaxial waveguide feeds are disposed around the center feed. The waveguide feeds may be all-metallic with the center feed operating in a TE 11 mode and the coaxial feeds operating in a coaxial TE 11 mode. The waveguide feeds may have electromagnetic band gap (EBG) surfaces on waveguide surfaces. The center waveguide feed may have an EBG outer conductor surface and operate in a circular waveguide TEM mode. The coaxial waveguide feeds may have EBG inner and outer conductors and operate in a circular waveguide TEM mode. The coaxial feeds may have EBG inner conductors and near perfect electrical conductor (PEC) outer conductors and operate in a circular waveguide-like TE 11 mode or may comprise EBG outer conductors and PEC inner conductors and operate in a quasi-TEM waveguide mode.

Multiband waveguide reflector antenna feed

A multi-band phased array antenna for radiating low frequency band signals and high frequency band signals. The multiband phased array antenna is formed from unit cells having waveguides for radiating high frequency band signals and end-fire radiating elements for radiating low frequency band signals. The unit cells have four walls with an open input end and an open radiating end. End-fire radiating elements are disposed on inner surfaces and outer surfaces of the four walls and radiate out the radiating end. Four waveguides are disposed together to radiate into the input end of the low frequency assembly.

Multiband phased array antenna utilizing a unit cell

A phased array antenna is provided having a plurality of phase shifter devices for phase shifting and beam steering a radiated beam of the phased array antenna. The plurality of phase shifter devices are interconnected with an interconnect structure comprising a plurality of linear array substrate slats. Each linear array substrate slat includes a plurality of radiating elements formed using first and second metal layers of the substrate slat, a plurality of phase shifter devices and a common RF feed conductor for the plurality of radiating elements. The common RF feed conductor is formed on a third metal layer of the substrate slat that is disposed between the first and second metal layers. The common RF feed conductor is configured to include a single location for electrical connections to receive RF signals for the plurality of radiating elements. The phased array antenna also includes bias/control conductors applied to selected areas of the third metal layer, a fourth metal layer applied over the second metal layer and a shielding metal layer applied on the fourth metal layer. The bias/control conductors are configured to include a single location for electrical connections to receive bias voltages and control signals. The fourth metal layer includes circuit connections from the bias/control circuitry to the plurality of phase shifter devices. Each phase shifter device is attached to a radiating element via a mounting location on the shielding metal layer. Accordingly, a phased array antenna interconnect structure is provided that reduces the number of electrical connections required to provide RF signals and bias/control signals to multiple radiating elements and phase shifters, respectively, of the phased array antenna and provides a cost effective phased array antenna architecture that has a single locus of electrical connection for RF and bias control signals embedded in a multi-layer linear array or slat substrate of the phased array antenna.

Phased array antenna interconnect having substrate slat structures

An electronically scanned slotted waveguide antenna radiates an RF signal as a scannable beam. The antenna has radiation waveguides positioned in an array. Radiation slots in the radiation waveguides radiate the scannable beam. A feed waveguide is coupled to the radiation waveguides. The feed waveguide feeds the RF signal to the radiation waveguides through coupling slots. The feed waveguide has sidewalls with tunable electromagnetic crystal (EMXT) structures thereon. The EMXT structures vary the phase of the RF signal in the feed waveguide to scan the radiated beam in one dimension. The radiation waveguides may also have tunable EMXT structures on the sidewalls to vary the phase of the RF signal to scan the radiated beam in a second dimension. The EMXT structures may be discrete EMXT devices or a EMXT material layer covering the feed and radiation waveguide sidewalls.

James B. West

Papers

Low-cost one-dimensional electromagnetic band gap waveguide phase shifter based ESA horn antenna

Multiband waveguide reflector antenna feed

Multiband phased array antenna utilizing a unit cell

Phased array antenna interconnect having substrate slat structures

One-dimensional and two-dimensional electronically scanned slotted waveguide antennas using tunable band gap surfaces