SINGLE-PACKAGE PHASED ARRAY MODULE WITH INTERLEAVED SUB-ARRAYS

• US 20140266902A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kamgaing, Telesphor, Elsherbini, Adel A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,413,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/374
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15321 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/08 formed of solid dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/293 one unit or more being an array of identical aerial elements adaptive arrays H01Q3/2605
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• 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 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• 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 the present disclosure are directed to a single-package communications device that includes an antenna module with a plurality of independently selectable arrays of antenna elements. The antenna elements of the different arrays may send and/or receive data signals over different ranges of signal angles. The communications device may further include a switch module to separately activate the individual arrays. In some embodiments, a radio frequency (RF) communications module may be included in the package of the communications device. In some embodiments, the RF communications module may be configured to communicate over a millimeter-wave (mm-wave) network using the plurality of arrays of antenna elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna substrate having a surface that is substantially planar;

a first array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the surface and configured to communicate wirelessly over a wireless network, wherein the first array is configured to steer a signal beam over a first range of angles relative to the surface; and

a second array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the surface and configured to communicate wirelessly over the wireless network, wherein the second array is configured to steer the signal beam over a second range of angles relative to the surface that is different from the first range of angles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a switch module coupled to the first and second arrays and configured to separately activate the first and second arrays over the respective first and second ranges of angles.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a millimeter-wave (mm-wave) network.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) module coupled to the antenna substrate and configured to modulate a data signal on to a mm-wave frequency for transmission over the mm-wave network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more antenna elements of the first array have a first angle of maximum radiation relative to the surface, and wherein the one or more antenna elements of the second array have a second angle of maximum radiation relative to the surface that is different from the first angle of maximum radiation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus further comprises a dielectric layer disposed on top of the first and second arrays, the dielectric layer forming lenses over respective antenna elements of the first and second arrays to provide the respective first angle of maximum radiation or second angle of maximum radiation.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first array of one or more antenna elements is disposed on a middle portion of the surface and the first angle of maximum radiation angle is about 90 degrees relative to the surface, and wherein the second array of one or more antenna elements is disposed on a peripheral portion of the surface and the second angle of maximum radiation is less than 90 degrees relative to the surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more antenna elements of the first and second arrays are formed in one or more metal layers on the antenna substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more antenna elements of the first array are of a different design than the one or more antenna elements of the second array.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more antenna elements of the first array are microstrip antennas, and wherein the one or more antenna elements of the second array are Vivaldi radiators or bent patches.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the surface, wherein the third array is configured to steer the signal beam over a third range of angles that is different from the first and second ranges of angles.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming the one or more antenna elements of the first array or second array includes forming one or more metal layers on the surface of the substrate.

12. A method comprising:

forming a first array of one or more antenna elements on a surface of an antenna substrate that is substantially planar, wherein the first array is configured to communicate wirelessly over a wireless network, and wherein the first array is configured to steer a signal beam over a first range of angles relative to the surface; and

forming a second array of one or more antenna elements on the surface, wherein the second array is configured to communicate wirelessly over the wireless network, and wherein the second array is configured to steer the signal beam over a second range of angles relative to the surface that is different from the first range of angles.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

coupling a switch module to the antenna substrate, the switch module configured to separately activate the first and second arrays of antenna elements over the respective first and second ranges of angles.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless network is a millimeter-wave (mm-wave) network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the surface is a first surface and the method further comprises:

mounting a radio frequency (RF) module to a second surface of the antenna substrate opposite the first surface, the RF module configured to modulate a data signal on to a mm-wave frequency for transmission over the mm-wave network.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more antenna elements of the first array have a first angle of maximum radiation relative to the surface, and wherein the one or more antenna elements of the second array have a second angle of maximum radiation relative to the surface that is different from the first angle of maximum radiation.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming a dielectric layer on top of the first and second arrays, the dielectric layer including lenses over respective antenna elements of the first and second arrays to provide the respective first angle of maximum radiation or second angle of maximum radiation.

19. A system comprising:

an antenna substrate having a surface that is substantially planar;

a first array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the surface, wherein the first array is configured to steer a signal beam over a first range of angles relative to the surface;

a second array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the surface, wherein the second array is configured to steer the signal beam over a second range of angles relative to the surface that is different from the first range of angles;

a radio frequency (RF) module coupled to the antenna substrate and configured to modulate a data signal for transmission over a millimeter-wave (mm-wave) network; and

a switch module coupled to the antenna substrate and configured to separately activate the first and second arrays of antenna elements to transmit the data signal over the mm-wave network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more antenna elements of the first array have a first angle of maximum radiation relative to the surface, and wherein the one or more antenna elements of the second array have a second angle of maximum radiation relative to the surface that is different from the first angle of maximum radiation.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a dielectric layer disposed on top of the first and second arrays, the dielectric layer forming lenses over respective antenna elements of the first and second arrays to provide the respective first angle of maximum radiation or second angle of maximum radiation.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a baseband module mounted on the antenna substrate and configured to provide the data signal to the RF module.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the RF module is configured to receive the data signal from a baseband module that is remotely disposed from the antenna substrate.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the antenna substrate, first and second arrays, RF module, and switch module are included in a same package.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the antenna substrate is a first antenna substrate, wherein the surface of the antenna substrate is a first surface, wherein the RF module is coupled to a second surface of the antenna substrate opposite the first surface, and wherein the system further comprises:

a second antenna substrate coupled to the RF module opposite the first antenna substrate, the second antenna substrate having a first surface that is oriented opposite the first surface of the first antenna substrate;

a third array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the first surface of the second substrate and configured to steer the signal beam over a third range of angles relative to the first surface of the second substrate; and

a fourth array of one or more antenna elements disposed on the first surface of the second substrate and configured to steer the signal beam over a fourth range of angles relative to the first surface of the second substrate that is different from the third range of angles;

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth arrays are configured to be independently activated.