WAVEGUIDES FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20160226131A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: McMilin, Emily Beth, Akhi, Fraidun, Shen, Shizhe
• Granted Patent: US 9,917,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/12 Hollow waveguides H01P3/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/06 Waveguide mouths horns H01Q13/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/005 providing two patterns of opposite direction; back to back antennas H01Q25/004 takes precedence

Abstract

Various of the disclosed embodiments use ITO and ITO-like materials or structures to serve as a waveguide for device communications, e.g., for mobile phone communication. Various embodiments employ an economical design, wherein one or more wireless antennas are integrated into or in conjunction with the display of a communications device as a waveguide antenna. The waveguide may use space more economically than traditional designs. In some embodiments, the waveguide can provide a wider range of viable operational frequencies. Additionally, in some embodiments, a square surface area of the waveguide optimizes the area to length ratio, which may reduce the resistance when the structure includes a lossy material. The waveguide antenna may be composed of ITO or ITO-like materials, which facilitate waveguide propagation while retaining a visually transparent character.

Claims

1. A communications device, comprising:

a display having a width and a length, the width less than the length, the width extending in a first direction, the length extending in a second direction, wherein, the display comprises a touch film, the touch film beneath a cover and above a color filter array; and

a waveguide extending at least the length of the display and more than 90% of the width of the display, wherein

the waveguide is beneath the cover and the waveguide is above the touch film,

the waveguide comprises an emission source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation,

the waveguide comprises a first aperture parallel to the first direction, and

the waveguide comprises a second aperture parallel to the first direction.

2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide and cover share at least one surface.

3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein a first edge of the waveguide parallel with the second direction comprises a conductive material and a second edge of the waveguide parallel with the second direction comprises a conductive material.

4. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide comprises a nanomesh.

5. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide and the display comprise ITO.

6. The communications device of claim 1, wherein a surface of the waveguide parallel to a plane formed by the first and second direction comprises ITO.

7. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the ITO comprises between 70-90% IN₂O₃ and between 30%-10% SnO₂ by weight.

8. The communications device of claim 1, wherein a width of the waveguide is between 60-80 mm.

9. The communications device of claim 1, wherein a length of the waveguide is between 120-160 mm.

10. The communications device of claim 1, wherein a height of the waveguide in a third direction orthogonal to a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction is between 0.3-0.7 mm.

11. A communications device, comprising:

a display having a width and a length, the width less than the length, the width extending in a first direction, the length extending in a second direction, wherein, the display comprises a touch film, the touch film beneath a cover and above a color filter array, the color filter array above a thin film transistor; and

a waveguide extending at least the length of the display and more than 90% of the width of the display, wherein

the waveguide is beneath the thin film transistor,

the waveguide comprises an emission source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation,

the waveguide comprises a first aperture parallel to the first direction, and

the waveguide comprises a second aperture parallel to the first direction.

12. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the waveguide comprises a nanomesh.

13. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the waveguide comprises ITO.

14. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the ITO comprises between 70-90% IN₂O₃ and between 30%-10% SnO₂ by weight.

15. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the emission source is substantially equidistant from a first edge of the waveguide parallel with the second direction and a second edge of the waveguide parallel with the second direction.

16. The communications device of claim 11, wherein a width of the waveguide in the first direction is substantially half a wavelength of a lowest frequency at which the communications device is configured to communicate using the waveguide.

17. A communications device, comprising:

a display having a width and a length, the width less than the length, the width extending in a first direction, the length extending in a second direction;

a first waveguide extending between 40-60% of the length of the display, wherein

the first waveguide comprises a first aperture parallel to the first direction,

the first waveguide comprises a first sealed edge parallel to the first direction, and wherein

the first waveguide comprises a first emission source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation; and

a second waveguide extending between 40-60% of the length of the display, wherein

the second waveguide comprises a first aperture parallel to the first direction,

the second waveguide comprises a first sealed edge parallel to the first direction, and wherein

the second waveguide comprises a second emission source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation.

18. The communications device of claim 17, wherein the first waveguide comprises a nanomesh and the second waveguide comprises a nanomesh.

19. The communications device of claim 17, wherein the first waveguide comprises ITO and the second waveguide comprises ITO.

20. The communications device of claim 17, wherein a portion of the first waveguide, a portion of the second waveguide, and a portion of the display comprise a single contiguous material.

21. The communications device of claim 17, wherein the first emission source is configured to excite the first waveguide independently of the second waveguide and the second emission source is configured to excite the second waveguide independently of the first waveguide.