Wireless communication with dielectric medium

• US 10,707,557 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Gary D., Kyles, Ian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US16/450,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20190379103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411, 455 412
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/48 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/495 Lead-frames or other flat leads H01L23/498 takes precedence; lead frame interconnections between components H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 : used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 : formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 : Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 : Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 : Dielectric resonator antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/265 : Open ring dipoles; Circular dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 : Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 : Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0243 : Printed circuits associated with mounted high frequency components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 : Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 : associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0723 : provided by an inner layer of PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10522 : Adjacent components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0056 : specially adapted for microwave applications

Abstract

An electronic device may include a dielectric substrate, an electronic circuit supported by the substrate, for processing data, and a communication unit having an antenna. The communication unit may be mounted to the substrate in communication with the electronic circuit for converting between a first EHF electromagnetic signal containing digital information and a data signal conducted by the electronic circuit. The electromagnetic signal may be transmitted or received along a signal path by the antenna. An electromagnetic signal guide assembly may include a dielectric element made of a dielectric material disposed proximate the antenna in the signal path. The electromagnetic signal guide may have sides extending along the signal path. A sleeve element may extend around the dielectric element along sides of the dielectric element. The sleeve element may impede transmission of the electromagnetic signal through the sides of the dielectric element.

Claims

1. An adapter device, comprising:

a housing enclosing a first integrated circuit (IC) package, the housing configured to attach with an external device, the external device including a second IC package;

the first integrated circuit (IC) package configured to communicate wirelessly with the second IC package of the external device responsive to the external device being attached with the housing; and

a connector interface connected to the first IC package, the connector interface configured to receive a wired connector and transfer signals between the first IC package and the wired connector.

2. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a sleeve that fits around at least a portion of the external device.

3. The adapter device of claim 2, wherein the first IC package is aligned with the second IC package when the at least a portion of the external device is within the sleeve.

4. The adapter device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first dielectric material at least partially surrounding the first IC package; and

a second dielectric material at least partially surrounding the first dielectric material, the first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant that is higher than a second dielectric constant of the second dielectric material.

5. The adapter device of claim 4, further comprising a shielding material at least partially surrounding the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material.

6. The adapter device of claim 4, wherein the second dielectric material includes one of foam or air.

7. The adapter device of claim 4, wherein the first dielectric material spans a region defined between the first IC package to a mating surface of the adapter device.

8. The adapter device of claim 7, wherein:

the mating surface contacts a target connection region of the external device when the external device is attached with the housing; and

the external device includes a third dielectric material that spans a region defined between the second IC package and the target connection region of the external device, the third dielectric material having a third dielectric constant that is higher than the second dielectric constant of the second dielectric material, the first dielectric material and the third dielectric material forming a path to propagate an extremely high frequency (EHF) signal between the first IC package and the second IC package when the external device is attached with the housing.

9. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein the connector interface includes a female connector and the wired connector includes a plug-type connector.

10. The adapter device of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) within the housing, the first IC package being on the PCB and connected to the connector interface via the PCB.

11. The adapter device of claim 10, further comprising a third IC package on the PCB.

12. The adapter device of claim 11, wherein the first IC package includes a first antenna positioned orthogonally to a second antenna of the third IC package.

13. The adapter device of claim 11, wherein the first IC package and the third IC package are configured to communicate with the external device in parallel.

14. The adapter device of claim 1, further comprising a magnet configured to hold the external device to the adapter device such that the first IC package is aligned with the second IC package.

15. The adapter device of claim 14, wherein the magnet includes one of:

a permanent magnet;

or

an electromagnet.

16. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a mating surface to provide a physical coupling surface with a target connection region of the external device.

17. The adapter device of claim 16, wherein the mating surface is planar or curved.

18. The adapter device of claim 16, wherein the mating surface includes an alignment portion including at least one of:

a protrusion;

a ridge;

a knob;

a bevel;

a pin;

or

a recess.

19. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein the first IC package is configured to receive power from the connector interface and wirelessly provide at least a portion of the power to the external device.

20. The adapter device of claim 1, further comprising a shielding material at least partially surrounding the first IC package, the shielding material providing an electrical circuit ground for the first IC package.