U.S. patent application number 12/751593 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-09 for method and system for cascaded leaky wave antennas on an integrated circuit, integrated circuit package, and/or printed circuit board.
Invention is credited to Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran.
Application Number | 20100309073 12/751593 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43300218 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100309073 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rofougaran; Ahmadreza ; et
al. |
December 9, 2010 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CASCADED LEAKY WAVE ANTENNAS ON AN INTEGRATED
CIRCUIT, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PACKAGE, AND/OR PRINTED CIRCUIT
BOARD
Abstract
Methods and systems for cascaded leaky wave antennas (LWAs) on
an integrated circuit, integrated circuit package, and/or printed
circuit board are disclosed and may include communicating RF
signals using one or more cascaded LWAs in a wireless device. The
cascaded LWAs may include a plurality of cavity heights integrated
in metal layers in a multi-layer support structure which may
include an integrated circuit, an integrated circuit package,
and/or a printed circuit board. The cascaded LWAs may be configured
to transmit the wireless signals at a desired angle from the
surface of the multi-layer support structure. The cascaded LWAs may
include microstrip and/or coplanar waveguides, where the cavity
heights of the cascaded LWAs may be dependent on distances between
conductive lines in the waveguides. A beam shape of the RF signals
may be configured utilizing a frequency of a signal communicated to
the cascaded LWAs.
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.: |
12/751593 |
Filed: |
March 31, 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: |
343/772 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01Q 19/06 20130101;
G01S 13/06 20130101; H01Q 15/006 20130101; H01L 2924/13091
20130101; H01Q 13/22 20130101; H01Q 15/23 20130101; H01Q 15/0066
20130101; G06K 7/10316 20130101; H01Q 1/2283 20130101; H01L
2224/73204 20130101; H04B 7/24 20130101; H01Q 13/20 20130101; H04B
1/0458 20130101; H04B 5/0031 20130101; H01L 2224/16225 20130101;
H01L 2224/32225 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: |
343/772 |
International
Class: |
H01Q 13/20 20060101
H01Q013/20 |
Claims
1. A method for communication, the method comprising: in a wireless
communication device comprising one or more cascaded leaky wave
antennas integrated with a multi-layer support structure:
communicating RF signals via said one or more cascaded leaky wave
antennas, wherein cavity heights within metal layers of said
multi-layer support structure control a resonant frequency of said
one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multi-layer
support structure comprises an integrated circuit.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multi-layer
support structure comprises an integrated circuit package.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multi-layer
support structure comprises a printed circuit board.
5. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring said one
or more cascaded leaky wave antennas to transmit said RF signals at
a desired angle from a surface of said multi-layer support
structure.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more
cascaded leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.
7. The method according to claim 6, comprising controlling said
plurality of cavity heights of said one or more cascaded leaky wave
antennas based on distances between conductive lines in said
microstrip waveguides.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more
cascaded leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
9. The method according to claim 8, comprising controlling said
plurality of cavity heights of said one or more cascaded leaky wave
antennas based on distances between conductive lines in said
coplanar waveguides.
10. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a beam
shape of said communicated RF signals utilizing a frequency of a
signal communicated to said one or more cascaded leaky wave
antennas.
11. A system for enabling communication, the system comprising: one
or more circuits for use in a wireless device comprising one or
more cascaded leaky wave antennas integrated with a multi-layer
support structure, said one or more circuits being operable to
communicate RF signals via said one or more cascaded leaky wave
antennas, wherein cavity heights integrated within metal layers of
said multi-layer support structure control a resonant frequency of
said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said multi-layer
support structure comprises an integrated circuit.
13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said multi-layer
support structure comprises an integrated circuit package.
14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said multi-layer
support structure comprises a printed circuit board.
15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more
circuits are operable to configure said cascaded leaky wave
antennas to transmit said RF signals at a desired angle from a
surface of said multi-layer support structure.
16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more
cascaded leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more
circuits are operable to control said plurality of cavity heights
of said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas based on distances
between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.
18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more
leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.
19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more
circuits is operable to control said plurality of cavity heights of
said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas based on distances
between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.
20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more
circuits are operable to configure a beam shape of said
communicated RF signals utilizing a frequency of a signal
communicated to said one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas.
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. ______(Attorney Docket No.
21202US02) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______(Attorney Docket No. 21203US02) filed on even date
herewith;
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Attorney Docket No.
21206US02) filed on even date herewith;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.
21207US02) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21209US02) filed on even date
herewith; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket
No. 21213US02) filed on even date herewith; U.S. patent application
Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 21218US02) filed on even date
herewith; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney
Docket No. 21220US02) filed on even date herewith.
[0004] Each of the above stated applications is hereby incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0005] [Not Applicable]
MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE
[0006] [Not Applicable]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Certain embodiments of the invention relate to wireless
communication. More specifically, certain embodiments of the
invention relate to a method and system for cascaded leaky wave
antennas on an integrated circuit, integrated circuit package,
and/or printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0008] 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.
[0009] 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.
[0010] 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
[0011] A system and/or method for cascaded leaky wave antennas on
an integrated circuit, integrated circuit package, and/or printed
circuit board as shown in and/or described in connection with at
least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the
claims.
[0012] 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
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless system
with cascaded leaky wave antennas on an integrated circuit and an
integrated circuit package, which may be utilized in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary single
cavity leaky wave antenna, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a plan view of
exemplary partially reflective surfaces for a leaky wave antenna,
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary phase
dependence of a single cavity leaky wave antenna, in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary phase
dependence of a cascaded leaky wave antenna, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention.
[0018] 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.
[0019] 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.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a cross-sectional
view of coplanar and microstrip waveguides, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of
an integrated circuit with integrated leaky wave antennas, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary steps for
communicating via cascaded leaky wave antennas integrated in an
integrated circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Certain aspects of the invention may be found in a method
and system for cascaded leaky wave antennas on an integrated
circuit, integrated circuit package, and/or printed circuit board.
Exemplary aspects of the invention may comprise communicating RF
signals using one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas in a
wireless device. The cascaded leaky wave antennas may comprise a
plurality of cavity heights integrated in metal layers in a
multi-layer support structure in the wireless device. The
multi-layer support structure may comprise an integrated circuit,
an integrated circuit package, and/or a printed circuit board. The
cascaded leaky wave antennas may be configured to transmit the
wireless signals at a desired angle from the surface of the
multi-layer support structure. The cascaded leaky wave antennas may
comprise microstrip waveguides, where the plurality of cavity
heights of the cascaded leaky wave antennas may be dependent on
distances between conductive lines in the microstrip waveguides.
The leaky wave antennas may comprise coplanar waveguides, where the
plurality of cavity heights of the leaky wave antennas is dependent
on distances between conductive lines in the coplanar waveguides. A
beam shape of the communicated RF signals may be configured
utilizing a frequency of a signal communicated to the one or more
cascaded leaky wave antennas.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless system
with cascaded leaky wave antennas on an integrated circuit and an
integrated circuit package, 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, an external headset port 166, and a 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.
[0025] 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.
[0026] 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.
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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.
[0029] 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.
[0030] 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.
[0031] 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
[0032] 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.
[0033] 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.
[0034] 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. The
lower reflectivity surface may allow the resonant mode to "leak"
out of the cavity. The lower reflectivity surface of the leaky wave
antennas 164 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 164A on
the chip 162, wireless signals may be communicated between various
regions of the chip 162 as well as to devices external to the chip
162.
[0035] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the leaky wave
antennas 164A-164C may comprise a plurality of leaky wave antennas
integrated in and/or on the chip 162, the package 167, and/or
printed circuit board 171. 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
comprise sections with different cavity heights. Communicating the
same signal to the two resonant cavities, a different beam shape
may be transmitted by the two sections of the leaky wave antenna,
as described further with respect to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5. In this
manner, adjacent resonant cavities may transmit a signal in a
single direction, thereby increasing signal strength.
[0036] 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 to the transceiver 152 and/or switch
elements in and/or out of the leaky wave antennas 164A, such as the
patches and slots described in FIG. 3.
[0037] 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.
[0038] 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.
[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 HAG 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 leaky wave antennas 164A may be operable to transmit
and/or receive wireless signals between regions of the chip 162
and/or to and from the chip 162 to leaky wave antennas in other
structures such as the leaky wave antennas 164B and 164C in the
package 167 and the printed circuit board 171, respectively.
Resonant cavities may be configured between reflective surfaces in
and/or on the chip 162 so that signals may be transmitted and/or
received from any location on the chip 162 without requiring large
areas needed for conventional antennas and associated circuitry.
Coplanar waveguide structures may be utilized to enable the
communication of signals in the horizontal direction within the
chip 162.
[0046] The frequency of the transmission and/or reception may be
determined by the cavity height of the leaky wave antennas
164A-164C. Similarly, the beam shape of the transmitted signal may
be a function of the frequency of the feed signal as compared to
the resonant frequency of the cavity. Accordingly, the reflective
surfaces may be integrated at different heights in adjacent
sections resulting in a cascaded leaky wave antenna. By feeding a
signal to the sections of the cascaded leaky wave antenna, a beam
shape may result with increased signal in a desired direction from
the leaky wave antennas, as compared to a single resonant cavity
leaky wave antenna.
[0047] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary single
cavity 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 164A-164C. 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.
[0048] The feed point 203 may comprise an input terminal for
applying an input voltage to the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C. 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 164A-164C.
[0049] 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 164A-164C. 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 164A-164C. The input impedance of the leaky
wave antennas 164A-164C may be configured by the vertical placement
of the feed point 203, as described further in FIG. 6.
[0050] 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 traveled a distance corresponding to a full wavelength,
constructive interference may result and a resonant mode may
thereby be established.
[0051] 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 chip 162, the package 167, and the printed circuit board
171. In this manner, the resonant frequency of the cavity may cover
a wider range due to the larger size of the package 167, compared
to the chip 162, without requiring large areas needed for
conventional antennas and associated circuitry.
[0052] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a leaky wave
antenna comprising a plurality of cavity heights may be configured
such that adjacent sections may transmit signals in the same
direction when fed with the same input signal.
[0053] In another embodiment of the invention, the cavity height,
h, of each section 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 and thus a
direction of transmission of the cavity for the same input
signal.
[0054] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a plan view of
exemplary partially reflective surfaces for a leaky wave antenna,
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.
[0055] 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.
[0056] 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.
[0057] 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 chip 162
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 in the chip 162
without the need for additional circuitry and conventional antennas
with their associated circuitry that require valuable chip
space.
[0058] 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 the communication of wireless signals in a
horizontal direction in the structure.
[0059] FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary phase
dependence of a single cavity leaky wave antenna, in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 4A, 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.
[0060] Similarly, out-of-phase condition 420 illustrates the
relative beam shape transmitted by the leaky wave antenna 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, and the printed circuit board 171,
thereby providing a plurality of transmission and reception sites
in the chip 162 with varying resonant frequency. In addition, a
coplanar structure may be utilized to configure leaky wave antennas
in the chip 162, thereby enabling communication of wireless signals
in the horizontal plane of the chip 162.
[0061] By configuring the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C for
in-phase and out-of-phase conditions, signals possessing different
characteristics may be directed out of the chip 162, the package
167, and/or printed circuit board 171 in desired directions. 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 164 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.
[0062] In an embodiment of the invention, a cascaded leaky wave
antenna comprising a plurality of cavity heights may be configured
such that adjacent sections may transmit in the same direction when
fed with the same input signal. By communicating a feed signal at a
specific frequency with sections of a leaky wave antenna of
different cavity heights, the transmitted beam shape from each
section may be different, thereby allowing the tuning of beam shape
with enhanced signal strength from a cascaded leaky wave
antenna.
[0063] FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary phase
dependence of a cascaded leaky wave antenna, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 4B, there is shown a
cascaded leaky wave antenna 440 comprising a plurality of cavity
heights, h.sub.1, h.sub.2, and h.sub.3 configured by the reflective
surface 201B and the partially reflective surface 201A, and feed
points 403A-403C. There is also shown a feed signal 401.
[0064] By utilizing a plurality of cavity heights in a cascaded
leaky wave antenna, the transmitted, or received, beam shape may be
configured with enhanced output signal strength. For example, by
utilizing a single feed signal 401 to feed each cavity height
section, the resulting beam shapes may be different for the
sections due to the different resonant frequencies. For the cavity
height, h2, that corresponds to the feed signal 401, the signal may
be directed essentially vertically out of the surface of the
cascaded leaky wave antenna 440. Conversely, for the cavity heights
above and below h.sub.2, the beam shape may be conical in shape,
with a signal strength maximum away from vertical. In this manner,
the signal strength above the h.sub.2 cavity height section of the
cascaded leaky wave antenna may be increased.
[0065] The cascaded leaky wave antenna 440 is not limited to the
number of cavity heights shown or to the exemplary configuration
shown. Accordingly, any number of cavity heights and arrangements
may be utilized to result in increased signal strengths in desired
directions, or an array of transmitted beams, for example.
[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 an 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. For example, by utilizing a cascaded
leaky wave antenna with a plurality of cavity heights, and thus
resonant frequencies, a highly tunable signal strength and beam
shape may result. For example, two cavity heights may be centered
around a middle cavity height with a single feed signal for all
three heights that corresponds to the center cavity height. In this
manner, a beam shape centered above the center cavity height may be
enabled with an increased signal strength.
[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, 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.
[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. The
microstrip waveguide 720 may comprise signal conductive lines 723,
a ground plane 725, an insulating layer 727 and a substrate 729.
The coplanar waveguide 730 may comprise signal conductive lines 731
and 733, the insulating layer 727, and a multi-layer support
structure 701. The multi-layer 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 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.
[0074] 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.
[0075] 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 1-dimensional or 2-dimensional 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.
[0076] The chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed circuit
board 171 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 package 167, 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.
[0077] 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.
[0078] 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 chip 162, or parallel
to the surface of the chip.
[0079] In an embodiment of the invention, a cascaded leaky wave
antenna may be configured by sequentially integrating a plurality
of microstrip waveguides or coplanar waveguides of different cavity
heights. Thus, by placing the signal conductive line 723 closer to
or farther from the ground plane 725 in different sections of a the
cascaded leaky wave antenna, regions of different resonant
frequency may be enabled.
[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 cascaded leaky wave antenna. In this manner, the beam
shape transmitted, and/or received, from the cascaded leaky wave
antenna may be configured for increased signal strength in desired
directions as compared to a single cavity height leaky wave
antenna.
[0081] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of
an integrated circuit with integrated cascaded leaky wave antennas,
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to
FIG. 8, there is shown metal layers 801A-801 F, solder balls 803,
thermal epoxy 807, and leaky wave antennas 809A-809F. The chip 162,
the package 167, and the printed circuit board 171 may be as
described previously.
[0082] 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.
[0083] The metal layers 801A-801F 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-801F may be utilized to communicate signals
between the chip 162 to devices in the package 167, the printed
circuit board 172, and/or to external devices via leaky wave
antennas integrated in the chip 162. In addition, the leaky wave
antennas 809A-809D may comprise conductive and insulating layers
integrated in and/or on the chip 162 to enable communication of
signals horizontally in the plane of the chip 162, as illustrated
by the coplanar waveguide 730 described with respect to FIG. 7.
[0084] 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.
[0085] The spacing between the metal layers may be different in
sections of the leaky wave antenna, such as between the metal
layers 801A and 801B defining the cascaded leaky wave antenna 809E
with cavity heights h.sub.1, h.sub.2, and h.sub.3. The different
cavity heights in the same leaky wave antenna may enable increased
signal strength in configurable directions from the surface of the
cascaded leaky wave antenna 809E in the package 167.
[0086] Similarly, metal layers may be integrated in a coplanar
waveguide configuration with different lateral spacing in each
section, such as the coplanar spacing of h.sub.1, h.sub.2, and
h.sub.3 defining the cascaded leaky wave antenna 809A. In this
manner, different cavity heights in the same leaky wave antenna may
enable increased signal strength in configurable directions
parallel to the surface of the cascaded leaky wave antenna 809A in
the chip 162.
[0087] 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 resistive material that
may provide electrical isolation between the metal layers 801A-801F
thereby creating a resonant cavity.
[0088] The number of metal layers is not limited to the number of
metal layers 801A-801F 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, which 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 and/or to and from the chip 162, the
package 167, and/or the printed circuit board 172 to external
devices, leaky wave antennas may be utilized. Accordingly, the
leaky wave antennas 809A-809C integrated on or within the chip 162
may be enabled to communicate signals from regions or sections
within the chip 162 to other regions in the chip 162 and/or to
devices in the package 167 via the leaky wave antenna 809E or the
printed circuit board 171 via the leaky wave antenna 809F.
[0091] The leaky wave antennas 809A-809C 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. The leaky wave antennas
809D-809F 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, and the printed circuit board 171.
[0092] 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.
[0093] In an embodiment of the invention, cascaded leaky wave
antennas, such as the cascaded leaky wave antennas 809A and 809E,
may be integrated in the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the
printed circuit board 172. By utilizing a single input signal for
each section of the cascaded leaky wave antenna, the signal
strength above the section of the leaky wave antenna that
corresponds to the input signal may be increased due to the
addition of the signals from adjacent sections of the leaky wave
antenna. The location of the maximum signal strength may be varied
by changing the feed signal frequency. In this manner, the beam
shape, the intensity transmitted, and the location of maximum
transmission may be configured by utilizing a cascaded leaky wave
antenna in the chip 162, the package 167, and/or the printed
circuit board 172.
[0094] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary steps for
communicating via cascaded leaky wave antennas integrated in an
integrated circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Referring to FIG. 9, in step 903 after start step 901,
one or more cascaded leaky wave antennas may be configured to
communicate wireless signals by coupling to RF power amplifiers of
low noise amplifiers, for example. In step 905, high frequency
signals at a frequency that corresponds to a desired location in
the cascaded leaky wave antenna may be communicated to each section
of the cascaded leaky wave antenna. In step 907, signals may be
communicated via the cascaded leaky wave antennas in the chip, the
package, and/or the printed circuit board. In step 909, in
instances where the wireless device 150 is to be powered down, the
exemplary steps may proceed to end step 911. In step 909, in
instances where the wireless device 150 is not to be powered down,
the exemplary steps may proceed to step 903 to configure the leaky
wave antenna at a desired frequency.
[0095] In an embodiment of the invention, a method and system are
disclosed for communicating RF signals using one or more cascaded
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 440, 600, and 809A-809F in
a wireless device 150. The cascaded leaky wave antennas 164A-164C,
400, 420, 440, 600, and 809A-809F may comprise a plurality of
cavity heights h.sub.1, h.sub.2, h.sub.3 integrated in metal layers
201A, 201B, 300, 320, 723, 725, 731, 733, and 801A-801F in a
multi-layer support structure 162, 167, an/or 171 in the wireless
device 150. The multi-layer support structure 162, 167, an/or 171
may comprise an integrated circuit 162, an integrated circuit
package 167, and/or a printed circuit board 171. The cascaded leaky
wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 440, 600, and 809A-809F may be
configured to transmit the wireless signals at a desired angle from
the surface of the multi-layer support structure 162, 167, and/or
171. The cascaded leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 440,
600, and 809A-809F may comprise microstrip waveguides 720, where
the plurality of cavity heights h.sub.1, h.sub.2, h.sub.3 of the
cascaded leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 440, 600, and
809A-809F may be dependent on distances between conductive lines
723 and 725 in the microstrip waveguides 720. The leaky wave
antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 440, 600, and 809A-809F may comprise
coplanar waveguides 730, where the plurality of cavity heights
h.sub.1, h.sub.2, h.sub.3 of the leaky wave antennas 164A-164C,
400, 420, 440, 600, and 809A-809F is dependent on distances between
conductive lines 731 and 733 in the coplanar waveguides 730. A beam
shape of the communicated RF signals may be configured utilizing a
frequency of a signal communicated to the one or more cascaded
leaky wave antennas 164A-164C, 400, 420, 440, 600, and
809A-809F.
[0096] 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 cascaded leaky wave
antennas on an integrated circuit, integrated circuit package,
and/or printed circuit board.
[0097] 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.
[0098] 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.
[0099] 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.
[0100] 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.
* * * * *