U.S. patent application number 12/797273 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-09 for method and system for clock distribution utilizing leaky wave antennas.
Invention is credited to Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran.
Application Number | 20100308885 12/797273 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43300218 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100308885 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rofougaran; Ahmadreza ; et
al. |
December 9, 2010 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CLOCK DISTRIBUTION UTILIZING LEAKY WAVE
ANTENNAS
Abstract
Methods and systems for clock distribution utilizing leaky wave
antennas (LWAs) in a wireless device are disclosed and may include
configuring voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) to generate one or
more clock signals at desired clock frequencies and configuring
LWAs at a resonant frequency corresponding to the clock
frequencies, which may be generated at the desired clock
frequencies utilizing the VCO. The clock signals may be
communicated via LWAs in the wireless device and may be amplified
utilizing one or more low-noise amplifiers. A resonant frequency of
the LWAs may be configured utilizing micro-electro-mechanical
systems (MEMS) deflection. LWAs may be configured to enable
beamforming. One or more of the LWAs may comprise microstrip or
coplanar waveguides, wherein a cavity height of the LWAs is
dependent on spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides.
The LWAs may be integrated in one or more integrated circuits,
integrated circuit packages, and/or printed circuit boards.
Inventors: |
Rofougaran; Ahmadreza;
(Newport Coast, CA) ; Rofougaran; Maryam; (Rancho
Palos Verdes, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCANDREWS HELD & MALLOY, LTD
500 WEST MADISON STREET, SUITE 3400
CHICAGO
IL
60661
US
|
Family ID: |
43300218 |
Appl. No.: |
12/797273 |
Filed: |
June 9, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61246618 |
Sep 29, 2009 |
|
|
|
61185245 |
Jun 9, 2009 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
327/297 ;
342/368 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2224/32225
20130101; H04B 5/0031 20130101; H01Q 13/22 20130101; H01L
2924/13091 20130101; H04B 1/0458 20130101; H01Q 15/0066 20130101;
H01Q 15/23 20130101; H01L 2224/73204 20130101; H01Q 15/006
20130101; H01Q 19/06 20130101; H01Q 13/20 20130101; H01Q 1/2283
20130101; H01L 2224/16225 20130101; G01S 13/06 20130101; H04B 7/24
20130101; G06K 7/10316 20130101; H01L 2224/73204 20130101; H01L
2224/16225 20130101; H01L 2224/32225 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101; H01L 2924/13091 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
327/297 ;
342/368 |
International
Class: |
G06F 1/10 20060101
G06F001/10; H01Q 3/00 20060101 H01Q003/00 |
Claims
1. A method for communication, the method comprising: in a wireless
device comprising a plurality of leaky wave antennas: configuring
one or more voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) to generate one or
more clock signals having one or more desired clock frequencies;
configuring a plurality of leaky wave antennas to operate at a
resonant frequency corresponding to said one or more desired clock
frequencies; and communicating said generated one or more clock
signals via one or more transmitting ones of said plurality of
leaky wave antennas to one or more remaining receiving ones of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas in said wireless device.
2. The method according to claim 1, comprising amplifying said
communicated one or more clock signals that are received by said
one or more remaining receiving ones of said plurality of leaky
wave antennas utilizing one or more low-noise amplifiers
(LNAs).
3. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a
resonant frequency of said plurality of leaky wave antennas
utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) deflection.
4. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a
plurality of said leaky wave antennas to enable beamforming.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip
waveguides.
6. The method according to claim 4, wherein a cavity height of said
one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas is dependent
on spacing between conductive lines in said microstrip
waveguides.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein a cavity height of said
one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas is dependent
on spacing between conductive lines in said coplanar
waveguides.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more
integrated circuits.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more
integrated circuit packages and/or printed circuit boards.
11. A system for enabling communication, the system comprising: in
a wireless device comprising a plurality of leaky wave antennas,
said wireless device being operable to: configure one or more
voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) to generate at one or more
clock signals having one or more desired clock frequencies;
configure a plurality of leaky wave antennas to operate at a
resonant frequency corresponding to said one or more desired clock
frequencies; and communicate said generated one or more clock
signals via one or more transmitting ones of said plurality of
leaky wave antennas to one or more remaining receiving ones of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas in said wireless device.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said wireless device
is operable to amplify said communicated one or more clock signals
that are received by said one or more remaining receiving ones of
said plurality of leaky wave antennas utilizing one or more
low-noise amplifiers (LNAs).
13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said wireless device
is operable to configure a resonant frequency of said plurality of
leaky wave antennas utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems
(MEMS) deflection.
14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said wireless device
is operable to configure a configuring a plurality of said leaky
wave antennas to enable beamforming.
15. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip
waveguides.
16. The system according to claim 15, wherein a cavity height of
said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas is
dependent on spacing between conductive lines in said microstrip
waveguides.
17. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
18. The system according to claim 17, wherein a cavity height of
said one or more of said plurality of leaky wave antennas is
dependent on spacing between conductive lines in said coplanar
waveguides.
19. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more
integrated circuits.
20. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more of said
plurality of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more
integrated circuit packages and/or printed circuit boards.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY
REFERENCE
[0001] This application makes reference to, claims the benefit
from, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
61/246,618 filed on Sep. 29, 2009, and U.S. Provisional Application
Ser. No. 61/185,245 filed on Jun. 9, 2009.
[0002] This application also makes reference to:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,212 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,295 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,277 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,192 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,224 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,176 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,246 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,292 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,324 filed on Dec. 30, 2009;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/708,366 filed on Feb. 18, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,550 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,768 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,759 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,593 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,772 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,777 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,782 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,792 filed on Mar. 31, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/790,279 filed on May 28, 2010;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.
21210U502) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21212U502) filed on even date
herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket
No. 21215U502) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21216U502) filed on even date
herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket
No. 21217U502) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21219U502) filed on even date
herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket
No. 21221 U502) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21223U502) filed
on even date herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______
(Attorney Docket No. 21224U502) filed on even date herewith; U.S.
patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21225U502)
filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No.
______ (Attorney Docket No. 21226U502) filed on even date herewith;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.
21228U502) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21229U502) filed on even date
herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket
No. 21234U502) filed on even date herewith; and U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21236U502) filed
on even date herewith.
[0003] Each of the above stated applications is hereby incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0004] [Not Applicable]
[MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE]
[0005] [Not Applicable]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Certain embodiments of the invention relate to wireless
communication. More specifically, certain embodiments of the
invention relate to a method and system for clock distribution
utilizing leaky wave antennas.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Mobile communications have changed the way people
communicate and mobile phones have been transformed from a luxury
item to an essential part of every day life. The use of mobile
phones is today dictated by social situations, rather than hampered
by location or technology. While voice connections fulfill the
basic need to communicate, and mobile voice connections continue to
filter even further into the fabric of every day life, the mobile
Internet is the next step in the mobile communication revolution.
The mobile Internet is poised to become a common source of everyday
information, and easy, versatile mobile access to this data will be
taken for granted.
[0008] As the number of electronic devices enabled for wireline
and/or mobile communications continues to increase, significant
efforts exist with regard to making such devices more power
efficient. For example, a large percentage of communications
devices are mobile wireless devices and thus often operate on
battery power. Additionally, transmit and/or receive circuitry
within such mobile wireless devices often account for a significant
portion of the power consumed within these devices. Moreover, in
some conventional communication systems, transmitters and/or
receivers are often power inefficient in comparison to other blocks
of the portable communication devices. Accordingly, these
transmitters and/or receivers have a significant impact on battery
life for these mobile wireless devices.
[0009] Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and
traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the
art, through comparison of such systems with the present invention
as set forth in the remainder of the present application with
reference to the drawings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A system and/or method for clock distribution utilizing
leaky wave antennas as shown in and/or described in connection with
at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the
claims.
[0011] Various advantages, aspects and novel features of the
present invention, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment
thereof, will be more fully understood from the following
description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless system
with leaky wave antennas for clock distribution, which may be
utilized in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary leaky
wave antenna, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a plan view of
exemplary partially reflective surfaces, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary phase
dependence of a leaky wave antenna, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary in-phase
and out-of-phase beam shapes for a leaky wave antenna, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a leaky wave antenna
with variable input impedance feed points, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a cross-sectional
view of coplanar and microstrip waveguides, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of
integrated leaky wave antennas for clock distribution, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary leaky wave
antenna clock distribution, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary steps for
clock distribution utilizing leaky wave antennas, in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Certain aspects of the invention may be found in a method
and system for clock distribution utilizing leaky wave antennas.
Exemplary aspects of the invention may comprise configuring one or
more voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) in a wireless device to
oscillate at one or more desired clock frequencies and configuring
a plurality of leaky wave antennas for communicating at a resonant
frequency corresponding to the clock frequencies. One or more clock
signals may be generated at the one or more desired clock
frequencies utilizing the VCO. The generated clock signals may be
communicated via one or more leaky wave antennas to one or more
receiving leaky wave antennas in the wireless device, and the
received signals may be amplified utilizing one or more low-noise
amplifiers (LNAs). A resonant frequency of the plurality of leaky
wave antennas may be configured utilizing micro-electro-mechanical
systems (MEMS) deflection. A plurality of the leaky wave antennas
may be configured to enable beamforming. One or more of the
plurality of leaky wave antennas may comprise microstrip
waveguides, wherein a cavity height of the one or more of the
plurality of leaky wave antennas is dependent on spacing between
conductive lines in the microstrip waveguides. One or more of the
plurality of leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides,
wherein a cavity height of the one or more of the plurality of
leaky wave antennas is dependent on spacing between conductive
lines in the coplanar waveguides. One or more of the plurality of
leaky wave antennas may be integrated in one or more integrated
circuits, integrated circuit packages, and/or printed circuit
boards.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless system
with leaky wave antennas for clock distribution, which may be
utilized in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, the wireless device 150 may comprise an
antenna 151, a transceiver 152, a baseband processor 154, a
processor 156, a system memory 158, a logic block 160, a chip 162,
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, switches 165, a voltage-controlled
oscillator (VCO) 169, an external headset port 166, and an
integrated circuit package 167. The wireless device 150 may also
comprise an analog microphone 168, integrated hands-free (IHF)
stereo speakers 170, a printed circuit board 171, a hearing aid
compatible (HAC) coil 174, a dual digital microphone 176, a
vibration transducer 178, a keypad and/or touchscreen 180, and a
display 182.
[0024] The transceiver 152 may comprise suitable logic, circuitry,
interface(s), and/or code that may be enabled to modulate and
upconvert baseband signals to RF signals for transmission by one or
more antennas, which may be represented generically by the antenna
151. The transceiver 152 may also be enabled to downconvert and
demodulate received RF signals to baseband signals. The RF signals
may be received by one or more antennas, which may be represented
generically by the antenna 151, or the leaky wave antennas
164A-164C. Different wireless systems may use different antennas
for transmission and reception. The transceiver 152 may be enabled
to execute other functions, for example, filtering the baseband
and/or RF signals, and/or amplifying the baseband and/or RF
signals. Although a single transceiver 152 is shown, the invention
is not so limited. Accordingly, the transceiver 152 may be
implemented as a separate transmitter and a separate receiver. In
addition, there may be a plurality of transceivers, transmitters
and/or receivers. In this regard, the plurality of transceivers,
transmitters and/or receivers may enable the wireless device 150 to
handle a plurality of wireless protocols and/or standards including
cellular, WLAN and PAN. Wireless technologies handled by the
wireless device 150 may comprise GSM, CDMA, CDMA2000, WCDMA, GMS,
GPRS, EDGE, WIMAX, WLAN, 3GPP, UMTS, BLUETOOTH, and ZigBee, for
example.
[0025] The baseband processor 154 may comprise suitable logic,
circuitry, interface(s), and/or code that may be enabled to process
baseband signals for transmission via the transceiver 152 and/or
the baseband signals received from the transceiver 152. The
processor 156 may be any suitable processor or controller such as a
CPU, DSP, ARM, or any type of integrated circuit processor. The
processor 156 may comprise suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code
that may be enabled to control the operations of the transceiver
152 and/or the baseband processor 154. For example, the processor
156 may be utilized to update and/or modify programmable parameters
and/or values in a plurality of components, devices, and/or
processing elements in the transceiver 152 and/or the baseband
processor 154. At least a portion of the programmable parameters
may be stored in the system memory 158.
[0026] Control and/or data information, which may comprise the
programmable parameters, may be transferred from other portions of
the wireless device 150, not shown in FIG. 1, to the processor 156.
Similarly, the processor 156 may be enabled to transfer control
and/or data information, which may include the programmable
parameters, to other portions of the wireless device 150, not shown
in FIG. 1, which may be part of the wireless device 150.
[0027] The processor 156 may utilize the received control and/or
data information, which may comprise the programmable parameters,
to determine an operating mode of the transceiver 152. For example,
the processor 156 may be utilized to select a specific frequency
for a local oscillator, a specific gain for a variable gain
amplifier, configure the local oscillator and/or configure the
variable gain amplifier for operation in accordance with various
embodiments of the invention. Moreover, the specific frequency
selected and/or parameters needed to calculate the specific
frequency, and/or the specific gain value and/or the parameters,
which may be utilized to calculate the specific gain, may be stored
in the system memory 158 via the processor 156, for example. The
information stored in system memory 158 may be transferred to the
transceiver 152 from the system memory 158 via the processor
156.
[0028] The system memory 158 may comprise suitable logic,
circuitry, interface(s), and/or code that may be enabled to store a
plurality of control and/or data information, including parameters
needed to calculate frequencies and/or gain, and/or the frequency
value and/or gain value. The system memory 158 may store at least a
portion of the programmable parameters that may be manipulated by
the processor 156.
[0029] The logic block 160 may comprise suitable logic, circuitry,
interface(s), and/or code that may enable controlling of various
functionalities of the wireless device 150. For example, the logic
block 160 may comprise one or more state machines that may generate
signals to control the transceiver 152 and/or the baseband
processor 154. The logic block 160 may also comprise registers that
may hold data for controlling, for example, the transceiver 152
and/or the baseband processor 154. The logic block 160 may also
generate and/or store status information that may be read by, for
example, the processor 156. Amplifier gains and/or filtering
characteristics, for example, may be controlled by the logic block
160.
[0030] The BT radio/processor 163 may comprise suitable circuitry,
logic, interface(s), and/or code that may enable transmission and
reception of Bluetooth signals. The BT radio/processor 163 may
enable processing and/or handling of BT baseband signals. In this
regard, the BT radio/processor 163 may process or handle BT signals
received and/or BT signals transmitted via a wireless communication
medium. The BT radio/processor 163 may also provide control and/or
feedback information to/from the baseband processor 154 and/or the
processor 156, based on information from the processed BT signals.
The BT radio/processor 163 may communicate information and/or data
from the processed BT signals to the processor 156 and/or to the
system memory 158. Moreover, the BT radio/processor 163 may receive
information from the processor 156 and/or the system memory 158,
which may be processed and transmitted via the wireless
communication medium a Bluetooth headset, for example
[0031] The CODEC 172 may comprise suitable circuitry, logic,
interface(s), and/or code that may process audio signals received
from and/or communicated to input/output devices. The input devices
may be within or communicatively coupled to the wireless device
150, and may comprise the analog microphone 168, the stereo
speakers 170, the hearing aid compatible (HAC) coil 174, the dual
digital microphone 176, and the vibration transducer 178, for
example. The CODEC 172 may be operable to up-convert and/or
down-convert signal frequencies to desired frequencies for
processing and/or transmission via an output device. The CODEC 172
may enable utilizing a plurality of digital audio inputs, such as
16 or 18-bit inputs, for example. The CODEC 172 may also enable
utilizing a plurality of data sampling rate inputs. For example,
the CODEC 172 may accept digital audio signals at sampling rates
such as 8 kHz, 11.025 kHz, 12 kHz, 16 kHz, 22.05 kHz, 24 kHz, 32
kHz, 44.1 kHz, and/or 48 kHz. The CODEC 172 may also support mixing
of a plurality of audio sources. For example, the CODEC 172 may
support audio sources such as general audio, polyphonic ringer,
I.sup.2S FM audio, vibration driving signals, and voice. In this
regard, the general audio and polyphonic ringer sources may support
the plurality of sampling rates that the audio CODEC 172 is enabled
to accept, while the voice source may support a portion of the
plurality of sampling rates, such as 8 kHz and 16 kHz, for
example.
[0032] The chip 162 may comprise an integrated circuit with
multiple functional blocks integrated within, such as the
transceiver 152, the processor 156, the baseband processor 154, the
BT radio/processor 163, and the CODEC 172. The number of functional
blocks integrated in the chip 162 is not limited to the number
shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, any number of blocks may be
integrated on the chip 162 depending on chip space and wireless
device 150 requirements, for example. The chip 162 may be flip-chip
bonded, for example, to the package 167, as described further with
respect to FIG. 8.
[0033] The leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may comprise a resonant
cavity with a highly reflective surface and a lower reflectivity
surface, and may be integrated in and/or on the package 167. In
addition, leaky wave antennas may be integrated on the package 167,
thereby enabling communication between the package 167 and other
packages on the printed circuit board 171, as well as other printed
circuit boards in the wireless device 150. The lower reflectivity
surface may allow the resonant mode to "leak" out of the cavity.
The lower reflectivity surface of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C
may be configured with slots in a metal surface, or a pattern of
metal patches, as described further in FIGS. 2 and 3. The physical
dimensions of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be configured
to optimize bandwidth of transmission and/or the beam pattern
radiated. By integrating the leaky wave antennas 164B and 164C on
the package 167 and/or the printed circuit board 171, the
dimensions of the leaky wave antennas 164B and 164C may not be
limited by the size of the chip 162.
[0034] The leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be operable to
transmit and/or receive wireless signals at or near 60 GHz, for
example, due to the cavity length of the devices being on the order
of millimeters. The leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be configured
to transmit at different frequencies by integrating leaky wave
antennas with different cavity heights in the chip 162, the package
167, and/or the printed circuit board 171.
[0035] The switches 165 may comprise switches such as CMOS or MEMS
switches that may be operable to switch different antennas of the
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C to the transceiver 152 and/or switch
elements in and/or out of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, such
as the patches and slots described in FIG. 3.
[0036] The external headset port 166 may comprise a physical
connection for an external headset to be communicatively coupled to
the wireless device 150. The analog microphone 168 may comprise
suitable circuitry, logic, interface(s), and/or code that may
detect sound waves and convert them to electrical signals via a
piezoelectric effect, for example. The electrical signals generated
by the analog microphone 168 may comprise analog signals that may
require analog to digital conversion before processing.
[0037] The package 167 may comprise a ceramic package, a printed
circuit board, or other support structure for the chip 162 and
other components of the wireless device 150. In this regard, the
chip 162 may be bonded to the package 167. The package 167 may
comprise insulating and conductive material, for example, and may
provide isolation between electrical components mounted on the
package 167. A clock signal distribution system may be enabled by
integrating leaky wave antennas on the chip 162, the package 167,
and/or the printed circuit board 171, thereby reducing or
eliminating the need for wire traces with stray impedances that
reduce the distance signals may be communicated at higher
frequencies, such as 60 GHz, for example.
[0038] The VCO 169 may comprise suitable circuitry, logic,
interfaces, and/or code that may be operable to generate a clock
signal with a frequency dependent on an input frequency. In an
exemplary embodiment of the invention, the VCO 169 may part of a
phase-locked loop (PLL) for locking the clock frequency. The
frequency of oscillation may be configured by a processor, such as
the processor 156. The output of the VCO 169 may be communicated to
one or more leaky wave antennas, such as the leaky wave antenna
164A-164C, thereby enabling the distribution of a clock signal via
leaky wave antennas.
[0039] The stereo speakers 170 may comprise a pair of speakers that
may be operable to generate audio signals from electrical signals
received from the CODEC 172. The HAC coil 174 may comprise suitable
circuitry, logic, and/or code that may enable communication between
the wireless device 150 and a T-coil in a hearing aid, for example.
In this manner, electrical audio signals may be communicated to a
user that utilizes a hearing aid, without the need for generating
sound signals via a speaker, such as the stereo speakers 170, and
converting the generated sound signals back to electrical signals
in a hearing aid, and subsequently back into amplified sound
signals in the user's ear, for example.
[0040] The dual digital microphone 176 may comprise suitable
circuitry, logic, interface(s), and/or code that may be operable to
detect sound waves and convert them to electrical signals. The
electrical signals generated by the dual digital microphone 176 may
comprise digital signals, and thus may not require analog to
digital conversion prior to digital processing in the CODEC 172.
The dual digital microphone 176 may enable beamforming
capabilities, for example.
[0041] The vibration transducer 178 may comprise suitable
circuitry, logic, interface(s), and/or code that may enable
notification of an incoming call, alerts and/or message to the
wireless device 150 without the use of sound. The vibration
transducer may generate vibrations that may be in synch with, for
example, audio signals such as speech or music.
[0042] In operation, control and/or data information, which may
comprise the programmable parameters, may be transferred from other
portions of the wireless device 150, not shown in FIG. 1, to the
processor 156. Similarly, the processor 156 may be enabled to
transfer control and/or data information, which may include the
programmable parameters, to other portions of the wireless device
150, not shown in FIG. 1, which may be part of the wireless device
150.
[0043] The processor 156 may utilize the received control and/or
data information, which may comprise the programmable parameters,
to determine an operating mode of the transceiver 152. For example,
the processor 156 may be utilized to select a specific frequency
for a local oscillator, a specific gain for a variable gain
amplifier, configure the local oscillator and/or configure the
variable gain amplifier for operation in accordance with various
embodiments of the invention. Moreover, the specific frequency
selected and/or parameters needed to calculate the specific
frequency, and/or the specific gain value and/or the parameters,
which may be utilized to calculate the specific gain, may be stored
in the system memory 158 via the processor 156, for example. The
information stored in system memory 158 may be transferred to the
transceiver 152 from the system memory 158 via the processor
156.
[0044] The CODEC 172 in the wireless device 150 may communicate
with the processor 156 in order to transfer audio data and control
signals. Control registers for the CODEC 172 may reside within the
processor 156. The processor 156 may exchange audio signals and
control information via the system memory 158. The CODEC 172 may
up-convert and/or down-convert the frequencies of multiple audio
sources for processing at a desired sampling rate.
[0045] The frequency of the transmission and/or reception of the
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be determined by the cavity
height of the antennas. Accordingly, the reflective surfaces may be
integrated at different heights or lateral spacing in the package,
thereby configuring leaky wave antennas with different resonant
frequencies.
[0046] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the resonant
cavity frequency of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be
configured by tuning the cavity height using MEMS actuation.
Accordingly, a bias voltage may be applied such that one or both of
the reflective surfaces of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be
deflected by the applied potential. In this manner, the cavity
height, and thus the resonant frequency of the cavity, may be
configured. Similarly, the patterns of slots and/or patches in the
partially reflected surface may be configured by the switches
165.
[0047] The leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be operable to
transmit and/or receive signals between and among the chip 162, the
package 167, the printed circuit board 171, and other devices
within and external to the wireless device 150. In this manner,
high frequency traces to an external antenna, such as the antenna
151, may be reduced and/or eliminated for higher frequency signals.
By communicating a signal to be transmitted from the chip 162 to
the leaky wave antennas 164B and/or 164C through bump bonds
coupling the chip 162 to the package 167A and the package 167 to
the printed circuit 171, or other chips to the packages 167B-167D,
high frequency traces may be further reduced.
[0048] The leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be utilized to
communicate a clock signal among a plurality of devices in the
wireless device 150 and to devices external to the wireless device
150. The clock signal may be distributed from the VCO 169 to other
devices in the wireless device 150 by communicating the clock
signal to the leaky wave antennas 164A. The leaky wave antennas
164A, which may comprise a single leaky wave antenna with multiple
feed points or multiple leaky wave antennas, may then communicate
the clock signal to the leaky wave antennas 164B and 164C. The
number of leaky wave antennas is not limited to the number shown in
FIG. 1. Accordingly, any number of leaky wave antennas may be
integrated in the wireless device 150 depending on the number of
desired clock signals and devices requiring a clock signal.
[0049] Different frequency signals may be transmitted and/or
received by the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C by selectively
coupling the transceiver 152 to leaky wave antennas with different
cavity heights. For example, leaky wave antennas with reflective
surfaces on the top and the bottom of the package 167 or the
printed circuit board 171 may have the largest cavity height, and
thus provide the lowest resonant frequency. Conversely, leaky wave
antennas with a reflective surface on the surface of the chip 162,
the package 167, or the printed circuit board 171 and another
reflective surface just below the surface, may provide a higher
resonant frequency. The selective coupling may be enabled by the
switches 165 and/or CMOS devices in the chip 162.
[0050] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary leaky
wave antenna, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the leaky wave antennas
164A-164C comprising a partially reflective surface 201A, a
reflective surface 201B, and a feed point 203. The space between
the partially reflective surface 201A and the reflective surface
201B may be filled with dielectric material, for example, and the
height, h, between the partially reflective surface 201A and the
reflective surface 201B may be utilized to configure the frequency
of transmission of the leaky wave antennas 164. In another
embodiment of the invention, an air gap may be integrated in the
space between the partially reflective surface 201A and the
reflective surface 201B to enable MEMS actuation. There is also
shown (micro-electromechanical systems) MEMS bias voltages,
+V.sub.MEMS and -V.sub.MEMS.
[0051] The feed point 203 may comprise an input terminal for
applying an input voltage to the leaky wave antennas 164. The
invention is not limited to a single feed point 203, as there may
be any amount of feed points for different phases of signal or a
plurality of signal sources, for example, to be applied to the
leaky wave antennas 164.
[0052] In an embodiment of the invention, the height, h, may be
one-half the wavelength of the desired transmitted mode from the
leaky wave antennas 164. In this manner, the phase of an
electromagnetic mode that traverses the cavity twice may be
coherent with the input signal at the feed point 203, thereby
configuring a resonant cavity known as a Fabry-Perot cavity. The
magnitude of the resonant mode may decay exponentially in the
lateral direction from the feed point 203, thereby reducing or
eliminating the need for confinement structures to the sides of the
leaky wave antennas 164. The input impedance of the leaky wave
antennas 164 may be configured by the vertical placement of the
feed point 203, as described further in FIG. 6.
[0053] In operation, a signal to be transmitted via a power
amplifier in the transceiver 152 may be communicated to the feed
point 203 of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C with a frequency f.
The cavity height, h, may be configured to correlate to one half
the wavelength of a harmonic of the signal of frequency f. The
signal may traverse the height of the cavity and may be reflected
by the partially reflective surface 201A, and then traverse the
height back to the reflective surface 201B. Since the wave will
have travelled a distance corresponding to a full wavelength,
constructive interference may result and a resonant mode may
thereby be established.
[0054] Leaky wave antennas may enable the configuration of high
gain antennas without the need for a large array of antennas which
require a complex feed network and suffer from loss due to feed
lines. The leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be operable to
transmit and/or receive wireless signals via conductive layers in
and/or on the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed circuit
board 171. In this manner, the resonant frequency of the cavity may
cover a wide range due to the large range of sizes available with
the printed circuit board 171 down to the chip 162, without
requiring large areas needed for conventional antennas and
associated circuitry. In addition, by integrating leaky wave
antennas in a plurality of structures such as the chip 162, the
package 167, and the printed circuit board 171, a clock signal may
be distributed from a single source to various devices in the
wireless device 150.
[0055] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the frequency
of transmission and/or reception of the leaky wave antennas
164A-164C may be configured by selecting one of the leaky wave
antennas 164A-164C with the appropriate cavity height for the
desired frequency.
[0056] In another embodiment of the invention, the cavity height,
h, may be configured by MEMS actuation. For example, the bias
voltages +V.sub.MEMS and -V.sub.MEMS may deflect one or both of the
reflective surfaces 201A and 201B compared to zero bias, thereby
configuring the resonant frequency of the cavity.
[0057] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a plan view of
exemplary partially reflective surfaces, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a
partially reflective surface 300 comprising periodic slots in a
metal surface, and a partially reflective surface 320 comprising
periodic metal patches. The partially reflective surfaces 300/320
may comprise different embodiments of the partially reflective
surface 201A described with respect to FIG. 2.
[0058] The spacing, dimensions, shape, and orientation of the slots
and/or patches in the partially reflective surfaces 300/320 may be
utilized to configure the bandwidth, and thus Q-factor, of the
resonant cavity defined by the partially reflective surfaces
300/320 and a reflective surface, such as the reflective surface
201B, described with respect to FIG. 2. The partially reflective
surfaces 300/320 may thus comprise frequency selective surfaces due
to the narrow bandwidth of signals that may leak out of the
structure as configured by the slots and/or patches.
[0059] The spacing between the patches and/or slots may be related
to wavelength of the signal transmitted and/or received, which may
be somewhat similar to beamforming with multiple antennas. The
length of the slots and/or patches may be several times larger than
the wavelength of the transmitted and/or received signal or less,
for example, since the leakage from the slots and/or regions
surround the patches may add up, similar to beamforming with
multiple antennas.
[0060] In an embodiment of the invention, the slots/patches may be
configured via CMOS and/or micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)
switches, such as the switches 165 described with respect to FIG.
1, to tune the Q of the resonant cavity. The slots and/or patches
may be configured in conductive layers in and/or on the package 167
and may be shorted together or switched open utilizing the switches
165. In this manner, RF signals, such as 60 GHz signals, for
example, may be transmitted from various locations without the need
for additional circuitry and conventional antennas with their
associated circuitry that require valuable chip space. In this
manner, a clock signal may be distributed throughout the wireless
device 150 without the need for signal traces.
[0061] In another embodiment of the invention, the slots or patches
may be configured in conductive layers in a vertical plane of the
chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171,
thereby enabling communication of wireless signals in a horizontal
direction in the structure.
[0062] The partially reflective surfaces 300/320 may be integrated
in and/or on the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed
circuit board 171. In this manner, different frequency signals may
be transmitted and/or received. Accordingly, a partially reflective
surface 300/320 integrated within the chip 162, the package 167,
and/or the printed circuit board 171 and a reflective surface 201B
may transmit and/or receive signals at a higher frequency signal
than from a resonant cavity defined by a partially reflective
surface 300/320 on surface of the chip 162, the package 167, and/or
the printed circuit board 171 and a reflective surface 201B on the
other surface of the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed
circuit board 171.
[0063] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary phase
dependence of a leaky wave antenna, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a
leaky wave antenna comprising the partially reflective surface
201A, the reflective surface 201B, and the feed point 203. In-phase
condition 400 illustrates the relative beam shape transmitted by
the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C when the frequency of the signal
communicated to the feed point 203 matches that of the resonant
cavity as defined by the cavity height, h, and the dielectric
constant of the material between the reflective surfaces.
[0064] Similarly, out-of-phase condition 420 illustrates the
relative beam shape transmitted by the leaky wave antennas
164A-164C when the frequency of the signal communicated to the feed
point 203 does not match that of the resonant cavity. The resulting
beam shape may be conical, as opposed to a single main vertical
node. These are illustrated further with respect to FIG. 5. The
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be integrated at various heights
in the chip 162, the package 167, printed circuit board 171,
thereby providing a plurality of transmission and reception sites
in the chip 162, the package 167, printed circuit board 171 with
varying resonant frequency.
[0065] By configuring the leaky wave antennas for in-phase and
out-of-phase conditions, signals possessing different
characteristics may be directed out of the chip 162, the package
167, printed circuit board 171 in desired directions, thereby
enabling wireless communication between a plurality of structures.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the angle at which
signals may be transmitted by a leaky wave antenna may be
dynamically controlled so that signal may be directed to desired
receiving leaky wave antennas. In another embodiment of the
invention, the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C may be operable to
receive RF signals, such as 60 GHz signals, for example. The
direction in which the signals are received may be configured by
the in-phase and out-of-phase conditions. Leaky wave antennas may
be utilized to configure a clock distribution system enabled by the
tunable direction of transmission and/or reception. Thus,
conventional clock traces may be significantly reduced or
eliminated from the wireless device 150.
[0066] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary in-phase
and out-of-phase beam shapes for a leaky wave antenna, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG.
5, there is shown a plot 500 of transmitted signal beam shape
versus angle, .THETA., for the in-phase and out-of-phase conditions
for a leaky wave antenna.
[0067] The In-phase curve in the plot 500 may correlate to the case
where the frequency of the signal communicated to a leaky wave
antenna matches the resonant frequency of the cavity. In this
manner, a single vertical main node may result. In instances where
the frequency of the signal at the feed point is not at the
resonant frequency, a double, or conical-shaped node may be
generated as shown by the Out-of-phase curve in the plot 500. By
configuring the leaky wave antennas for in-phase and out-of-phase
conditions, signals may be directed out of the chip 162, the
package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171 in desired
directions.
[0068] In another embodiment of the invention, the leaky wave
antennas 164A-164C may be operable to receive wireless signals, and
may be configured to receive from a desired direction via the
in-phase and out-of-phase configurations, thereby enabling the
configuration of a clock distribution network in the wireless
device 150.
[0069] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a leaky wave antenna
with variable input impedance feed points, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a
leaky wave antenna 600 comprising the partially reflective surface
201A and the reflective surface 201B. There is also shown feed
points 601A-601C. The feed points 601A-601C may be located at
different positions along the height, h, of the cavity thereby
configuring different impedance points for the leaky wave
antenna.
[0070] In this manner, a leaky wave antenna may be utilized to
couple to a plurality of power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers,
and/or other circuitry with varying output or input impedances.
Similarly, by integrating leaky wave antennas in conductive layers
in the chip, 162, package 167, and/or the printed circuit board
171, the impedance of the leaky wave antenna may be matched to the
power amplifier or low-noise amplifier without impedance variations
that may result with conventional antennas and their proximity or
distance to associated driver electronics. Similarly, by
integrating reflective and partially reflective surfaces with
varying cavity heights and varying feed points, leaky wave antennas
with different impedances and resonant frequencies may be enabled.
In an embodiment of the invention, the heights of the feed points
601A-601C may be configured by MEMS actuation.
[0071] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a cross-sectional
view of coplanar and microstrip waveguides, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a
microstrip waveguide 720 and a coplanar waveguide 730 and a support
structure 701. The microstrip waveguide 720 may comprise signal
conductive lines 723, a ground plane 725, a resonant cavity 711A,
and an insulating layer 727. The coplanar waveguide 730 may
comprise signal conductive lines 731 and 733, a resonant cavity
711B, the insulating layer 727, and a multi-layer support structure
701. The support structure 701 may comprise the chip 162, the
package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171.
[0072] The signal conductive lines 723, 731, and 733 may comprise
metal traces or layers deposited in and/or on the insulating layer
727. In another embodiment of the invention, the signal conductive
lines 723, 731, and 733 may comprise poly-silicon or other
conductive material. The separation and the voltage potential
between the signal conductive line 723 and the ground plane 725 may
determine the electric field generated therein. In addition, the
dielectric constant of the insulating layer 727 may also determine
the electric field between the signal conductive line 723 and the
ground plane 725.
[0073] The resonant cavities 711A and 711B may comprise the
insulating layer 727, an air gap, or a combination of an air gap
and the insulating layer 727, thereby enabling MEMS actuation and
thus frequency tuning.
[0074] The insulating layer 727 may comprise SiO.sub.2 or other
insulating material that may provide a high resistance layer
between the signal conductive line 723 and the ground plane 725,
and the signal conductive lines 731 and 733. In addition, the
electric field between the signal conductive line 723 and the
ground plane 725 may be dependent on the dielectric constant of the
insulating layer 727.
[0075] The thickness and the dielectric constant of the insulating
layer 727 may determine the electric field strength generated by
the applied signal. The resonant cavity thickness of a leaky wave
antenna may be dependent on the spacing between the signal
conductive line 723 and the ground plane 725, or the signal
conductive lines 731 and 733, for example.
[0076] The signal conductive lines 731 and 733, and the signal
conductive line 723 and the ground plane 725 may define resonant
cavities for leaky wave antennas. Each layer may comprise a
reflective surface or a partially reflective surface depending on
the pattern of conductive material. For example, a partially
reflective surface may be configured by alternating conductive and
insulating material in a desired pattern. In this manner, signals
may be directed out of, or received into, a surface of the chip
162, the package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171, as
illustrated with the microstrip waveguide 720. In another
embodiment of the invention, signals may be communicated in the
horizontal plane of the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the
printed circuit board 171 utilizing the coplanar waveguide 730.
[0077] The support structure 701 may provide mechanical support for
the microstrip waveguide 720, the coplanar waveguide 730, and other
devices that may be integrated within. In another embodiment of the
invention, the chip 162, the packages 167A-167D, and/or the printed
circuit board 171 may comprise Si, GaAs, sapphire, InP, GaO, ZnO,
CdTe, CdZnTe, ceramics, polytetrafluoroethylene, and/or
Al.sub.2O.sub.3, for example, or any other substrate material that
may be suitable for integrating microstrip structures.
[0078] In operation, a bias and/or a signal voltage may be applied
across the signal conductive line 723 and the ground plane 725,
and/or the signal conductive lines 731 and 733. The thickness of a
leaky wave antenna resonant cavity may be dependent on the distance
between the conductive lines in the microstrip waveguide 720 and/or
the coplanar transmission waveguide 730.
[0079] By alternating patches of conductive material with
insulating material, or slots of conductive material in dielectric
material, a partially reflective surface may result, which may
allow a signal to "leak out" in that direction, as shown by the
Leaky Wave arrows in FIG. 7. In this manner, wireless signals may
be directed out of the surface plane of the support structure 701,
or parallel to the surface of the support structure 701.
[0080] Similarly, by sequentially placing the conductive signal
lines 731 and 733 with different spacing, different cavity heights
may result, and thus different resonant frequencies, thereby
forming a distributed leaky wave antenna. In this manner, a
plurality of signals at different frequencies may be transmitted
from, or received by, the distributed leaky wave antenna.
[0081] By integrating the conductive signal lines 731 and 733 and
the ground plane 725 in the chip, 162, package 167, and/or the
printed circuit board 171, a clock distribution system may be
enabled in the wireless device 150. Accordingly, a single clock
source may be operable to transmit a clock signal that may be
received by a plurality of leaky wave antennas. Wireless signals
may be communicated between structures in the horizontal or
vertical planes depending on which type of leaky wave antenna is
enabled, such as a coplanar or microstrip structure.
[0082] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of
integrated leaky wave antennas for clock distribution, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG.
8, there is shown metal layers 801A-801J, solder balls 803, an
insulating layer 805, thermal epoxy 807, and leaky wave antennas
809A-809E. The chip 162, the package 167, and the printed circuit
board 171 may be as described previously.
[0083] The chip 162, or integrated circuit, may comprise one or
more components and/or systems within the wireless system 150. The
chip 162 may be bump-bonded or flip-chip bonded to the package 167
utilizing the solder balls 803. In this manner, wire bonds
connecting the chip 162 to the package 167 may be eliminated,
thereby reducing and/or eliminating uncontrollable stray
inductances due to wire bonds, for example. In addition, the
thermal conductance out of the chip 162 may be greatly improved
utilizing the solder balls 803 and the thermal epoxy 807. The
thermal epoxy 807 may be electrically insulating but thermally
conductive to allow for thermal energy to be conducted out of the
chip 162 to the much larger thermal mass of the package 167.
[0084] The metal layers 801A-801J may comprise deposited metal
layers utilized to delineate leaky wave antennas in and/or on the
chip 162, the package 167, and the printed circuit board 171. The
metal layers 801A-801J may be utilized to communicate signals
between devices in the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the
printed circuit board 172, and/or to external devices via leaky
wave antennas comprising the metal layers 801A-801J. In addition,
the leaky wave antennas 809D and 809E may comprise conductive and
insulating layers integrated in the chip 162 in a vertical plane to
enable communication of signals horizontally in the plane of the
chip 162, thereby defining coplanar waveguide structures Coplanar
structures may also be integrated in the package 167 and/or the
printed circuit board 171.
[0085] In an embodiment of the invention, the spacing between pairs
of metal layers, for example 801A and 801B, 801C and 801D, and 801E
and 801F, may define vertical resonant cavities of leaky wave
antennas. In this regard, a partially reflective surface, as shown
in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, may enable the resonant
electromagnetic mode in the cavity to leak out from that surface.
In this manner, leaky wave antennas may be operable to communicate
wireless signals to and/or from the chip 162 to the package 167
and/or the printed circuit board 171, and/or to external
devices.
[0086] The metal layers 801A-801F may comprise microstrip
structures as described with respect to FIG. 7. The region between
the metal layers 801A-801F may comprise a highly resistive
dielectric material, or a combination of an air gap and dielectric
material, that may provide electrical isolation between the metal
layers 801A-801F thereby creating a resonant cavity.
[0087] The metal layers 801G-801J may comprise coplanar waveguide
structures as shown in FIG. 7. The region between the metal layers
801G-801J may comprise a highly resistive dielectric material, or a
combination of an air gap and dielectric material for MEMS
actuation, that may provide electrical isolation between the metal
layers 801G-801J thereby creating a resonant cavity.
[0088] The number of metal layers is not limited to the number of
metal layers 801A-801J shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, there may be
any number of layers embedded within and/or on the chip 162, the
package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171, depending on the
number of leaky wave antennas, traces, waveguides and other devices
fabricated.
[0089] The solder balls 803 may comprise spherical balls of metal
to provide electrical, thermal and physical contact between the
chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171. In
making the contact with the solder balls 803, the chip 162 and/or
the package 167 may be pressed with enough force to squash the
metal spheres somewhat, and may be performed at an elevated
temperature to provide suitable electrical resistance and physical
bond strength. The thermal epoxy 807 may fill the volume between
the solder balls 803 and may provide a high thermal conductance
path for heat transfer out of the chip 162.
[0090] In operation, the chip 162 may comprise an RF front end,
such as the RF transceiver 152, described with respect to FIG. 1,
and may be utilized to transmit and/or receive RF signals, at 60
GHz, for example. The chip 162 may be electrically coupled to the
package 167. The package 167 may be electrically coupled to the
printed circuit board 171. In instances where high frequency
signals, 60 GHz or greater, for example, may be communicated
between blocks or regions in the chip 162, the package 167, the
printed circuit board 171, and/or external devices, leaky wave
antennas may be utilized. Accordingly, the leaky wave antennas
809A-809F may be enabled to communicate clock signals between
regions or sections within the chip 162, the package 167, and/or
the printed circuit board 171. Thus, leaky wave antennas may be
utilized to distribute a single clock source to various parts of
the wireless device 150.
[0091] The leaky wave antennas 809D and 809E may comprise coplanar
waveguide structures, for example, and may be operable to
communicate wireless signals in the horizontal plane, parallel to
the surface of the chip 162. In this manner, signals may be
communicated between disparate regions of the chip 162 without the
need to run lossy electrical signal lines, thereby enabling
intra-chip clock distribution. Coplanar waveguides may also be
integrated in other structures in the wireless device, such as the
package 167 and the printed circuit board 171, for example.
[0092] The leaky wave antennas 809A-809C may comprise microstrip
waveguide structures, for example, that may be operable to
wirelessly communicate signals perpendicular to the plane of the
supporting structure, such as the chip 162, the package 167, and
the printed circuit board 171. In this manner, wireless signals may
be communicated between the chip 162, the package 167, the printed
circuit board 171, and/or other devices in the vertical direction
in the wireless device 150.
[0093] The integration of leaky wave antennas in the chip 162, the
package 167, and the printed circuit board 171 may result in the
reduction of stray impedances when compared to wire-bonded
connections between structures as in conventional systems,
particularly for higher frequencies, such as 60 GHz. In this
manner, volume requirements may be reduced and performance may be
improved due to lower losses and accurate control of impedances via
switches in the chip 162 or on the package 167, for example.
[0094] Furthermore, a clock distribution system may be configured
utilizing leaky wave antennas integrated in the chip 162, the
package 167, and the printed circuit board 171. For example, a VCO,
such as the VCO 169 described with respect to FIG. 1, may generate
a clock signal that may be communicated by the leaky wave antennas
809B and 809E to other leaky wave antennas, thereby distributing a
clock signal in both horizontal and vertical directions.
[0095] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary leaky wave
antenna clock distribution, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown the wireless device
150 comprising the VCO 169, leaky wave antennas 901A-901G, and
low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) 903A-903F. The leaky wave antennas
901A-901G may be substantially similar to the leaky wave antenna
164A-164C, and may be integrated in structures such as the chip
162, the package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 171.
[0096] The VCO 169 may be as described with respect to FIG. 1, and
may be configured by a processor, such as the processor 156. The
output of the VCO 169 may be communicatively coupled to the leaky
wave antenna 901A, which may comprise a single leaky wave antenna,
a single leaky wave antenna with a plurality of feed points, or a
plurality of leaky wave antennas to enable communication of signals
in a plurality of directions concurrently.
[0097] The LNAs 903A-903F may comprise suitable circuitry, logic,
interfaces, and/or code that may be operable to amplify a received
RF signal, such as the RF signals received by the leaky wave
antennas 901B-901G, for example. In an exemplary embodiment of the
invention, the LNAs 903A-903F may be configured at a gain level
such that the input signal received from the leaky wave antennas
901B-901G results in a rail-to-rail output, thereby resulting in a
square-wave output clock signal, CLK.
[0098] In operation, the processor 156 may configure the frequency
of the signal generated by the VCO 169, which may be communicated
to the leaky wave antenna 901A. The generated signal may then be
transmitted wirelessly to the leaky wave antennas 901B-901G,
thereby distributing the VCO 169 output signal throughout the
wireless device 150. The signals received by the leaky wave
antennas 901B-901G may be communicated to the LNAs 903A-903F, which
may amplify the received signals, thereby generating the
distributed clock signals, CLK. Leaky wave antennas may enable the
communication of high frequency clock signals, such as 60 GHz or
higher, for example.
[0099] By utilizing leaky wave antennas to distribute high
frequency clock signals, lossy clock traces may be significantly
reduced or eliminated. In addition, the synchronization of the
clocks in various parts of the wireless device 150 may be improved
due to the reduction or elimination of long clock traces. In
another embodiment of the invention, the VCO 169 may comprise a
plurality of VCOs for communicating a plurality of clock signals at
different frequencies concurrently.
[0100] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary steps for
clock distribution utilizing leaky wave antennas, in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 10, in step
1003 after start step 1001, a VCO may be configured to generate a
signal having a desired clock frequency. In step 1005, a plurality
of leaky wave antennas may be configured to operate at the desired
frequency via MEMS deflection or by selection of one or more leaky
wave antennas with an appropriate cavity height, for example. In
addition, the Q of the cavities may be adjusted by shorting and/or
opening slots or patches in the partially reflective surface,
and/or may configure the direction of transmission/and/or reception
of the leaky wave antennas. In step 1007, the high frequency clock
signal generated by the VCO may be transmitted via a leaky wave
antenna to other leaky wave antennas in the wireless device 150,
and amplified by LNAs, thereby generated distributed clock signals,
CLK. In step 1009, in instances where the wireless device 150 is to
be powered down, the exemplary steps may proceed to end step 1011.
In step 1009, in instances where the wireless device 150 is not to
be powered down, the exemplary steps may proceed to step 1003 to
configure the VCO at a desired frequency.
[0101] In an embodiment of the invention, a method and system are
disclosed for configuring one or more voltage-controlled
oscillators (VCOs) 169 in a wireless device 150 to oscillate at one
or more desired clock frequencies and configuring a plurality of
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E,
and 901A-901G at a resonant frequency corresponding to the clock
frequencies. One or more clock signals may be generated at the one
or more desired clock frequencies utilizing the VCO 169. The
generated clock signals may be communicated via one or more leaky
wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and
901A-901G to one or more receiving leaky wave antennas 164A-164C,
400, 420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G in the wireless
device 150, and the received signals may be amplified utilizing one
or more low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) 903A-903F. A resonant frequency
of the plurality of leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 600,
720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G may be configured utilizing
micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) deflection.
[0102] A plurality of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420,
600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G may be configured to enable
beamforming. One or more of the plurality of leaky wave antennas
164A-164C, 400, 420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G may
comprise microstrip waveguides 720, wherein a cavity height of the
one or more of the plurality of leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400,
420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G is dependent on
spacing between conductive lines 723 and 725 in the microstrip
waveguides 720. One or more of the plurality of leaky wave antennas
164A-164C, 400, 420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G may
comprise coplanar waveguides 730, wherein a cavity height of the
one or more of the plurality of leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400,
420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G is dependent on
spacing between conductive lines 731 and 733 in the coplanar
waveguides 730. One or more of the plurality of leaky wave antennas
164A-164C, 400, 420, 600, 720, 730, 809A-809E, and 901A-901G may be
integrated in one or more integrated circuits 162, integrated
circuit packages 167, and/or printed circuit boards 171.
[0103] Other embodiments of the invention may provide a
non-transitory computer readable medium and/or storage medium,
and/or a non-transitory machine readable medium and/or storage
medium, having stored thereon, a machine code and/or a computer
program having at least one code section executable by a machine
and/or a computer, thereby causing the machine and/or computer to
perform the steps as described herein for clock distribution
utilizing leaky wave antennas.
[0104] Accordingly, aspects of the invention may be realized in
hardware, software, firmware or a combination thereof. The
invention may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least one
computer system or in a distributed fashion where different
elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems.
Any kind of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying
out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination
of hardware, software and firmware may be a general-purpose
computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and
executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the
methods described herein.
[0105] One embodiment of the present invention may be implemented
as a board level product, as a single chip, application specific
integrated circuit (ASIC), or with varying levels integrated on a
single chip with other portions of the system as separate
components. The degree of integration of the system will primarily
be determined by speed and cost considerations. Because of the
sophisticated nature of modern processors, it is possible to
utilize a commercially available processor, which may be
implemented external to an ASIC implementation of the present
system. Alternatively, if the processor is available as an ASIC
core or logic block, then the commercially available processor may
be implemented as part of an ASIC device with various functions
implemented as firmware.
[0106] The present invention may also be embedded in a computer
program product, which comprises all the features enabling the
implementation of the methods described herein, and which when
loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods.
Computer program in the present context may mean, for example, any
expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of
instructions intended to cause a system having an information
processing capability to perform a particular function either
directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to
another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different
material form. However, other meanings of computer program within
the understanding of those skilled in the art are also contemplated
by the present invention.
[0107] While the invention has been described with reference to
certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted without departing from the scope of the present
invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a
particular situation or material to the teachings of the present
invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is
intended that the present invention not be limited to the
particular embodiments disclosed, but that the present invention
will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the
appended claims.
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