MM-WAVE PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION ON SEMI-FLEX PACKAGING

• US 20120235881A1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ruberto, Mark, Horine, Bryce, Ravid, Shmuel, Pan, Helen K.
• Application Number:
  US13/420,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/893
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/001 Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/20 Resilient mountings
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• 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 13/085 Slot-line radiating ends
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/16 Folded slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/067 using endfire radiating aerial units transverse to the plane of the array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• 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: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

Embodiments of wireless antenna array systems to achieve three-dimensional beam coverage are described herein. Disclosed is an integrated multiple phased antenna array on a flexible substrate with one RFIC. In this way the module can be molded onto the contour of a platform such as a notebook or a hub of the personal area network or local area network. The multiple phased array can be 3D bent in a compact size to fit into thin mobile platforms. Different array antennas or antennas radiate in different spherical directions with beam scanning capabilities while driven simultaneously by one RFIC chip.

Claims

1. A millimeter-wave (mm-wave) communications device, comprising:

an antenna module comprising a plurality of mm-wave antennas on a substrate, wherein the substrate can be molded or bent to radiate in different spherical directions; and

an integrated circuit on the substrate connected to the plurality of mm-wave antennas through a transmission line;

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to communicate using mm-wave signals.

2. The millimeter-wave communications device of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is selected from a group consisting of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), baseband integrated circuit (BBIC), or a combination thereof.

3. The millimeter-wave communications device of claim 2, wherein the transmission line connecting the plurality of mm-wave antennas is routed to equalize delays in the antenna module.

4. The millimeter-wave communications device of claim 2, wherein the RFIC comprises a splitter to combine signals directed from the plurality of mm-wave antennas and to divide a signal into a plurality of signals to drive the antenna module.

5. The millimeter-wave communications device of claim 4, wherein the integrated circuit is attached to the substrate by a technique selected from chip and wire assembly, chip-on-board assembly, or flip-chip assembly.

6. The millimeter-wave communications device of claim 5, wherein the substrate is made from a material selected from a group consisting of liquid crystal polymer, Teflon, Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic, alumina, antenna grade core materials and laminates, duroid, high-resistivity silicon or one or more other suitable substrates for mm-wave applications.

7. The millimeter-wave communications device of claim 6, wherein the integrated circuit is anchored to a lower layer substrate selected from a group consisting of printed circuit board (PCB), glass fiber board (FR-4), temperature-resistant glass fiber board (FR-5), ceramic substrate, metal-core PCB (MCPCB), direct copper bonded (DCB) substrate, metal composite board, copper-coated aluminum board, and aluminum board.

8. A communication system adapted to be installed in an electronic device to communicate with other electronic devices comprising:

an interface adapted to transfer and to receive signals at a first frequency from an antenna module; and

the antenna module comprising;

at least one antenna array comprising a plurality of mm-wave antennas on a substrate, wherein the substrate can be molded or bent to radiate in different spherical directions;

an integrated circuit on the substrate connected to the plurality of mm-wave antennas through a transmission line;

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to exchange signals between the interface and the antenna module, and to communicate with other electronic devices using mm-wave signals.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the integrated circuit is a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) and wherein the interface is baseband integrated circuit (BBIC).

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the transmission line connecting the plurality of mm-wave antennas is routed to equalize delays in the at least one antenna array.

11. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the RFIC comprises a splitter to combine signals directed from the plurality of mm-wave antennas and to divide a signal into a plurality of signals to drive the plurality of mm-wave antennas.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the integrated circuit is attached to the substrate by a technique selected from chip and wire assembly, chip-on-board assembly, or flip-chip assembly.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the substrate is made from a material selected from a group consisting of liquid crystal polymer, Teflon, Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic, alumina, antenna grade core materials and laminates, duroid, high-resistivity silicon or one or more other suitable substrates for mm-wave applications.

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the integrated circuit is anchored to a lower layer substrate selected from a group consisting of printed circuit board (PCB), glass fiber board (FR-4), temperature-resistant glass fiber board (FR-5), ceramic substrate, metal-core PCB (MCPCB), direct copper bonded (DCB) substrate, metal composite board, copper-coated aluminum board, and aluminum board.

15. A multipoint wireless communications device installed in an electronic device to communicate with other electronic devices comprising:

a flexible substrate comprising an antenna module with a plurality of mm-wave antennas, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a pliable material that can be configured to alter the radiation pattern of the antenna array module; and

an integrated circuit on the flexible substrate connected to the plurality of mm-wave antennas through a transmission line;

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to communicate using mm-wave signals.

16. The multipoint wireless communications device of claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit is selected from a group consisting of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), baseband integrated circuit (BBIC), or a combination thereof.

17. The multipoint wireless communications device of claim 16, wherein the transmission line connecting the plurality of mm-wave antennas is routed to equalize delays in the antenna array.

18. The multipoint wireless communications device of claim 16, wherein the RFIC comprises a splitter to combine signals directed from the plurality of mm-wave antennas and to divide a signal into a plurality of signals to drive the antenna array.

19. The multipoint wireless communications device of claim 18, wherein the integrated circuit is attached to the substrate by a technique selected from chip and wire assembly, chip-on-board assembly, or flip-chip assembly.

20. The multipoint wireless communications device of claim 19, wherein the substrate is made from a material selected from a group consisting of liquid crystal polymer, Teflon, Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic, alumina, antenna grade core materials and laminates, duroid, high-resistivity silicon or one or more other suitable substrates for mm-wave applications.

21. The multipoint wireless communications device of claim 20, wherein the integrated circuit is anchored to a lower layer substrate selected from a group consisting of printed circuit board (PCB), glass fiber board (FR-4), temperature-resistant glass fiber board (FR-5), ceramic substrate, metal-core PCB (MCPCB), direct copper bonded (DCB) substrate, metal composite board, copper-coated aluminum board, and aluminum board.