U.S. patent application number 17/749495 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-01 for antenna and device configurations.
The applicant listed for this patent is QUALCOMM Incorporated. Invention is credited to Alberto Cicalini, Jorge Fabrega Sanchez, Jeongil Jay Kim, Mohammad Ali Tassoudji, Kevin Hsi-Huai Wang, Taesik Yang.
Application Number | 20220278452 17/749495 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220278452 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Jeongil Jay ; et
al. |
September 1, 2022 |
ANTENNA AND DEVICE CONFIGURATIONS
Abstract
An electronic device includes a first antenna, a second antenna,
and a device cover. The first antenna may be configured to transmit
or receive signals at a first frequency, and the second antenna may
be configured to transmit or receive signals at a second frequency.
The device cover may be configured to enclose at least a portion of
the device, and may have a first thickness in a first area and a
second thickness in a second area. The first area may be
substantially aligned with a boresight of the first antenna, and
the second area may be substantially aligned with a boresight of
the second antenna. The first thickness may be different than the
second thickness.
Inventors: |
Kim; Jeongil Jay; (San
Diego, CA) ; Cicalini; Alberto; (Tortona, IT)
; Tassoudji; Mohammad Ali; (San Diego, CA) ;
Fabrega Sanchez; Jorge; (San Diego, CA) ; Yang;
Taesik; (San Diego, CA) ; Wang; Kevin Hsi-Huai;
(San Diego, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
QUALCOMM Incorporated |
San Diego |
CA |
US |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/749495 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16727640 |
Dec 26, 2019 |
11362421 |
|
|
17749495 |
|
|
|
|
62785621 |
Dec 27, 2018 |
|
|
|
International
Class: |
H01Q 5/307 20060101
H01Q005/307; H01Q 1/24 20060101 H01Q001/24; H01Q 9/04 20060101
H01Q009/04; H01Q 1/42 20060101 H01Q001/42 |
Claims
1. An electronic device, comprising: a plurality of antennas
comprising a first antenna configured to transmit or receive
signals at a first frequency and a second antenna configured to
transmit or receive signals at a second frequency, the first
frequency being different than the second frequency; a device cover
configured to enclose at least a portion of the device including
the first antenna and the second antenna; and material disposed
between the device cover and at least one of the first antenna and
the second antenna, wherein a dielectric constant or a thickness of
the material varies according to a frequency at which each antenna
of the plurality of antennas is configured to communicate.
2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and
the second antenna comprise patch antennas.
3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and
the second antenna are disposed in a module.
4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the module comprises
the material, and wherein the thickness of the module varies.
5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the material comprises
a molding applied to the module.
6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first frequency is
lower than the second frequency, and wherein a thickness of the
module in an area in which the first antenna is disposed is greater
than a thickness of the nodule in an area in which the second
antenna is disposed.
7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is
disposed in a first module and the second antenna is disposed in a
second module, the thickness of the first module being different
than the thickness of the second module.
8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the material comprises
a first piece of material disposed between the first antenna and
the device cover and a second piece of material disposed between
the second antenna and the device cover, the first piece of
material having a dielectric constant that is different than the
second piece of material.
9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein a thickness of the
first piece of material is approximately equal to a thickness of
the second piece of material.
10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first antenna and
the second antenna are disposed in different arrays.
11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the material
comprises a first piece of material disposed between the first
antenna and the device cover and a second piece of material
disposed between the second antenna and the device cover, the first
piece of material having a thickness that is different than a
thickness of the second piece of material.
12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the thickness of the
first piece of material plus a thickness of the device cover is
approximately one half a wavelength at which the first antenna is
configured to communicate.
13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the material is
disposed over the first antenna and is not disposed over the second
antenna.
14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first frequency
is lower than the second frequency.
15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a boresight of the
first antenna faces a first direction and a boresight of the second
antenna also faces the first direction.
16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein a thickness of the
device cover varies in areas substantially aligned with boresights
of the plurality of antennas.
17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein an inner side of the
device cover in an area aligned with the plurality of antennas is
not curved.
18. An antenna module, comprising: a plurality of antennas
comprising a first antenna configured to transmit or receive
signals at a first frequency and a second antenna configured to
transmit or receive signals at a second frequency, the first
frequency being different than the second frequency; a circuit
board comprising signal and ground layers; and a radio frequency
integrated circuit mounted to the circuit board and configured to
control power directed to the plurality of antennas, wherein a
thickness of the antenna module varies according to a frequency at
which each antenna of the plurality of antennas is configured to
communicate.
19. The antenna module of claim 18, further comprising a molding
which varies in thickness.
20. The antenna module of claim 18, wherein the first frequency is
in a 28 GHz band and the second frequency is in a 39 GHz band or a
60 GHz band.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] The present application for patent is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 16/727,640, filed 26 Dec. 2019 and
titled ANTENNA AND DEVICE CONFIGURATIONS, which claims the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/785,621, filed 27 Dec. 2018
and titled ANTENNA AND DEVICE CONFIGURATIONS, the disclosures of
which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety
herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to devices which are
configured to communicate wirelessly and, more specifically, to
antennas for use with such devices and configurations of the device
with respect to such antennas.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A wireless device (e.g., a cellular phone or a smart phone)
may include a transmitter and a receiver coupled to an antenna to
support two-way communication, and may be composed of a housing
assembly (e.g., cover). In general, the transmitter may modulate a
radio frequency (RF) carrier signal with data to obtain a modulated
signal, amplify the modulated signal to obtain an output RF signal
having the proper power level, and transmit the output RF signal
via the antenna to a base station. For data reception, the receiver
may obtain a received RF signal via the antenna and may condition
and process the received RF signal to recover data sent by the base
station. As the radio frequency used by the wireless device
increases, attenuation and absorption of the RF signal by the
housing assembly may decrease the capabilities of the transmitter
and the receiver.
SUMMARY
[0004] Certain embodiments described herein include an electronic
device having a first antenna, a second antenna, and a device
cover. The first antenna may be configured to transmit or receive
signals at a first frequency, and the second antenna may be
configured to transmit or receive signals at a second frequency.
The device cover may be configured to enclose at least a portion of
the device, the and may have a first thickness in a first area and
a second thickness in a second area. The first area may be
substantially aligned with a boresight of the first antenna, and
the second area may be substantially aligned with a boresight of
the second antenna. The first thickness may be different than the
second thickness.
[0005] In some configurations as described above, one or both of
the antennas may be configured to resonate at a frequency used for
communicating signals having a wavelength in the millimeter ranges.
For example, such signals may have a frequency of approximately 24
GHz to nearly 70 GHz.
[0006] In some configurations as described above, the first antenna
may be a substantially planar radiator, and the first area may be
substantially aligned with the radiator in a direction normal to a
plane of the radiator. Further, the second antenna may be a
substantially planar second radiator, and the second area may be
substantially aligned with the second radiator in a direction
normal to a plane of the second radiator. The first frequency may
be lower than the second frequency, and the first thickness may be
greater than the second thickness. For example, the first thickness
may be approximately half a wavelength of a signal having the first
frequency. The device cover may be comprised of a material having a
dielectric constant greater than about 8. In some such embodiments,
the device cover is comprised of a material (e.g., a ceramic
material) having a dielectric constant in the range of about 10 to
about 40. The first antenna may be configured to transmit or
receive signals at the second frequency.
[0007] In some configurations as described above, the electronic
device may also have a third antenna configured to transmit or
receive signals at the first frequency. The device cover may have
the first thickness in a third area, and the third area may be
substantially aligned with a boresight of the third antenna.
Further, the first, second, and third antennas may be implemented
in an antenna array with the second antenna being disposed between
the first and third antennas.
[0008] In some embodiments of an electronic device having a first
antenna, a second antenna, and a device cover, the first antenna
may have a first radiator. For example, the first radiator may be
disposed substantially in a first plane and have a perimeter
defined by a first plurality of sides. A first side of the first
plurality of sides may be of a first length. Further, the second
antenna may have a second radiator. For example, the second
radiator may be disposed substantially in a second plane and have a
perimeter defined by a second plurality of sides. A second side of
the second plurality of sides may be of a second length. The second
length may be different than the first length. Additionally, the
device cover may be configured to enclose at least a portion of the
device, and may have a first thickness in a first area and a second
thickness in a second area. The first area may be substantially
aligned with the first radiator in a direction substantially
orthogonal to the first plane, and the second area may be
substantially aligned with the second radiator in a direction
substantially orthogonal to the second plane. The first thickness
may be different than the second thickness.
[0009] In some configurations as described above, the first length
may be longer than the second length, and the first thickness may
be greater than the second thickness. The first plane and the
second plane may be substantially coplanar. The first plane and the
second plane may be angled with respect to one another. For
example, the first plane may be disposed such that a boresight of
the first antenna passes through a back cover of the electronic
device, while the second plane may be disposed such that a
boresight of the second antenna passes through a side, top, or
bottom edge of the electronic device.
[0010] In some configurations as described above, the first antenna
further includes a third radiator disposed substantially in a third
plane. The third plane may be substantially parallel to the first
plane, and the third radiator may be disposed on an opposite side
of the first radiator as the first area of the device cover.
Further, the third radiator may have a perimeter defined by a third
plurality of sides. A first side of the third plurality of sides
may be of a third length, and the third length may be greater than
the first length.
[0011] In some configurations as described above, the electronic
device may be configured as a smartphone. The device cover may be a
back cover of the smartphone, or may be a portion of a top edge of
the smartphone. In other such configurations, the electronic device
may be configured as an access point or a base station. Any of
these configurations of the electronic device may be configured to
communicate at a millimeter wave frequency. Additionally, in any of
these configurations of the electronic device, the electronic
device may further have a third antenna. The first antenna and the
second antenna may be disposed along a first line, and the first
antenna and the third antenna may be disposed along a second line.
The second line may be angled with respect to the first line.
[0012] Other embodiments are also described herein. Further,
embodiments other than those described explicitly herein will be
understood and appreciated by those of skill in the art based on
the included description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a wireless device capable of communicating with
different wireless communication systems.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a wireless device with a 2-dimensional (2-D)
antenna system.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a wireless device with a 3-dimensional (3-D)
antenna system.
[0016] FIGS. 4A-4C show exemplary designs of a patch antenna.
[0017] FIGS. 5A and 5B show a side view and top view of an example
patch antenna array in a wireless device.
[0018] FIGS. 5C and 5D show a side view and top view of another
example patch antenna array in a wireless device.
[0019] FIG. 5E shows a side view of another example patch antenna
array in a wireless device.
[0020] FIG. 5F shows a side view of another example patch antenna
array in a wireless device.
[0021] FIGS. 6A-6C show a side view of an example patch antenna
array in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the
wireless device.
[0022] FIG. 7A-7C shows a side view of example patch antenna arrays
in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the wireless
device.
[0023] FIG. 8 shows a side view of multiple example patch antenna
arrays in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the
wireless device.
[0024] FIGS. 9A and 9B show a side view of an example patch antenna
array in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the
wireless device.
[0025] FIGS. 10A and 10B show a side view of example patch antenna
arrays in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the
wireless device.
[0026] FIG. 11 shows a side view of an example patch antenna array
in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the wireless
device.
[0027] FIGS. 12A-12D show a side view of example patch antenna
arrays in a wireless device in relation to a device cover of the
wireless device.
[0028] FIG. 13 shows an example of an air coupled superstrate
antenna on a device cover.
[0029] FIG. 14 provides examples of patch antenna geometries.
[0030] FIGS. 15A-15E provide examples of strip-shape radiators.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Techniques are discussed herein for improving the
performance of an antenna, for example in a mobile device. Many
mobile devices include millimeter-wave (MMW) modules to support
higher RF frequencies (e.g., 5.sup.th Generation and/or certain
Wi-Fi specifications). These modules may include a multi-layered
stack-up to support wideband antennas and/or required signal and
power routings to a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC).
Current electronic manufacturing techniques create multiple layer
integrated circuits (ICs), and each layer may include a high metal
density which affects the antenna performance and increases the
complexity of the device/circuit layout. Additionally, once a MMW
module is integrated into a device, the antenna performance may be
affected by the device's cover, for example due to dielectric
loading and wave reflection. In general, a device cover is a
structure that is disposed around one or more components in order
to protect, conceal, contain, etc. those components. For example, a
device cover may be a single unit or multi-part assembly configured
to enclose the electronic components within a mobile device and
thereby provide a protective barrier between the electronic
components and environmental elements. For hand-held devices, such
as a mobile phone, the device cover provides an external surface
which may enable a user to handle or otherwise have physical
contact with the mobile device without damaging the circuit
elements within the mobile device.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, a wireless device 110 capable of
communicating with different wireless communication systems 120 and
122 is shown. Wireless system 120 may be a Code Division Multiple
Access (CDMA) system (which may implement Wideband CDMA (WCDMA),
cdma2000, or some other version of CDMA), a Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM) system, a Long Term Evolution (LTE)
system, a 5G system, etc. Wireless system 122 may be a wireless
local area network (WLAN) system, which may implement IEEE 802.11,
etc. For simplicity, FIG. 1 shows wireless system 120 including one
base station 130 and one system controller 140, and wireless system
122 including one access point 132 and one router 142. In general,
each system may include any number of stations and any set of
network entities.
[0033] Wireless device 110 may also be referred to as a user
equipment (UE), a mobile device, a mobile station, a terminal, an
access terminal, a subscriber unit, a station, etc. Wireless device
110 may be a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a wireless
modem, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device, a
laptop computer, a smartbook, a netbook, a cordless phone, a
wireless local loop (WLL) station, a Bluetooth device, an internet
of things (IoT) device, a medical device, a device for use in an
automobile, etc. Wireless device 110 may be equipped with any
number of antennas. Further, other wireless devices (whether mobile
or not) may be implemented within the systems 120 and/or 122 as the
wireless device 110 and may communicate with each other and/or with
the base station 130 or access point 132. For example, such other
devices may include internet of things (IoT) devices, medical
devices, home entertainment and/or automation devices, etc.
Multiple antennas may be used to provide better performance, to
simultaneously support multiple services (e.g., voice and data), to
provide diversity against deleterious path effects (e.g., fading,
multipath, and interference), to support multiple-input
multiple-output (MIMO) transmission to increase data rate, and/or
to obtain other benefits. Wireless device 110 may be capable of
communicating with wireless system 120 and/or 122. Wireless device
110 may also be capable of receiving signals from broadcast
stations (e.g., a broadcast station 134). Wireless device 110 may
also be capable of receiving signals from satellites (e.g., a
satellite 150) in one or more global navigation satellite systems
(GNSS).
[0034] In general, wireless device 110 may support communication
with any number of wireless systems, which may employ radio signals
including technologies such as WCDMA, cdma2000, LTE, GSM, 5G,
802.11, GPS, etc. Wireless device 110 may also support operation on
any number of frequency bands.
[0035] Wireless device 110 may support operation at a very high
frequency, e.g., within millimeter-wave (MMW) frequencies from 24
to 300 gigahertz (GHz). For example, wireless device 110 may
operate at 60 GHz for 802.11ad. Wireless device 110 may include an
antenna system to support operation at MMW frequencies. The antenna
system may include a number of antennas, with each antenna being
used to transmit and/or receive signals. Generally, each antenna
may be implemented with a patch antenna or a strip-type antenna,
although other antenna types may be implemented. A suitable antenna
type may be selected for use based on the operating frequency of
the wireless device, the desired performance, etc. In an exemplary
design, an antenna system may include a number of patch and/or
strip-type antennas supporting operation at MMW frequency. Other
antenna geometries and configurations may also be used. For example
strip-shape antennas such as single-end fed, circular, and
differential fed structures may be used.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, an exemplary design of a wireless
device 210 with a 2-D antenna system 220 is shown. In this
exemplary design, antenna system 220 includes a 2.times.2 array 230
of four patch antennas 232, at least a portion of which antennas
are formed on a single plane, for example such that the single
plane is approximately parallel to a back surface of wireless
device 210. While the antenna system 220 is visible in FIG. 2, in
operation the patch array may be disposed on a PC board or other
assembly located inside of a device cover 212. Each antenna
illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used to transmit and/or receive
signals. The antenna may have a particular antenna beam pattern and
a particular maximum antenna gain, which may be dependent on the
design and implementation of the antenna. Multiple antennas may be
formed on the same plane and used to improve antenna gain. Higher
antenna gain may be desirable at MMW frequency, for example because
it may difficult to efficiently generate high power at certain MMW
frequency in certain implementations, and attenuation loss may be
greater at certain MMW frequency in certain implementations. These
limitations may be exacerbated by the presence of a back cover or
other housing element or device component between a MMW antenna and
other devices with which the wireless device 210 is communicating.
The patch antenna array 230 has an antenna beam 250, which may
point in a direction that is generally orthogonal to the plane on
which patch antennas 232 are formed in some embodiments (and/or
which may be steered away from orthogonal in some embodiments).
Wireless device 210 can transmit signals directly to other devices
(e.g., access points) located within antenna beam 250 and can also
receive signals directly from other devices located within antenna
beam 250. Antenna beam 250 thus represents a line-of-sight (LOS)
coverage of wireless device 210.
[0037] For example, an access point 290 (i.e., another device) may
be located inside the LOS coverage of wireless device 210. Wireless
device 210 can transmit a signal to access point 290 via a
line-of-sight (LOS) path 252. Another access point 292 may be
located outside the LOS coverage of wireless device 210. Wireless
device 210 can transmit a signal to access point 292 via a
non-line-of-sight (NLOS) path 254, which includes a direct path 256
from wireless device 210 to a wall 280 and a reflected path 258
from wall 280 to access point 292.
[0038] In general, the wireless device 210 may transmit a signal
via a LOS path directly to another device located within antenna
beam 250, e.g., as shown in FIG. 2. This signal may have a much
lower power loss when received via the LOS path. The low power loss
may allow wireless device 210 to transmit the signal at a lower
power level, which may enable wireless device 210 to conserve
battery power and extend battery life. The device cover 212 of the
wireless device 210, however, may absorb and/or attenuate the
signal and thus impact the extent at which power may be conserved
and or the gain at which a signal must be transmitted. Reduction in
signal caused by the device cover 212 may be more critical for
longer range operations, such as with the NLOS path 254, or in
environments in which a device in the LOS path 254, such as the
access point 290, is located relatively far away.
[0039] The wireless device 210 may transmit a signal via a NLOS
path to another device located outside of antenna beam 250, e.g.,
as also shown in FIG. 2. This signal may have a much higher power
loss when received via the NLOS path, since a large portion of the
signal energy may be reflected, absorbed, and/or scattered by one
or more objects in the NLOS path. Wireless device 210 may transmit
the signal at a high power level in an effort to ensure that the
signal can be reliably received via the NLOS path. Any negative
impact of the absorption and attenuation caused by the device cover
212 may require the wireless device 210 to increase the transmit
power, which will negatively impact battery life.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary design of a wireless
device 310 with a 3-D antenna system 320 is shown. In this
exemplary design, antenna system 320 includes (i) a 2.times.2 array
330 of four patch antennas 332 formed on a first plane
corresponding to the back surface of wireless device 310 and (ii) a
2.times.2 array 340 of four patch antennas 342 formed on a second
plane corresponding to the top surface of wireless device 310. As
depicted in FIG. 3, the second plane is at a 90 degree angle
respective to the first plane. The 90 degree angle is exemplary
only and not a limitation as other orientations between one or more
antenna arrays may be be used. For example, the array 340 may be
angled with respect to the top of the wireless device 310 such that
the angle between the first plane and the second plane is greater
or less than 90 degrees. The patch antenna arrays 330, 340 are
disposed on the inside of a device cover 312. The antenna array 330
has an antenna beam 350, which points in a direction that is
generally orthogonal to the first plane on which patch antennas 332
are formed in the illustrated embodiment (and/or which may be
steered away from orthogonal in some embodiments). Antenna array
340 has an antenna beam 360, which points in a direction that is
generally orthogonal to the second plane on which patch antennas
342 are formed in the illustrated embodiment (and/or which may be
steered away from orthogonal in some embodiments). Antenna beams
350 and 360 thus represent the LOS coverage of wireless device 310.
As described with respect to the wireless device 210 in FIG. 2, the
device cover 312 may cause a decrease in the strength of
transmitted signals and/or decrease the strength of received
signals. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the device cover
may cover all or only a portion of the back of the wireless device
(e.g., so as to cover the array 330). In some embodiments, the
device cover 312 extends around one or more edges of the device 310
so as to cover the array 340 as well. In some embodiments, a
portion of the cover 312 on the back of the device and a portion of
the cover 312 along the top or other edges are formed of different
materials and thus affect signals communicated to/from the arrays
330, 340 differently.
[0041] An access point 390 (i.e., another device) may be located
inside the LOS coverage of antenna beam 350 but outside the LOS
coverage of antenna beam 360. Wireless device 310 can transmit a
first signal to access point 390 via a LOS path 352 within antenna
beam 350. Another access point 392 may be located inside the LOS
coverage of antenna beam 360 but outside the LOS coverage of
antenna beam 350. Wireless device 310 can transmit a second signal
to access point 392 via a LOS path 362 within antenna beam 360.
Wireless device 310 can transmit a signal to access point 392 via a
NLOS path 354 composed of a direct path 356 and a reflected path
358 due to a wall 380. Access point 392 may receive the signal via
LOS path 362 at a higher power level than the signal via NLOS path
354. The device cover 312 may absorb the signals radiating from, or
intended to be received by, the arrays 330, 340 based on the
composition of the device cover (e.g., dielectric constant).
[0042] The wireless device 310 shows an exemplary design of a 3-D
antenna system comprising two 2.times.2 antenna arrays 330 and 340
formed on two planes. In general, a 3-D antenna system may include
any number of antennas formed on any number of planes pointing in
different spatial directions (including a single plane in which
multiple antennas radiate in different directions). The planes may
or may not be orthogonal to one another. As described herein, the
first antenna array 330 may include one or more driven elements
(e.g., a first radiator) on a first plane and one or more passive
elements (e.g., a second radiator) on a second plane substantially
parallel to the first plane. The second antenna array may include
one or more driven elements (e.g., a third radiator) on a third
plane, which is at an angle to the first plane, and one or more
passive elements (e.g., a fourth radiator) on a fourth plane
located with respect to the third plane, for example substantially
parallel to the third plane. The device cover 312 may be a single
component, or assembled from multiple components, configured to
enclose and protect device components from environmental and
operational factors (e.g., impact damage, water resistance, skin
oils, etc. . . . ). In certain embodiments, the interior surface of
the device cover 312 may form a first inside surface on the second
plane and/or a second inside surface on the fourth plane.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 4A, an exemplary design of a patch antenna
410a suitable for MMW frequencies is shown. The patch antenna 410a
includes a radiator such as a conductive patch 412a formed over a
ground plane 414. In an example, the patch 412 has a dimension
(e.g., 1.55.times.1.55 mm) selected based on the desired operating
frequency. For example, each side of the patch 412a may be
approximately equal in length, and may be approximately a quarter
or a half of a wavelength (of the desired operating frequency)
long. The ground plane 414 has a dimension (e.g., 2.5.times.2.5 mm,
or larger) selected to provide the desired directivity of patch
antenna 410. A larger ground plane may result in smaller backlobes.
In some embodiments, the ground plane 414 extends beneath an array
of patch antennas 410a. In an example, a feedpoint 416a is located
near the center of patch 412a and is the point at which an output
RF signal is applied to patch antenna 410a for transmission. The
location of feedpoint 416a may be selected to provide the desired
impedance match to a feedline. While one feedpoint 416a is
illustrated in FIG. 4A, an additional feedpoint may be implemented,
for example such that the patch antenna 410a may transmit or
receive signals in two polarizations. Additional patches may be
assembled in an array (e.g., 1.times.2, 1.times.3, 1.times.4,
2.times.2, 2.times.3, 2.times.4, 3.times.3, 3.times.4, etc. . . . )
to further provide a desired directivity and sensitivity.
[0044] FIG. 4B is another exemplary design of a patch antenna 410b.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4B, two of the sides of the
patch 412b are a first length, while the other two sides of the
patch 412b are a second, different length. In this embodiment, the
antenna 410b may be configured to operate at two different
frequencies, for example which correspond to the first length and
the second length. In this way, the antenna 410b may be configured
for dual-band operation. The feedpoints 416b and 416c may be
configured to supply or receive signals at respective frequencies.
For example, the feedpoint 416b may be configured to supply signals
at a frequency of approximately 39 GHz to radiate from the side of
the patch 412b nearest the illustrated "y" axis. As another
example, the feedpoint 416c may be configured to supply signals at
a frequency of approximately 28 GHz to radiate from the side of the
patch 412b nearest the illustrated "x" axis.
[0045] The patches 412a, 412b may be implemented on or in a
multilayer substrate, for example as metal on one or more layers of
the substrate. In such embodiments, the patch 412 may be
substantially planar. FIGS. 4A and 4B each illustrate a single
patch layer 412, but the antennas 410a and 41b may include
additional patch layers (e.g., approximately parallel to the patch
412, but spaced from the patch 412 along the "z" axis). These
additional patch layers may be actively driven with one or more
additional feedpoints, or parasitically driven. The additional
patch layers may be sized and/or shaped similar to the patch 412,
or may be formed with a different size and/or shape. Further, the
antennas 410a, 410b may include one or more parasitic metals
displaced laterally from the patch 412 in the xy plane (and/or
displaced laterally from an additional patch layer in a plane of
the additional patch layer).
[0046] FIG. 4C is another exemplary design of a patch antenna 410c.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4C, the patch 412a
illustrated in FIG. 4A is implemented. Further, an additional patch
412c is implemented in a lower layer of a substrate on which the
patch 412a is formed. The patch 412c therefore can't be directly
observed in FIG. 4C, but is below the patch 412a in the figure and
roughly parallel thereto. In some embodiments, a perimeter of the
patch 412a is completely within a perimeter of the patch 412c when
viewed from a direction normal to the patch 412a and 412c. For
example, the patch 412c may be bigger than the patch 412a (along
any edge, or along all edges, for example to have a greater area),
or vice versa, and therefore may be configured to resonate at a
frequency different than the patch 412a. In some embodiments, the
patch 412c is actively fed with a feedpoint (not illustrated). In
other embodiments, the patch 412c is parasitically coupled to the
patch 412a. The antenna 412c may therefore be configured to
resonate at two different bands (for example, dual resonance at
approximately 28 GHz and approximately 39 GHz), or may be
configured to resonate across a band that encompasses multiple
frequencies (e.g., from approximately 26.5 GHz to approximately
40.5 GHz).
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a side view and top view of an
example patch antenna array in a wireless device 510 is shown. The
wireless device 510 includes a display device 512, a device cover
518, and a main device printed circuit board (PCB) 514. The device
cover 518 is typically made of a plastic material such as
polycarbonate or polyurethane. In some devices, the cover may be
constructed of a glass or a ceramic structure. Other non-conductive
materials may also be used for device covers. A MMW module PCB 520
is operably coupled to the main device PCB 514 via one or more ball
grid array (BGA) conductors 522a-b. The MMW module PCB 520 may
include a plurality of patches 524a-d and corresponding passive
patches 526a-b to form a wideband antenna. For example, a stack of
patches (e.g., 524a, 526a) may include an actively driven element
and one or more passive or parasitic elements. The MMW module PCB
520 also includes signal and ground layers which further increase
the thickness (e.g., height) of the PCB 520. An integrated circuit
(RFIC) 516 is mounted to the MMW module PCB 520 and operates to
adjust the power and the radiation beam patterns associated with
the patch antenna array 524a-d. The RFIC 516 is an example of an
antenna controller means. For example, the integrated circuit 516
may be configured to utilize phase shifters and/or hybrid antenna
couplers to control the power directed to the antenna array and to
control the resulting beam pattern.
[0048] In operation, the device cover 518 may create a gap 530
between the face of the patch antenna array 524a-d and the inside
of the device cover 518. The radiation 532a-b emitted from each
patch array element (e.g., 524a-b) is reflected and refracted by
the device cover 518 due to dielectric loading and wave reflection
(e.g., the reflection and refraction are shown as respective dashed
lines in FIG. 5A). A plastic device cover may typically have a
dielectric constant (dk) in the range of 2-5 and a dissipation
factor (df) in the range of 0.001 to 0.005. Other materials such as
glass may be used for the device cover 518 and may have other
dielectric properties. In each case, the proximity of the device
cover 518 to the patch antenna array 524a-d may detune the antenna
and thus degrade the signals transmitting from, and received by,
the array. The presence of the device cover 518 may also limit the
bandwidth of the patch antenna array 524a-d. The level of the
signal degradation may be based on the thickness and material
composition of the device cover 518, as well as the size of the gap
530.
[0049] Referring to FIGS. 5C and 5D, a side view and top view of
another example patch antenna array in a wireless device 510a is
shown. The antenna configuration in 510a is similar to the antenna
configuration of 510 (illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B), except that
the antennas are arranged in a 1.times.4 array instead of in a
2.times.2 array. As illustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, the antennas
may otherwise be configured similarly to the antennas illustrated
in FIGS. 5A and 5B.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 5E, a side view of another example patch
antenna array in a wireless device 510b is shown. In this
configuration, the antenna array is disposed so as to radiate out a
side or edge of the device 510b. Thus, in comparison to the device
510 or 510a, the array in 510b is situated so as to be angled
(e.g., at a 90 degree angle or another angle) with respect to the
main device PCB and/or the display device 512. In some embodiments,
a cable or flex PCB or other connection mechanism 590 may
communicatively couple the RFIC 516 to one or more components on
the main device PCB. The RFIC 516 need not be disposed as
illustrated in FIG. 5E. In some embodiments, it is disposed on a
same plane as the antennas in the array, for example as opposed to
being coupled via balls to an underside of the array.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 5F, a side view of yet another example
patch antenna array in a wireless device 510c is shown. In this
embodiment, the patch antenna array 524 and/or 526 may be partially
or wholly implemented on or in the main device PCB 514. Some
example devices may implement both an antenna array on or in the
main device PCB 514, as illustrated in FIG. 5F, and an antenna
array disposed on a a separate board or module, for example as
illustrated in any of FIGS. 5A-5E.
[0052] FIGS. 6A and 6B show a side view of an example patch antenna
array in a wireless device in relation to a device cover 518 of the
wireless device. The configuration illustrated in FIGS. 6-12 is an
abstracted view which omits many of the details of FIG. 5. It will
be understood that the configurations described with respect to
FIGS. 6-12 may be implemented with respect to any of the array
configurations described in FIG. 5. For example, the antenna array
illustrated in FIGS. 6-12 may be implemented on or in a main device
PCB and/or in or on another PCB or in a separate module, or may be
disposed so as to radiate primarily out of a back of the device
and/or so as to radiate primarily out of a side or edge of the
device. Further, while four antennas are illustrated in FIGS. 6-12,
it will be understood that a greater or fewer number of antennas
may be implemented, and arrays of various sizes and/or
configurations (e.g., 1.times.4, 2.times.2, etc.) may be
implemented. Additionally, each of the antennas in FIGS. 6-12 may
be implemented as any one of the antennas 410 illustrated in FIGS.
4A-4C, or may be implemented as another antenna type or
configuration. For example, while the antennas are generally
described herein as being configured as patch antennas, it will be
understood that other types of antennas may be used within the
embodiments described with respect to FIGS. 6-12.
[0053] As described above, the cover 518 of a wireless device may
comprise a glass material or another material, for example a
plastic. In some configurations, the cover may be of an
approximately uniform thickness, for example as illustrated in FIG.
5. In some embodiments, the thickness of a back portion of the
cover may differ from a thickness of a side or edge portion of the
cover.
[0054] In some embodiments in which the cover is composed of a
material with a relatively low dielectric constant (for example in
the range of approximately 3-7, as may be present in a plastic or
glass cover, as described above), the approximate uniform thickness
of the cover may yield acceptable performance in systems employing
antennas configured for a plurality of frequencies. To further
improve performance, however, the thickness of the cover may vary
in relation to antennas configured for communication in different
frequencies. Such configuration may be particularly advantageous
for covers made of a material having a higher dielectric constant,
for example 8 or 10 or above, e.g., .epsilon..sub.r=10.about.40. In
some embodiments, such covers having a higher dielectric constant
comprise a ceramic material.
[0055] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the thickness of the cover 518
may vary. For example, in FIG. 6A, the cover 518 has a thickness
561 over the antennas ant1 and ant2 (e.g., aligned with a boresight
of each of the antennas ant1 and ant2) and has a thickness 563,
which is smaller than the thickness 561, over the antennas ant3 and
ant4. In some embodiments, the antennas ant1 and ant2 are
configured to communicate at a lower frequency than the antennas
ant3 and ant4. In some embodiments, the antennas ant1 and ant2 are
configured to communicate at a frequency of approximately 28 GHz,
while the antennas ant3 and ant4 are configured to communicate at a
frequency of approximately 39 GHz or 60 GHz. In other embodiments,
the antennas ant1 and ant2 are configured to communicate at a
frequency of approximately 24 GHz, while the antennas ant3 and ant4
are configured to communicate at a frequency of approximately 29
GHz. In some embodiments, the thickness 561 and/or the thickness
563 is approximately one half a wavelength at which the
corresponding antenna is configured to communicate. The thickness
561 and/or 563 may also be a multiple of a half wavelength, though
in many devices there is a desire to reduce or minimize the size of
the device; thus, in some devices the thickness 561 and/or 563 is
at most approximately one half a wavelength at which the
corresponding antenna is configured to communicate.
[0056] In some embodiments, one or more of the antennas ant1-ant4
may be configured to radiate in multiple frequencies. For example,
ant1 may be configured as a stacked patch configured to radiate in
both the 28 GHz and the 39 GHz bands. In such configurations, the
thickness 561 may be set between a half wavelength of signals at 28
GHz and a half wavelength of signals at 39 GHz. For example, the
thickness 561 may be substantially equivalent to a half wavelength
of communications at 35 GHz in some such configurations. In some
embodiments, dual band stacked patch antennas are disposed in an
array such that they alternate with patch antennas configured for
communication in a single band. In such configurations, the
thickness 561 may be situated above each of the dual band patch
antennas, while the thickness 563 is situated above each of the
single band patch antennas in configurations in which the single
band patch antenna is configured to resonate at a frequency that is
higher than or near the highest frequency of the dual band patch
antenna. For example, a dual band patch antenna configured to
resonate in both the 28 GHz and the 39 GHz bands may have its
boresight aligned with a portion of the cover 518 having the
thickness 561, while an antenna configured to resonate in a band at
39 GHz or at 60 GHz may have its boresight aligned with a portion
of the cover 518 having the thickness 563. In some configurations
of an array including both dual band and single band patch
elements, the thickness 561 may be situated above each of the
single band patch antennas, while the thickness 563 is situated
above each of the dual band patch antennas when the single band
patch antenna is configured to resonate at a frequency that is
lower than or near the lowest frequency of the dual band patch
antenna. In other embodiments, an array includes a plurality of
dual band antennas configured to resonant at different sets of
frequencies, and the thickness of the cover 518 varies according to
the set of frequencies of each antenna.
[0057] In some embodiments, the air gap (e.g., the gap 530) between
the antenna array and the cover 518 is relatively small compared to
the thickness of the cover 518. In some example configurations, the
air gap is approximately 10% of the wavelength (e.g., 0.1.lamda.)
or less. Thus, the distance between the antenna array and the
outside of the cover 518 may be approximately or less than
0.6.lamda. in some configurations.
[0058] The antennas ant1, ant2, ant3, and ant4 are illustrated as
being disposed within an element, component, or material 550. The
element 550 may be representative of a PCB 514 or a PCB 520, for
example, or any means for affixing, supporting, or integrating one
or more antennas. The antennas ant1-ant1 may be implemented as an
array and/or within a module. Thus, the elements 520 may be
representative of a portion of a board on which other components of
the device (e.g., wireless device 510) may be disposed or
implemented, or may be an abstraction of self-contained module in
which the antennas ant1-ant4 are implemented, either alone or with
other electronic components that support operation of a phased
array (e.g., amplifiers and/phase shifters, etc.).
[0059] While the embodiments shown in FIG. 6A has the thickness 561
over the antennas ant1 and ant2, the thickness 561 may be over any
or all of the antennas ant1-ant4 (or any other antennas in the
array which are not illustrated). For example, the thickness 561
may be associated with the antennas ant1 and ant3, as illustrated
in FIG. 6B. The thickness 561 may alternatively or additionally be
associated with the antenna ant4. Further, while two thicknesses
561 and 563 are illustrated, additional thicknesses may be
implemented, for example based on a frequency at which an
associated antenna is configured to communicate.
[0060] One such configuration is illustrated in FIG. 6C. In this
configuration, at least three thickness 571, 573, and 575 of the
cover 518 are implemented. As can be seen in the illustration, the
thickness 573 is smaller than the thickness 571, and the thickness
575 is between the thicknesses 571 and 573. Thus, the thickness of
the cover 518 in this embodiment are 573<575<571. In an
example configuration, ant1 may be configured as a single band
antenna configured to resonate at a first frequency. Ant2 and ant 3
may be configured as single band antennas configured to resonate a
second frequency which is higher than the first frequency. And ant3
may be configured as a dual band antenna configured to resonate at
both the first and the second frequencies. Other antenna and array
configurations are possible, and additional thicknesses may be
implemented.
[0061] In FIGS. 6A-6C, the thicknesses 561 and 563 are illustrated
as being separated by a sharp step. In some embodiments, however,
the thicknesses are separate by a slope or a curvature.
[0062] FIGS. 7A-7C illustrates embodiments in which the cover 518
has a non-uniform thickness. In the illustrated embodiments the
cover is sloped or curved. For example, the cover 518 may have a
convex (FIGS. 7A, 7B) or a concave (FIG. 7C) shape with respect to
the array of antennas, and/or may have a constantly varied
thickness with respect to the antennas ant1-ant4. The thickness of
the cover 518 may vary such that the thickness in a given portion
which aligns with a boresight of any particular antenna is
approximately one half a wavelength at which the corresponding
antenna is configured to communicate (or may otherwise vary as
described above with respect to FIGS. 6A-6C). For example, the
portion of the cover 518 having the greatest thickness may be
disposed over ant2 and ant3 (as illustrated in FIG. 7A) when ant2
and and3 are configured to transmit at the lowest (or lowest
average) frequency. As another example, the portion of the cover
518 having the greatest thickness may be disposed over ant1 and
ant2 (as illustrated in FIG. 7B) when ant1 and and2 are configured
to transmit at the lowest (or lowest average) frequency. In FIG.
7C, the portion of the cover having the greatest thickness is
aligned with ant1 and ant4, and the portion of the cover having the
smallest thickness is aligned with ant2 and ant3. The portion of
the cover 518 having the greatest (or smallest) thickness may also
be disposed over a single antenna in an array or over more than two
antennas (not illustrated).
[0063] FIG. 8 shows a configuration in which two separate antenna
arrays are implemented. For example, ant1 and ant2 may be
implemented in a first array, while ant3 and ant4 are implemented
in a second array. In some embodiments, ant1 and ant2 are
configured to communicate in a first frequency band, while ant3 and
ant4 are configured to communicate in a second (e.g., higher)
frequency band. As shown in FIG. 8, the thickness of the cover 518
may vary not just among antennas in a single array (as shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7), but rather between arrays. For example, the
thickness 561 may be disposed with respect to (e.g, align with or
completely overlap) the entirety of the first array, while the
thickness 563 is disposed with respect to the entirety of the
second array. The first array and the second array may be disposed
on a common circuit board or within a common module, or may be
implemented on separate boards and/or modules. The second array is
illustrated as having a component 570. The element 570 may be
configured similar to the element 550, but is separately numbered
to represent that the second array may be implemented independent
and/or separate from the first array in some embodiments.
[0064] FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate a cover 518 comprising a first
material 581 and a second material 583. For example, the two
materials may be selected from a glass, plastic, and ceramic
material. In some embodiments, the thickness of the different
materials differs, as shown in FIG. 9A. In other embodiments, the
thickness of the different materials is approximately equal, for
example as shown in FIG. 9B. In one embodiment, a first material
with a lower dielectric constant is disposed over antennas
configured to operate at a lower frequency, while a second material
with a higher dielectric constant is disposed over antennas
configured to operate at a higher frequency. In this way, the
second material may be utilized in the cover 518, but the thickness
of the cover 518 may be maintained approximately constant (or at
least below the half wavelength thickness that might otherwise be
beneficial if the higher dielectric constant material were disposed
over the lower frequency antennas). While two different materials
581, 583 are illustrated, it will be understood that additional
materials may be implemented.
[0065] FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate one or more dielectric pieces
or fillers 591 disposed between the antenna array and the cover
518. In some embodiments, the thickness of the piece or filler 591
plus the thickness of the cover 518 is equal to approximately one
half a wavelength at which the associated antenna is configured to
communicate. For example, in FIG. 10A, the pieces 591 are
illustrated as being composed of the same material and the antennas
ant1 and ant4 may be configured to communicate in a lower frequency
than the antennas ant2 and ant3. The pieces or fillers 591 may have
the same dielectric constant as the cover 518, or the dielectric
constants may be substantially different. Two or more pieces or
fillers 591 may have different thicknesses depending on the antenna
with which each is aligned. In some embodiments, for example as
illustrated in FIG. 10B, a filler of a first material (e.g., having
a first dielectric constant) is disposed over an antenna configured
to communicate at a first frequency, and a filler of a second
material (e.g., having a second dielectric constant) is disposed
over another antenna which is configured to communicate at a second
frequency different from the first frequency. In some such
embodiments, using fillers of different material and/or dielectric
constant may allow the fillers to be of approximate uniform
thickness, which may ease manufacturing of a device, while
providing appropriate loading of antennas configured to communicate
at different frequencies. In some embodiments, a dielectric filler
or film is applied over the entirety of a first array having
antennas configured to resonate at a first frequency, and the
filler or film is omitted from a second array (or a filler or film
of different dielectric constant or thickness is applied thereto)
having antennas configured to resonate a second frequency.
[0066] In FIG. 11, a thickness of a portion of the antenna array is
varied (for example, increased in comparison to other illustrated
embodiments). For example, the antenna array may be configured as a
module, and a molding which is applied to the module may be
configured so as to vary in thickness within a single module, or
between different modules. The varied thickness of the module may
be used exclusive of, or in addition to, a cover 518 of varying
thickness and/or a dielectric piece or filler 591.
[0067] While the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6-12 are shown as
separate implementations or solutions, one or more of the
embodiments may be combined. For example, as shown in FIG. 12A, a
cover 518 of varying thickness may be used in combination with a
filler 591. In some embodiments, ant1 and ant4 are configured
similarly, but ant1 is aligned with a thicker portion of the cover
518 while ant4 is aligned with the filler 591. In another example,
illustrated in FIG. 12B, the fillers 591 are aligned with portions
of the cover 518 having a reduce thickness (for example, the
thickness 563). The fillers 591 may be applied separate from the
cover 518, or may be formed on the cover 518 itself. For example,
after the varying thickness of the cover 518 is formed, the
material of the fillers 591 may be applied to the cover 518 to fill
in some or all of the indentations therein.
[0068] In FIG. 12C, the filler 591 is aligned with a portion of the
cover having an increased thickness. In some such embodiments, the
combination of the filler 591 and the thickness (e.g., the
thickness 561) of the cover are used to produce the beneficial
effects discussed above.
[0069] FIG. 12D illustrates that a module of varying thickness can
be combined with one or more other embodiments, for example an
embodiment in which the thickness of the cover 518 varies. Other
combinations of embodiments described above are possible without
being explicitly illustrated herein.
[0070] As described above with respect to FIG. 5, antenna arrays
may be formed in a linear array (e.g., 1.times.4) or in a
2-dimensional array, for example across multiple dimensions of a
plane (e.g., 2.times.2). Those of skill in the art will understand
that FIGS. 6-12 illustrate a side view of either such array
configuration. While not visible in these figures, one of skill in
the art will understand how a cover, filler, and/or module may be
configured for a 2-D array of antennas. For example, for an
interleaved 2-D array of antennas, a cover may have a thickness
which varies in a checkerboard type pattern. In another such
embodiment, the cover may resemble the surface of a golf ball, for
example having dimples therein which align with antennas configured
for communication at higher frequencies than their neighbors. In
another embodiment, the cover may be formed such that a multitude
of bumps appear to protrude from an inside surface of the cover.
Thus, the thickness of the cover may vary not only along a first
direction or axis, but may also vary along a second direction or
axis which is angled (e.g., at a ninety degree angle) with respect
to the first. The relative variance in each direction may be
approximately the same, or may differ.
[0071] Referring to FIG. 13, an example of a wireless device 610
with an air coupled superstrate antenna on a device cover is shown.
The device 610 includes a display device 612 and device cover 618
configured to be used in a wideband antenna design. The device 610
includes a main device PCB 614 operably coupled to a MMW module PCB
620 via one or more connectors 622a-b in a ball grid array. The MMW
module PCB 620 may include a plurality of antennas, for example in
a 2.times.2 array. Two of the four antennas are depicted in FIG. 13
as the first and second lower radiators 624a-b. The MMW module PCB
620 includes signal and ground layers operably coupled to an RF
integrated circuit (RFIC) 616 mounted to the MMW module PCB 620.
The integrated circuit 616 is an example of an antenna controller
and may be configured to utilize phase shifters and/or hybrid
antenna couplers to control the power directed to the antenna array
and to control the resulting beam pattern radiating from the
antenna array (e.g., the lower radiators including the first and
second lower radiators 624a-b).
[0072] The device cover 618 is an example of a device cover means
and may be composed of a plastic, glass, ceramic, or other
non-conductive material. The device cover 618 includes a plurality
of metal upper radiators 626a-d disposed over the respective lower
radiators (e.g., including the first and second lower radiators
624a-b). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, the upper
radiators 626a-d are disposed in a 2.times.2 array corresponding to
the array of lower radiators 624. At least a portion of each of the
upper radiators will occupy a position that is orthogonal to a
respective lower radiator. In an example, the sizes of the lower
and upper radiators will be approximately equal (i.e., +/-10%). The
upper radiators may be disposed on the inside surface of the device
cover 618 such that the center of the lower and upper radiators may
be vertically aligned with one another. In operation, the upper
radiators 626 may be configured as passive radiators (e.g.,
parasitic elements) to modify the radiation pattern of radio waves
emitted by the lower radiators 624 (e.g., driven elements), for
example to increase the antenna's gain. For example, the upper
radiators are configured as passive resonators to absorb the radio
waves from the driven elements and re-radiate them at a different
phase. The waves from the different radiators interfere
constructively to increase the radiation in a desired direction,
and destructively to decrease the radiation in undesired
directions. The size, shapes and relative positioning of the upper
and lower resonators may be modified to change the overall antenna
gain. The lower resonators are an example of a first radiating
means for radiating a radio signal received from an antenna
controller. The upper resonators are an example of a second
radiating means for radiating the radio signal received from a
driven element.
[0073] The disposition of the radiators 626 on the cover 618, as
illustrated in FIG. 13, may be implemented with respect to any of
the varying device configurations illustrated in FIGS. 6-12. Thus,
radiators 626 may be disposed on the surface of a device cover
which varies in thickness. In some embodiments, the inside surface
of the device cover 618 (or a portion thereof, for example when the
device cover is of varied thickness) may be approximately parallel
(i.e., +/-5.degree.) to the MMW module PCB 620 and the lower
radiators. A parallel gap 630 between the upper and lower radiators
may vary based on the frequency, radiator design, and bandwidth
requirements. The size of the gap 630 may additionally or instead
vary (e.g., may not be constant or uniform) based on the material
and/or thickness of the cover 618. For example, the gap 630 may be
in a range between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm for MMW applications. The
upper radiators 626 may be printed or affixed to the device cover
618, for example via a laser deposition technology (LDT), a
physical vapor deposition (PVD), or other printing and/or
deposition technologies. In an example, the upper radiators 626 may
be affixed to the device cover 618 with a thermal process, or with
an adhesive material. By printing the upper radiators on the inner
side of the rear cover with a proper spacing, the overall thickness
of the MMW module PCB 620 may be reduced as compared to the example
in FIG. 5A. Further, since the device cover 618 is part of the
antenna radiator, the gain of the antenna array is increased. The
removal of the passive patches 526a-b depicted in FIG. 5A provides
a benefit in that fewer layers are needed for the MMW module PCB
620 to maintain the wideband antenna characteristics associated
with an antenna array. As a result, the overall thickness of the
wireless device 610 with the MMW module PCB 620 integrated inside
may be thinner than the design depicted in FIG. 5A.
[0074] Those having skill in the art will understand that the terms
"upper" and "lower" are used herein with respect to the illustrated
figures for ease of description, and not to impose any requirements
on the relative configuration of the radiators 624 and 626. For
example, the term "lower" may refer to radiators disposed on or
within a PCB, while the term "upper" may refer to radiators
disposed on or within a cover or housing, irrespective of how the
device 610 is facing or which portion of the housing or cover
includes the "upper" radiators. While the device 610 is illustrated
as having upper radiators disposed on a rear cover (e.g., a cover
opposite a display) of the device 610, the air coupled superstrate
antenna may be disposed on the device 610 such that the upper
radiators are implemented on a top, side, bottom, back/rear, and/or
front of the device 610. For example, the device cover 618 may be
used in 2-D antenna systems, such as the array 230 depicted in FIG.
2. 3-D solutions may also be realized such that upper radiators may
be disposed on two or more surfaces of the device cover 618, which
may for example correspond with the patch antenna arrays 330, 340
in FIG. 3. More than one cover assembly (i.e., multiple parts) may
be used to dispose the upper radiators above a radiator array at an
appropriate gap distance (e.g., based on the operating frequencies
of the respective arrays).
[0075] While the device cover is described above as comprising a
plastic, glass, ceramic, or other non-conductive material, those
having skill in the art will understand that a conductive cover
having a non-conductive portion (on which the upper radiators are
disposed) may also be utilized. The cover may be implemented such
the electronics and/or active components are disposed therein or
thereon. In some embodiments, one or more upper radiators of the
air coupled superstrate antenna are disposed on a component of the
device which is neither the cover nor includes active elements or
circuitry. For example, such upper radiators may be implemented on
a non-conductive substrate that is separate and/or conductively
isolated from the PCB on which the lower radiators are disposed. In
some embodiments, the upper radiators are not (only) separated from
the lower radiators by an air gap, but rather are separated by a
dielectric or other material independent from the PCB on which the
lower radiators are disposed. For example, with respect to FIG. 13
the gap 630 or a portion thereof may be filled with a dielectric or
insulator, or such material may otherwise be disposed between the
PCB 620 and the cover 618. In such embodiments, the radiator 626
may be disposed on the cover 618, or may be disposed on or in the
material between the PCB 620 and the cover 618, for example such
that the radiator 626 is abutting or adjacent the cover 618. In
such embodiments, as described above, the filler or insulator may
be selectively disposed over certain antennas (e.g., over antennas
of a certain wavelength), and/or may vary in material, dielectric
constant, and/or thickness.
[0076] Referring to FIG. 14, with further references to FIG. 13,
examples of patch antenna geometries are shown. In general, the
size and shape of a radiator may be varied based on frequency,
bandwidth and beam forming requirements. The upper and lower
radiators 624a-b, 626a-d in FIG. 13 are depicted as square patches
such as the square patch 1102 in FIG. 14. This square geometry is
an example only and not a limitation as other radiator shapes and
configurations may be used for the configuration in FIG. 13 and in
the configurations of FIGS. 6-12. For example, a patch antenna
array may be comprised of one or more patches including other
shapes such as a circle patch 1104, an octagon patch 1106, and a
triangle patch 1108. Other shapes may also be used and an array may
include patches with differing shapes. The properties of a patch
antenna may be varied by changing the boundaries of the individual
patches. For example, a square patch with single notches 1110, a
square patch with multiple notches 1112, and a square with parallel
notches 1114 may be used as a radiator. The square patch geometry
is an example only and not a limitation as other shapes may include
one or more notches such as a circle with notches 1116, an octagon
with notches 1118, and a triangle with notches 1120. The shape and
locations of the notches may vary. For example, the notches may be
semicircles, triangles, or other shaped areas of material that are
removed from the patch. A patch antenna may include one or more
parasitic radiators disposed in proximity to the patch. For
example, a patch with one set of parasitic radiators 1122 and a
patch with two sets of parasitic radiators 1124 may be used. The
geometry, number, and locations of the parasitic radiators may vary
based on antenna performance requirements.
[0077] Referring to FIGS. 15A through 15E, and with further
reference to FIG. 13, examples of strip-shaped radiators are shown.
The upper and lower radiators described herein are not limited to
antenna patches as depicted in FIG. 13. The radiators may include
one or more strip-shaped antennas with various orientations and
feed points for the configuration in FIG. 13 and in the
configurations of FIGS. 6-12. While FIGS. 15A-15E depict examples
with an upper and a lower radiator, multiple radiator
configurations may also utilize strip-shaped radiators. For
example, the MMW module PCB 620 may include one or more
strip-shaped radiators and feed points and the device cover 618 or
display 612 may include one or more strip-shaped radiators as
previously described. In FIG. 15A, a first radiator 624 may include
a single-ended strip with feed point that is operably coupled to
the MMW module PCB 620, and a second radiator 626 may be disposed
in or on the device cover 618 or display 612. In FIG. 15B, the
first radiator 624 may be configured to receive a differential
feed. FIG. 15C, the first radiator 624 may include single-ended
strips with dual feeds, and the second radiator may include
symmetric single-ended strips. In FIG. 15D, the first radiator 624
may be configured to receive dual differential feeds. The
strip-shapes may be configured to form geometric shapes such as
circles, spirals, s-shaped, etc. Referring to FIG. 15E, the first
radiator 624 may include a single-ended strip and feed with a
spiral shape (e.g., for circular polarization), and the second
radiator 626 may duplicate the spiral shape in the device cover 618
or display 612 as previously described.
[0078] Various aspects are described herein in the context of a
wireless device (e.g., the wireless device 110). While the wireless
device 110 is described in various forms as a UE, access terminal,
etc. those of skill in the art will understand that various
teachings herein (for example an antenna array having elements
aligned with portions of a device cover having a varying thickness)
may be implemented in or applied to other devices which include
antennas. For example, the teachings herein may be implemented in
an access point, base station, IoT device, etc.
[0079] Those of skill in the art will understand that the term
"module" as used herein does not describe software and is not used
in a nonce context. Rather, "module" describes an assembly of
physical (e.g., electronic) components, for example onto a
substrate or into a package.
[0080] Specific details are given in the description to provide a
thorough understanding of example configurations (including
implementations). However, configurations may be practiced without
these specific details. For example, well-known circuits,
processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques have been shown
without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the
configurations. This description provides example configurations
only, and does not limit the scope, applicability, or
configurations of the claims. Rather, the preceding description of
the configurations provides a description for implementing
described techniques. Various changes may be made in the function
and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit or
scope of the disclosure.
[0081] Also, as used herein, "or" as used in a list of items
prefaced by "at least one of" or prefaced by "one or more of"
indicates a disjunctive list such that, for example, a list of "at
least one of A, B, or C," or a list of "one or more of A, B, or C,"
or "A, B, or C, or a combination thereof" means A or B or C or AB
or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C), or combinations with more
than one feature (e.g., AA, AAB, ABBC, etc.).
[0082] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a statement that a
function or operation is "based on" an item or condition means that
the function or operation is based on the stated item or condition
and may be based on one or more items and/or conditions in addition
to the stated item or condition.
[0083] Components, functional or otherwise, shown in the figures
and/or discussed herein as being connected, coupled (e.g.,
communicatively coupled), or communicating with each other are
operably coupled. That is, they may be directly or indirectly,
wired and/or wirelessly, connected to enable signal transmission
between them.
[0084] Having described several example configurations, various
modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be
used without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For
example, the above elements may be components of a larger system,
wherein other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify
the application of the invention. Also, a number of operations may
be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are
considered. Accordingly, the above description does not bound the
scope of the claims.
[0085] Further, more than one invention may be disclosed.
* * * * *